Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
Group Members: Paul Dempsey
All Music Guide:
Something for Kate's confessional post-grunge grandeur has made the group a strong favorite with Australian alternate rock fans. The group's music revolves around the words and emotions of singer/guitarist Paul Dempsey. On stage he stands at the microphone, guitar in hand, carefully dreaming out loud his evocative image-ridden lyrics. Even when the band's atmospheric backings build to their powerful climaxes, you can hear every word. Audiences listen or sing along to the hook-laden melodies, playing their own mind-movies as they do so.
The band was formed in Melbourne in 1993 when Paul Dempsey (vocals, guitars, songs) and Clint Hyndman (drums) met at school and connected musically. The name Something for Kate comes from a note someone left on the kitchen table one day.
They were signed by Sony's Murmur offshoot (Silverchair) on the strengths of a mini-album (The Answer to Both Your Questions), a stopgap EP (Intermission), and a couple of singles ("Dean Martin," "Captain"), which achieved respectable sales on the back of word of mouth built up by constant touring.
The first Murmur album, Elsewhere for 8 Minutes, saw the band secure American producer Brian Paulson, a name found in small print on albums by Archers of Loaf, Superchunk, Uncle Tupelo, Slint, Son Volt, the Wedding Present, Wilco, and the Jayhawks. The sessions took place in New Zealand, simply to let the band get away from friends and outside influences. They recorded the album they wanted, but as soon as they returned home they lost the services of founding bass player Julian Campbell. The band's obvious concentration on detail and quality control has its cost. In the two years that followed, the band came apart, lost another bass player, and changed tack completely by recording Beautiful Shark in their home town, still with Brian Paulson at the controls. Again there were regrets but Something for Kate emerged with another album of jagged grace.
After getting a new bassist, Stephanie Ashworth, and promoting the new album around Australia, Something for Kate toured Japan and America to make contact with their Internet fans and lay the groundwork for the release of their music in the U.S.. During that tour, rumors surfaced about an approach to Stephanie Ashworth to fill Hole's bass vacancy.
Wikipedia:
Something for Kate are a rock band from Melbourne, Australia. Members include songwriter, vocalist and guitarist Paul Dempsey, drummer Clint Hyndman and bassist Stephanie Ashworth. The group was founded in 1994, with Julian Carroll as the original bass player.
Introduction
Something For Kate (or SFK as they are also known) are one of the most popular and enduring Australian alternative/rock bands of the 1990s and 2000s, garnering nominations for 11 ARIA Music Awards throughout their career. Something For Kate have a very dedicated fanbase, often seen more as a cult following.
In 1999 their second album, Beautiful Sharks was nominated for one ARIA Award while in 2001 their third album, Echolalia was nominated for six ARIA Awards and went on to double platinum sales. In 2003 they were nominated for four ARIA Awards for their fourth album The Official Fiction, which also attained platinum status. Their most recent studio album Desert Lights was released on 1 July 2006, and debuted at #1 on the Australian ARIA charts and by the end of the month was certified gold. In 2007 they released their first 'Best Of' compilation album, titled The Murmur Years: The Best Of Something For Kate 1996-2007.
Paul Dempsey has also produced two side projects, including a newly-released solo album.
Members
Dempsey and Hyndman met at Padua College, Mornington Peninsula. Ashworth joined in 1998 after a distinguished career in the band Sandpit, turning down an offer to play with American band Hole. Ashworth, who has since married Dempsey, is the only current non-founding member.
Previous bassists include:
Julian Carroll 1995-1997 - Carroll played with the band on 2 September 2004 at a special one-off 10-year celebration gig at Melbourne's Prince of Wales Hotel.Toby Ralph 1997-1998Touring members have included:
Wally Gunn - Second guitar and keyboards.Phillip 'Pip' Branson - Second guitar and violin. Ex-member of Sydney band Sidewinder, and currently (2005) playing with band as "Pip Branson Corporation".Simon Burke - Keyboards.Anthony Petrucci - Second guitar.The band's name
Early on they used the name "El Presidentè", before changing that to "Fish of the Day". The publican at their first gig suggested they change it. The new words were chosen from a shopping list, Kate being Paul Dempsey's Jack Russell terrier. The band's name is shortened to SFK (as per the band's official website).
Something for Kate and Paul Dempsey have played secret shows under pseudonyms. Some of the names used include:
George Kaplan and the Editors (referencing The Official Fiction).Max Planck and the Horse He Rode In On (referencing The Official Fiction).Captain Pinstripe (referencing two of their songs from Elsewhere for 8 Minutes).Jerry & the Manmade Sharks (referencing Echolalia and Beautiful Sharks).Transparanoia (referencing Desert Lights).Awards
Something for Kate's third album, Echolalia won the Australian Rolling Stone Readers Poll for Best album, Best band, Best single, Best male vocalist and Best rock album of 2001 while also topping the Triple J listeners poll for Best album of 2001. Their single Monsters from Echolalia came 2nd in the Triple J Hottest 100 songs of 2001.
