Something for Kate
confessional post-grunge grandeur has made the group a strong favorite with Australian alternate rock fans. The group's music revolves around the words and emotions of singer/guitarist Paul Dempsey. On stage he stands at the microphone, guitar in hand, carefully dreaming out loud his evocative image-ridden lyrics. Even when the band's atmospheric backings build to their powerful climaxes, you can hear every word. Audiences listen or sing along to the hook-laden melodies, playing their own mind-movies as they do so.

The band was formed in Melbourne in 1993 when Paul Dempsey (vocals, guitars, songs) and Clint Hyndman (drums) met at school and connected musically. The name Something for Kate comes from a note someone left on the kitchen table one day.

They were signed by Sony's Murmur offshoot (Silverchair) on the strengths of a mini-album (The Answer to Both Your Questions), a stopgap EP (Intermission), and a couple of singles ("Dean Martin," "Captain"), which achieved respectable sales on the back of word of mouth built up by constant touring.

The first Murmur album, Elsewhere for 8 Minutes, saw the band secure American producer Brian Paulson, a name found in small print on albums by Archers of Loaf, Superchunk, Uncle Tupelo, Slint, Son Volt, the Wedding Present, Wilco, and the Jayhawks. The sessions took place in New Zealand, simply to let the band get away from friends and outside influences. They recorded the album they wanted, but as soon as they returned home they lost the services of founding bass player Julian Campbell. The band's obvious concentration on detail and quality control has its cost. In the two years that followed, the band came apart, lost another bass player, and changed tack completely by recording Beautiful Shark in their home town, still with Brian Paulson at the controls. Again there were regrets but Something for Kate emerged with another album of jagged grace.

After getting a new bassist, Stephanie Ashworth, and promoting the new album around Australia, Something for Kate toured Japan and America to make contact with their Internet fans and lay the groundwork for the release of their music in the U.S.. During that tour, rumors surfaced about an approach to Stephanie Ashworth to fill Hole's bass vacancy. (Ed Nimmervoll, AMG)