The Oroonies

The Oroonies are a group of friends who have been making music together for well over ten years. The group develops material collectively, with its members writing, arranging and reshaping their songs together.

Style and approach

Their music ranges widely, from manic punk thrash and small acoustic pieces to more expansive psychedelic and space-oriented material. The group describes its history as shaped by a broad appetite for unusual music from many parts of the world, alongside an interest in elemental and atmospheric sounds. Their performances and recordings draw on humour as well as intensity, with the group presenting itself as deliberately non-serious.

Members

The Oroonies line-up includes Joie on synthesiser and samples; Tanya on drums, vocals and double bass; Geek on bass, bouzouki and saxophone; Russ on guitar and vocals, with bouzouki and percussion as well; Jane on flute and conch; Jo on strings; and Merv on percussion at gigs and keyboards in the studio.

Related projects

Joie and Merv also play in Ozric Tentacles and Wooden Baby. Joie also appears with the Ullulators.

Background

The group has spent time in a range of settings and situations, from London basement shows and Kings Cross warehouse parties to mountain and outdoor imagery that also informs its music. Its catalogue and live work reflect a long-running interest in combining folk elements, psychedelia, progressive rock textures and spacerock dynamics.