Gang of Youths

Gang of Youths
Origin Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres Indie rock, baroque pop
Years active 2012 (2012)–present
Labels Mosy/Sony
Members
  • Max Dunn
  • Jung Kim
  • David Le’aupepe
  • Joji Malani
  • Donnie Borzestowski

Gang of Youths are an Australian indie rock group consisting of Max Dunn (bass guitar), Jung Kim (guitar/keyboards), David Le'aupepe (lead vocals/piano), Joji Malani (lead guitar) and Donnie Borzestowski (drums). Their debut album, The Positions, peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart in May 2015 and was nominated for multiple ARIA Awards.

History

Gang of Youths was formed in Sydney, Australia in 2012.[1] Members of the band met in an evangelical church although lead-singer and song-writer David Le'aupepe described himself during this time as a 'loner'[2] and stated that while "I still align myself with Jesus. I’m just not a great poster-boy for it – I’m a fornicating drunkard who swears a lot and listens to a lot of black metal."[3] Guitarist Joji Malani is Fijian, keyboardist Jung Kim is American, bassist Maxwell Dunn is from New Zealand while David Le'aupepe has Samoan-Jewish heritage.[4]

They started work on their debut album, The Positions, in 2013.[1][5] In September that year some tracks were recorded in New York's Marcarta Recording studio with Kevin McMahon.[6][7] By June 2014 they were in the Sony Music Australia recording studios in Sydney.[6] Le'aupepe is the sole songwriter and his lyrics deal with his relationship with his former wife, her melanoma diagnosis and treatment for the cancer, their separation and his suicide attempts.[7]

The band performed at South by Southwest festival in March 2014.[8] The Positions peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart in May 2015.[9] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 Gang of Youths received five nominations: Breakthrough Artist – Release, Best Rock Album, Best Cover Artist (by Nathan Johnson) for The Positions, Engineer of the Year (Adrian Breakspear, Peter Holz) for "Radioface", and Best Australian Live Act for the Gang of Youths National Tour.[10] In December they were recognised as the Live Act of the Year of 2015 and Best Domestic Tour in The AU Review.[11] Their single "Magnolia" came in at number 21 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2015.

In June 2016, a single, "Strange Diseases", was released alongside an announcement of an upcoming EP due to be released on 29 July titled Let Me Be Clear.[12] The band are due to play Splendour in the Grass in the same month.

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
AUS
[13]
The Positions
  • Release date: 17 April 2015
  • Label: Mosy Recordings, Sony
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 5

Extended plays

Title EP details Peak chart positions
AUS
[13]
Let Me Be Clear
  • Release date: 29 July 2016
  • Label: Mosy Recordings, Sony
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 2

Singles

References

  1. 1 2 Mordue, Mark (5 September 2015). "Gang of Youths' Difficult Positions". The Saturday Paper. Schwartz Media. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Track by Track: Gang Of Youths - 'The Positions' - FasterLouder". FasterLouder. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  3. ↑ "Gang Of Youths' David Le'aupepe Talks Jesus, Blackface, New Music & Life As A Lonely Millennial - Music Feeds". Music Feeds. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  4. ↑ "Gang of Youths -". Yen. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  5. ↑ Anagnostellis, Antigone (30 July 2015). "Why Gang of Youths' David Le'aupepe Is Looking for Bad Luck for The Positions Follow-up". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  6. 1 2 Fitzsimons, Scott (5 June 2014). "In The Studio with Gang of Youths as They Finish Their Album". themusic.com.au. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Rolling Stone Australia — Gang of Youths: A Matter of Life and Death". Rolling Stone Australia — Gang of Youths: A Matter of Life and Death. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  8. ↑ Garrett, Jonathan (15 March 2014). "SXSW Friday Round-Up: Bully, Happy Diving, Viet Cong, Gang of Youths". NME. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  9. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Gang of Youths". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  10. ↑ ARIA Music Awards for Gang of Youths:
  11. ↑ Woollams, Renee (9 December 2015). "AU Live Music Awards Announced in Sydney, Gang of Youths, Meg Mac Amongst Winners". the AU review. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  12. ↑ http://pilerats.com/music/bands/gang-of-youths-return-with-a-cracking-new-single-strange-diseases/
  13. 1 2 "australian-charts.com - Discography Gang of Youths". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
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