Single Gun Theory

Single Gun Theory was an Australian electronic dance music band formed in 1986. Founding mainstay members were Jacqui Hunt on lead vocals; Kath Power on vocal melodies and synthesiser; and Peter Rivett-Carnac on guitar, synthesiser and sampling. They released three studio albums, Exorcise This Wasteland (1987), Millions, Like Stars in My Hands, Daggers in My Heart, Wage War (1991) and Flow, River of My Soul (1994) for Canadian label, Nettwerk, and Australia's Volition Records. Their music combined elements of downtempo electronic music with introspective, ethereal vocals and samples of dialogue. They also released a soundtrack album for Samantha Lang's film The Monkey's Mask in 2000.

Single Gun Theory
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresElectronic dance, synthpop, downtempo, dream pop, ambient pop
Years active1986 (1986)–2001 (2001)
LabelsNettwerk, Volition
Websitesgt.com.au
Past members
  • Jacqui Hunt
  • Kath Power
  • Pete Rivett-Carnac

History

Single Gun Theory were formed in 1986 in Sydney by Jacqui Hunt on lead vocals; Kath Power on vocal melodies and synthesiser; and Peter Rivett-Carnac on guitar, synthesiser and sampling.[1] They won a band competition run by national radio station, Double J, which provided free studio recording time.[1] This resulted in their debut album, Exorcise This Wasteland, which was issued by the Canadian label Nettwerk in 1987.[2] The band had been brought to the label's attention by fellow Australian, Tom Ellard (of Severed Heads).[2] Exorcise This Wasteland was issued in Australia by Volition Records in the following year.[1] By that time Rivett-Carnac joined Severed Heads' touring line-up for that group's North American tour and Single Gun Theory went into hiatus.[1]

While they were in hiatus Hunt and Rivett-Carnac travelled to Asia and Europe, Power completed a psychiatric therapy course in Sydney.[1] Single Gun Theory reconvened in Vancouver, Canada in May 1991 to record their second album, Millions, Like Stars in My Hands, Daggers in My Heart, Wage War, which was issued in Australia in December.[1] It peaked in the top 50 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[3] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, felt it was "a unique blend of lush, mellow dance grooves, ethnic sampling and fragile, beguiling female vocals."[1] AllMusic's Brendan Swift opined that it provided "Flawlessly executed tracks brushed with Indian, Turkish, and South-East Asian sounds... one that ultimately fails to convey the depth suggested by the new age themes and multicultural music."[4] A single from the album, "From a Million Miles" (November 1991), was used in the pilot episode (April 1994) of Canadian TV series, Due South, and was issued on the series second soundtrack album, Due South, Volume II: The Original Television Soundtrack (1998). It was also used on the soundtrack of the Australian feature film, Reckless Kelly (1993).[1] Another album track, "Great Palaces of Immortal Splendour" was used on The Heartbreak Kid (1993) soundtrack.[1]

The band's third studio album, Flow, River of My Soul, was released in September 1994.[1][3][5] It also reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 50.[3] AllMusic's John Bush noticed the group's "change of direction" where they provide "laidback jazzy tones and mixes in various world music samples, while Jacqui Hunt's airy vocals float throughout the album."[6]

Single Gun Theory toured North America, late in 1994, supporting Canadian singer-songwriter, Sarah McLachlan.[1] For their Australian tour in November, they added a percussionist and dancer to their touring line-up.[1] McFarlane declared that the group had "pioneered electronic dance music in Australia. The trio created music through technology, utilising samplers and computers as instruments. Although they rarely performed live, and were hardly prolific, the trio earned a cult following with the release of several captivating albums of dance pop."[1]

Single Gun Theory released a soundtrack album for Samantha Lang's feature film, The Monkey's Mask (November 2000).[7][8][9]

In May 2003 Hunt contributed vocals for Endorphin's fourth album, Seduction.[10] Hunt released her debut solo album, Auraphonic, in October 2008.[11]

Discography

Studio albums
  • Exorcise This Wasteland (2 December 1987)
  • Millions, Like Stars in My Hands, Daggers in My Heart, Wage War (27 September 1991) – AUS #41[3]
  • Flow, River of My Soul (6 September 1994) – AUS #46[3]

Extended plays
  • Burning Bright (But Unseen) (11 June 1993)

Singles
  • "Exorcise This Wasteland" (1987)
  • "Open the Skies" (November 1987)
  • "Surrender" (1991)
  • "From a Million Miles" (November 1991) – AUS #64[3]
  • "I Am What I See" (November 1992)
  • "Fall" (October 1994) – AUS #64[3]
  • "Motherland" (August 1995)
  • "Metaphysical" (December 1995)

Soundtracks

References
  1. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Single Gun Theory'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  2. Carruthers, Sean. "Exorcise This Wasteland – Single Gun Theory". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  3. Australian (ARIA) peaks:
  4. Swift, Brendan. "Millions, Like Stars in My Hands, Daggers in My Heart, Wage War – Single Gun Theory". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  5. "Artists :: Single Gun Theory". Australian Music Online. Australia Council for the Arts. Archived from the original on 22 November 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  6. Bush, John. "Flow, River of My Soul – Single Gun Theory". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  7. "Release The Monkey's Mask by Single Gun Theory". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  8. "News". News. Single Gun Theory Official Website. 1 August 2000. Archived from the original on 3 February 2001. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  9. "Monkey's Mask, The". Nodette Enterprises. Archived from the original on 31 October 2003. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  10. Attlee, Mark (24 April 2003). "Music News". Aus Music Scrapbook. Archived from the original on 11 May 2006. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  11. "Auraphonic – Jacqui Hunt". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  12. Single Gun Theory (2001), The monkey's mask music from the motion picture, ABC Classics, ISBN 978-3-476-45161-3
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