The Glory Box

The Glory Box were an Indie pop / Indie rock band from Melbourne, Australia. They existed from 1988 until their breakup in 1993. They released several 7" vinyl singles and a 12" vinly EP, as well as a full-length CD album and a compilation CD on Shock Records. The band have reunited sporadically for gigs since their initial break up, beginning in 2006. In 2015 there was suggestion of a possible new album from the band.[1]

The Glory Box
OriginMelbourne, Australia
GenresIndie pop, Indie rock
Years active1988 to 1993,
2006, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2020
LabelsShock Records, Polyester Records, Tea Time Records, Mouth & Vinnie Records
Past membersMatt Aston
Daniel Haskell
Robert Caflisch
Will Johnston
Kieran Doolan
Eugene Biankin

History

The Glory Box were one of a number of promising Melbourne bands that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s that also included, amongst others, Underground Lovers, Ripe, Autohaze, The Fauves, The Killjoys, The Hollowmen, Sea Stories and Pray TV.

The Glory Box were: Matt Aston (vocals), Daniel Haskell (bass), Robert Caflisch (drums), Will Johnston (guitarist), Kieran Doolan (guitar). Doolan left the band in May 1992 and was replaced on guitar by Eugene Biankin.

Their debut 7" vinyl single "Raining Embers/My Friend" was released in March 1989 on Mouth & Vinnie Records. This was followed by another 7" vinyl single "Regrets/One Picture", also released on Mouth & Vinnie Records in December 1989 as part of a single-giveaway at the Punters Club. "Regrets'"was also re-recorded for the 5 track 'Donkey' EP, which was released on Polyester Records in September 1990 on 12" vinyl only. Another 7" vinyl single 'Precipice/Day After Day' was released on Shock Records in April 1991 as part of a single-giveaway gig at The Tote Hotel.

Their debut 11 track album Fudgeland was released in 1991 on Shock Records. The track "House on the Hill" was released from the album as a 4 track 7" vinyl single, which also included the tracks "Oh No" from the Fudgeland album, as well as 'Intersect' and 'Cut' from the 'Donkey' EP. A demo version of "House on the Hill" also appeared on the Shocktober sampler CD, released by Shock Records in October 1991. A compilation CD This Is The Glory Box was released on Shock Records in 1991 and included all of the singles and the 'Donkey' EP tracks, as well as the demo version of "House on the Hill" from the Shocktober sampler CD. 'Raining Embers/Regrets' were released together as a 7" inch vinyl single by English record label Tea Time Records in February 1991.[2]

In 1992 The Glory Box featured on a CD called Dress Ups' (Shock Records) with other Melbourne bands The Fauves and Pray TV,[3] with each band performing a track from the others repertoire, as well as contributing one original track.

An EP called 'Strip-O-Rama' was released on Shock Records in May 1993. The title track was an original, with an additional 4 tracks of Bee Gees covers.

The Glory Box sound was one of jangly guitar pop and rock. Their sound was often compared to English band The Wedding Present from the same period. Song structure was varied from straightforward 3-chord power pop (see the track 'Regrets'), to a more complicated and melancholy style, highlighted on the track "Intersect" from the 'Donkey' EP. Lyrics focussed on themes such as relationships, envy and self-assessment.

Other tracks never released but often played live by The Glory Box included the energetic "Crash & Burn" and "Swan". The band regularly played the track "Mr Pharmacist" by 1960's San Francisco band The Other Half. On the Fudgeland LP the track 'The Other's Way' (sung by Doolan) was a cover, originally by the 1980s New Zealand band The DoubleHappys.

The Glory Box were one of the first Melbourne bands to have a T-shirt launch gig, a concept that proved popular in the early 1990s in Melbourne. The T-shirt launch was held at The Tote Hotel on 1 December 1990, with support bands Underground Lovers and the Melbourne indie-pop band Glass.

The band broke up with a farewell show at The Lounge in Melbourne on 31 July 1993.

Post Break up

The band have reunited sporadically for gigs since their initial break up, featuring the original line up with Doolan on guitar. In November 2006 they played a gig (with Autohaze and Mark Murphy from Ripe) at The Tote Hotel as part of the 'Long Player' series,[4] which featured 1990's bands playing one of their albums from start to finish, similar to the 'Don't Look Back' concept. They played all of 'Fudgeland' and some of the singles and tracks off the 'Donkey' EP.

On 28 November 2010 they played at a Punters Club reunion gig at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne, with other notable early 1990s Melbourne bands such as Frente!, The Hollowmen and The Fauves.[5]

They played as part of the Leaps and Bounds Festival at The Tote Hotel with Underground Lovers and Autohaze on 19 July 2015.[6] As part of promotion for the Leaps and Bounds Festival gig, there was suggestion of a new album from the band, 24 years after their debut album was released.[1]

The band supported Pray TV at the Grace Darling Hotel in Collingwood, Melbourne on 10 September 2016. Pray TV were launching their first album in 20 years, titled 'Horizontal Life'.[7]

The band played at The Tote Hotel in Collingwood, Melbourne on the 16th of February 2020, as part of the Popboomerang Volume 3 launch gig.[8]

Discography

Singles
  • Raining Embers / My Friend (March 1989) - 7" vinyl, Mouth & Vinnie Records
  • Regrets / One Picture (December 1989) - 7" vinyl, Mouth & Vinnie Records
  • Raining Embers / Regrets (February 1991) - 7" vinyl, Tea Time Records (TEA 10)
  • Precipice / Day After Day (April 1991) - 7" vinyl, Shock Records
  • House on the Hill (1991) - 4 track 7" vinyl, Shock Records

EP's

LP's

Compilations
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References
  1. http://www.leapsandboundsmusicfestival.com/artists/the-glory-box/
  2. "Tea Time Records - TweeNet". www.twee.net.
  3. "The Fauves - the band - bio". www.musiciscrap.com.
  4. "Indie Initiative - Independent Bands, Music News and Resources Australia". www.indieinitiative.com.
  5. "Yesterday's heroes unite for the love of a Punt". The Age. 25 November 2010.
  6. http://www.leapsandboundsmusicfestival.com/events/underground-lovers-autohaze-the-glory-box/
  7. "welcome". praytvband.com.
  8. "Events: Shake Yer Popboomerang 3 Reprise Launch feat; Danny McDonald Band, The Glory Box, The Little Murders & Blackbirds FC [Band Room] Boat Show, Rhysics (solo) & Heir Traffic [Front Bar] — Triple R 102.7FM, Melbourne Independent Radio". www.rrr.org.au.
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