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Iota (singer)

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Iota
Birth nameSean Hape
Born (1968-05-07) 7 May 1968 (age 56)[1]
Pinjarra, Western Australia, Australia
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, actor
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
LabelsBlack Yak Records

Sean Hape (born 7 May 1968),[2][3] known professionally as Iota (stylised iOTA), is a New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter and actor. As a musician, he has released six studio albums and was nominated for Best Independent Release for The Hip Bone Connection (1999) at the ARIA Music Awards of 2000.[4] He has won four Helpmann Awards: Best Male Actor in a Musical in 2007 for Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2006 Australian cast) and Best Cabaret Performer, Best New Australian Work and Best Original Score for his work in Smoke and Mirrors in 2010.[5]

Personal life

[edit]

iOTA has stated that his parents met in New Zealand;[6] his father is Māori and his mother English.[7] He grew up in Pinjarra, Western Australia,[7][8] where his father worked at an alumina refinery.[9]

At high school, iOTA took drama and music as electives, so he could "slack off for two hours";[8] he formed his first band, which was short-lived, at the age of 16.[8]

iOTA moved out of home at age 17, into a caravan and lived for several years on the dole, while playing with a hard rock band called Loose Goose.[8] He worked as a mechanic's apprentice before his career as an entertainer took off.[6][7]

Loose Goose moved to Sydney,[9] when iOTA was 23.[7][8]

iOTA changed his name by deed poll when he was 26. iOTA has cited three reasons for this: wanting to begin a new identity as an entertainer, being openly gay, and being a recovering alcoholic.[8][10][11][12]

Music

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iOTA's first album The Hip Bone Connection was released in 1999 and was nominated for ARIA Award for Best Independent Release.[4] Following the release of the album, iOTA was labelled as an acoustic/blues/roots musician,[13] a label he does not like.

His second, Big Grandfather, was considered less accessible, more atmospheric and was not as successful as his first. His third, La Caravana, "is about the nomadic life of a musician".[1] His fourth and most recent is Beauty Queen of the Sea and uses a full electric band, moving towards rock and away from his previous roots label.[13]

In November 2019 it was announced that iOTA would be a participant in Eurovision - Australia Decides; in an attempt to represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020.[14] He competed with the song, "Life" and finished 9th.

Acting

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As an actor, iOTA has performed on stage in Australia as an angel in Sydney Dance Company's Berlin, as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and in the original productions Smoke & Mirrors[15] and B-Girl.[16]

His acting has won him Helpmann Awards for Best Male Actor in a Musical (for Hedwig and the Angry Inch) in 2007,[17] and Best Cabaret Performer (for Smoke & Mirrors) in 2010.[18] He also received Helpmann Awards for Best New Australian Work and Best Original Score for Smoke & Mirrors.

He appeared in George Miller's 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road (the fourth in the Mad Max series) as the Doof Warrior, a guitarist whose guitar is also a flamethrower.[19][20][21] He has said he learned to act by necessity: "In the country, poofters are there to be bashed, or ridiculed. So I put on a mask, and became tough and rowdy: the long hair, the slouching, the spitting, lots of drinking piss."[22] iOTA can be seen in Baz Luhrmann's 2013 film The Great Gatsby as Trimalcio the orchestra leader.

He is one of two singers for the character of Walter Walrus on the animated Netflix series Beat Bugs, along with Daniel Johns.[23]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
List of albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
AUS
[24]
The Hip Bone Connection
  • Released: August 1999
  • Label: Mammal Records (002)
  • Format: CD
 82
Big Grandfather
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Black Yak (BYOA17)
  • Format: CD, DD
 -
La Caravana
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Black Yak (BYOA31)
  • Format: CD, DD
 -
Beauty Queen of the Sea
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Black Yak (BYOA34)
  • Format: CD, DD
 -
iOTA
  • Released: 2015
  • Label: iOTA (01)
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
 -
Wolf Number Nine
  • Released: March 2016
  • Label: iOTA (02)
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
 -

