George

In the Australian rock landscape of the late 1990s and early 2000s, still dominated by American alternative rock and its inevitably appropriated and commercialized anti-commercial stance, george secured unexpected crossover appeal. The group drew comparable enthusiasm from teenage fans and their parents alike, uniting listeners across age ranges through a fusion of adult contemporary and alternative approaches.

The band’s nucleus revolved around classically trained vocalist and keyboardist Katie Noonan together with her brother, vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist Tyrone Noonan. Guitarist Nick Stewart, handling both acoustic and electric instruments, joined alongside drummer and percussionist Geoff Green and bassist Geoff Hooton. Assembled in 1996 exclusively to enter a talent competition, the members discovered an immediate chemistry that prompted them to continue. They issued three EPs—the self-titled george in 1998, You Can Take What’s Mine in 1999, and Bastard-son Holiday in 2000—before Hooton departed and Paulie Bromley, formerly of Pangaea, took over on bass.

Persistent activity attracted Mushroom Records in 2001, resulting in a contract and the 2002 release of Polyserena. The album entered the charts at number one, earned platinum certification within weeks, and eventually reached double-platinum status.

At the start of 2003 george performed Jon Lord’s Concerto for Group and Orchestra with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, becoming the second rock band after Deep Purple to present the work. The balance of the year was devoted to recording their second album, Unity, in Byron Bay. Released in 2004, Unity found an audience yet never matched the debut’s rapid commercial ascent.

In 2006 george entered hiatus, prompted in part by Katie Noonan’s wish to begin a family and develop a solo career.