Bluebottle Kiss
| Company type | Indie rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 in Sydney, Australia |
| Founder | Jamie Hutchings |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Fate | Disbanded, reunited in 2022 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, EPs, singles |
Bluebottle Kiss, often abbreviated as BBK, is an indie rock group from Australia, established in 1993 by Jamie Hutchings (guitar and lead vocals). Key longtime contributors include Ben Fletcher (vocals, guitar, bass) and Ben Grounds (bass, guitar). Their discography comprises six studio albums: Higher Up the Firetrails (1995), Fear of Girls (1996), Patient (1999), Revenge Is Slow (2002), Come Across (2003), and Doubt Seeds (2006). Notably, Revenge Is Slow entered the top 100 on the ARIA Charts. The band ceased activity in 2007 but reunited in 2022.
History
Originating in Sydney in early 1993, Bluebottle Kiss began as a grunge trio featuring Simon Adams on drums, Jamie Hutchings handling lead guitar and vocals, and Sian Williams on bass. The band's name was inspired by a combination of the bluebottle jellyfish and the album Barbed Wire Kisses by the Jesus and Mary Chain. Later that year, Ben Fletcher took over bass duties from Williams. Their musical influences span American indie bands like Sonic Youth and Afghan Whigs, singer-songwriters such as Neil Young and Van Morrison, alongside Australian acts including The Church and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. In 1994, John James briefly joined as a guitarist. Their first EP, Sonic Elevator Music for the Masses (1994), was independently issued on cassette. Peter Noble became their drummer in 1995.
Approximately a year and a half after their formation, Bluebottle Kiss signed with Murmur, an imprint under Sony Music Australia. Their debut album, Higher Up the Firetrails, released in April 1995, was recorded live at Bondi Pavilion Theatre with producer Wayne Connolly. Jamie Hutchings wrote all songs on the record. The album displayed a spectrum of sounds ranging from subdued dirges to intense noise. During this period, they supported tours for artists such as Beck, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Crow, and Silverchair.
Their sophomore album, Fear of Girls, arrived in August 1996 with production by Jack Endino—known for his work with Nirvana and Mudhoney. This release embraced a variety of styles from abrasive art-rock to melodic ballads and was praised for its dynamic yet cohesive tracks. By late 1997, Richard Coneliano had replaced Noble behind the drum kit.
Following their departure from Murmur after the 1997 EP Somnambulist Homesick Blues, Bluebottle Kiss pursued independent releases including the EP Tap Dancing on the Titanic (1998) under the Troy Horse label. Their third studio effort, Patient, came out in May 1999 through Citadel Records—home to bands like New Christs and Died Pretty—and was produced by Hutchings within a four-day session. This album explored personal themes influenced by Hutchings’ hospitalization and garnered acclaim for its emotional resonance and songwriting craft.
After a brief stint in the United States, the band returned to Australia as a four-piece lineup in 2001. In 2002, Nick Carr established Nonzero Records inspired by labels such as Citadel to release Bluebottle Kiss’ fourth album, Revenge Is Slow. The album achieved entry into the ARIA top 100 and saw a US release via In Music We Trust. Critics highlighted its compelling fusion of noise elements with power pop sensibilities. That same year, Triple J aired a dedicated music special spotlighting their work.
Lineup changes persisted with Simon Fuhrer stepping in for Coneliano on drums in 2003. The group’s fifth album, Come Across, received positive reviews for its moody blues-rock style and musical diversity. Around this time, Ross Dickie and Jared Harrison replaced Fletcher and Fuhrer on bass and drums respectively. Their collaboration with Nonzero Records continued; their sixth release—a double album titled Doubt Seeds—was produced by Hutchings at Linear Recording studio.
Bluebottle Kiss disbanded in 2007 as Hutchings focused on solo endeavors but reassembled in July 2022 featuring the Revenge Is Slow lineup: Coneliano, Fletcher, Grounds, and Hutchings. They embarked on an Australian tour in October 2022 to promote a vinyl reissue of Patient. Filmmaker Ben deHoedt captured their reunion concert at Sydney’s Crowbar in a feature-length documentary alongside a live album named Bluebottle Kiss: Never Leave Town – Live in Sydney, released in May 2024. Prior to a combined tour with Screamfeeder supporting the vinyl reissue of Fear of Girls, the band issued a single titled "Outside Are the Dogs".
Members
Present lineup
- Jamie Hutchings – lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards
- Ben Fletcher – vocals, guitar, bass guitar
- Richard Coneliano – drums, piano
- Ben Grounds – bass guitar, guitar
Past members
- Simon Adams – drums
- Sian Williams – bass guitar
- John James – guitar, backing vocals
- Peter Noble – drums
- Simon Fuhrer – drums
- Ross Dickie – bass guitar
- Jared Harrison – drums
Studio albums
| Album title | Release information | Highest chart placement |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ||
| Higher Up the Firetrails |
|
– |
| Fear of Girls |
|
– |
| Patient |
|
– |
| Revenge is Slow | 63 | |
| Come Across |
|
–Template:Efn-ua |
| Doubt Seeds |
|
–Template:Efn-ua |
Live albums
- Bluebottle Kiss: Never Leave Town - Live in Sydney (17 May 2024) – Love as Fiction Records
Extended plays
- Sonic Elevator Music for the Masses (1994) – Independent release
- Double Yellow Tarred (1995) – Murmur/Sony Music Australia (MATTCD019)
- Helping You Hate Me (November 1996) – Murmur label
- Somnambulist Homesick Blues (1997) – Murmur (MATTCD054, MATTV054)
- Tap Dancing on the Titanic (February 1998) – Troy Horse/MDS (MDSTH018)
- Girl Genius (May 1999) – Citadel
- Gangsterland (August 2001) – Nonzero/Shock (XHBT002) ARIA Alternative singles: No. 23
- Last Playboy in Town (21 June 2004) – Nonzero/Shock (NZ016)
Singles
- "Rust and the Time" (1996)
- "Return to the City of Folded Arms" (1999)
- "Ounce of Your Cruelty" (2001)
- "Father's Hands" (2004)
- "A Little Bit of Light" (2005) – peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA Hitseekers singles chart
- "The Women Were an Army" (2006)
- "Outside Are the Dogs" (live) (2024)
External links
- "Heart/Noise: The Ballad of Bluebottle Kiss" archived version of a feature from Mess+Noise detailing the band's journey up to the Doubt Seeds Tour in 2006
- "Blue Road" a 50-minute film documenting the band's tour alongside Richmond Fontaine during February and March 2006