Artist description Australia's heavy power pop kids , taking pieces of Buffalo Tom , Beach Boys, & Foo Fighters.

Music Style Power Pop

Musical Influences Brian Wilson, Tim Rogers, Noel Gallagher, Rivers Cumuo

Similar Artists Foo Fighters,Weezer,You Am I, Buffalo Tom,Dinosaur Jr, Beach Boys,Beatles

Artist History The Start Of Ruteger Stanhope, (Pop.500) Victoria is not a particularly common location for rock and roll to prosper. This is the sort of town that generates incestuous and red neck tales such as the wild antics of some brainless farmhand who was perhaps caught fornicating with a chicken one day. Stanhope is in a word: degenerate. Still rock loyalty emerges from strange places. Shannon Wakefield grew up in Stanhope. He can tell you the tales of that perverted farmhand. But he was disjointed and out of place here so he moved on, to Bendigo, the fourth largest city in Victoria, a gold rush center, a town of rich history with definite artistic activity. It was here that Ruteger was conceived at the close of the millennium, 1998 to be precise. Shannon envisaged a rock band pulsing with vibrant energy drawing upon influences as diverse as the Beach Boys, Weezer, You am I and the Foo Fighters. In naming his group he called upon his favourite TV show, The Simpsons and drew an obscure reference from it. Now every Lennon needs a McCartney so an ad was placed in a local music store and soon Shannon had found a like-minded rock pig named Jamie Brew who just happened to be an absolute monster of a bass player. Shannon wrote the songs by himself but Jamie’s bass playing and vocals turned the honest lyrics and chord progressions into pieces dancing with colour and shape. A suitable hitter of pigskin was found in Grant Beale, Jamie’s brother in law no less. Demos were created; newsletters circulated and 100+ gigs were played all in the first year of Ruteger’s existence. Their fourth ever gig was supporting big names Screamfeeder and Violetine. A battle of the bands was entered and won, the State TAFE Band Comp no less. An institution which has given rise to bands such as Jebediah and Eskimo Joe. No doubt the finest moment of Ruteger’s inaugural year was playing the main stage at the Sunny Sedgwick Music Festival alongside such names as Even and Snout. The Drummer Files 1999 and a new drummer enters the fold after the departure of Grant Beale. Tony Waayers is to man the drum stool for a little over a year before the arrival of the rock god Gavan Moncrieff. Ruteger again hits the road making the long trek from Bendigo to Melbourne to play gigs alongside such names as Art of Fighting, Weta (NZ), Bluebottle Kiss and Not from There. The band now frequents venues such as The Esplanade, The Empress and the Punters Club (RIP) Triple J personalities Merrick and Rosso launch their debut CD at the Hi-Fi Bar and Ruteger play in support. 2000 and a debut album is in the works. The band employs an organ player Shane “Cueball” Neller for a short three months but he was only in the band to pick up chicks, it worked so he left. Then Tony Waayers records his drum tracks and is dumped from the band leaving Jamie to play drums on one track. Shannon and Jamie spend many long nights after days at tedious jobs recording for the album at a friend’s studio. The rock dream is strong in these two. In effect the recording is a two man effort as the duo complete nearly all of the tracking before a new drummer is found in Gavan Moncrieff, a classically trained percussionist from the College of the Arts now teaching drums at Bendigo high schools. The Ruteger rock throne was finally occupied by a truly consummate musician just as happy playing in jazz trios at caf�’s as he was taking the rock to the people Ruteger style. The Sunny Sedgwick festival is played again and the guys hit the main stage again alongside Even, The Fauves and Rocket Science amongst others. In invitation to play the Queenscliff and Brunswick St Festivals was received. Ruteger rock out with Pollyanna, The Church and Augie March as the kilometers continue to clock up. The band also hits regional centers Ballarat and Geelong as well as Melbourne all on a regular basis. Ruteger's Parade Finally in mid 2001 the album “Stuffed Animal Parade” is released to enormous praise. The mixing was handled by Michael Alonso (Spiderbait, Magic Dirt) and Matt Maddock (Something for Kate, The Avalanches) MGM distribution delivered the album to record stores, truck stops and toilet vending machines around the nation. Ruteger start the self-promotion machine with a live acoustic performance on ABC’s Radio National. The band is also named a winner of the “Push Play Record” Competition which has been a break for previous winners Bodyjar, Augie March and Spiderbait. Stuffed Animal Parade track “Blocky King” is featured on the “Push Play Record” compilation. “Stuffed Animal Parade” Media  “The next Powderfinger or Pollyanna” – Kerrie Hickin, Beat Mag “Ruteger’s bright tunes do it as well as Motorace”- Dan Lander, Juice Mag “Strong guitar songs with plenty of drive, depth and melodic creativity” – Shane O’Donohue, Inpress Mag.  “Recommended Album of the Month” - Sanity’s Sain Mag (Alt.Section Sept 2001). Named in “Inpress” as being one of Australian Music Columnist Jeff Jenkins’s top 20 releases of 2001. Triple J likes it and names the guys as part of the “Next Wave” of Australian artists in their Oz Music month celebrations. The lead track “Rubik’s Cube” is added to medium, spot rotation. Shannon does a live to air interview and things are rolling along very nicely indeed. South Nugget Tech Later in the year 18-year-old Josh McGuffie (AKA Nugget) joins the band on lead guitar, fresh from two years of VCE study indulging in Joe Satriani and Steve Vai melodrama.He feels its time to unleash the real rock within himself and lays down tracks for the EP “South Tech” which is released March 2002. Triple J responds in kind and medium, spot rotation is achieved again. “South Tech” Media “Impressive Indie Rock” – Richard Kwong, Time Off Magazine “Quality songwriting” – Jacqueline Donchi, Forte Magazine “The kids…they are our future” – Neala Johnson, Beat Magazine Single O’ the Week” (March 27th) - Beat Magazine Hot Alternative Single of the Month” - Sain Mag (May 2002). Just For A Single Warmed by the promising response to “South Tech” the boys decide to release another track this time in a contrasting style. “Just for You” is a three-minute slab of pop ecstasy featuring “duwup duwa” harmonised backing vocals. The track was featured Six Pack Record’s Longneck USA/Canada compilation and also got some airtime on Channel 10’s “The Panel”23/10/02 “Just for You” Media  “Hair-shakin’ indie pop” – Neala Johnson , Beat Magazine “The chorus is so rock” – Liz Male , Mono.Net The Future Of Rock & Roll Ruteger plays gigs (Including Interstate) in 2002 with the likes of Motor-Ace, You am I, The Meanies, Speedstar* , Rhubarb, Snout and 28 Days. Later in the year the band spends 7 days with rock stalwart Cameron McKenzie, a former member of the band Horsehead. Cameron is now a songwriter in his own right with the Androids and engineer, mixer with such bands as the Superjesus. They convene at Cameron’s studio Station Place to track the second Ruteger longplayer. These tracks are Power pop heaven born from a palate of influences as diverse as the band members are themselves. These new tunes are filled with infectious melodies that work their way into your consciousness and give rise to warm life affirming emotions from within. Perhaps it is a clich� that rock n’ roll is compared to a religion but if this is the case then Ruteger are devout followers, offering gifts to the gods of rock in the form of glistening guitars, expansive harmonies, melodies and fantastic songs. Music has not felt this good in a long time. The Start Of Ruteger Stanhope, (Pop.500) Victoria is not a particularly common location for rock and roll to prosper. This is the sort of town that generates incestuous and red neck tales such as the wild antics of some brainless farmhand who was perhaps caught fornicating with a chicken one day. Stanhope is in a word: degenerate. Still rock loyalty emerges from strange places. Shannon Wakefield grew up in Stanhope. He can tell you the tales of that perverted farmhand. But he was disjointed and out of place here so he moved on, to Bendigo, the fourth largest city in Victoria, a gold rush center, a town of rich history with definite artistic activity. It was here that Ruteger was conceived at the close of the millennium, 1998 to be precise. Shannon envisaged a rock band pulsing with vibrant energy drawing upon influences as diverse as the Beach Boys, Weezer, You am I and the Foo Fighters. In naming his group he called upon his favourite TV show, The Simpsons and drew an obscure reference from it. Now every Lennon needs a McCartney so an ad was placed in a local music store and soon Shannon had found a like-minded rock pig named Jamie Brew who just happened to be an absolute monster of a bass player. Shannon wrote the songs by himself but Jamie’s bass playing and vocals turned the honest lyrics and chord progressions into pieces dancing with colour and shape. A suitable hitter of pigskin was found in Grant Beale, Jamie’s brother in law no less. Demos were created; newsletters circulated and 100+ gigs were played all in the first year of Ruteger’s existence. Their fourth ever gig was supporting big names Screamfeeder and Violetine. A battle of the bands was entered and won, the State TAFE Band Comp no less. An institution which has given rise to bands such as Jebediah and Eskimo Joe. No doubt the finest moment of Ruteger’s inaugural year was playing the main stage at the Sunny Sedgwick Music Festival alongside such names as Even and Snout. The Drummer Files 1999 and a new drummer enters the fold after the departure of Grant Beale. Tony Waayers is to man the drum stool for a little over a year before the arrival of the rock god Gavan Moncrieff. Ruteger again hits the road making the long trek from Bendigo to Melbourne to play gigs alongside such names as Art of Fighting, Weta (NZ), Bluebottle Kiss and Not from There. The band now frequents venues such as The Esplanade, The Empress and the Punters Club (RIP) Triple J personalities Merrick and Rosso launch their debut CD at the Hi-Fi Bar and Ruteger play in support. 