Minimum Chips
Minimum Chips are an Australian band formed in Brisbane in the mid-1990s. During their Brisbane years they supported many international acts including Stereolab, Bikini Kill and Pavement. Their first release was a split 7" single on Chapter Records with Perth-based band Molasses which featured Guy Blackman of Chapter Music (and Salty and Delicious zine) and eventual bassist in early in 2000. They followed this with the Blip 7", the Alastair Galbraith Australian tour split 7" and the Swish CD EP. Swish featured their signature song 'Furniture'. They relocated to Melbourne in the late 1990s and continued to support many international acts. Their first release for Melbourne-based Trifekta Records was the Freckles mini-album which featured the vocals of Pat Ridgewell of cult Brisbane band Small World Experience. In 2002 Chapter Records released a CD compilation of the early 7"s and the Swish EP as well as a couple of other tracks that were released elsewhere (such as on the Asparagus Milkshake compilation cassette).
Their influences are varied and include 60s film soundtracks ('Sunny Spot' from Gardenesque contains portions of Les Caids from French composer Francois de Roubaix) and French pop, indie rock and krautrock. Using a small but effective palette of instruments from guitar, bass and drums to Yamaha Electone organ, trombone and glockenspiel, Minimum Chips have managed to achieve a cult following in Australia. Recent releases such as Gardenesque and Sound Asleep show further musical progression and exploration into more complicated structures while still retaining their evocative, intimate and eclectic sound.
Current members
- Nicole Thibault
- Julian Patterson
- Ian Wadley
- Ellen Turner
Guy Blackman of Chapter Music/Sleepy Township played bass in Minimum Chips until departing for Japan, when he was replaced by Turner. He has since rejoined the band after Turner's departure for China.
Releases
- Minimum Chips/ Molasses split 7" (Chapter Music, 1995)
- Blip 7" (Chapter Music, 1996)
- Minimum Chips/ Alastair Galbraith split 7" (Varispeed, 1997)
- Swish EP (Varispeed, 1997)
- Freckles EP (Trifekta, 2000)
- Portfolio CD (retrospective compilation) (Chapter Music, 2002)
- Gardenesque EP (Trifekta, 2003)
- Sound Asleep EP (Sound Malfunction, 2004)
- Kitchen Tea Thankyou (Trifekta, 2005)
- Lady Grey (Moteer Records, 2006)