User:Howdyvideoboy/Swoop (band)

Sydney band SWOOP burst onto the Australian music scene in 1993 with a new sound, a new look and a new attitude. Marrying their unique melodic punkfunk sound to the Aussie pubrock ethos, SWOOP delivered a high-octane stage show that read like a JJJ Best Of album, with songs such as "Apple Eyes," "Neighbourhood Freak," "Do It," "Everything I Do From Now On Is Going To Be Funky," and "Rock Dog" all scoring big with audiences and charts.

Formed in by childhood friends Roland Kapferer (vocals) and Joshua Beagley (guitar), and augmented by a procession of highly talented musicians, SWOOP amassed a huge national following on the back of their incendiary live show and massive radio coverage, taking their prescient hybrid of rock, rap, 70's streetfunk and delectable pop sensibility to the pubs, clubs, festivals and TV screens through the 90's.

Nominated with their debut album "Thriller" for a Best New Talent ARIA in '95, SWOOP then made the transition from highly rated independents to mainstream commercial success with Mushroom Records and the release of their second album "The Woxo Principle" and huge single "Apple Eyes."

In 1996 the Top 3 Platinum single "Apple Eyes" was the highest played Australian song in the charts that year, and it went on to also hit No.3 in the highly competitive Japanese charts. The "Apple Eyes" video was nominated for an ARIA that year, as was "The Woxo Principle" (for Album of the Year) and the song itself (for Song of The Year.)

SWOOP toured Japan successfully on the back of massive chart success with Apple Eyes, and also had chart success in Indonesia before taking a long hiatus and re-emerging with a new lineup, a new single ("Blood Runs Hot") and a new album called "Be What You Is." Unfortunately massive record company disagreements severely delayed and disrupted release of this album until early '98, by which time SWOOP's momentum was lost. Frustrated by the album's lack of success and lack of record company support, most members of SWOOP moved on to new projects, including Professor Groove and The Booty Affair for Beagley and Kapferer.

Beagley is now involved in the bands Confection (with Juanita Tippins) and Fatback 4Way, both of which have releases forthcoming in 2010.

Kapferer has worked extensively in television in the UK and Australia, and has notably written and produces comedy series by John Safran and Kenny.