Pollyanna (band)

Pollyanna
Pollyanna (1996): Maryke Stapleton, Matt Handley & Serge Luca
Background information
Origin	Sydney, Australia
Genres	Alternative rock
Years active	1993–2002
Labels	Mushroom Records Shock Records DeSoto Records
Members	Matt Handley Maryke Stapleton Serge Luca Glenn Maynard Andy Strachan Ace Moley Sam Holloway Shaun Lohoar Richard Coneliano

Pollyanna were an Australian alternative rock band that came to prominence in the mid-1990s with their brand of noisy indie guitar pop. Formed in Sydney, (as Blue Trike, they changed their name on their 13th gig to Pollyanna) Australia in 1993, the original Pollyanna line-up was Andrea Croft (vocals/guitar, but left prior to recording) Matt Handley (vocals/guitar), Maryke Stapleton (bass), and Serge Luca (drums). They released 2 EP's, numerous singles and 4 LP's. The band went into an indefinite hiatus in 2002. (Matt and Andrea had previously been in another band - Catherine Wheel - together. 1 EP - Self Portraits)

Their first EP, FordGreenSilverRocket, released in October 1994 through Mushroom Records' new imprint Bark, was largely ignored, although their second EP, Junior, was picked up by Australian radio after its release in February 1995, largely due to the track "Pale Grey Eyes".

Pollyanna's highly anticipated debut album, Long Player was released in early 1996. Recorded at Sydney's Paradise Studios with David Trump, the album received mostly positive reviews across the country for its guitar-driven pop. Several tracks became alternative radio staples and both the album and lead single "Lemonsuck" briefly cracked the Australian mainstream charts, whilst staying at the top of the Australian independent charts for several weeks. Soon after the album's release, Pollyanna found themselves with four singles—"Pale Grey Eyes", "Lemonsuck", "Keep Me Guessing" and "Piston"—all simultaneously in the Top 20 singles of the Australian independent charts. "Lemonsuck" and "Pale Grey Eyes" made the Triple J Hottest 100 list for 1995. Long Player received two ARIA award nominations for Breakthrough Artist – Album and Best Alternative Release in 1996.

With this newfound success in mind, Pollyanna re-released the two early EPs remixed onto one disc entitled Junior Rock in November 1996 and toured nationally with Powderfinger. It was around this time that DeSoto Records released a Pollyanna 7" single of "Fordgreensilverrocket" b/w "Grover Washington" in the USA.

Pollyanna toured extensively through 1996 and 1997, including several headline tours, a national tour with the Hoodoo Gurus and support slots for the Australian leg of world tours by Weezer, Paw, Teenage Fanclub, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sebadoh, The Cranberries and Garbage, plus appearances at The Big Day Out, Homebake, Falls Festival and Livid festivals.