Parlotones Are Potentially
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Put simply, The Parlotones are potentially South Africa’s biggest selling pop/rock act ever with 700,000+ albums sales worldwide. All the more impressive when you consider this has been achieved via independent record labels in just a few key markets. Double Platinum, Platinum and Gold Records saturate the band’s discography. Their live story is even more humbling having played live to over The single ‘Beautiful’ was used in a 2 million people in their career to date. FujiFilmTV ad in Ireland, which exposed Add to that the 1 Billion people that ‘RadioControlledRobot’ was released the band to their first International watched the band on TV as they opened under the Sovereign Entertainment label audience and secured them a worldwide the 2010 FIFA soccer World Cup, and in 2005 and spawned the hits ‘Here licensing deal with the International you get a sense of this band’s success Comes The Man’, ‘Colourful,’ division of Universal Music, covering the so far. ‘Dragonflies & Astronauts’, ‘Beautiful’ territories of Ireland, the UK, France, and ‘Overexposed’. The music video for Japan, Germany and Holland. A 12-track When The Parlotones first met in 1998 in ‘Overexposed’ won 2 Awards for Best version of the album was released Johannesburg, little did they know that Video and Best Animation at the 2009 internationally in 2007, making it the first they would go on to write one of the MK (TV) Awards. international album released by the band. greatest Rock ‘n Roll stories South Africa ‘RadioControlledRobot’ is now an had ever seen. Their hard working, ‘RadioControlledRobot’ showcased The humble attitude, dedication and Parlotones as top songwriters in their incredible 2 x Platinum. commitment to their music has seen game and was an upbeat, yet eerie, The Parlotones are consistently known for them enjoy a career that has spanned post-apocalyptic album about the state their groundbreaking attitude and genre over 15 years, achieved multi platinum of a slave race. The album won the 2006 crunching attention given to their music selling status and accumulated numerous SAMA (South African Music Award) for videos, making them leaders in visual awards. ‘Best Rock Album’ and spawned audio expression and winning them a numerous Top 40 hits, making it one of multitude of awards. Their first major In 2003, The Parlotones self-released the most important albums of their music video for ‘Dragonflies & Astronauts’ their first album, the raw Indie tinged career; shifting them from indie status was created over 9 months and was 'Episoda’, an album which quickly to full blown, fan-adored stars. In the entirely animated. This video went on to compared their sound to bands like The years following this release, the band win an award for ‘Best Music Video’ at the Smiths and Coldplay. This Indie sound toured addictively and won South Africa MK Awards 2007 and proved that The was the first of its kind in South Africa and the world over, tiny step by tiny Parlotones were adamant to push and quickly labeled The Parlotones as step. They walked away with well- boundaries in all aspects of their art. one of the freshest sounding bands on deserved awards for ‘Best Band’ at the the scene, paving the way for their You Magazine Awards and FHM sophomore (and breakthrough album), Readers' Choice Awards, in 2007. which would cement their success and catapult them to the stars they are today. Constantly pushing the envelope of their artistry and setting the stage for being named one of the hardest KAHN MORBEE - LEAD working bands in the industry, SINGER, GUITAR The Parlotones entered the studio for their third album ‘A World Next Door To Yours’, which was released in 2007. The first South African single release was ‘A Giant Mistake’ which reached #1. In the UK the song "Dragonflies & Astronauts" became their debut single. In the years following this release the band toured addictively and won South Africa and the world over, tiny step by tiny step. In June 2007,The Parlotones were selected to perform at The Live Earth concert, the largest festival ever staged. MSN named The Parlotones as “one of the 10 most memorable performances at Live Earth” and likened seeing the Parlotones at this NEIL PAUW - early stage of the career to “seeing The DRUMMER Police in the late 70’s”. Constantly pushing the envelope of their ‘A World Next Door To Yours’, an The endearing music video release for artistry and setting the stage for being album which is often considered the named one of the hardest working bands in ‘‘I'll Be There’ which involved a forlorn band’s “Magnum Opus”, was certified the industry,The Parlotones entered the tinfoil Knight looking for love won 3 Gold in South Africa 3 months after its studio for their second studio album ‘A awards at the MK Music Awards 2009 release and platinum 3 months World Next