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Ups and Downs

Bio history

Version 1activeSep 28, 2026, 11:46 PM
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Australia's favourite jangly guitar/paisley popsters Ups and Downs formed in Brisbane back in 1983. They soon grew out of the limitations of that then-small town, and after two singles through Basketcase in 1984, they relocated to Sydney, where they built a large following due to their strong songs, swirling guitars and the soaring harmonies of the Atkinson brothers, Greg and Darren. In 1986, they released the single "The Living Kind" on True Tone Records through Polygram, which saw them nominated for an Australia Recording Industry Award for Best New Talent. A mini-album “Sleepless” soon followed, topped the independent charts and saw international release through Homestead Records and What Goes On. Ups and Downs then signed with Mushroom Records and released their debut album “Underneath the Watchful Eye” in 1988, with one final EP “Rash” released in 1989 before breaking up in 1990. In 2011, they reformed for a series of shows and released a compilation album of their best tracks “Out of the Darkness: Sleepless, Singles & Other Stories”. In 2017, back on Basketcase Records, Ups and Downs released their ‘comeback’ album "The Sky's In Love With You", followed by the 7” single "The Real World" in 2019. Both releases through Redeye Worldwide. Now the band are back with a five track EP of covers of much-loved new wave and post punk tunes from the '80s called "Another Country". But they don’t neglect the Top 40 either as they rope in Aussie expat legend Rick Springfield to play a yearning lead guitar solo on the ‘Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime’. Whether then or now - some things remain the same – those soaring two-part sibling harmonies, the swirling jangly guitars and cascading rhythms – and those tunes. But there’s something else – three decades of wisdom and the wit of ages. Their power-pop smarts still rule.

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