Caligula are a band from Sydney, Australia, who produced electro rock music in the early 1990s. They're best known for their 1994 album, ''Rubenesque'', which peaked at number 13 on the ARIA charts and became a household name with their hit version of Smokey Robinson’s Tears Of A Clown . They spent a big chunk of the 90’s touring with acts like Depeche Mode,Pop Will Eat Itself,Neds Atomic Dustbin,Ride,Headless Chickens and many more . The band reformed in 2017 and started recording and releasing new material in 2021. 3 new singles have been released to critical acclaim and the band has fast become a popular touring act again,sharing festival stages with the cream of the crop of success 90’s Aussie bands .

History

Caligula was composed of five members: vocalist Ashley Rothschild,

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

James McKinnon,

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drums. Most contemporary western bands that play rock, pop, jazz, or R&B music include a drummer for purposes including timekeeping and embellishing the musical timbre. The drummer' ...

Dave Macken, Jamie Fonti ( keyboards and

backing singer A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

), and

bass guitarist A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboard bass or a low br ...

Sean Fonti. The band also included Dave Ross and Mitchell Foley as founding members. In 1990 and 1991, the band released two EPs, before a compilation album including both EPs, titled ''Got One''. In 1994, they released the album ''Rubenesque'' and received national airplay on

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...

and

Triple M Triple M is an Australian commercial radio network owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo. The network consists of 40 radio stations broadcasting a mainstream rock music format and 5 digital radio stations. The network dates back t ...

with the songs " Tears of a Clown" (a remake of the

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential groups ...

song). Ashley Rothschild left Caligula, leading to their demise. The Fonti Brothers then created the band

Primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

with singer

Connie Mitchell Connie Thembi Mitchell (born ), also known as Miss Connie, is a South African-born Australian singer-songwriter. In 1995 she was a founding member of Primary. Briefly, in 2004, she was vocalist for Machine Gun Fellatio under the pseudonym Fey ...

. Rothschild currently fronts the bands Panic Syndrome and Graveyard Rock Stars and teaches at Big Music Studios in Crows Nest. In 2018 the band reunited to support Pop Will Eat Itself on the East Coast dates of their Australian tour.

Discography

Albums

EPs

Singles

Awards

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of

Australian music The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions o ...

. Caligula were nominated for one awards. , - ,

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...

, ''Caligula'' ,

ARIA Award for Best New Talent The ARIA Music Award for Best New Talent was an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards. It was presented from 1987 through to 1998. The award for Best New Talent was first presented in 1987. Crowded House won the award with their single "D ...

, , -

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caligula Australian rock music groups New South Wales musical groups Timberyard Records artists Mercury Records artists