Los Angeles, CA. (Top40 Charts/ RMR / Capitol
Music Group) - RMR / Capitol
Music Group will release the debut album from Australian indie-rock trio SICK PUPPIES which will arrive accompanied by an unprecedented worldwide virtual group hug - thanks to a video for the song / first single, "ALL THE SAME," that's become one of biggest viral sensations on the
Internet sparking over 10 million views on YouTube alone and making it the No 10 most viewed video of all time on the site.
In the group's first year of existence after meeting as high schoolers in Sydney, the irresistibly persuasive guitar-powered melodic rock of SICK PUPPIES had already won them the title of "Best Live Act" at the Australian Live Music Awards; critical praise as "the most dynamic new band in the country" (Rolling Stone Australia), and the breathless description "so young, so accomplished, so now" (Ground Zero).
SICK PUPPIES frontman Shimon Moore and bassist Emma Anzai, dubbed the female Flea, had relocated to Los Angeles picking up American drummer Mark Goodwin along the way, when Moore created a video to the band's song "ALL THE SAME," featuring a much-loved local Sydney eccentric, Juan Mann, who stationed himself at a busy mall with a hand-written placard offering unconditional free hugs. The local council attempted to ban Mann from the street over a "public liability issue," but the story created a groundswell of support instead, and a 10,000-signature petition convinced the council to back down.
Subsequently, the appearance of Mann's free hugs on YouTube.com in the SICK PUPPIES music video created an exponentially greater response: shot and edited by Moore as a cheer-up tribute to Mann, the "ALL THE SAME" video (viewable at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4) drew over 10 million views, and sparked a intercontinental movement, transplanting Mann's free-hug campaign to such far-flung areas as Spain, Israel, Russia, Brazil, Portugal and Japan.
A chorus of support has also risen from broadcast, cable and online media setting up a massive welcome for the U.S. album debut of SICK PUPPIES, (Title TBD) through RMR / Capitol Music Group, scheduled for April 10, 2007. KROQ LA made "All The Same" their first add of 2007 just off hearing the music from the "Free Hugs" video. That love has spread to stations across the country with stations like Q101 in Chicago, Live105 in San Francisco, 89X in Detroit, KCXX Riverside, WBTZ in Burlington and KROX in Austin adding the song early.
