1993: Sleeper EP Rail were an Australian
indie guitar pop group from Melbourne, during the 1990s. They were formed in 1993 by
Ashley Naylor on lead guitar and vocals (ex-Swarm, from 1994 he was contemporaneously a member of
Even), David Sayer on bass guitar and backing vocals, Danny Richard Vertessy on lead vocals and guitar, and Ian Williams on drums and backing vocals. Williams was also a member of Melbourne Indie guitar band Raw Nerves ~91-93. Rail were originally named Sleeper and released a six-track, self-titled extended play (EP) in March 1994.
Rolling Stones yearbook for 1995 includes, "another triumph for the kind of pop songwriting which doesn't rely on overdrive to make point. These guys used their imaginations first, volume knobs second, and came up with one of the more interesting production jobs of the year as a result." The album's lead single, "Immune Deficiency", was released in August 1995, which received high rotation on radio and TV on the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), especially on national youth radio,
Triple J. The lyrics, by Vertessy, are written from the point of view of a person with
HIV/AIDS. It was listed at No. 72 in
Triple J Hottest 100, 1995. At the
ARIA Music Awards of 1996 they were nominated for
Best New Talent for
Bad Hair Life, while "Immune Deficiency" was nominated for
ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single. Rail performed at the
South by South West Conference & Festival in Austin, Texas in 1996.
1997–1998: Goodbye Surfing, Hello God The second album,
Goodbye Surfing, Hello God was released in May 1997. It was named after a Brian Wilson reference, was recorded in mid-1996 at Sing Sing Studios, Melbourne with New York producer
Don Fleming (
Teenage Fanclub,
the Posies,
Sonic Youth). Fleming described how, "Producing is psychology. Every band is different, there's different personalities. There's trouble makers, fuck ups, analytical ones... you have to dig your way through."
Rolling Stones Tracey Grimson discussed how the album, "courses the spectrum of moods, through melancholy lamentations on love to the forthright embrace of power, drive and strength. It's there in the songs, from the classic rollicking rock of 'Sun Shiny Day' to the gentle balladry of 'Hey Little Beauty Queen'. 'My Art' takes a ride through country; the single 'I Am Awake' is honest heart-on-sleeve sweetness with a soaring chorus". It was Naylor's final recording session with the band as he had left by October 1996 to concentrate on his main band, Even. Most of the group's work was written by Vertessy. O'Halloran left the band in mid-1998 and they performed as trio with occasional inclusion of keyboardist, Craig Sayer. Rail performed at The Big Day Out, Melbourne and at The Falls Festival. TV performances include
Channel 31 Melbourne, ABC TV's
Recovery (as the featured band) and programming of an episode of
Rage in 1996. The group split up in late 1998. Drummer Ian Williams drowned in mid-1999, aged 28. ==Members==