Strawpeople

Strawpeople are a New Zealand band. They were created by Paul Casserly and Mark Tierney after they had met while working at the Auckland university radio station now known as 95 bFM. Over the years, Strawpeople has brought together various New Zealand songwriters, vocalists and musicians in a collaborative effort and achieved some success.

Strawpeople
OriginNew Zealand
Years active1985–2023
LabelsSony BMG
Bigpop
MembersPaul Casserly
Fiona McDonald
Past membersMark Tierney
Stephanie Tauevihi
Fiona McDonald

Early years

Strawpeople was created by Paul Casserly and Mark Tierney in 1985 when they were both working at 95bFM.

In 1990, Strawpeople released the single "One Good Reason", a cover of The Swingers' song from 1981, which was followed by their debut studio album Hemisphere.

In 1992, Strawpeople released Worldservice, which included a cover of "Have a Little Faith", which became their first single and album on the New Zealand charts.

The third album Broadcast was released in September 1994 and reached number seven on the New Zealand charts. The single "Sweet Disorder" won the 1995 APRA Silver Scroll Award as well as winning the duo the Songwriting award at the 1996 New Zealand Music Awards.[1][2] "Sweet Disorder" was voted one of the APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time, and was included on the related Nature's Best 2 CD.

In 1996 Tierney left Strawpeople. Casserly began writing with Victoria Kelly. In August 1996, the group released their fourth studio album, Vicarious, which became their most commercially successful album, peaking at number four on the New Zealand albums chart and winning Album of the Year at the 1997 New Zealand Music Awards.[3]

In 1997, the group released the remix album, 100 Street Transistors.

In April 2000, the group released their fifth studio album No New Messages, followed by the compilation The Best Of 1990>2000 in November of the same year. Their cover of The Cars' "Drive", featured vocals from fellow New Zealand musician Bic Runga and peaked at number 7 on the singles chart.[4]

Recorded over a 3 year period, the group released their sixth studio album Count Backwards from 10 in August 2004.

In August 2023, Strawpeople released their first album in 20 years, titled Knucklebones recorded at Bigpop studios with long time collaborators Joost Langeveld & Chris van de Geer[5][6]

Vocalists

The Strawpeople, being a studio based recording outfit, have had a revolving door lineup of vocalists, normally female and from New Zealand. Notable vocalists include Leza Corban, Stephanie Tauevihi, Fiona McDonald (a vocalist from New Zealand band The Headless Chickens).

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak positions
NZ
[7]
AUS
[8]
Hemisphere
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Pagan Records
  • Catalogue number: PACD1067
Worldservice
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Pagan Records
  • Catalogue number: PACD1086
30
Broadcast
  • Released: September 1994
  • Label: Epic
  • Catalogue number: 477675.2 / 477676.2 (2CD)
7 46
Vicarious
  • Released: August 1996
  • Label: Columbia
  • Catalogue number: 485270.2
4
No New Messages
  • Released: April 2000
  • Label: Epic
  • Catalogue number: 495498.2
10
Count Backwards from 10
  • Released: August 2004
  • Label: Epic/CRS
  • Catalogue number: 5173692000
20
Knucklebones
  • Released: 4 August 2023[6]
  • Label: Bigpop
21
[9]
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Remix albums

List of remix albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak positions
NZ
[7]
100 Street Transistors
  • Released: July 1997
  • Label: Columbia
  • Catalog number: 487709.2
19

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak positions Certification
NZ
[10]
The Best of 1990–2000
  • Released: November 2000
  • Label: Epic
  • Catalog number: 5011412000
26

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
[4]
AUS
[8][12][13]
"Blue" 1988 Hemisphere
"One Good Reason" 1990
"The Slide" 1991 Worldservice
"Love Explodes" 1992
"Have a Little Faith" 36
"Trick with a Knife" 1994 1637 Broadcast
"Crying" 26
"Sweet Disorder" 1995 27
"Beautiful Skin"
"Under the Milky Way" 113
"Taller Than God" 1996 19 Vicarious
"Boxers" 44
"Spoiler" 1997 47
"Sun Comes Up" 100 Street Transistors
"Scared of Flying" 1999 45 No New Messages
"Drive" 2000 7
"It's Not Enough"
"City Lights"
"You've Been on My Mind" 2004 Count Backwards From 10
"Love My Way"
"Wire" 2005

Awards and nominations

Aotearoa Music Awards

The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously called the New Zealand Music Awards) recognise achievements in New Zealand music.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1990 Hemisphere Engineer of the Year Won [14]
Paul Middleditch - "One Good Reason" (Strawpeople) Music Video of the Year Nominated
Strawpeople Most Promising Group Won
1994 World Service Album of the Year Nominated
Strawpeople Group of the Year Nominated
Strawpeople - World Service Producer of the Year Won
"Love Explodes" Single of the Year Nominated
1995 Wayne Conway - Broadcast (Strawpeople) Album Cover of the Year Won
1996 Mark Tierney / Paul Casserly / Anthony Ioasa - Sweet Disorder (Strawpeople) Songwriter of the Year Won
"Sweet Disorder" Single of the Year Nominated
1997 Vicarious Album of the Year Won
Chris Van Der Geer (Strawpeople) Engineer of the Year Nominated
Fiona McDonald (Strawpeople) Female of the Year Nominated
Greg Johnson - "Boxers" (Strawpeople) Songwriter of the Year Nominated
"Taller Than God" Single of the Year Nominated
2001 The Best of 1990-2000 Film Soundtrack / Cast Recording / Compilation of the Year Won
Paul Casserly & Joost Langveld - No New Messages (Strawpeople) Producer of the Year Nominated

References

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