Horsell Common (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
Horsell Common was an alternative rock group originating from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, active mainly from 2002 until 2008, with a short-lived reunion in 2010. They performed live for the first time in early 2002 and issued multiple EPs prior to their debut studio album, The Rescue, which was released on 29 September 2007 and reached number 100 on the ARIA Charts.
The band's name is inspired by a protected area located southwest of London, famously known as the landing site of the Martians in H.G. Wells' novel War of the Worlds.
2002–2005: Formation, Early Releases, and Signing
Comprising Mark Stewart (vocals/guitar), Luke Cripps (bass), and Leigh Pengelly (drums), Horsell Common introduced their first EP A Who's Who Road of Living in September 2003, which included the limited edition 7" vinyl single "Order." The EP’s second single, "In Theory," attracted attention due to its provocative music video featuring Australian personality Chopper Read; this video was ultimately banned by the ABC because of its graphic imagery.
In April 2005, the band secured a contract with Set Fire to My Home Records, a label based in Sydney, and subsequently released their second EP titled Lost a Lot of Blood.
2006: Acoustic Collaboration and Chart Success
In April 2006, Horsell Common collaborated with fellow Melbourne act Trial Kennedy to produce a split acoustic EP called The Birds & the Bees. Each group performed acoustic renditions of songs from their respective repertoires, showcasing their adaptability.
Their fourth EP, Satellite Wonderland, launched in September 2006, achieved notable commercial recognition by climbing to number 57 on the ARIA Charts.
2007–2008: Debut Album The Rescue and Hiatus
Following the extensive tour supporting Satellite Wonderland in early 2007, Horsell Common recorded their first full-length album The Rescue at Sing Sing Studios. The project was produced by American Bruce Haigler with engineering by Richard Stolz. Released on 29 September 2007, the album peaked at number 100 on the ARIA Charts.
The music video for their single "Good from Afar" was shot in July within the abandoned ballroom of Flinders Street station. Post-release, the band embarked on an extensive tour that included appearances at the Breakout Festival 2007 across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. They shared stages with acts such as Grinspoon, The Butterfly Effect, Little Birdy, Gyroscope, and Youth Group.
During the promotional tour for The Rescue, Horsell Common organized a contest via their Myspace page to select local bands as opening acts for each state leg. Winning bands comprised Broadway (Melbourne), Day on Fire (Adelaide), Ember Heart (Hobart), Mad Intentions (Launceston), LameExcuse (Canberra), Rex Banner (Sydney), and Returns (Brisbane). Additionally, Melbourne-based Trial Kennedy provided support throughout parts of the tour.
On 21 January 2008, drummer Leigh Pengelly revealed he would be leaving the band after fulfilling tour commitments; his final performance took place at the Corner Hotel, Richmond on 5 April 2008. Although Horsell Common auditioned several drummers to replace him permanently, they did not finalize a new member. Instead, Shane Wakker from Bodyjar filled in temporarily during 2008.
2010: Final tour and dissolution
On 22 December 2009, Horsell Common declared a concluding reunion tour scheduled across three weekends in March 2010. The itinerary included performances at Adelaide's Enigma Bar, Sydney's Spectrum, and culminated with two farewell shows at Melbourne's The Arthouse, a venue pivotal to their early development.
Alongside the tour, they issued a final compilation album titled For Laughter, For Drama, which was exclusively accessible to those who purchased tickets online. This collection comprises 24 tracks, covering all previous releases before The Rescue as well as previously unreleased recordings from the Satellite Wonderland sessions.
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| The Rescue |
|
100 |
Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| For Laughter, For Drama |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| A Who's Who Road of Living |
|
- |
| Lost a Lot of Blood |
|
- |
| The Birds and the Bees (with Trial Kennedy) |
|
- |
| Satellite Wonderland |
|
57 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| "Order" | 2003 | - | A Who's Who Road of Living |
| "In Theory" | - | ||
| "The Disaster" | 2004 | - | Lost a Lot of Blood |
| "Royal Artillery" | 2006 | - | Satellite Wonderland |
| "Good from Afar" | 2007 | 95 | The Rescue |
| "Sing the News" | 2008 | - |