Door To Yours’, which was Best Video, Best Animation and Best released in 2007.The first South African later.The album remained one of Serenade and set the bar for music single release was ‘A Giant Mistake’ which South Africa's top 20 selling albums video animation. The video also won the reached #1 on S.A’s No 1 Hit Station 5FM's for more than 12 months and became ‘Loerie Kraft Award’, marking the first Top 40 and the Hi5@5 chart shows. In the the biggest selling album of the UK the song "Dragonflies & Astronauts" time a music video had won a decade 2000-2010 in South Africa. became their debut UK single. Loerie.The song was also nominated for Other singles that had incredible SAMA 2009 — ‘MTN Record Of The Year’ success were the fairytale indie pop for ‘I'll Be There.’ song ‘I’ll Be There,’ and ‘I’m Only Human.’ The band embarked on a 2 month, 3 continent International ‘A World Next Door To Yours’ tour to support the album release, which began in North America, ending in Canada and then continuing across the Atlantic for a UK show with Starsailor.The unrivalled success of this album was beyond expectation and testament to the rock giants The Parlotones had become. After relentless years of touring, performance and writing and with no signs of slowing down,The Parlotones released their third official studio album ‘Stardust Galaxies’ in 2009.The album spawned the hits ‘Life Design’, ‘Push Me To The Floor’ and ‘We Call This Dancing’ and reached Gold Status (20 000 copies) in its first week of release.The Music Video for ‘Push Me To The Floor’ won MK Award for Best Music Video 2010 and SAMA for Best Music Video 2010 ‘Stardust Galaxies’ was launched during the 2009 world tour, which culminated in sell out headlining gigs at the Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg and Grand West Arena in Cape Town.This was a feat never ever achieved before by a South African rock band. In 2010 the band played on stage to a local and International live broadcast audience of over a billion at the opening of the FIFA World Cup Kick-off Celebration Concert. PARLOTONES Always willing to expand their horizons and unleash their creativity, The GLEN HODGSON - BASS, Parlotones expressed their KEYBOARDS, BACKING VOCALS love of wine by collaborating with a local South African vineyard and producing three different ‘Parlotones’ wines, blended and created by the band during 2009 and 2010. These wines were named after some of their most popular songs: ‘Giant Mistake’, ‘Push Me to the Floor’ and ‘We Call This Dancing’. Keeping themselves busy with a non stop- touring itinerary, the band have toured internationally since 2007, spending months on the road in the UK, Germany, PAUL HODGSON, LEAD GUITAR Austria, Switzerland and North America.They have also toured in South America, Canada, Australia, Japan, Russia The Parlotones have always aspired not They are also ambassadors for the anti- and have shared the stage with Coldplay, only to have fun making music, but also to poaching organization Rhino Force, United Starsailor, Snow Patrol, Live, Ash, give back to their community. Over the Against Malaria, The Smile Fundation, and several other non- profits that combat problems Razorlight, Blue October, Violent Femmes, years, they have raised funds and that acutely affect South Africa. Imagine Dragons & many more.Their Live awareness for a variety of social & Concert circuit has included festivals like T environmental organizations, lending their In March 2012, they joined with Africa Unites to in the Park, V fest, St Gallan Switzerland, high profile to initiatives such as Live Earth, climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise global SXSWDeluna Fest, Canadian Music Week, Earth Hour, The SABC’s Carbon Free awareness about ending violence against Midem and more. campaign, Nelson Mandela’s 46664, & Live women & children. Earth’s Run for Water, among others. nd girls in Africa “People in the public eye have the ability to spread a message very quickly and effectively,” Morbee says. “So we try to do so when it concerns issues we feel strongly about. South Africa is our home and home to our families and our friends.We certainly want to make sure they have a bright future. If we can get involved and encourage people to get involved, it can only have positive effects.” Just before the release of the band’s 4th Studio album ‘Journey Through the Shadows’ (2012) the band embarked on a US club tour and were met with media fanfare and praise.The Boston Herald predicted,“The Parlotones could become huge here. Killers huge, Muse huge, Coldplay huge.” Filter magazine reckoned that “their earnestness, work ethic, and charm may be their biggest weapons.” Not only praised for their songwriting and melodies,The Parlotones are adored for their expressive live performances, their iconic face make up and their willingness to interact and touch their audience.