Julia Mary DeansJulia Deans (May 2013). Slow Boat Records. Retrieved 20 September 2020. (born 27 August 1974) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer of rock band Fur Patrol.
Banshee Reel
In the early '90s, Deans joined Wellington-based Celtic rock band Banshee Reel. The group released two albums – Culture Vulture (1993) and An Orchestrated Litany of Lies (1995). Banshee Reel toured extensively around New Zealand and overseas. In 1996, after returning to New Zealand from a Canadian tour, Deans and Wellington guitarist Steve Wells decided to form a rock group, to become Fur Patrol.
Fur Patrol
Fur Patrol released three albums – Pet (2000), Collider (2003) and Local Kid (2008) and had a number-one single with "Lydia" in 2000. The band moved to Melbourne in 2001 to focus on a wider Australian audience. After the lack of success with their third album, Local Kid, Fur Patrol went on hiatus.
Solo career and The Adults
With several songs she had written over the years but thought unsuitable for Fur Patrol, Deans was encouraged by her record company to record a solo album. This became Modern Fables, released in 2010. It was well received and was short-listed for the Taite Music Prize, with the single "A New Dialogue" long-listed for the APRA Silver Scroll award.
Deans then became part of The Adults, a musical collaboration between established New Zealand musicians such as Jon Toogood, Shayne Carter, Tiki Taane and Ladi6. In 2011, the group released a self-titled album, which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2012 New Zealand Music Awards.
In 2012, Deans released a new single, "Broken Home". She also embarked on a theatrical project, starring with Jon Toogood in Silo Theatre's production of Brel: The Words and Music of Jacques Brel.
In 2013, Deans performed at the Taite Music Prize ceremony in April. Later in the year, Deans and Anika Moa recorded a cover version of "2000 Miles" for the charity album Starship Christmas Album 2013.
Discography
Albums
Year Title Details Peak chartpositions NZ2010 A New Dialogue EP Released: 9 March 2010 Format: Digital download Label: Tardus Music — 2010 Modern Fables Released: 4 July 2010 Formats: CD/digital download Label: Tardus Music 12 2018 We Light Fire Released: 11 May 2018 Formats: CD/digital download Label: Tardus Music 29 "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.
With Banshee Reel Culture Vulture (1993) An Orchestrated Litany of Lies (1995) "Lament" (1995) NZ: #42
With Fur Patrol
Pet (2000) Wishbone Music Collider (2003) Universal Music Australia Local Kid (2008) Tardus Music
With The Adults
The Adults (2011) Warner Music NZ
Singles
Year SinglePeak chartpositions Album NZ 2011 "The Only Thing"(with TokyoStreetGang) — 2012 "Not Given Lightly" (Various artists) — "Broken Home" — 2015 "Team, Ball, Player, Thing"(#KiwisCureBatten featuring Lorde, Kimbra, Brooke Fraser, et al.) — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.
Music videos
Year Music video Director(s) 2010 "A New Dialogue" Greg Page 2010 "Modern Fables" Mark Burrows 2012 "Broken Home" Stephen Tilley
Awards
Year Award Category Work Result 1999 bNet NZ Music Awards Best Independent Release Starlifter (Fur Patrol) 1999 bNet NZ Music Awards Best Fox Julia Deans 2001 New Zealand Music Awards Single of the Year "Lydia" (Fur Patrol) 2001 New Zealand Music Awards Best Female Vocalist Julia Deans 2001 New Zealand Music Awards Best Songwriter "Lydia" 2001 New Zealand Music Awards Album of the Year Pet (Fur Patrol) 2001 APRA Awards Most Performed Work in New Zealand "Lydia" 2010 APRA Silver Scroll Short list "A New Dialogue" 2011 Taite Music Prize Short list Modern Fables 2012 APRA Silver Scroll Long list "Anniversary Day" (with Jon Toogood for The Adults) 2012 New Zealand Music Awards Album of the Year The Adults (with The Adults)
Personal life Deans' grandfather was painter Austen Deans. Her great-great-great-grandmother was Jane Deans.
References
External links Julia Deans at Facebook Julia Deans at MySpace Fur Patrol at MySpace The Adults