Videography
All music videos were directed by Bart Boghesi unless otherwise stated.
There have been two official video releases, a VHS only video titled Big Screen Television (also referred to as The World According to Bart) and a DVD titled A Diversion. The DVD features a short film with a soundtrack composed by Paul Dempsey, and 29 live video clips from various concerts.
The film clips from "Subject to Change" to "Whatever you Want", along with a live version of "Truly" (recorded at the UNSW Roundhouse), appear on Big Screen Television.
"Subject to Change""Dean Martin""Captain" (1997)"Prick" (1997) - Directed by Toby Ralph"Working Against Me" (1998)"Roll Credit" - First appearance of Stephanie Ashworth"Electricity" (1999)"Hallways" (1999)"Whatever You Want" (1999)"The Astronaut" (2000) - Directed by Morgan Christie"Monsters" (2001)"Three Dimensions" (2001)"Twenty Years" (2001)"Say Something" (2002) - Directed by Morgan Christie"You Only Hide" (2002) - Video clip featured on the band's DVD as an extra"Déjà Vu" (2003) - Directed by Grant Marshall"Song For A Sleepwalker" (2003)"Best Weapon" (2003) - This was a "non-commercial single" and the film clip featured the band playing live at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney"Moving Right Along" (2004) - Directed by Rupert Glasson"Cigarettes And Suitcases" (2006) - Directed by Matt Weston of Syndicate Films"Oh Kamikaze" (2006)"California" (2007)"The Futurist" (2007)Covered songs
Truly by Sub Pop band HazelGenie in a Bottle by Christina AguileraThe One I Love by R.E.M.I Won't Back Down by Tom PettyAshes to Ashes by David BowieDreamworld by Midnight OilOrdinary World by Duran DuranHarpoon by JebediahHanging on the Telephone by BlondieThe Killing Moon by Echo & the BunnymenFeel like the Bad Guy MidgetI Got You Split EnzRock the Casbah from the ClashClose To Me by The CureBorn To Run by Bruce SpringsteenSunglasses at Night by Corey HartInstant Street by Deus covered by Paul Dempsey soloIf I can't change your mind by Sugar covered by Paul Dempsey soloRefugee by Tom PettyDon't get me wrong by The Pretenders covered by Paul Dempsey soloShip of Fools by World Party covered by Paul Dempsey soloWhen the War Is Over by Cold ChiselGrounded by PavementEverybody Knows by Leonard CohenWhat Jail Is Like by The Afghan Whigs covered by Paul Dempsey soloTime To Pretend by MGMT covered by Paul Dempsey soloBette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes covered by Paul Dempsey soloSo Like Candy by Elvis Costello covered by Paul Dempsey soloCareless Whisper by George Michael covered by Paul Dempsey duet with Kate Miller-HeidkeBands that have supported Something for Kate
Caustic Soda.Death Cab For Cutie.Augie March.Grant Lee Phillips.Art of Fighting.Big Heavy Stuff.Crooked Fingers.Adam said Galore.Gelbison.Blueline Medic.The Working Title.Further.Alex Lloyd.Damn Arms.Angus & Julia Stone supported Paul Dempsey Solo show on 29 May 2006 at The Annandale.Deloris.78 SaabGota ColaExpatriateLucky Jim in London, 2004The Mutts in London, 2003Cloud Control, 2007Sarah BlaskoRegurgitatorBands that they have played support for
Silverchair - European tour.Powderfinger - In Australia and Europe.David Bowie.Pavement.Swervedriver.You Am I.Side projects
In 1998, Paul Dempsey released a project under the name Scared of Horses titled An Empty Flight, in which he wrote and recorded all the music, featuring vocals from a number of personalities from different indie bands. This album sold out of its pressings, and a physical copy is now extremely hard to find, but it is available on iTunes. In 2008, Dempsey began work on his first major solo album, completing recording in April 2009, releasing Everything Is True on 14 August 2009 through EMI.
Paul was involved in a band known as the Give Goods featuring Evan Dando from the Lemonheads
In 2004, Something for Kate joined People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in its fight against animal cruelty. As part of their involvement, the band produced an adverstisement protesting Kentucky Fried Chicken's (KFC's) alleged cruelty to animals. Further, in 2007, the group signed PETA's petition calling for an end to Canada's seal slaughter.
