HUMAN NATURE (BAND)

(Redirected from Human Nature (Australian band))

'Human Nature' is an Australian pop vocal group. The group was originally formed as a doo-wop band in 1989 while the current members were at school together in Sydney. So far, the band has had 17 Top 40 hits and five Top 10 hits in Australia since 1996 when their first album ''Telling Everybody'' was released. Human Nature's 3 follow-up albums all went multi-platinum in Australia. The band has also enjoyed some chart success internationally.

Contents

History

The 4Trax - Early Career

Human Nature - Chart Success

Band members

Discography

External links

History

The 4Trax - Early Career

Brothers Andrew and Michael joined with Toby Allen and Phil Burton in 1989 while at Hurlstone Agricultural High School representing their school in a combined regional schools concert at the Bankstown Town Hall. The quartet were known as The 4 Trax, a name that they retained until they began their recording career. The band performed "Earth Angel" a 1950s hit for The Penguins.
Before being in Human Nature, Toby Allen worked as a Perfume Salesman while studying to be an Accountant which he puts to good use by figuring out the concert ticket prices, Andrew Tierney was studying to be a Physical Therapist, Phil Burton was a music teacher and stacked beer for a living and the youngest member of the band Michael Tierney was doing his HSC.
After an initial stint as buskers, '4Trax' started performing in clubs and built up a following winning several awards as club entertainers. They started sending demos off to record labels. The story goes that the band was signed to Sony Music Australia after performing "People Get Ready" written by Curtis Mayfield as a hit for his group The Impressions. The band changed their name to Human Nature at a suggestion from Michael Tierney.

Human Nature - Chart Success

Human Nature released its first album ''Telling Everybody'' in 1996 which went on to sell enough records to earn three platinum records. The first single from the album was "Got It Goin On" which established the bands success with "Telling Everybody", "Wishes", "Don't Say Goodbye", "Whisper Your Name", and "People Get Ready" also released as singles. The group also helped build their reputation by working as support acts for Michael Jackson and Céline Dion.
The band teamed up with John Farnham for "Everytime You Cry" which was one of the biggest hits of 1997. Human Nature also appeared in an arena tour for Happy Days and in an Australian concert tour of Beatles songs conducted by Sir George Martin.
''Counting Down'' released in 1998 continued the band's momentum, and debuted at number one on the ARIA charts and generated five gold singles in Australia - "Last To Know", "Don't Cry", "Cruel", "Be There With You" and "Eternal Flame" a cover version of the 1989 hit by the Bangles. The band also performed the ''Australian National Anthem'' at the 2000 Summer Olympics with Julie Anthony.
The band released a self-titled album in 2000 with lead single "He Don't Love You" reaching Top 20 in the UK and being the tenth best selling Australasian single in Australia for that year. The single "Always Be With You", from their greatest hits album "Here & Now: The Best of Human Nature" also made the Australian top 30, with the video featuring Guido Hatzis, breakdancing legend, making the video memorable. This single was recorded in London, Stockholm and New York and featured a songwriting session with Gary Barlow of Take That. '' followed in late 2001.
The band also appeared in Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' in November 2000 and performed "He Don't Love You" at Erinsborough High's debutant ball and sang "Wishes" acappella at Number 30 at the ball's after party.
Human Nature's fourth studio album ''Walk the Tightrope'' was released on April 26, 2004. The first single "When You Say You Love Me" was written by Darren Hayes, formerly of Savage Garden, and it reached the Top 10 in Australia in 2004. The album also features "Love Is Blind" written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, a reworked cover of Guilty by Barry Gibb and Babera Striesand, and a cover version of "To Be With You", a 1992 hit by glam metal band Mr. Big.
With struggling sales levels and diminishing interest from the crucial teen market, Human Nature decided to came back with a set of Mowtown covers for their fifth studio album '' on 6 November 2005. It has peaked at number one and has reached 5 times platinum. They toured extensively around Australia in 2006 on ''The Motown Show'' tour and members Phil Burton and Toby Allen both starred in reality TV shows during 2005/06. Phil in the Nine Network's ''Celebrity Overhaul 2'' and Toby on Channel 7's ''Dancing With The Stars'' - plus both Phil and Toby on Channel 10's ''Australia's Brainiest Musician'' in March 2006 (Phil came 1st Toby came 2nd).
On 29 October 2006, Human Nature won their first ARIA - 'highest selling album' - after 15 nominations, band member Andrew Tierney joked saying they were the "John Woods" of the ARIAs.
The quartet's sixth studio album ''Dancing In The Street: The Songs Of Motown II'' was released on October 13 2006 and debuted at number one, with 14 Motown cover songs, after the initial 'Motown' album sold over 350,000 copies and won the highest selling album ARIA award. And are touring Australia with Doug Parkinson as the MC for the Motown Tour 2005/6 (along with Encore Motown Tour 2006).
Human Nature are currently touring Australia with the Dancing In The Street Arena Tour 2007, with Paulini and the 'Naturelles'.

Band members

As of 2007, the band consists of:

★ Andrew Tierney

★ Michael Tierney

★ Toby Allen

★ Phil Burton
This is the same lineup that performed as the 4Trax in 1989.

Discography

Main articles: Human Nature discography

'Albums:'

★ 1997: ''Telling Everybody''

★ 1999: ''Counting Down''

★ 2000: ''Human Nature''

★ 2001: ''

★ 2004: ''Walk the Tightrope''

★ 2005: ''

★ 2006: ''

External links

★ Human Nature web page

★ All Music Guide Human Nature page