Music
Press
"Imagine a heavy metal wheelbarrow being pushed down a hill too fast.........Utter, utter freaks." - Metal Hammer UK - March 2007
"Eye catcher is without a doubt the charismatic front woman Michele Madden. The band centres around her not only visually, but auditory as well. Her vocal eruptions in the form of grunts, screams, squeals and many, many more will scare the shit out of most male counterparts. The musical basis for her antics is laid by sturdy, industrially tainted hard rock packed in eleven varied songs....... If the band keeps on getting chances to play live and to work on their reputation on this side of the planet, who knows how big they can get. Their music should be the right tool to force a big break.
80/100" - www.lordsofmetal.nl - October 2006
"Anger, frustration, disappointment, tragedy, loss, depression... Tourettes return and it makes uneasy listening. The quartet hit the nail on the head through, throwing choruses that bleeds hooks into the usual downturned fray. More of that please." - Kerrang Magazine
"Vocalist Michele Madden is a thrashing whirlwind of intensity and bile, prowling the stage as though she was born for this moment." - Kerrang Magazine
"Tourettes vocalist Michele Madden is quite frankly Australia's greatest
metal superstar." - Blunt Magazine Australia
"Madden is one rockin' lady. Tall tattooed and downright sexy.
Tourettes are a kettle of fish all of their own. Launching their new EP
Detestimony, the Annandale Hotel was packed with rabid punters. The crowd lapped
it up and the band reciprocated giving it their all on stage." - Drum Magazine Australia
"This album will rip your head off.... Impressive to say
the least." - U Turn Australia
Backstage, there's a press tent show case with Australians Tourettes (formerly Tourettes Syndrome). The four songs aired from their forthcoming album, ‘Treason Songs’, and in particular the intense performance by front woman Michele Madden impresses greatly. The album will be out in October – should be worth your pocket money. The five-track pre-listen I’ve got with me here is all blistering material, that’s for sure! Buy by the millions. (Thomas: 90/100)
Actually I had planned to check out Dimension Zero at the Party Stage, but Thomas lured me into staying for the Tourettes performance, and am I glad I did – this definitely turned into one of the highlights of the whole festival for me! I’m impressed with the general performance of the band, as mentioned before carried by front(amazon)woman Michele, who is so turned into the thing that it’s almost scary. To begin with it doesn’t seem very serious with musicians dressed very casually and wearing slippers, but as soon as they begin playing, it’s obvious that they mean business, and damn they can play: tight, fast, precise and generally ass-kickin’! A CD that’ll be a must for me when it appears.
Cheers cunts (to put it in Michele’s words)! (Claus: 92/100) - powermetal.dk
Discography
2007 - Treason Songs
2006 - Sick Sense
2 x self produced EPs - Detestimony & self titled
Photos
Bio
Tourettes
Michele Madden - vocals
Ross Empson - bass
Michael Quigley - drums
Ashley Manning - guitar
Tourettes is a crazy union. They say opposites attracted and that is definitely true of this band. It is also said that diversity builds strength - this is also true of Tourettes.
As the principle composer Ashley Manning is the master of musical ceremonies. His inner turmoil comes to an almost schizophrenic fore as his twin halves compete for supremacy. Part mad scientist part raconteur his muse and his apple mac are umbilically linked to his skull in a mess of cables and spent cigarettes.
Lyricist and vocalist Michele Madden takes her struggle to the people. Her pen crystallizes the angst of the disenfranchised, the ecstasy and exhilaration of teetering on the edge of greatness and the desperation of a life less traveled.
Michele Madden & Ashley Manning - both adopted out at birth have somehow found each other and despite their often brutal loathing of one another have forged a song writing partnership that beguiles and tantalizes.
The rhythm section of Ross Empson (bass) and Michael Quigley (drums) push the compositions to a fever pitch. They have played together in many groups since the very early 90s. Unhinged, dynamic, sprawling, self obsessed these two musicians are integral to the band and somehow walk the line between insanity and celebration.
December 2007
Tourettes have been selected to showcase at SXSW in Austin Texas in March 2008 and will be performing other shows in Los Angeles and New York whilst in the USA. Tourettes will then go straight to Europe to do a 20 date tour with UK metal icons Onslaught.
The band is currently in Australia playing shows.
November 2007
Tourettes released 'Treason Songs' their second CD for German label Armageddon.
The band is was based in Hamburg where they toured, traveling to festival and club dates throughout Europe.
June 2007
Tourettes have just finished a new CD, recorded by Rob Hill at X Studio in Los Angeles. This new disc will be the Tourettes' second release on Armageddon Music - the CD is due out in Europe in September this year.
The band is currently based in Hamburg where they are rehearsing and traveling to festival and club dates throughout Europe.
September 2006
Tourettes released their first CD for Armageddon Music in. This was the bands first full length CD, ‘Sick Sense’. This record was tracked by Endre Lukacsy at Night Deposit in Calgary, Canada and mixed by Rob Hill in Los Angeles.
August 2006
Based in Hamburg Tourettes played Wacken open air festival in Germany. Attracting attention from other festival organisers the band went on to play both Summer Breeze and Up from the Ground festivals in September. They also played Bloodstock, the UK's premier metal date, and a number of other dates through both the UK and Europe.
2004 - 2005
The band spent six months playing shows in California and Western Canada and recording 'Sick Sense'.
January 2004
Tourettes opened for Metallica at the 2004 Big Day Out in Sydney.
The Band - Tourettes
www.tourettes.com.au/presskit
www.myspace.com/tourettesSF4L
ross@tourettes.com.au
The European Label - Armageddon Music GmbH
www.armageddonmusic.de
sabina@armageddonmusic.de
The European Booking Agency - ICS ( International Concert Service ) GmbH
Miriam@ics-woa.de
www.ics-int.com
www.tourettes.com.au
www.myspace.com/tourettesSF4L
"Imagine a heavy metal wheelbarrow being pushed down a hill too fast.........Utter, utter freaks."
Metal Hammer UK - March 2007
"Eye catcher is without a doubt the charismatic front woman Michele Madden. The band centres around her not only visually, but auditory as well. Her vocal eruptions in the form of grunts, screams, squeals and many, many more will scare the shit out of most male counterparts. The musical basis for her antics is laid by sturdy, industrially tainted hard rock packed in eleven varied songs....... If the band keeps on getting chances to play live and to work on their reputation on this side of the planet, who knows how big they can get. Their music should be the right tool to force a big break.
80/100"
www.lordsofmetal.nl - October 2006
"Listening to Tourettes is a lot easier than frantically trying to describe them.... To cut a long story short Tourettes have created an album (sick sense) that draws on a massive range of musical influences while in no way sounding like any of them. Stand out tracks "Good Morning" and "R.F.S." perfectly showcase both sides to the bands persona but in no way overshadow the other nine songs on display here.
My initial response to "Tourettes" was to laugh out loud. I had no idea that a band could fulfill quite so many cliches. But thank God I persevered because "Sick Sense" is an exceptional album with a lot of very good tracks!
4 stars "
www.randommagazine.co.uk - October 2006
"If you'll accept the somewhat disturbing imagery, she's g
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