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Sick Puppies
Sick Puppies
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With a name like Sick Puppies, you wouldn't think hugs would play a major role in the gutsy indie crew's rise to fame, but they do, along with malls and the video-sharing site YouTube. When they met in 1997, singer/lead guitarist Shimon Moore and bassist Emma Anzai were both fans of Silverchair and the Living End plus many of the other angst rock/punk rock bands from their native Australia. Soon Chris Mileski joined on drums and a series of live gigs led to some local recognition and the 1999 EP Dog's Breakfast. Two years later, their song "Nothing Really Matters" won the Unearthed competition, which Australia's Triple J radio network held to find homegrown and undiscovered talent.

Tours across the country followed and an unreleased and aggressive cover version of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" was soon burning up P2P networks, but when the bandmembers set their sights on America they took a break to plan. They also took days jobs. Moore's was at an outdoor shopping mall, where he would soon meet performance artist Juan Mann, who would carry a "Free Hugs" sign around the mall and oblige anyone who took him up on it. Moore filmed the positive and negative reactions and eventually compiled them, adding the Sick Puppies song "All the Same" as the musical bed. He sent it as video sympathy card when he learned Mann had just lost his grandmother. Mann was touched, posted it to YouTube, and by December 2006 the heartwarming video had ten million views.

Meanwhile, the band had landed in America -- with Mileski replaced by new drummer Mark Goodwin -- and worked a deal with the indie label Roadshow, which released a self-titled EP by the band at the end of 2006. Given those ten million video views, it didn't take long for the majors to come calling. Virgin wooed them and released the album Dressed Up as Life in April of 2007, just as the views had reached the 12.5 million mark. ~ David Jeffries, All Music GuideMore

Official Profile

Sick Puppies
Even if you don’t know Sydney, Australia modern rock trio Sick Puppies, you’ve probably ...
Songs: 3, Videos: 0, Playlists: 1, Blog Posts: 0, Polls: 0, Battles: 0

Most Popular Music Videos (3)

All The Same
(Duration: 3:33)
Apr 17th, 10:22am
My World
(Duration: 4:07)
Apr 17th, 8:20am
You're Going Down
(Duration: 3:05)
Sep 14th, 9:29am
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Fan Comments

Sep 17th, 3:49pm
Sick puppies Rule!!! FREE HUGS!
Sep 7th, 4:15pm Last edited Sep 7th, 4:18pm.
Thanks to 107.3 here in Santa Maria, CA I found out about you guys, now I'm gonna get all your albums! You guys ROCK! Really hope to see you in concert or something, soon!
And Emma...you look awesome!
Aug 23rd, 7:28am
Awesome Band. Um and Emma looks fanatstic. Something about Brunette female Bass Players, like Alicia Marie Campbell from Audrye Sessions. DAMN
Aug 13th, 8:33pm
well not at Verizon but at the uptown amphitheater still on oct 24
Aug 9th, 11:37pm
Emma Anzai is a good at the guitar she rocks
Aug 9th, 3:24am
i may go see you guys on Oct 24 at the Verizon amphitheater wooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aug 4th, 3:36pm
awesome awesome band
May 22nd, 7:07am
I'll see you guys & and Lady @ Voo doo Friday again you guyz scored great weather 4 Sat. too
Mar 11th, 2:29pm
YEA U RIGHT
Mar 3rd, 12:06am
someone needs to upload streetfighter war on here