Ups and Downs (band)

Ups and Downs
Also known asUps & Downs
Years active1983 - 1990, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2017
MembersDarren Atkinson
Greg Atkinson
John Flade
Trevor O'Neil
Peter Shaw
Alex Ronayne

Ups and Downs is an Australian pop band. Their single "The Living Kind" was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best New Talent at the ARIA Music Awards of 1987.

History

[edit]

1983-1990

[edit]

Ups and Downs was formed in Brisbane in 1983 by brothers Greg and Darren Atkinson with John Flade. Peter Shaw soon joined the lineup. After the release of two singles through Basketcase in 1984, they relocated to Sydney, where they built a cult following.

In 1986 they released the single "The Living Kind" through True Tone[1] which saw them nominated for an ARIA Award at the ARIA Music Awards of 1987.[2]

In 1987 Trevor O'Neil joined the band. They signed with Mushroom Records and released their debut album Underneath the Watchful Eye in 1988. Flade left the band in 1989 and they released one more EP before breaking up in 1990.[1]

2007-present

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In 2007 they played at Pig City, a celebration of Brisbane music, and for the 4ZZZ Flashback, a 40th anniversary of the Brisbane radio station.[3]

They reformed in 2011 for a series of shows[4] and they released a compilation album of old tracks, Out of the Darkness: Sleepless, Singles & Other Stories.[5]

In 2017 they released their album "The Sky's In Love With You" on Basketcase Records, with bass player Alex Ronayne.[6]

In September 2019, they recorded a cover version of The Hummingbirds' "Two Weeks With a Good Man in Niagara Falls" for the Shake Yer Popboomerang Volume 3 compilation.[7] Before re-recording and releasing "Ups and Downs", which was featured on the 1983 cassette Darling It's Wonderful.[8]

Band members

[edit]

Members

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  • Darren Atkinson - drums, vocals
  • Greg Atkinson - bass, vocals
  • John Flade - guitar
  • Trevor O'Neil - keyboards
  • Peter Shaw - guitar
  • Alex Ronayne - bass

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[9]
Sleepless
  • Released: August 1986[10]
  • Label: Truetone Records (830269-1 / 830269-4)
  • Format: LP, Cassette
84
Underneath the Watchful Eye 75
The Sky's in Love With You -

Compilation albums

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Title Details
Anthology
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Big Heavy Stuff Web Release
  • Format: CD
  • Note: Limited to 100 copies
Out of the Darkness (Sleepless, Singles & Other Stories)
  • Released: July 2011[12]
  • Label: Feel Presents (FEEL 010)
  • Format: CD, DD

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Details
Darling It's Wonderful
  • Released: 1983
  • Label: Ups And Downs
  • Format: Cassette
Rash
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Volition (VOLT 31)
  • Format: CD, 12" LP

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS
[9]
"Darling It's Wonderful" 1983 Darling It's Wonderful
"Living Inside My Head" 1984 non album single
"Perfect Crime" 1985 non album single
"In the Shadows" 1986 non album single
"The Living Kind" 75 Sleepless
"Lit by the Fuse" 1988 Underneath the Watchful Eye
"Moments Away"
"Untie Ian" 1991 non album single
"True Love Waste"[13] 2017 The Sky's in Love with You
"Disco in My Head"[14] 2018
"Some Sleep"[15]
"The Real World"[16] 2019 non album single

Awards and nominations

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ARIA Music Awards

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The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1987 themselves Best New Talent Nominated

Countdown Australian Music Awards

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Countdown was an Australian pop music TV series on national broadcaster ABC-TV from 1974–1987, it presented music awards from 1979–1987, initially in conjunction with magazine TV Week. The TV Week / Countdown Awards were a combination of popular-voted and peer-voted awards.[17][18]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1986 themselves Most Promising New Talent Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Ups and Downs'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 29 August 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  2. ^ "History", Australian Recording Industry Association
  3. ^ Mengel, Noel (12 September 2015), "Out of the shadows", Courier-Mail
  4. ^ Watt, Andrew (30 September 2011), "Fame, fortune elude the band most likely", Sydney Morning Herald
  5. ^ Carozza, John (26 September 2011), "Ups & Downs – Out of the Darkness", ArtsHub
  6. ^ Innes, Matt (23 March 2017), "80's Rockers Ups & Downs Are Back With a New Album", Scenestr.
  7. ^ "Ups and Downs - Two Weeks With a Good Man in Niagara Falls". YouTube. September 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  8. ^ "The Real World - Ups and Downs". YouTube. October 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  9. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 318. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ Harrison, John (8 September 1986), "UP AND DOWNS ARE ON THE WAY UP", Sydney Morning Herald
  11. ^ "The Sky's in Love With You (DD)". Apple Music. November 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  12. ^ Saunders, Stephen (15 September 2011), "Ups and Downs", Canberra Times
  13. ^ "Ups and Downs - True Love Waste". YouTube. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Disco in My Head - single". Apple Music. February 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Ups and Downs - Some Sleep (parts 1 & 2)". You Tube. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  16. ^ "The Real World - single". Apple Music. October 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Countdown to the Awards" (Portable document format (PDF)). Countdown Magazine. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). March 1987. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  18. ^ "Final episode of Countdown". 1970scountdown. Retrieved 23 October 2020.