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Title: As Happy As Sad Is Blue
Release date: 1 November, 2006
Record label: Smells Like Records
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Official website: Smells Like Records
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J.P. Shilo - As Happy As Sad Is Blue
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J.P. Shilo, formerly known as John Brooks, is best known for his work with the instrumental group Hungry Ghosts. In 1996, after only three performances, Hungry Ghosts came to the attention of Lindsay Gravina. Lindsay instantly fell in love with the group and invited them on-the-spot to record an album at Birdland Studio. With Rowland S. Howard in the producer's seat, they set about to capture the sounds that would make up their first album.
1997 saw the release of an independent self-titled EP, which quickly sold out its first two pressings. It was subsequently made available via London label Narwhal Recordings.
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Upon the strength of this release, the band was commissioned to provide the score to the opening credits of the 1998 St. Kilda Film Festival.
By 1999, they found themselves invited to NYC by Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley. Steve helped create an even sparser album, Alone, Alone, which one reviewer described as, "....blessed with the ability to utter a million words with a single instrumental phrase and to turn a melancholy passage into a triumphant climax...".
These three recordings led to international tours, supporting the likes of Lydia Lunch, Rowland S. Howard, The Boredoms and members of Sonic Youth.
However, soon after the release of Alone, Alone, in 2000, Hungry Ghosts imploded....what happened was unclear at the time, but sightings were soon made of J.P. Shilo behind a drum kit "playing the other side of madness..." with the group Danmatsuma. Fronted by Kimiko Tanaka, this
group was short lived but proceeded to be banned from every venue they played due to the sheer violence and drug-fuelled antics of their live shows!
BLACKOUT!
Fade to some years later at Tara Institute in Melbourne's Bayside area... reconnecting with his interest in Tibetan Buddhism, J.P. Shilo spent three years at this Buddhist residential centre. During this time, he continued to record his ideas onto a 4-track. These songs came to the attention of Steve Shelley, who offered to release them on his label Smells Like Records. It was also at Tara Institute that he met his future wife, Nika, [who graces the cover of this new album]. In 2004 their son Casper was born. To mark this new chapter, John returned to his original surname, "Shilo".
In 2003, he was commissioned to produce Beautiful Death, a collection of songs for game show hostess turned musician, Alyce Platt. One review read, "The songs sound good live, but it's on CD - with J.P. Shilo's amazing production - that they truly come alive." In recent years, J.P. Shilo has lent his multi-instrumental talents to legendary Australian band The Black Eyed Susans.
Fall 2006 marks J.P. Shilo's first solo release, As Happy as Sad is Blue [Smells Like Records]. While many will look for easy comparisons, this is heart-stopping music without a clear genre. Fragile in its minimalist beauty, yet able to suddenly burst open with stabbing intensity...be
prepared for J.P's captivating return to form with this release.
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