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Biography (courtesy of Cross-Driven Records)

A radio DJ recently described Lads music as being ‘so infectious, it’s like a disease… but the kind you actually want to get!’. The band which originally evolved out of a bunch of ‘mates who grew up together’ and ‘just became known as ‘Lads’, now performs each year to around 100,000 people (including many high schools in both New Zealand and Australia), and has a following normally only found in Top 20 regular charting bands.

What do they sound like? Lads have a gritty guitar foundation to their sound combined with swirling analogue keys and the kind of melody and lyrics that set’s itself up for the long haul in your front yard, it just won’t go away! On stage they are highly energetic and at times even electric in their performance, they also like to entertain and have fun with an audience creating unforgettable moments that stay with you long after that show is over and all the lights and turned down.

Their music from the outset is packed full of emotion and textures in sound which help to capture the listener and takes them on a journey through the honest and sometimes even vulnerable passages of the lives of these five Lads. Some of their music is very bright, some of it sad, some of it is of a spiritual nature (reflecting the bands Christian beliefs and background) but all of it is beginning to turn industry heads in New Zealand and the U.S.

Discography

Band Background

P.I.R.A.W.: Recorded as a demo, Released in 1993, no longer available

Arbor Day: a 1997, it was a finalist for the Gospel Album of the year category, at the NZ music awards.

Lost @ Sea: Winner of the Gospel album of the year at the 1999 NZ music awards. Radio station play listed in NZ, US, Australia. Sold 10,000 copies so far. Several Top TEN signles on NZ, Australia and U.S. Christian Charts.

Marvel: Winner of the Gospel album of the Year at the 2002 NZ music awards. Three Top 10 singles in New Zealand, Australia and the USA on Christian Radio Charts. With over 10,000 units sold already, Marvel is proving to be the most successful album yet.

Alive in Concert: For the first time ever a Lads concert captured live on CD playing in front of a full house in their home town of Wellington. 2003

Essential Facts

* LADS have had four consecutive Top Ten hits in the U.S. Christian Rock charts.

* Two songs from the album 'Lost at Sea' were used in the 2000/2001 season of the popular U.S. television drama 'Dawson's Creek'

* Performed live to around 100,000 people in the past year

* Tui Winner at the 2002 and 1999 NZ Music Awards, in the ‘Gospel album of the year’ Category

* the title track to the 'Lost @ Sea' album has been play listed on the ‘Best of Pacific Pop' programme played on all Air Canada and Canadian Airlines flights during May / June 2001 (compiled by members of the Australian Music Biz), other bands included Australian artists Bardot and Powderfinger.

* the single 'Beetroot Stain' charted top ten in a Brisbane radio stations (96.5 Family FM) end of year top one hundred play-listed songs for the year 2000.

* the new single 'Creator' charting top ten, in Auckland based radio stations (Life FM) end of year top 40 play-listed songs for the year 2001 (note: the single was only released in November 2001)

* 30,000 copies of Lads albums sold to date

Album Review: New Zealand Musician Magazine, February / March 2002, Reviewed by Peter Dent

This is a contemporary Christian rock band that's going places! Lads' melodic new rock is a fresh sound - positive and fun. The award-winning quintet have been together for over a decade, and in that time have sold thousands of units, played to 150,000 people in the last two years alone - and even had two songs feature on the hit US TV show, 'Dawson's Creek'! Flawlessly produced by Malcolm Welsford (The Feelers, Shihad, Supergroove and many others) along with engineer Nic Manders and the band, 'Marvel' is a tour de force of catchy rock stylings. Strong playing, contemporary sounds, confident vocals (and a horn section on the ska stuff!) make this recording a must-have for any NZ music fan! Keep your eye out for Lads - they're on their way!