Everything you've ever wanted to know, literally...

The 1990's marked the beginning of Powderfinger and their rise to the forefront of the Australian music scene. The following is a chronology of the major events from the years 1989 to 2000, including releases, major tours and awards.

Members:

Bernard Fanning - vocals, guitars,

Darren Middleton - guitars, vocals, keyboards, being a hippy

John Collins - bass

Ian Haug - guitars

Jon Coghill - drums, being a smart arse

Previous bands:

JC and Bish - The Eternal (with Andrew Bassingthwaighte and Taras and Yerama Misko (brothers))

Ian Haug - The Vibrants, The Fossils and others which didn't have names

Darren Middleton - Pirate and Sonic Tapestry

Jon Coghill - Auditioned for Custard but was rejected

1989-1992

Powderfinger forms around 1989 in Brisbane. The band begins as a three piece in high school with John Collins on bass, Ian Haug on vocals and guitar and Steven Bishop on drums, taking their name from the Neil Young song Powderfinger. Ian meets Bernard Fanning in an economics class at the University of Queensland, where they also, apparently, meet drummer Jon Coghill. Later, they decide to add another guitarist and Darren Middleton joins the band.

1993

Releases
Early 1993 - Powderfinger - EP
September - Transfusion - EP

Middleton (left) and Coghill prepare to sign the Polydor contract. Photo by Ian Haug, appears in 'The Sell-In,' by C. Mathieson

The release of the bands first EPs results in a record deal with Polydor but not after interest from Sony. Sony's A & R Head, Peter Karpin, turns up to see the band play in a limousine, consequently scaring them off. Finally deciding upon Polydor, the band take one last opportunity to milk the courtesy of the record company reps and join them for an expensive seafood meal that ends at the Hellfire Club's S&M night. Here they get into a fight with another patron who waits for them in the alley way outside and attacks the drunken party. "John Collins [needs] stitches in his lips afterwards, although he is unsure if it is courtesy of their assailant or an errant Fanning punch." (Mathieson 2000: 192)

Their second EP, Transfusion, goes to No. 1 on the alternative charts after selling only 1000 copies. It knocks Nirvana's Heart Shaped Box from the No. 1 position.

1994

Releases
June - Tail - Single
August - Parables for Wooden Ears - LP
September - Grave Concern - Single

Tours
January - Big Day Out
October - Livid

Powderfinger release their debut album in August and receive a bad response. It is believed that the band have become too confident and their arrangements are over complex. Polydor heads debate whether or not the band should be dropped, their only saving grace being the faith of Polydor A&R rep Craig Kamber.

Powderfinger play three songs from Parables for Wooden Ears in the Triple J studios in Sydney in October for Live at the Wireless.

1995

Releases
Save Your Skin - EP
Mr Kneebone - EP

Tours
August - National Tour
November - Livid
December - Homebake

1996

Releases
June - Pick You Up - Single
September - Double Allergic - LP
September - D.A.F - Single
November - Living Type - Single

Tours
January - Homebake
January - Big Days Out
March, May, August September, November - Semi-National Tours
/w Big Heavy Stuff, Hoodoo Gurus, Mr Blonde, You am I, Pollyanna and Automatic
December - Homebake

Double Allergic debuts at No. 7 on the Australian charts, selling around 150000 (+) copies. It stays in the top 10 for 10 weeks.

Pick You Up reaches No. 22 and D.A.F reaches No. 39 in the Australian charts.

Powderfinger play at the Sydney Opera House, along with You Am I and Custard, in support of Crowded House at their farewell show.

Powderfinger pick up two ARIA nominations:
Pick You Up - Song of the Year (1996)
Pick You Up - Best Australian Single (1996)

Hottest 100 of 1996 results:
No. 06 - Pick You Up
No. 18 - DAF
No. 32 - Living Type

1997

Releases
April - Take Me In - Single

Tours
January - Big Day Out
June - Tour of USA and Canada
July - National Tour w/ Big Heavy Stuff and Jebediah
September - Shows in Canada
October - Livid

In February, Double Allergic peaks at No. 4 in the Australian charts. It remains in the top 40 for 34 weeks.

