Thirsty Merc

Australian indie rock quartet Thirsty Merc came together in Sydney during 2002, when singer/guitarist Rai Thistlethwayte, lead guitarist Matt Baker, bassist Phil Stack, and drummer Karl Robertson established the founding lineup. The group delivered its debut EP, First Work, the next year, which produced the hit singles "Wasting Time" and "Emancipate Myself." The band's self-titled debut album arrived in 2004, reaching the Top 20 on the Australian LP charts while spawning the singles "My Completeness" and "Someday, Someway." Baker exited the group shortly after the release, prompting the remaining trio to bring in ex-Midnight Swim guitarist Sean Carey. An expanded version of the album surfaced in mid-2005 and yielded a minor hit with the new track "When the Weather Is Fine."