Josh Pyke was in his first band by age 12 and played his first performance in front of 650 parents and students at his primary school graduation. Playing guitar and initial song writing efforts came aged 14. Despite his aptitude for song writing and performance, he stayed 'under the radar' throughout his high school years at Fort Street High School.[1]
Whilst part of Sydney band An Empty Flight he successfully applied for a grant from the Music Board of the Australia Council under the Buzz Project[2] to remix a number of his own demo recordings to be released as an EP Current Works Volume 1, under the name of Night Hour. The lead track, "Kids Don't Sell Their Hopes So Fast" received wide-ranging radio airplay, on national youth broadcaster Triple J and on various community radio stations including 3RRR in Melbourne and Fbi in Sydney. In 2004 Pyke won the Jaxter Music Award for his single "Kids Don't Sell Their Hopes So Fast".[3] The proceeds went towards a home studio, which enabled him to concentrate on his solo output and songs that were to become his debut mini-album Feeding The Wolves.
Pyke signed to Australian indie label Ivy League Records in 2005 and his first release on the label was a mini-album entitled Feeding the Wolves. It features the single "Middle of the Hill", as well as second single "Private Education". Josh toured early in 2005 with Jebediah frontman, Bob Evans, aka Kevin Mitchell. Feeding the Wolves was nominated for 'Best Pop Release at the 2006 ARIA Awards.[4]
Pyke released his debut album, Memories & Dust, on 10 March 2007 and it debuted at no.4 on the Australian ARIA Album Chart. He also guest programmed 'rage' on this date. The lead single from the new album, entitled "Lines on Palms", hit Australian airwaves in mid-January. When fans pre-ordered Memories & Dust through the fanclub website, they received a bonus CD of the live private show Josh did at The Wesley Anne in Northcote, Victoria in 2006.
Josh Pyke performed at the 'Escape to the Park' concert in King's Park, Perth, Western Australia alongside The Panda Band, Tex Perkins, Sarah Blasko and Augie March. He also performed at the 2006-2007 Falls Festival in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania on New Year's Eve.
He also sang a cover version of Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush for No Man's Woman which was released in 2007.
In April 2007 his debut album, Memories & Dust, was nominated for a J Award by Triple J.
Pyke also picked up an ARIA for best adult contemporary album at the 2007 ARIA awards.
Pyke has featured in the past four Triple J Hottest 100 countdowns. "Middle of the Hill" was voted number 19 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2005; "Memories and Dust" and "Private Education" were voted number 38 and 57 respectively in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2006, "Lines on Palms", "Sew My Name" and "Forever Song" finished in 79th, 91st and 97th place in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2007, and "Make You Happy" at 29 and "Lighthouse Song" at 27 in the Hottest 100 of 2008
Pyke's second album Chimney's Afire was released 4 October 2008 and was recorded at Sydney's Linear Recording studios. It made its debut at #3 on the official ARIA Album Chart,[5] and #1 on the ARIA Australian Chart.[6] He recently conducted a small tour to showcase songs off this album. The first single off the album was "The Lighthouse Song", and the second was called "Make You Happy".
by wikipedia