St Leonards

St Leonards

St Leonards is an Australian act formed in early 2009 by front man and songwriter Shane Fritsch, who builds the band around his earlier solo project. The group’s music combines personal subject matter with large-scale arrangements, with songs drawing on Fritsch’s family, his struggle to accept his path as an artist, and the difficulty of balancing a music career with home life.

Sound and influences

The band’s style features prominent keyboard lines, strong drumming, rich guitar and Fritsch’s vocal delivery. Its influences include Genesis, Coldplay and The Blue Nile, and the music is described as having a stadium-sized feel.

Career and recognition

After arriving in Los Angeles, the band is taken under the wing of John Wooler, the former Vice President of Virgin Records and a producer with credits including Van Morrison, John Lee Hooker and Pops Staples, as well as five Grammy wins. In its first year, the group completes a West Coast US promo tour, secures a music placement deal, receives national radio play across Australia, and places the song “Now That We’ve Grown” on the US television series The Vampire Diaries.