Red Riders
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Defunct | 2011 (initial disbandment) |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Red Riders was an indie rock group originating from Sydney, Australia, established in 2003. Following the release of two EPs and a single, their first full-length album, Replica Replica, debuted in October 2006. The band publicly announced their disbandment on Facebook on 5 April 2011.
History
Alexander Grigg and Adrian Deutsch first connected at a Black Rebel Motorcycle Club concert in 2002. Deutsch invited his childhood friend Mathew Chapman—who was residing in New Zealand at the time—to join as bassist, despite Chapman's previous experience as a guitarist. Chapman later met drummer Tom Wallace during a flight to Australia.
Their initial performance took place at a backyard party in 2003, quickly followed by shows throughout pubs and venues across Sydney. Early on, they secured opening slots for bands such as The Sleepy Jackson and Jet. They also supported the sold-out Australian tour of Franz Ferdinand nationally before releasing their self-titled EP, which included the track Tune In/Tune Out. This song received airplay on Triple J, FBi, ZzZ, RAR, and various community radio stations.
After signing with the Sydney-based label Ivy League Records, they released their second EP titled The Plan A in October 2005 and embarked on a national tour with Faker, broadening their listener base.
In 2006, Red Riders were part of the coveted 'dream Big Day Out lineup,' sharing the stage with acts like The Stooges, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, and Kings of Leon. They spent part of that year recording in Byron Bay and headlined the local stage at the Come Together festival.
Their debut album, Replica Replica, comprised ten songs evenly divided between vocal contributions from Alex and Adrian. After its release, they joined The Living End on a significant national tour and closed the year by headlining the Hopetoun Stage at the Homebake festival, attracting a substantial crowd despite competing with the return of Silverchair.
The album enjoyed heavy rotation on Triple J; its single "Slide in Next To Me" secured the 96th spot in the 2006 Hottest 100 countdown.
In 2007, Red Riders made a return to the Big Day Out, toured nationally alongside Dappled Cities, and began working on their sophomore album, Drown in Colour.
Adrian Deutsch departed in January 2008 to focus on his solo career and was succeeded by Brad Heald from The Vines. The band once again supported Franz Ferdinand during their Australian tour in January 2009.
On 9 April 2009, they unveiled "You've Got A Lotta Nerve," the lead single from Drown in Colour, which was released later that year. Ivy League Records distributed limited edition demo tapes through select independent record stores across Australia.
In September 2010, Red Riders toured nationally supporting Perth’s Little Birdy during their album tour. Music videos were produced for "Ordinary" and "You've Got a Lotta Nerve," while "Feels Like Grace" was issued as the final single without an accompanying video.
Following the conclusion of the Drown in Colour tour in early 2010, the band entered a hiatus period. Brad Heald returned to perform with The Vines for several shows. By mid-2010, Red Riders had completed demo recordings for their third studio album and planned to release a single later that year.
In April 2011, they announced their dissolution after performing two farewell concerts featuring all five members. After disbanding, Grigg and Wallace formed the garage rock outfit Palms; Heald became involved with bands such as Dune Rats, The Walking Who, and Dope Lemon; Chapman moved to London; Deutsch pursued solo projects.
In 2017, all five original members reunited to headline the Red Bull Sound Select event at Sydney's Red Rattler theatre and played three additional shows supporting Dappled Cities in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Their final performance took place on 4 June 2017 at Sydney’s City Recital Hall.
In February 2021, the original lineup came together once more for the reopening gala of Sounds of Sydney at the Enmore Theatre, performing "Ordinary" along with a cover of The Go-Betweens' "Darlinghurst Nights."
Members
- Alexander Grigg – rhythm guitar, lead vocals (2003–2011, 2017, 2021)
- Mathew Chapman – bass guitar, backing vocals (2003–2011, 2017, 2021)
- Thomas Wallace – drums, backing vocals (2003–2011, 2017, 2021)
- Adrian Deutsch – lead guitar, lead vocals (2003–2008, 2011, 2017, 2021)
- Brad Heald – lead guitar (2008–2011, 2017)
Festivals
- Solar Festival – Victoria, 2010
- Pyramid Rock Festival – Victoria, 2009
- Festival of the Sun – Port Macquarie, 2009
- A Day in the Park – Sydney, 2009
- Homebake – Sydney, 2006 and 2009
- Big Day Out – Sydney only, 2006 and 2007
- Pauhaus Festival – Brisbane, 2007
- Come Together Music Festival – Sydney, 2005 and 2006
National tours
- Slide in Next To Me National Tour – October 2006
- Replica Replica National Tour – February to March 2007
- Break Your Necks National Tour alongside Dappled Cities Fly – June 2007
- You've Got A Lot of Nerve Tour – October through November 2008
- Drown in Colour Tour – August to September 2009
Albums
| Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Replica Replica |
|
— |
| Drown in Colour |
|
59 |
Extended plays
- Red Riders (Released: 1 August 2004)
- The Plan A (Released: 26 September 2005)
Singles
| Title | Release Year | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| "Slide in Next to Me" | 2006 | 63 |
| "November Rain" (featuring Dappled Cities) | 2007 | — |