Lo-Tel
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Lo-Tel was a pop rock group originating from Sydney, Australia, best recognized for their 2000 hit track "Teenager of the Year." Although the band is no longer active, two of its former members remain engaged in music production.
History
Established in 1998 as a three-piece ensemble consisting of Luke Hanigan (vocals, guitar), Dave Lumsdaine (bass), and Darren Brollo (drums), Lo-Tel began their recording efforts in Hanigan's personal studio. With the backing of John O'Donnell, they secured a contract with Epic Records in 1999 and swiftly completed their debut album, Planet of the Stereos, which was initially recorded in April 1999 and subsequently remixed over a six-month period.
Their debut single, "Genre Casting," was issued on vinyl in early 2000. The band gained wider recognition with the release of "Teenager of the Year" in May 2000, which benefited from its feature in the Australian movie Looking for Alibrandi. That same month, Marty Hailey joined the lineup, contributing guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals. The full album Planet of the Stereos was released in October 2000 and attained moderate commercial success. Later singles such as "A Pop Song Saved My Life" and "Crucifix" received radio exposure but did not achieve significant chart impact. In March 2001, Hanigan married Australian actress Pia Miranda.
Following a break, Lo-Tel re-emerged in 2002 with Paul Wheeler replacing Brollo on drums. Their sophomore album, The Lost Thing (released August 2003), featured cover art created by Shaun Tan. Despite radio attention for the song "Angel," the album failed to enter the Top 100 charts. The group dissolved later that year.
After disbanding, Hanigan continued his career as a solo songwriter; Lumsdaine established himself in composing production music; meanwhile, Brollo operates The dbmusic Drum Academy, a prominent drum instruction studio located in the Hunter region.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Planet of the Stereos |
|
41 |
| The Lost Thing |
|
— |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| "Genre Casting" | 2000 | — | Planet of the Stereos |
| "Teenager of the Year" | 34 | ||
| "A Pop Song Saved My Life" | 75 | ||
| "Crucifix" | |||
| "Angel" | 2003 | 50 | The Lost Thing |
ARIA Music Awards
Since their inception in 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association, the ARIA Music Awards have annually honored outstanding accomplishments within various Australian music genres.
| 2000 | "Teenager of the Year" | Breakthrough Artist – Single | Nominated |
| 2001 | Planet of the Stereos | Breakthrough Artist – Album | Nominated |