Starky

Starky formed in 1998 from half the members of Sydney pop band, Pennidredful,[2] which had released a single and two extended plays, Money for Some Woollen Socks (May 1997) and The Ping Pong Delegate, on Phantom Records.

In 1999 Starky's debut single, "Rock 'n' Roll Is the Devil's Music" was released on Phantom. P G Gleeson opined that "The title track is not the initial grabber; rather a grower... with track two, 'Pencil Sketch', featuring Brian (Golden Rough) Crouch on keys, a quiet little ditty, and the closer, 'She's Gone', back to the foundation sound of the record."[3]

Starky's line-up, in 2002, was Beau Cassidy on guitar and lead vocals, Nick Neal on bass guitar, David Simons on guitar and Brendan Clift on drums.[4] They had toured the United States, Japan and France during that year.[4][2]

Starky's debut album, Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre, was released by Laughing Outlaw Records on 6 October 2003, which was produced by Rob Younger.[2] The line-up was Cassidy, Neal, Simons and Graeme Trewin on drums.[2] The Barman from I-94 Bar felt that "You get 11 tracks on Mirror... and there's not a clunker among them. The killer single 'That's How I'll Know' and another previously released cut, 'Complicator', have been re-recorded, and now boast a big beefy, bottom end."[2]

In November 2005 they issued their self-titled EP on Universal Records with Cassidy and Neal joined by Saul Foster on drums.[5] It was produced by David Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, Starsailor).[5] Michelle Evans of FasterLouder noticed they were "Pounding out the Britpop the way it is meant to be played, the songs on this EP culminate the resonance of early '80s new-wave with modern day power pop."[6] By December the trio were joined by Peter Farley (ex-Gelbison) on keyboards and Johnny Wilson (ex-Faker) on guitar.[5] The Starky EP reached No. 13 on the ARIA Hitseekers Singles chart.[7]

They performed at the third Come Together Festival at Luna Park, Sydney in June 2006.[8] Neal told Kelsey Munro of The Sydney Morning Herald about their touring, "We're in the midst of an After the Fall tour, then we get a few days off and start doing the remainder of the Gerling tour. Yeah, we're busy, we haven't had much sleep in the last few days... This amazing rock'n'roll lifestyle."[8]

Their second album was self-titled and appeared on 12 August 2006 via Universal Records with Starky as the four-piece of Cassidy on lead vocals, Foster, Neal and Wilson.[9] Its lead single, "Hey Bang Bang", was released ahead of the album, and debuted at No. 42 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[10] The track had been recorded in London and was initially meant for a B-side – however it became their first top 50 hit.[9] It received considerable airplay on Triple J, and was nominated for the ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist - Single at the ARIA Music Awards of 2006.[11]