Hydroplane

Hydroplane were an Australian indie band from Melbourne originally called Cat's Miaow founded in 1992 by members Andrew Withycombe, Bart Cummings, Cameron Smith, Kerrie Bolton and Robert Cooper. The group released several albums and singles until 1996, when they changed their name to Hydroplane. Hydroplane's main objective was to only release one album and then disappear for the sake of remaining a mystery. Ultimately resulting in Drive-In Records releasing their 1997 self-titled album, the positive response of the band's use of traditional dream pop and female-led vocals inspired Hydroplane to remain a full-time act. For the next two years, their hometown of Melbourne would see a handful of 7" EPs released on various labels before Drive-In put out Hydroplane's follow-up album, Hope Against Hope, in 1999. Since 2001, the group have not released any new material.

Links To Peel
In an interview with member Andrew Withycombe in 2011, he was asked what was his reaction was when his song 'We Crossed The Atlantic', which was a cover of Pip Proud's track, was in the 1997 Festive Fifty:

"'I think it was either Keith from Wurlitzer Jukebox or Mike from Drive-In who told us that we were in the festive 50. At the time John Peel was featuring a lot of stuff that Wurlitzer Jukebox was releasing. However, I don’t think being in John Peel’s festive 50 made us any more popular or transformed into more sales. It was exciting and did seem prestigious, but I think it was only something that really mattered to a few die hard indie music followers. The festive 50 has probably taken on legend status, particularly since John Peel died. So it probably makes us seem bigger than we actually were. Nonetheless, it’s definitely a highlight probably only matched by the Cat’s Miaow’s first Drive-In single going top ten in Rolling Stone magazine’s alternate chart back in the early nineties.'"

Festive Fifty Entries
Hydroplane
 * 1997 Festive Fifty: We Crossed The Atlantic #13

Shows Played
Cat's Miaow Hydroplane
 * 20 May 1999: Phoebe (10" EP: The Long Goodbye (Bliss Out Vol. 14)) Darla
 * 24 July 1997: We Crossed The Atlantic (7") Wurlitzer Jukebox


 * 05 August 1997: ‘Beloved Invader (CD – Hydroplane)’ Drive In Records
 * 20 August 1997: We Crossed The Atlantic (7") Wurlitzer Jukebox
 * 23 December 1997: 'We Crossed The Atlantic (7 inch)' (Wurlitzer Jukebox) FF #13
 * 08 October 1998: When I Was Howard Hughes (7") Bad Jazz
 * 20 October 1998: When I Was Howard Hughes (7") Bad Jazz
 * 07 July 1999: 'Don't You Know (CD-Hope Against Hope)' (Drive-In/Bad Jazz)
 * 22 September 1999: Don't You Know (three-track sampler from Against Hope LP) Bad Jazz
 * 23 November 1999: 'Grand Central (CD-Hope Against Hope)' (Bad Jazz)


 * 02 December 1999 (Radio Eins): Grand Central
 * 27 December 1999 (BFBS): 'Follow (LP-Hope Against Hope)' (Bad Jazz)
 * 02 March 2000: International Exiles (single) Liquifaction