The Sharp
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Allan Catlin, Piet Collins, Charlie Rooke |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
The Sharp is a pop rockabilly ensemble from Melbourne, consisting of four members, established in 1991 by Allan Catlin (double bass, lead vocals), Piet Collins (drums), and Charlie Rooke (guitar, lead vocals). Their discography includes two studio albums: This Is the Sharp (1993) and Sonic Tripod (1994). Their most successful single, "Alone Like Me" (1994), achieved a position within the top 20 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
1991–1992: Origins and Spinosity
Originating in Melbourne’s Collingwood area in 1991, The Sharp began as a trio specializing in rockabilly and pop music, featuring Catlin, Collins, and Rooke. Prior to this, Rooke fronted 59 Sharp, a bar band that later included Catlin along with various drummers such as Danny Simcic and Tony Day. The group built a loyal local audience by performing covers of 1950s rock'n'roll and rockabilly tunes.
In 1991, Piet Collins joined as drummer due to other members’ scheduling conflicts. The band adopted the name The Sharp and crafted a sound combining double bass, stand-up drums, rockabilly guitar riffs, and a signature all-black wardrobe. Original songs penned by Catlin and Rooke drew inspiration from bands like the Kinks, the Beatles, and the Easybeats.
Their first release was the three-track single "Love Your Head" in June 1992 through Mushroom Distribution Services, produced by Nick Mainsbridge. Later that year, they secured a contract with East West Music/Warner Music Australasia. The EP Spinosity, featuring the single "Talking Sly" co-written and sung by Rooke and Catlin, received extensive radio airplay and critical praise. This EP reached the top 30 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
1993: Release of This Is the Sharp
In May 1993, "Train of Thought" was issued as the lead single from their debut album; it was co-produced by Mainsbridge alongside Peter Farnan of Boom Crash Opera.
The album This Is the Sharp followed in September 1993, produced collaboratively by Farnan, Mainsbridge, and the band members. It attained a peak position of No. 13 on the ARIA Albums Chart. To promote the album, The Sharp toured Australia as support for American act Spin Doctors. At the 1993 ARIA Awards, they earned two nominations for "Talking Sly" in categories Breakthrough Artist – Single and Best Video (directed by Chris Langman).
Additional singles such as "Scratch My Back" and "Yeah I Want You" also entered the ARIA top 50. The latter single included four cover tracks originally by The Cure ("The Love Cats"), Blondie ("Hangin' on the Telephone"), Lou Reed ("Vicious"), and The Violent Femmes ("Add It Up"). Collins remarked that these covers had been polished through live performances spanning two years.
In 1993, ABC’s sketch comedy show The Late Show parodied The Sharp with a skit titled "Skivvies are Back," spoofing their "Scratch My Back" video. This segment is included on both VHS and DVD editions of the program.
1994–1995: Sonic Tripod era
During 1994, The Sharp embarked on tours across the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, and Germany. At that year’s ARIA Awards, they received nominations for Breakthrough Artist – Album for This Is the Sharp as well as Engineer of the Year for work on "Scratch My Back," "Yeah I Want You," and "Train of Thought," credited to Mainsbridge and Kalju Tonuma.
Their sophomore album Sonic Tripod, released in August 1994, also reached No. 13 on the charts. Production credits included Farnan, Mainsbridge, and the band itself. Jacqueline Fuller from The Canberra Times observed a thematic shift toward societal issues and introspective content in this release. It featured their highest-charting track "Alone Like Me," which climbed to No. 20. The band became known for their distinctive black high-neck skivvies attire and energetic stage presence—Catlin was noted for balancing atop his double bass while Rooke performed leaps off the drum kit during solos.
Early in 1995 saw Adam May replace Collins on drums. By August of that year, citing exhaustion from constant activity, The Sharp announced their intention to disband. Rooke told The Canberra Times that this decision was mutual and free from internal discord. He highlighted that their legacy was built on straightforwardness amid a music industry increasingly favoring elaborate production styles. Post-breakup plans included solo ventures for both Catlin and Rooke.
A greatest hits compilation titled Single File (The Best of the Sharp) was released in September 1995. The group’s final live performance took place on 22 October 1995 at Melbourne’s Hallam Hotel.
1996–present
In 1996, a posthumous album titled Skeletons in the Closet was issued, featuring previously unreleased studio recordings.
Following the band's initial disbandment, Catlin established the Rush Effect and ventured into composing music for commercials; Collins shifted his focus to journalism and authorship; meanwhile, Rooke created the group Earlobe and contributed as a session guitarist for Cezary Skubiszewski.
The Sharp reunited for a live performance in Melbourne in 2000 and returned again in July 2010 for concerts held in Melbourne and Adelaide.
On 4 March 2024, The Sharp announced through their Facebook platform a reunion lineup excluding Catlin. Joining Charlie and Piet on double bass are The Living End's Scott Owen alongside vocalist Louie Lee Feltrin. Their recent performances have included complete renditions of the This Is the Sharp album.
On 7 April 2025, The Sharp independently launched '4', a four-track EP representing their first new material since the 1990s.
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Highest chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| This Is the Sharp |
|
13 |
| Sonic Tripod |
|
13 |
Compilation albums
| Title | Details | Highest chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Single File (The Best of the Sharp) |
|
133 |
| Skeletons in the Closet |
|
– |
Extended play
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Spinosity |
|
28 |
| Thank You Good Night |
|
115 |
| 4 |
|
- |
Singles
| Single Title | Release Year | Highest Chart Position | Associated Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| "Love Your Head" | 1992 | 179 | Template:Non-album single |
| "Talking Sly" | —[upper-alpha 2] | Spinosity | |
| "Train of Thought" | 1993 | 32 | This Is the Sharp |
| "Scratch My Back" | 40 | ||
| "Yeah I Want You" | 44 | ||
| "Alone Like Me" | 1994 | 20 | Sonic Tripod |
| "Honest and Sober" | 99 | ||
| "Spider" | 109 |
Notes
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards are annual events organized by the Australian Recording Industry Association to honor outstanding achievements and creativity in the Australian music scene. The Sharp earned four nominations throughout their career.
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1993
| "Talking Sly"
| Breakthrough Artist – Single
|
|-
| Chris Langman for "Talking Sly"
| Best Video
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1994
| This Is the Sharp
| Breakthrough Artist – Album
|
|-
| Nick Mainsbridge & Kalju Tonuma for The Sharp's tracks "Scratch My Back", "Yeah I Want You", and "Train Of Thought"
| Engineer of the Year
|
References
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