The Sleepy Jackson

Essentially the project of singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Luke Steele and a revolving cast of supporting musicians, Perth, Western Australia’s the Sleepy Jackson mixed everything from electro-pop to alt-country to soaring, George Harrison-esque pop in their music. The son of blues singer Rick Steele, Luke Steele grew up in a musical home, but wanted to take his interest in music in a different direction than his father had. Steele formed the band in 1999, and after naming the group after a former narcoleptic drummer, the Sleepy Jackson began writing and recording, issuing EPs like 2002’s Let Your Love Be Love and Caffeine in the Morning Sun, which introduced Steele’s eclectic sounds to his countrymen. The group’s U.K. debut came that year with the release of the eight-song Sleepy Jackson EP. The following year they made their U.S. debut with their full-length album Lovers, which was released by Astralwerks. Later in 2003, the Good Dancers EP was released. After two tours of the United States that fall, the Sleepy Jackson returned to Australia, where they were nominated for ARIAs -- the Australian equivalent of the Grammy -- for Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, Best New Artist Album, and Best New Artist Single. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide