Wild Colonials

Infobox musical artist
Name = Wild Colonials


Img_capt = Wild Colonials
Background = solo_singer
Alias = Los Colonials Savage
Instrument = Vocals, guitar, bass, violin, piano, sax, etc.
Genre = Alternative rock, folk, jazz rock
Years_active = 1992 – present
Label = DGC/Geffen Records
Chromatic Records
UMe/Universal Records
Associated_acts = Tryptich, Shark and Co.
URL = [http://www.wildcolonials.com/ www.wildcolonials.com]
Current_members = Angela McCluskey
Shark
Paul Cantelon
Scott Roewe
Past drummers = Ian Bernard
Matt Chamberlain
Chad Smith
Pete Thomas
Julio Ledezma
Joel Virgel Vierset
Thadeuas Corea
Jason Payne

Wild Colonials are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1992 (see 1992 in music) by Angela McCluskey (vocals), Shark (guitar/vocals/percussion), Paul Cantelon (violin/piano), Scott Roewe (multi-instrumentalist) and Ian Bernard (drums/percussion). After 1993 members included Thaddeus Corea and Jason Payne on drums/percussion.

Biography

Formed in early 1992 as an impromptu jam session at an Irish coffee house in Hollywood called Café Beckett. Singer Angela McCluskey had gathered together a group of fellow musicians to arrange a “musical evening” to showcase her friend/guitarist Shark, who had recently relocated to Los Angeles from New York. Brought aboard were Paul Cantelon, on violin and piano; Scott Roewe, on bass, keyboards, and saxophone; and Ian Bernard (drums/percussion) and other revolving special guests. The “musical evening” evolved into a regular gig from the group soon to be known as Wild Colonials - named after the Irish song “Wild Colonial Boy.” Also joining in with the ever changing line up of guests included Dave King (Flogging Molly), Vivian Campbell (Def Leppard), and several members of the Hothouse Flowers and Leonard Cohen's touring band.

From Café Beckett the group developed a large following which allowed it to move to the larger venue Café Largo in West Hollywood. With a Tuesday night residency that lasted several months the buzz that developed in the LA music scene procured the Wild Colonials a record deal with DGC/Geffen Records. "Fruit of Life" (1994) and "This Can’t Be Life" (1996) were both released to critical acclaim, landing the group as the second stage headliner on the prestigious Lilith Fair lineup in 1997. Over that time, Wild Colonials – either as a group or as individual artists - have lent their musical talents to the great art of film - a collection of unreleased tracks, soundtrack only tracks and score cues was collected to make up their third album "Reel Life vol 1" (2000) (released through indie label Chromatic Records).

The band's fourth album will be released as four separate EPs under the umbrella name "Life As We Know It" (UMe/Universal). This is the first time that a multiple single/EP release has been released by a major label.

Music in film

Wild Colonials music has appeared in over thirty different films from Disney’s Mr. Wrong, to the quirky Indie sensation Flirting With Disaster and the Sundance Film Festival hit Dead Man’s Curve.Three members of the band, Shark, Paul Cantelon and Scott Roewe have all scored feature length films.

*The song "Blue" appeared in the movie "Dead Man's Curve".
*The song "Victim" appeared in the short film The Yard Sale.
*The Wild Colonials version of Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" appeared in the movie "Mr. Wrong"
*The song "Evil" appeared in the movie "The Motorcycle Gang (Rebel Highway)".

Discography

* "Fruit of Life" (1994)

* "This Can’t Be Life" (1996)

* "Reel Life vol 1" (2000)

* "Life As We Know It EP 1/4" (2007)

Awards

Vocalist Angela McCluskey as co-writer/guest vocalist with French Electronica band Télépopmusik was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for the International hit "Breathe". The Grammy went to Kylie Minogue for "Come Into My World".

Trivia

*Vocalist Angela McCluskey is British singer Lily Allen's Godmother.

*Guitarist Shark was the off screen radio disc jockey voice in the feature films, I Shot A Man In Vegas (1998) and How To Go Out On A Date In Queens (2006).

*Violinist Paul Cantelon is the brother in law of American singer Rickie Lee Jones.

External links

* [http://www.wildcolonials.com Wild Colonials] Wild Colonials official website

* [http://www.myspace.com/wildcolonials Wild Colonials] at MySpace
* [http://www.angelamccluskey.com Angela McCluskey] Angela McCluskey's official website

* [http://www.sharkadelicmusic.com Sharkadelicmusic] Shark's official website