Earl Gray

Earl Gray

Earl Gray is the name used by more than one act, including a solo project by Australian songwriter and singer Graeme Pillemer and a Czech rock band. The Festival guide entry usually refers to the group credited as a doujin circle.

Australian singer-songwriter project

Graeme Pillemer, formerly the front man of rockabilly blues act Voodoo Soup, uses Earl Gray as a solo project. He draws on blues and roots music, contemporary soul and a hint of hip hop, and records with producer and multi-instrumentalist Tony Buchen, also known as Buchman. Buchen’s work with The Baggsmen, Kid Confucius, Vassy, Andy Bull and Lior is part of what makes him a fitting collaborator for the project.

The pair complete a five-track EP, which is released in September 2005, and begin pre-production on a debut album. Earl Gray performs live with a backing band and builds a reputation through support slots for Tim Freedman, Lior, Mia Dyson and Josh Pyke. Tracks from the EP receive medium and high rotation on Triple J.

Czech rock band

The other Earl Gray is a Czech rock band formed in 2001 by Jan Štěpánek and Lukáš Poch. After several lineup changes and a long period without a proper singer, the band reaches its current formation at the beginning of 2007.

The band plays classic rock with elements of hard rock and pop rock, and focuses on clubs, bars and smaller festivals in the Czech Republic.

Line-up

Martin Smrkovský plays drums, Jan Konopiský plays bass, Jan Štěpánek and Lukáš Poch play guitar, and Václav Procházka provides vocals.