Things of Stone and Wood
| Company type | Group_or_band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Michael Bruce Allen, Greg Arnold, Justin Brady, Tony Floyd |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Things of Stone and Wood, often abbreviated as ToSaW, is a folk rock group originating from Australia, established in 1989. The founding members were Michael Bruce Allen (bass guitar and backing vocals), Greg Arnold (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Justin Brady (violin, mandolin, harmonica), and Tony Floyd (drums and percussion). Their albums The Yearning (1993) and Junk Theatre (1995) both reached No. 8 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The 1992 single "Happy Birthday Helen", penned by Arnold for his then-partner (later spouse), climbed to No. 9 on the ARIA Singles Chart. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993, they received the ARIA Award for Best New Talent for "Share This Wine", while Arnold was honored with 'Songwriter of the Year' at the 1993 APRA Awards.
"Happy Birthday Helen" was ranked No. 91 in the Triple J Hottest 100. The band dissolved in 1998, reunited in 2001, disbanded again in 2006, and came together once more with the original members in 2013, embarking on a tour to celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2014.
1989–1994: Formation and The Yearning
Things of Stone and Wood formed in Melbourne in 1989, featuring Michael Allen on bass and backing vocals, Greg Arnold as lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist, Justin Brady playing violin, mandolin, and harmonica, alongside Tony Floyd handling drums. Prior to this, Allen and Arnold had been part of the indie rock group Thirteen at Midnight. Their early gigs included extended residencies across Melbourne as well as touring pubs interstate.
Their first single, "The Hopeful," was launched in September 1991 through Things Records, produced by James Black—who also managed the band and had previously been a member of prominent Australian acts such as Russell Morris Band and Mondo Rock. In 1992, they secured a contract with Sony and proceeded to record their debut album, The Yearning. The initial single "Share This Wine" broke into the ARIA top 50 in September 1992; its successor "Happy Birthday Helen" peaked at No. 9 in November. Arnold composed "Happy Birthday Helen" as a heartfelt dedication to his then-girlfriend Helen Durham.
The track gained extensive attention, including a parody featured on ABC's The Late Show. Released in February 1993, The Yearning climbed to No. 8 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993, Things of Stone and Wood earned Best New Talent for "Share This Wine". That year also saw them supporting tours for Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, and Luka Bloom before embarking on a European tour. Additionally, Arnold received the Songwriter of the Year accolade at the 1993 APRA Awards.
In 1994, The Yearning garnered ARIA nominations for Breakthrough Artist – Album and Best Cover Art. The album was critically praised for its socially aware lyrics addressing topics such as racism and achieved gold status.
1995–2000: Junk Theatre and break-up
Their sophomore album, Junk Theatre, released in March 1995 with production by Black, matched their previous peak at No. 8 but remained within the top 50 for only four weeks. Australian rock historian Ian McFarlane observed that it "showcased the band's ability to craft adventurous folk-pop compositions, smooth melodies, and Arnold's insightful lyricism". Its lead single "Wildflowers" (August 1994) entered the top 50 and was the most broadcast Australian single on radio during October. The subsequent single "Churchill's Black Dog" (February 1995) reached the top 40. By late 1995, the group parted ways with Sony.
Their third album titled The Man with the Perfect Hair appeared in November 1995 under their own label Things Records. Co-produced by Black alongside the band members, it catered primarily to devoted followers and included new material, revamped B-sides, plus a Beatles cover—I've Just Seen a Face. Following this Beatles-inspired direction, Brady departed from the band which continued as a trio. In October 1996, they released their fourth album Whirligig, co-produced with Simon Holmes (The Fauves), presenting more upbeat folk-pop tunes like the Beatlesque "Blink". After touring in 1998, the band entered a hiatus while members explored solo ventures. Allen issued solo albums Aeroplane (June 1998) and Softness Isn’t Admired Enough (August 1999). Arnold established Tricycle in 1999 and released Super that September.
2001–present: Reunion and retrospective releases
Things of Stone & Wood reunited in 2001, followed by the 2002 release of the compilation So Far: Best of Things of Stone & Wood 1992-2002, which included the new track "Ship of the Damned". This lineup featured Allen, Arnold, Floyd, and Richard Tankard on keyboards. In 2003, they issued the studio album Rollercoaster, with Arnold taking the lead as principal songwriter. The band dissolved once more by 2006 but occasionally came together for reunion shows.
Arnold launched his solo career with the album Lost Marie in 2007. He also works as a music instructor at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE and has produced albums for artists such as Junior, Chloe Hall, Carus & the True Believers, Georgia Fields, Stonefield, and Skipping Girl Vinegar.
During May 2014, the band toured across Australia with performances in Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart. The following month, Arnold and his wife moved to Europe; Things of Stone & Wood now function as a side project whenever he returns to Australia.
Members
- Michael Bruce Allen – bass guitar, keyboards, guitar, vocals (1989–1998, 2001–2006, 2013–present)
- Greg Arnold – vocals, guitar, keyboards (1989–1998, 2001–2006, 2013–present)
- Tony Floyd – drums, percussion, recorder, vocals (1989–1998, 2001–2006, 2013–present)
- Justin Brady – harmonica, violin, mandolin, guitar (1989–1995, 1997–1998, 2013–2015)
- John Bedggood – violin, mandolin (2001–2002)
- Richard Tankard – Hammond organ (2001–2006)
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| The Yearning |
|
8 |
|
| Junk Theatre |
|
8 | |
| The Man with the Perfect Hair |
|
167 | |
| Whirligig |
|
136 | |
| Rollercoaster |
|
— |
Live albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Live at the Espy |
|
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| So Far: Best of Things of Stone & Wood 1992–2002 |
|
| The Essential |
|
ARIA Music Awards
Since 1987, the ARIA Music Awards have celebrated outstanding achievement and creativity within the Australian music industry.
| |- |rowspan="2"| 1993 |rowspan="2"| "Share This Wine" | Best New Talent | |rowspan="2"| |- | Breakthrough Artist – Single | |- |rowspan="4"| 1994 | The Yearning | Breakthrough Artist – Album | |rowspan="4"| |- | Marcelle Lunam for Things of Stone and Wood The Yearning | Best Cover Art | |- | James Black for Things of Stone and Wood "Rock This Boat", "Single Perfect Raindrop", "Heidelberg" and "Barkley Street" | Producer of the Year | |- | "Happy Birthday Helen" | Highest Selling Single | |-
References
- General
- Note: Archived online copy may have limited features.
- Specific