Biography
Dynamic, flowing rock with electronic influences and dark musical overtones. basically the one-man project of former Doublehappys / Straightjacket Fits frontman Shayne Carter, Dimmer spent the best part of 5 years living off the expectations that their solitary debut EP Crystalator produced (as well as Carters’ impeccable previous track record).
In 2001, the catalyst of this seclusion was finally released – I Believe You Are A Star – and its a stunner.
Carter followed up in 2004 with You’ve Got To Hear The Music, expanding his sound with an all-star list of contributors (some even in the pop field) and toured the album with Ned Ngatae on guitar, Mike Hall (Pluto/Sola Rosa) on bass, Andy Morton on keys, Willy Scott (King Kapisi / Sola Rosa) on drums, and Anika Moa on backing vocals.
Other guests on the album include, SJD who added production wizardry on ‘case’, Graeme Downes of the Verlaines, who arranged and conducted strings on ‘Only One That Matters’, Nick Roughan and Andy ‘Submariner’ Morton kept things appropriately phat in the beat and production department, while Dimmer tickman and animated video genius, Gary Sullivan, added his own trademark sly touch. Anika Moa appears on a number of tracks bringing a new dimension to Carter’s voice, and teams up on ‘Happening’ with Bic Runga with a spine-tingling effect.
From Festival Mushroom’s promotional blurb
Members
- Shayne Carter (Vocals/Guitar/Bass, 1995 -)
- Peter Jefferies (Drums, 1995)
- Lou Allison (Bass, 1995)
- Gary Sullivan (Drums, 1999 – 2009)
- Nick Roughan (Guitar/Bass/Drum Programming, 2001 – 2006?)
- Andy Morton (Keyboards/Drum Programming, 2001 – 2006?)
- Ned Ngatae (Guitar, 2003?)
- Anika Moa (Vocals, 2004)
- Bic Runga (Vocals, 2004)
- James Duncan (Guitar/Bass/Keyboards, 2009)
- Kelly Steven (Bass/Flute/Vocals, 2009)
- Dino Karlis (Drums/Percussion, 2009)
- Michael Prain (Drums, 2009)
Discography
- Crystalator (7″) (1995, Sub Pop/Flying Nun Records, SP326/FN310)
- Don’t Make Me Buy Out Your Silence Single (1996, Flying Nun Records Records)
- Evolution Single (1999, Columbia, 668560)
- I Believe You Are A Star (2001, Columbia, 5024222000)
- Getting What You Give Mini-Album (2003, Columbia)
- You’ve Got To Hear The Music (2004, Festival Mushroom Records)
- There My Dear (2006, Warner Music)
- Degrees Of Existence (2009, Warner Music, 5186551402)
Links