2000 and a debut album is in the works. The band employs an organ player Shane “Cueball” Neller for a short three months but he was only in the band to pick up chicks, it worked so he left. Then Tony Waayers records his drum tracks and is dumped from the band leaving Jamie to play drums on one track. Shannon and Jamie spend many long nights after days at tedious jobs recording for the album at a friend’s studio. The rock dream is strong in these two. In effect the recording is a two man effort as the duo complete nearly all of the tracking before a new drummer is found in Gavan Moncrieff, a classically trained percussionist from the College of the Arts now teaching drums at Bendigo high schools. The Ruteger rock throne was finally occupied by a truly consummate musician just as happy playing in jazz trios at caf�’s as he was taking the rock to the people Ruteger style. The Sunny Sedgwick festival is played again and the guys hit the main stage again alongside Even, The Fauves and Rocket Science amongst others. In invitation to play the Queenscliff and Brunswick St Festivals was received. Ruteger rock out with Pollyanna, The Church and Augie March as the kilometers continue to clock up. The band also hits regional centers Ballarat and Geelong as well as Melbourne all on a regular basis. Ruteger's Parade Finally in mid 2001 the album “Stuffed Animal Parade” is released to enormous praise. The mixing was handled by Michael Alonso (Spiderbait, Magic Dirt) and Matt Maddock (Something for Kate, The Avalanches) MGM distribution delivered the album to record stores, truck stops and toilet vending machines around the nation. Ruteger start the self-promotion machine with a live acoustic performance on ABC’s Radio National. The band is also named a winner of the “Push Play Record” Competition which has been a break for previous winners Bodyjar, Augie March and Spiderbait. Stuffed Animal Parade track “Blocky King” is featured on the “Push Play Record” compilation. “Stuffed Animal Parade” Media  “The next Powderfinger or Pollyanna” – Kerrie Hickin, Beat Mag “Ruteger’s bright tunes do it as well as Motorace”- Dan Lander, Juice Mag “Strong guitar songs with plenty of drive, depth and melodic creativity” – Shane O’Donohue, Inpress Mag.  “Recommended Album of the Month” - Sanity’s Sain Mag (Alt.Section Sept 2001). Named in “Inpress” as being one of Australian Music Columnist Jeff Jenkins’s top 20 releases of 2001. Triple J likes it and names the guys as part of the “Next Wave” of Australian artists in their Oz Music month celebrations. The lead track “Rubik’s Cube” is added to medium, spot rotation. Shannon does a live to air interview and things are rolling along very nicely indeed. South Nugget Tech Later in the year 18-year-old Josh McGuffie (AKA Nugget) joins the band on lead guitar, fresh from two years of VCE study indulging in Joe Satriani and Steve Vai melodrama.He feels its time to unleash the real rock within himself and lays down tracks for the EP “South Tech” which is released March 2002. Triple J responds in kind and medium, spot rotation is achieved again. “South Tech” Media “Impressive Indie Rock” – Richard Kwong, Time Off Magazine “Quality songwriting” – Jacqueline Donchi, Forte Magazine “The kids…they are our future” – Neala Johnson, Beat Magazine Single O’ the Week” (March 27th) - Beat Magazine Hot Alternative Single of the Month” - Sain Mag (May 2002). Just For A Single Warmed by the promising response to “South Tech” the boys decide to release another track this time in a contrasting style. “Just for You” is a three-minute slab of pop ecstasy featuring “duwup duwa” harmonised backing vocals. The track was featured Six Pack Record’s Longneck USA/Canada compilation and also got some airtime on Channel 10’s “The Panel”23/10/02 “Just for You” Media  “Hair-shakin’ indie pop” – Neala Johnson , Beat Magazine “The chorus is so rock” – Liz Male , Mono.Net The Future Of Rock & Roll Ruteger plays gigs (Including Interstate) in 2002 with the likes of Motor-Ace, You am I, The Meanies, Speedstar* , Rhubarb, Snout and 28 Days. Later in the year the band spends 7 days with rock stalwart Cameron McKenzie, a former member of the band Horsehead. Cameron is now a songwriter in his own right with the Androids and engineer, mixer with such bands as the Superjesus. They convene at Cameron’s studio Station Place to track the second Ruteger longplayer. These tracks are Power pop heaven born from a palate of influences as diverse as the band members are themselves. These new tunes are filled with infectious melodies that work their way into your consciousness and give rise to warm life affirming emotions from within. Perhaps it is a clich� that rock n’ roll is compared to a religion but if this is the case then Ruteger are devout followers, offering gifts to the gods of rock in the form of glistening guitars, expansive harmonies, melodies and fantastic songs. Music has not felt this good in a long time.

Group Members Shannon Wakefield : Lead Vocals,Guitar Jamie Brew : Bass, Vocals Gavan Moncrieff : Drums Josh McGuffie : Guitar, Vocals

Instruments Guitars,Bass,Drums,Vocals

Albums Stuffed Animal Parade (LP,2001) , South Tech (EP,2002), Just For You (Single 2002)

Press Reviews But, the music! What about the music? The music, dear readers, is good. There's a bunch of good, solid pop/rock tunes, starting with an ode to everyone's favourite three-dimensional puzzle, the Rubik's Cube. One of the most appealing aspects of this CD is the lack of pretension in the songs - songs about cars ("thousand watts in a subby bin" - Blocky King), ex-girlfriends and getting drunk on weekends with mates appeal to everyone, simple concepts expressed beautifully. Ruteger wear their influences on their sleeve, there's no doubt about it. Something for Kate, a bit of Live, perhaps. there's really nothing new to be heard here. This is not always a bad thing. A familiar sound and well-known themes make listening to Stuffed Animal Parade rewarding. Ruteger are a good demonstration of the fact that simple guitar, bass and drum combos still work. If they're playing nearby, go check them out, they could be worth it.

Additional Info Drummer crapped his pants during the recording of Ruteger's new album

Location Bendigo, Victoria - Australia

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