Darren Cross (musician)

Darren Cross (born 3 November 1974) is an Australian songwriter, musician, record producer, video maker. Cross is best known for his previous band Gerling he formed and founded in 1992, more recently his Folk-Noir duo Jep and Dep, solo under Darren Cross, releasing his debut solo album _Xantastic^[1] in 2016 and he is also known under his dance music side project the E.L.F.

Cross runs his own music and video production studio called Bernstein studios^[2] and currently performs live with Jep and Dep and as Darren Cross.^[3]

Cross has collaborated with many different and diverse artists over his career, including Cornelius, Kylie Minogue, The Avalanches, Jagwar Ma and Kool Keith.^[4][5][6][7] Over his 20 years as a professional musician, Cross has released a diverse output of music – writing and producing many different song styles and genres- from commercial house music, indie rock style detuned guitar pop, abstract electronica with Gerling to Americana style traditional Folk Music with Jep and Dep and solo. Cross also Co-wrote a song on the Jagwar Ma debut album Howlin^{[8][9] [10] [11][12]}

Career

Gerling (1991–2007)

Cross founded Gerling when he was attending highschool in the Western Suburbs of Sydney at the height of Grunge. In the early days Gerling were influenced by Pavement, Sonic Youth, Boredoms , Beck and Mercury Rev writing with only two guitars and drums. The group initially focussed on creating experimental guitar pop, with its debut release, Sedatives For Dead Radars, being released in 1995 on Steve Pavlovic's Fellaheen label. This was followed by the mini-album, A Day of Research, in 1996. They moved to dance music and sampling. Gerling released four albums over their 16-year career. Cross contributed most of the vocals in the group and contributed most of the lyrics and conceptual ideas as well. From Gerling's 57 songs – Cross wrote the lyrics to 26 of them.^[13] Both he and drummer Presser (Paul Towner) created the groups album artwork and collages, calling themselves The Deli Bros.^[14]

A Day of Research (1996)

Gerling's first mini album A Day of Research was released in 1996 on Steve Pavlovic's Fellaheen label. The band at that stage incorporating two 5 stringed guitars and drums- heavily influenced by 90's guitar bands. Cross shared vocals and songwriting dutes with Brad Herdson who departed the band in 1997.

Children of Telepathic Experiences (1998)

Their debut album Children of Telepathic Experiences was released in February 1998. It was recorded and co-produced by Gerling and Steve Foster in three days. The 7" single "Bachelor Pad" was first released on the Trifekta label. In November 1998, they released Children of Telepathic Experiences, on Festival's in-house indie label Reliant. This was the first time they played electronica. The band toured Australia extensively and also toured the UK gaining positive reviews in NME^[15] and Mixmag – they were considered an indie dance crossover band in the UK.

When Young Terrorists Chase The Sun (2001)

Gerling on Tour in America 2002 at Devils Tower Wyoming.

When Young Terrorists Chase the Sun was released in 2001 after delays due to the September 11 attacks. It marked an increase in their electronic music, as well as their first success in the dance scene "Dust Me Selecta".

The album was released on Sony Japan, PIAS in the Europe, Flying Nun in New Zealand, Infectious Records in the UK and Festival Records in Australia. The album was Co-produced by Gerling and also with a few different producers – Magoo and Josh Abrahams – but the main songs were constructed at Gerling's own GERLOG studios in Redfern. Guest vocalists on the album included Kylie Minogue, Kool Keith, Solex and Inga Liljeström. The band toured in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the U.K.

Bad Blood!!! (2003)

Gerling's third album Bad Blood!!! was released in 2003. The album written at Gerling's GERLOG studios. The album is considered to be more in the Dance/Electronica genre due the heavy use of sampled programmed drums, vocoders and computer plugins and distortion.^[16][17] It was produced again by Magoo and Gerling. The band toured extensively Australia, Japan, New Zealand.

4 (album) (2006)

4 is an album by Gerling, produced by Ethan Johns in Hollywood, released in March 2006. It is quite possibly Gerling's final studio album, as they have gone on an indefinite hiatus.