Pick You Up is played 1300 times on national television and radio.

The Econodog Digest is started by Paul Stipack in June with 20 members.

The band receive more ARIA nominations but fail to receive an award:
Double Allergic - Best Australian Album (1997)
DAF - Best Australian Single (1997)
Powderfinger - Best Australian Group (1997)
DAF - Song of the Year (1997
Double Allergic - Best Alternative Release (1997)

JC reaches No. 66 in Triple J's Hottest 100.

1998

Releases
August - The Day You Come - Single
September - Internationalist - L.P
December - Don't Wanna Be Left Out/Good Day Ray - Single

Tours
January - Homebake
November/December - Internationalist Tour (w/ Swervedriver (UK) and Not From There (QLD))

Internationalist, originally titled A Series of Small Victories (a reference to the constant arguments between Craig Kamber and Polydor), debuts at No.1 on the Australian charts. The album remains in the top ten for many weeks and has stayed in the top 20 for over a year.

The Day You Come is played 17921 times on national radio and television, making it one of the most played Australian songs of 1998. Pick You Up is played 3290 times.

Powderfinger play an acoustic set at the Sydney Opera House as part of celebrations for its birthday (highlights from this set are available on the P2K bonus disc released with Internationalist).

In November the band play tracks from Internationalist in Sydney's Triple J studios for Live at the Wireless.

Hottest 100 of 1998 results:
No. 08 - The Day You Come
No. 46 - Don't Wanna Be Left Out
Powderfinger.net is launched

1999

Releases
February - Already Gone - Single
June - These Days - On the Two Hands soundtrack
August - Passenger - Single
October - The Chauffeur - On Undone - Duran Duran Tribute album

Tours
January - Big Days Out
April/May - Canada, SXSW Festival - Texas, Viper Room - LA, CBGB's - New York, Astoria - London etc
July/August - P2k Tour (w/ Something For Kate)

NB P2k Tour postponed to September due to illness.
October - Livid
November/December - Homebake

The band receive four Music Industry Critics Awards:
Song of the Year - The Day You Come
Best Australian Album - Internationalist
Best CD/Album Production
Best EP/Single - The Day You Come

Ian and Bernard collect the award for Best Single/EP at the MICAS
Photo by Victoria Hannan, May 14, 1999

Powderfinger receive five ARIA nominations and collect four awards:
Best Cover Art - Internationalist
Best Rock Album - Internationalist
Record of the Year - The Day You Come
Best Album - Internationalist

In November, the band are honoured by Triple J with their own J-Files.

Econodog membership number reaches 450.

The band triumph in the 1999 Hottest 100:
No. 01 - These Days
No. 25 - Already Gone
No. 46 Good-Day Ray
No. 100 - Passenger

2000

Releases
June - My Kinda Scene - On Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack
August 14 - My Happiness - Single
September 5 - Odyssey Number Five - LP

Tours
October - Odyssey Number 5 Tour (/w Magic Dirt)
November - Tour of Canada and UK

The band receive two Music Industry Critics Awards:
Song of the Year - These Days
Band of the Year

powderfinger.com is relaunched in May, and wins the ONYA for Best Artist Site on August 19

In late June, UniSA Student Radio spends two hours paying tribute to the band, where Darren Middleton reveals the title of the new album.

My Happiness, the first single from the bands fourth album, debuts at #4 in the ARIA charts.

Odyssey Number Five, debuts at #1 in the ARIA charts, going platinum (70000 units) in its first week, and four times platinum after 14 weeks.

The band are nominated for three ARIA awards but fail to collect any:
Best Group - Passenger
Best Record - Passenger
Best Artwork - Passenger

Thanks to Ian Haug and 'The Sell-In' by Craig Mathieson