The Herd formed in 2000 when the collective behind the independent Sydney-based record label Elefant Traks decided to collaborate on a release rather than work as individual producers and MCs. The result was a wildly diverse 18-track self-titled album that featured the triple j hit ‘Scallops’. With the success of that song The Herd toured extensively and developed into a cohesive unit – a big change given that, pre-Herd, they were a completely freestyle/improv group called Dase Team 5000.
February 2003 saw their follow-up album An Elefant Never Forgets released amidst the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces and, closer to home, the devastating bushfires in Canberra. These were uncertain times – especially as the band had just released their first single: the controversially titled ‘Burn Down The Parliament’. Fortunately the song struck a chord with their audience – fans turned up to the launches in droves, and The Herd found themselves on the road more than ever. The second single, ‘77%’, immediately sparked controversy with print, electronic media and talkback radio hosts alarmed at both its use of language and the
forthright nature of its message. Maybe it was a sign of the times as it became the first of many Herd songs to get voted into the triple j Hottest 100.
For their next release The Herd set up a studio in inner west Sydney, creating their most coherent release so far in The Sun Never Sets. They also welcomed Jane Tyrrell into the group. Featuring radio hits like ‘We Can’t Hear You’ and ‘Unpredictable’ amongst a diverse range of tracks which displayed much refined song-writing and production, the album included a version of the Redgum classic ‘I Was Only 19’ (originally recorded as a one-off for a radio show). The album continued the band’s rise – doing shows at premium venues like Sydney’s Enmore Theatre and the Tivoli in Brisbane. Despite the departure of longtime member Bezerkatron (who rapped in Czech on ‘Unpredictable’), in 2006 they did the national Big Day Out tour to huge responses – as well as succesful appearances at every major Australian festival.
In winter 2007 The Herd focused on their most ambitious album to date – returning to the Central Coast A-frame house where they’d written much of their previous albums - for an extended period of writing. The resulting album, Summerland, was completed in early 2008, and features the first single ‘The King is Dead’.
In between all this activity, members of The Herd released highly acclaimed solo albums: Unkle Ho – Roads to Roma (2004) and Circus Maximus (2007); Urthboy – Distant Sense of Random Menace (2004) and The Signal (2007); and Astronomy Class (featuring Ozi Batla) – Exit Strategy (2006).
The Herd have a reputation as one of the country’s best live acts. An unconventional set-up, they perform with two MCs, two singers, an acoustic and an electric guitar, bass, piano accordion, clarinet, laptops and MPC.
Check out The Herd's New clip 2020
BUY THE 2020 SINGLE (+ 3 extra bonus remixes) by clicking the iTunes link
Support The Herd!! Post this on your page or in comments using the code below.
Your Brisbane show is completely and utterly sold out. You want to know how i know? I BOUGHT THE VERY LAST TICKET. And now my heart is broken, because I cannot share this spectacular experience, which i have missed the last two times around for no fault of my own, with my special friends - and so I can't enjoy your show all by myself... So I will cry myself to sleep the next few nights until it is all but a bone-chilling memory...I still love you all.. I'm just so sad...and that's not the effect you want to have on people, is it??? BTW IF ANYONE HAS A TICKET FOR THE BRISBANE SHOW FOR SALE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CONTACT ME!
Hellos to All. I'll be seeing you (yet again) in Bris in july... what the hell can I do to get you to play Mischief? i've seen you play so many times, and STILL not heard it live... will you help? Pretty Please?
heyy saw you guys at the coconet classic and you were awesome. and thanks for not ruining 'i was only 19'. its such a powerful song, for a second i was worried that any cover would kill it, but i love your version!
Pretty sure No Disclaimers and Unpredictable are my favs. Theres too much classical music for clarinet (not that I don't like playing it) and not enough other styles - its unusual for clarinet to be in hip-hop, but it sounds really good. Fusion of big band and hip-hop is awesome too. Keep up the good work :D
from inertia-music.com