The E.L.F. (2007–2012)

With Gerling announcing in 2007 that they were going on an indefinite hiatus, Cross began recording his debut self-produced solo ELF E.P. Stevie Nicks Hearts at his home studio in Sydney. As the E.L.F, Cross released two Extended Plays 'Stevie Nick's Hearts' and 'Sunray in the Rave Cave' and one album 'Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits' all in the dance/electronica genres, receiving 9.2 out 10 reviews online.^[18] Cross performed, produced and wrote them all himself. He also toured and djed throughout Australia. His track Cockroaches was played on JJJ radio and his filmclip for Cockroaches had nearly 250000 hits.^{[19] [20]}

Late December 2010 the E.L.F released his new album "Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits" as a free online downloadable album, available from The E.L.F.'s official Bandcamp.^[21] Cross removed the album once it reached 3000 free downloads. The album never got an official release.

Jep and Dep 2012 to present

In 2012 Cross started the Folk-Noir Duo with new comer Jessica Cassar called Jep and Dep. They are often compared to Lee Hazlewood / Nancy Sinatra and Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue on Murder Ballads, the Sydney Morning Herald stating 'ballads with the right balance of creeping menace and painful regret'.^[22] In late 2014 the duo independently released their debut album 'WORD GOT OUT' to critical acclaim – receiving 4 out of 5 reviews in both Rolling Stone^[9] and The Sydney Morning Herald.^[22] The duo adopt a Film Noir aesthetic for all their filmclips, photographs and artwork and live perform with only an acoustic guitar and two vocals.^[23] They have been invited to support Johnny Marr (the Smiths),^[24] Jessica Pratt, Mirel Wagner,^[25] Courtney Barnett,^[26] Kristin Hersh from Throwing Muses, Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals^[27] and Blackeyed Susans.^[28] Cross produced 'WORD GOT OUT' at his Bernstein Studios, taking 5 months to produce it.^[29]

Darren Cross (solo) 2012 to present

Cross has also released two independent extended plays, Freak Out Inn III in 2013 and NO DAMAGE in 2014. He wrote, recorded, produced and made the artwork and most of the film clips himself.^{[30][31] [32]} As of December 2015 Cross states that his debut album which he is self-producing and writing himself is almost complete and is "probably the closest thing i have done that would be a come close to a Gerling album… " It is scheduled for a 2016 release. ^[33]

Debut (solo) album_Xantastic

Cross released his debut solo album _Xantastic (pronounced ZAN-TAS-TIC) on September 9, 2016. Cross wrote, recorded, produced all of the music at his Bernstein Studios in Sydney.^[34] The Sydney Morning Herald said "eccentric, intriguing album, rewarding listening"^[1] and Rolling Stone Australia said "a nostalgic synth-folk tilt, with his lonesome vocals, unmistakably his own",^[35] Rhythmns^[36] magazine said "melancholy, plaintiff and downbeat in the vein of Nick Drake, Beck, Neil Young and Bill Callahan – yet he has found clever and unobtrusive ways to incorporate samples, synths, drum machines and effects that add a dystopian, sci-fi quality to the music". The album was released by No Drums Records in Australia, September 2016.^[1]

Discography

Studio albums

Gerling

• 1996 : A Day Of Research
• 1998 : Children of Telepathic Experiences]
• 2001 : When Young Terrorists Chase the Sun
• 2003 : Bad Blood!!!
• 2006 : 4 (Gerling album)

The E.L.F.

• 2008 : Stevie Nicks Hearts
• 2008 : Sunray In The Rave Cave
• 2010 : Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits

Jep and Dep

• 2012 : Through The Night
• 2014 : Word Got Out

Darren Cross (musician) SOLO

• 2013 : Freak Out Inn III
• 2014 : 'NO DAMAGE'
• 2016 : _Xantastic

Sources:^{[37][38][39][40]}

References

External links

• Dcdarrencross.tumblr.com
• Darrencross.bandcamp.com
• Jepanddep.com