Endorphin (band)
Endorphin | |
---|---|
Birth name | Eric Chapus |
Born | 1962 (age 61–62) Saint-Tropez, France |
Origin | Kuranda, Queensland, Australia |
Genres | Electronic, trip hop |
Occupation(s) | Musician, teacher |
Instrument | Keyboards |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels | Sony/Epic |
Website | endorphinmusic |
Endorphin is the stage name of Eric Chapus (born ca. 1962, Saint-Tropez, France), an electronic act and music teacher. Since 1984 he has lived in Australia originally at Kuranda, where he started his musical career. He has released six studio albums, Embrace (1998), Skin (1999), AM:PM (2001), Seduction (2003), Shake It... (2004) and Soon After Silence (2007). Endorphin teaches courses in Composition and Music Production at the Australian Institute of Music.
Biography
Eric Chapus who performs as Endorphin was born in ca. 1962 and raised in Saint-Tropez, France.[1] His parents separated when he was ten and at 13 he went to live with his father in Goa, India.[1] He later recalled "I thought he was the coolest thing... he introduced me to lots of drugs at 13. We were living in the streets, living like beggars. It was really an eye-opener. We buried our passports and lived for one year like total vagrants. We took a lot of drugs, smoked a lot of hash and I had a bad experience with LSD."[1]
In 1984 Chapus moved to Australia and settled in Kuranda where he started his music career.[1][2] From mid-1980s to early 1990s he was in a variety of avant-garde groups including Godzila in the Mist, an industrial music band, which used "the noise of chainsaws and angle grinders."[2] From 1996 he performed as a solo artist, Endorphin, and recorded two tracks, "Pacific" and "Relapse". The latter track was entered in the Unearthed talent competition run by national radio station, Triple J.[1][2] He signed with Sony Records and worked on his debut album, Embrace which was released in 1998.[2] David Peter Wesolowski of AllMusic described it as "chilled out" and noticed that it "grabbed plenty of critical praise but was also a commercial success in Australia."[2] At the ARIA Music Awards of 1998 it was nominated for Best Dance Release.[3]
Endorphin relocated to Sydney to record his second studio album, Skin, which appeared in 1999. Wesolowski opined that it was "more direct, a shade less intricate, and thus easier to get into. In the long run, however, it's probably not quite as rewarding. It certainly offers a decent range of sounds, including sultry female vocals, exotic samples, hypnotic trip-hop arrangements, and brooding basslines."[4] Guest vocals were supplied by Tammy Brennan (of Pavo Christatus) on two tracks, and one track each by Cindy Ryan (Stella One Eleven), Sabina Carney (his girlfriend) and Zoe Chapus (their daughter).[5] Jasper Lee of Oz Music Project felt that "perhaps a more darker and intense core is needed to give Endorphin that extra edge" as the album showed "ground covered too many times and a style that is a tad bit boring and unoriginal."[6] Skin peaked at No. 32 on the ARIA Albums Chart in November of that year.[7] At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000 Endorphin was nominated for Best Male Artist for that album.[3]
Albums
- Embrace (1998)
- Skin (1999)
- AM:PM (2001)
- Seduction (2003)
- Shake It... (2004)
- Soon After Silence (2007)
Singles
- "Pacific" (1996)
- "Relapse" (1997)
- Afterwords (CD, Single) (2001)
References
- ^ a b c d e Lobley, Katrina (30 May 2003). "Rush Job". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Wesolowski, David Peter. "Endorphin | Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
{{cite web}}
: templatestyles stripmarker in|work=
at position 1 (help) - ^ a b Endorphin at the ARIA Music Awards:
- 1998 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1998". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- 2000 winners and nominees: "Winners By Year 2000". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ Wesolowski, David Peter. "Skin – Endorphin". AllMusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
{{cite web}}
: templatestyles stripmarker in|work=
at position 1 (help) - ^ "Endorphin". Campaign Australia (288). Informit Australian Public Affairs Information Service: 46–49. March 2000. ISSN 1327-6395.
- ^ Lee, Jasper. "Endorphin Skin Sony". Oz Music Project. Archived from the original on 7 August 2003. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ Hung, Steffen. "Discography Endorphin". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2015.