Sneaky_Sound_System

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Sneaky Sound System

Sneaky Sound System is a Sydney-based Australian dance group consisting of Black Angus (Angus McDonald) (chief songwriter and producer), MC Double D (Daimon Downey), Connie Mitchell (vocals), Peter Dolso (guitar), Jono Sloan (bass), and Felix Bloxsom (Drums).

At the 2007 ARIA Music Awards held on 28 October 2007, in addition to being invited to perform at the ceremony, Sneaky Sound System won the Best Dance Release and Breakthrough Artist awards.

History

Angus and MC Double D met Miss Connie, formerly of the band Primary. Connie contributed vocals for the band's self-titled debut album, Sneaky Sound System.

Angus grew up in Brisbane and the rest of the Sneaky Sound System Band is from Sydney where the band is based.

In 2004, Black Angus and MC Double D decided to start their own record label, Whack Recordings. After hooking up with recording engineer/producer Peter Dolso, the band set up a studio in Bondi Beach called "The House of Whack", and set about making its own music. Sneaky Sound System's first release was "Hip Hip Hooray", which quickly gained support from local DJs and radio stations alike, becoming a cult hit.

Sneaky Sound System

The first single "I Love It" appeared on the charts, peaking at #5 on the Australian Dance Chart and later entered the Australian Top 50 Singles and Digital Download charts. The follow-up single "Pictures" peaked at #19 on the ARIA Singles Chart and the "Tonite Only" remix at #1 on the ARIA Club Chart. Sneaky Sound System's biggest hit to date, "UFO", peaked at #11 on the ARIA Singles Chart.

The album peaked at #5 and has currently achieved platinum sales status in Australia and has recently sold over 200,000 units.

In late 2005, the band performed as a supporting act for Jamiroquai, and in late 2006 performed as the support act for Robbie Williams during his Close Encounters Tour of Australia, often playing to crowds of over 60,000. The band also performed as the support act to the Scissor Sisters' 2007 Australian Tour.

"I Love It" broke the record as the longest ever (70 weeks) charting single in the History of the Australian ARIA charts.

"Pictures" came second in the Dance/Electronica category of the recent International Songwriting Competition

On July 7, 2007 the band played at the Australian leg of Live Earth in the Aussie Stadium in Sydney. Miss Connie features on Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing".

In 2007 Sneaky Sound System was nominated for six ARIA Music Awards, the most of any Australian artist that year, matching the record for the most nominations for an independent artist, and won in the categories of Best Dance Release and Breakthrough Artist with its self-titled album.

The band was also nominated in the Fav Band category at the Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards 2007.

In 2007, the band toured Australia and also performed in New Zealand, the UK and Spain. In March 2007, Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported "independent Sydney pop phenomenon Sneaky Sound System are becoming one of the most sought after acts in the world".

In 2007 Several of the band's songs, including "Pictures" were featured on the popular online series Kate Modern

On the 8th/9th of June, Sneaky Sound System's first single "Kansas City" from the forthcoming second album 2 debuted at number 11 on the Aria club chart.

Lead singer Connie Mitchell has been constantly mistaken for Australia's Video Hits music countdown show host Faustina 'Fuzzy' Agolley.

UK

Sneaky Sound System have signed an international record deal to release their music outside Australia. The second album, melded together with the best from the first, will be released in the UK on September 22nd though 14th Floor Records. The first UK single ‘Pictures’ (given a freshen up by Rich Costey, the man behind Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand & Muse among others) has been received with open arms by BBC Radio 1 where it is Pet Sound Of The Week on Jo Whiley’s show, Single Of The Week on Zane Lowe’s show, with support also coming from Pete Tong, Annie Mac and Rob da Bank.

The song was also been added to London’s Capital Radio, Kiss, XFM and the MTV network. The band then went on to play the Glastonbury Festival in the UK and the Oxegen Festival in Ireland.

Sneaky Sound System performed in the Glastonbury Festival on the Dance West stage on the 27th of June 2008.

In September/October 2008 Sneaky Sound Sytem were the support act for Sam Sparro's UK tour across Glasgow, Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Bristol, Norwich, Brighton and London.

During the time they were on Tour with Sparro they began featuring on TV programs for Adverts, Backing Tracks and Music Channels.

Discography

Studio albums

Information
Sneaky Sound System Released: August 12, 2006 Label: Whack ARIA Top 50 Albums: #5 ARIA Certification: Platinum X 2 Australian sales: 200,000 +
2 Released: August 16, 2008 Label: Whack ARIA Top 50 Albums: #1 ARIA Certification: Gold Australian sales: 40,000 +

Remix albums

Information
Other Peoples Music Released: November 18, 2003 Label: Sony Music Australia ARIA Top 50 Albums: ARIA Certification: Australian sales:

EPs

Hip Hip Hooray (2004) - #78 Australia
Tease Me (2005)

Singles

Year	Title	Album	Australian Chart position (ARIA)	UK Chart position
2006	"I Love It"	Sneaky Sound System	#24
2006	"Pictures"		#19
2007	"UFO"		#11
2007	"Goodbye"		#33
2008	"Kansas City"	2	#14
	"Pictures"		#76
	"When We Were Young"		-
	"UFO"		-

Music videos

Year	Single	Album	Director
2004	"Hip Hip Hooray"	Hip Hip Hooray
2006	"I Love It"	Sneaky Sound System
2006	"Pictures"
2007	"UFO"		Clement Beauvais
2007	"Goodbye"
2008	"Pictures"	2
	"Kansas City"
	"UFO"

Awards and nominations

Award	Category	About	Result
2007
MTV Australia Video Music Awards 2007	Best Dance Video - Pictures	Themselves	Nominated
ARIA Awards 2007	Album of the Year - Sneaky Sound System	Themselves	Nominated
ARIA Awards 2007	Best Dance Release - Sneaky Sound System	Themselves	Won
ARIA Awards 2007	Best Group	Themselves	Nominated
ARIA Awards 2007	Best Independent Release	Themselves	Nominated
ARIA Awards 2007	Breakthrough Artist - Album - Sneaky Sound System	Themselves	Won
ARIA Awards 2007	Singles of the Year - UFO	Themselves	Nominated
ARIA Artisan Awards 2007	Best Video - Pictures	Themselves	Nominated
Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards 2007	Fave Band	Themselves	Nominated