Noise Addict (sometimes styled as Noiseaddict) was an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1993 by founding mainstay Ben Lee on lead vocals and guitar. He was joined in 1995 by Romy Hoffman on guitar before the group disbanded early in 1996. They had issued a studio album, Meet the Real You, on Fellaheen Records/Shock Records in late 1995. Lee undertook a solo career. He briefly reconvened Noise Addict in 2009 with new members, Lou Barlow and Lara Meyerratken, to issue a second album, It Was Never About the Audience (1 September 2009), before returning to his solo pursuits.

History

Noise Addict were formed in Bondi Beach in early 1993, with the original line-up of Ben Lee on lead vocals and guitar, Doron Kalinko on bass guitar and Josh Zoldan on drums. All were school mates at Moriah College in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Other early bandmates include Daniel Mapp on bass guitar and Joel Wasserman on drums. Lee was later joined by Daniel Kohn on bass guitar and Saul Smith on drums. Moore signed them to his Ecstatic Peace record label, and the DEF extended play was released in early 1993 – recorded by the line-up of Lee, Kalinko and Zoldan. The line-up was Lee, Kalinko (who had moved from bass to lead guitar), Kohn and Wasserman. McFarlane felt the EP "displayed plenty of low-fi charm and youthful exuberance among the stylised Jonathan Richmanesque songs." it included "six acoustic songs again recorded [in] Ben Lee's bedroom." In late 1995, Noise Addict released their only full-length album, Meet the Real You, which was produced by Brad Wood (Sebadoh, Liz Phair). They performed the last gig in early 1996 in Bondi. McFarlane noticed that "In true punk rock style, as soon as the album came out, Lee broke up the band." After the Shows reviewer described it as "lo-fi album is a great antidote to slick, overproduced records that value Protools over talent." A two-LP compilation of the band's initial discography, 10,000 Kids with Guitars, was released on Record Store Day 2017 via Numero Group.

Discography

Albums

  • Meet the Real You (late 1995)
  • It Was Never About the Audience (1 September 2009) Ten Fingers Records

Extended plays

  • DEF (early 1993) Ecstatic Peace
  • The Taste in My Eyes (aka Noise Addict vs. Silverchair) (April 1994) Fellaheen Records
  • Young and Jaded (1994) Grand Royal

Singles

  • I Wish I Was Him (aka "Unplugged") (October 1993) Fellaheen Records
  • The Frail Girl (1995) Grand Royal / Fellaheen Records

Compilations

  • 10,000 Kids With Guitars (2LP, April 2017) Numero Group

References

  • Music video for "16" by Noise Addict, 1995
  • Noise Addict on Last.fm