The Grates

An exuberant karaoke performance of Disney's "A Whole New World" unexpectedly united Australian musicians Patience Hodgson, John Patterson, and Alana Skyring, yet that whimsical episode offered scant hint of the raw punk energy on which the trio would build its renown. Childhood companions from Brisbane, the three refined their lo-fi, hyper-spazzy approach inside Patterson's garden shed during the early 2000s, aided by the guitarist's father, whose steady supply of beer and barbecue kept sessions fueled. Within two years they had issued a string of limited-run singles and demos showcasing their Ramones and Yeah Yeah Yeahs-influenced material, amassing a back catalog that surpassed those of many veteran acts. Dew Process—the same imprint that houses Sarah Blasko and the Tremors—signed the band in 2004, leading to the February 2005 release of their debut EP, The Ouch. The Touch. Later that year the Grates appeared at Austin's South by Southwest festival, sparking widespread enthusiasm among American listeners. By winter 2005 the road-heavy group had entered a Chicago studio to track its first full-length with producer Brian Deck, whose prior credits include Modest Mouse and Iron & Wine. The resulting album, Gravity Won't Get You High, surfaced in late summer 2006 through a joint effort by Dew Process and Interscope. A follow-up, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, appeared in 2008.