Live albums

[edit]
List of live albums
Title Details
One of Life's Simple Pleasures
  • Released: 2002
  • Recorded: October 1996
  • Label: Black Yak Records (RR303)
  • Format: CD, DD

EPs

[edit]
List of extended plays
Title Details
Iota
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Mammal Records (001)
  • Format: CD
Little Carlos
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Black Yak (BYOE15)
  • Format: CD, DD

Singles

[edit]
List of singles as lead artist
Title Year Album
"Struttin' Rock Rooster" 2001 Big Grandfather
"Million Miles"
"Wooden Skeletons" 2002
"Scars" La Caravana
"Pockets"
"Pigs" 2003
"I Want It Again" 2004 non-album single
"Handle on It" 2006 Beauty Queen of the Sea
"Come Back for Me"
"Life" 2020 Australia Decides

Awards and nominations

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ARIA Music Awards

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The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2000 The Hip Bone Connection Best Independent Release Nominated [25]

Helpmann Awards

[edit]

The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001.[26] Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2007 Iota - Hedwig and the Angry Inch Best Male Actor in a Musical Won [27]
2008 Iota - Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show Best Male Actor in a Musical Nominated [28]
2010 Iota - Smoke & Mirrors Best Cabaret Performer Won [29]
Iota - Smoke & Mirrors Best New Australian Work Won
Iota - Smoke & Mirrors Best Original Score Won

References

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  1. ^ a b Moses, Alexa (29 August 2003). "One iOTA". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  2. ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (20 May 2015). "Here's the Character Backstory for Doof aka Guitar Flamethrower Dude In Mad Max: Fury Road". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  3. ^ Vine, Richard (18 May 2015). "Mad Max: the story behind the flame-throwing, scene-stealing guitar guy". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  4. ^ a b "ARIA Awards history: iOTA". Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Vaudeville triumphs among Helpmann accolades". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  6. ^ a b Valerie Lawson, 2007, '"Wear more make-up"', Sydney Morning Herald (October 6). (Access date: 5 April 2013.)
  7. ^ a b c d Annika Priest, 2008, "Frocker even more a shocker", Melbourne Leader (9 September) Archived 14 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine (access 2 April 2013).
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Rabbit redux". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  9. ^ a b Andrew Taylor, 2007, "Given An Inch, Debutant Takes A Yard", Sun Herald (28 January). Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Archived by: aluminiumfences.com.au. (Access date: 5 April 2013.)
  10. ^ "iOTA And The Lizard Men @ The Annandale Hotel, 31/07/04". 2 August 2004. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Master of melancholy". 9 June 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  12. ^ "iOTA battles mental illness to bring B-Girl to the stage". 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  13. ^ a b Harrington, Stephanie (27 November 2006). "iOTA". Rave Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Mitch Tambo and iOTA next two artists for Eurovision Australia Decides". aussievision. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Smoke & Mirrors". Craig Ilott. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  16. ^ "B-Girl". Craig Ilott. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  17. ^ "Helpmann Awards 2007 winners and nominees". Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Helpmann Awards 2010 winners and nominees". Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  19. ^ Zalben, Alex (15 May 2015). "That Insane 'Mad Max' Flame-Throwing Guitar Is No CGI Trick — Here's How They Actually Made It". MTV. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  20. ^ Connelly, Brendon (13 August 2012). "Official Plot Blurb And Cast List For Mad Max: Fury Road". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  21. ^ "Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Full Cast & Crew". Internet Movie Database. Amazon. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  22. ^ Dow, Steve (3 September 2008). "Frock and horror". Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  23. ^ "Voice of Walter". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  24. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 137.
  25. ^ "ARIA Awards Best Independent Release". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Events & Programs". Live Performance Australia. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  27. ^ "2007 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  28. ^ "2008 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  29. ^ "2010 Helpmann Awards Nominees & Winners". Helpmann Awards. Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA). Retrieved 8 October 2022.
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