Biography Wikipedia
Wikipedia:
Boy & Bear are an Australian indie rock-folk music band which was formed in 2009 by Dave Hosking. Initially a solo project, with Hosking on vocals and guitar, he was joined by Killian Gavin, also on vocals and guitar. The pair expanded their line-up with Jake Tarasenko on bass guitar and vocals and Tim Hart on drums and vocals. When Hart's brother, Jon, joined on banjo, mandolin and keyboards, the quintet's line-up was complete.
In November 2009, the band described its style as "a combination of drivey indie folk and choral harmonies". Their debut album Moonfire was released on 5 August 2011 and reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Its lead single, "Feeding Line", appeared in the Top 50 on the ARIA Singles Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2011 Boy & Bear won five awards: Breakthrough Artist – Single for "Feeding Line"; and Album of the Year, Best Group, Breakthrough Artist – Album and Best Adult Alternative Release for Moonfire.
History [edit]
Boy & Bear was formed in 2009 in Sydney as a solo project for Dave Hosking who is a singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the front man for a band while at a university. In February 2009, Hosking uploaded a track, "The Storm", to the Unearthed program on radio station Triple J, it became a featured song at the station. Hosking had met Killian Gavin who was a singer-songwriter and guitarist in Ovell and the pair started jamming together. Tim Hart, from another university band, Wintersound, joined as a drummer and singer-songwriter. Then they expanded with Jake Tarasenko (ex-Tripartisan Approach) on bass guitar. All four had fronted their own groups and became friends after regularly sharing the stage at gigs. Their songwriting usually has Hosking strumming chords on a guitar, Gavin writing the hooks, and Hart providing backing vocal lyrics and drum lines. On 21 October they issued an independent single, "Mexican Mavis", which was a featured song for the "Next Crop '09" segment on Triple J.
Aside from Triple J, the band received national airplay on NovaFM. The group signed with Universal Republic Records and Island Records Australia. After winning the 2009 Unearthed competition, they gained a performance spot at Homebake in December. They toured Australia backing Angus and Julia Stone and Hungry Kids of Hungary. In 2010, they toured Britain supporting Laura Marling and Alessi's Ark, and supported Mumford & Sons in their Australian tour. In May Boy & Bear released their debut extended play, With Emperor Antarctica. In June the EP peaked at No. 63 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The line-up expanded to a quintet with Hart's brother Jon joining on banjo, mandolin and keyboards. In 2010 they recorded the song "Fall at Your Feet" for He Will Have His Way, a tribute album to singer-songwriter brothers, Tim and Neil Finn. Boy & Bear's version of "Fall at Your Feet" was listed at No. 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2010. Another of their tracks, "Rabbit Song" was placed at No. 45.
In November 2010 their cover of "Fall at Your Feet" peaked at No. 34 on the ARIA Singles Chart, their 2011 single "Feeding Line" debuted at No. 49. In April 2011, their early single, "Mexican Mavis", was featured on US TV series, 90210, season three episode, "Nerdy Little Secrets". On 5 August 2011, Boy & Bear released their debut album Moonfire. It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with producer, Joe Chiccarelli and reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. In December, it had finished third in the Triple J album poll of 2011. On the Triple J Hottest 100, 2011 Boy & Bear were listed three times, "Part Time Believer" and "Milk & Sticks" at No. 50 and No. 49, respectively. While "Feeding Line" reached No. 4. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2011 Boy & Bear won in five categories: Breakthrough Artist – Single for "Feeding Line"; and Album of the Year, Best Group, Breakthrough Artist – Album and Best Adult Alternative Release for Moonfire.
