Powderfinger (EP)

Powderfinger
EP by Powderfinger
Released	August 1992 (Australia)
Recorded	1992 Broken Toys Studios, Brisbane
Genre	Rock
Length	25:33
Producer	Leroy Bath, Ian Taylor and Powderfinger
Powderfinger chronology
— Powderfinger (1993) Transfusion (1993)

Powderfinger is the first studio recording by the Australian rock group Powderfinger. Many refer to it as The Blue EP. The EP launch was at the Orient Hotel on Friday 21 August 1992; the band was supported by the local act Lolita Carbine. The disk attracted the attention of some rock fans and the attention of Polydor record executives who, through this EP, signed the band. By the time the band was signed, they had just finished recording the follow-up EP Transfusion, which was the first work released on the Polydor label. Powderfinger contains the first version of "Save Your Skin", a song that was be re-recorded the following year for their first album and released as the third and final single accompanying it.

Background

Following three years of playing locally throughout Brisbane and South-East Queensland, Powderfinger decided to record some of the songs they had written. They recorded six songs and released them in August 1992. Not expecting a great amount of exposure, the group only had 1,500 copies of the EP manufactured. Six months after its release, the group re-entered recorded a follow-up EP, Transfusion, which proved more successful and the group's success continued. As time passed, it became more difficult to acquire a copy of the EP as the group's fame increased. By 2008, few copies of the EP were being sold, though those that were have earned in excess of A$400 at times.^[1]

Track listing

All music written by Bernard Fanning, John Collins, Ian Haug, Darren Middleton and Jon Coghill. Lyrics by Fanning, Collins, Haug, Middleton and Coghill, except "Take a Light", written by Fanning and Haug.

1. "Take a Light" – 3:48
2. "Sacrifice (Blackjack)" – 3:15
3. "Freedom" – 4:00
4. "If I Tried" – 3:27
5. "Save Your Skin" – 4:17
6. "Lighten My Load" – 3:05
7. "It's No Crime" – 3:28

Personnel

Powderfinger

• Bernard Fanning - acoustic guitar, lead vocals, blues harp, tambourine and piano^[2]
• John Collins - bass guitar
• Ian Haug - lead and rhythm guitars and backing vocals
• Darren Middleton - lead and rhythm guitars, acoustic guitar and backing vocals
• Jon Coghill - drums and percussion

Additional musicians

• Anne Deller - backing vocals
• Lachlan Dolie - keyboards

Production

Recorded at Broken Toys Studios, Brisbane

• Produced by Marc Eldridge and Ian Taylor
• Co-produced by Powderfinger ([sic] "with general spanners thrown in by the band"^[2])
• Executive producers: Mr & Mrs Middleton, Geoff Viner, Paul Piticco and Powderfinger

Artwork

• Design and art by Powderfinger
• Art direction by John Collins
• Graphics by Seneca Studios Australia
• Photography by Ian Waldie

Notes

1. Christina Fuoco (29 May 2001). "Powderfinger Biography". musicianguide.com. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
2. "Powderfinger (Blue EP)". Australian Music Online. Australian Council for the Arts. Archived from the original on 6 September 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007.