RVG (band)
Australian rock band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RVG (an acronym of Romy Vager Group) are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 2015.[1] The band's current line-up is composed of Romy Vager on vocals and lead guitar, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Reuben Bloxham, bassist Isabele Wallace and drummer Marc Nolte. Original bassist Angus Bell was part of the band from its inception until 2019, being replaced briefly by Siahn Davis before Wallace joined as a permanent fixture later that year.
- Fat Possum Records
- Our Golden Friend
- Fire Records
- Ivy League Records
RVG | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2015–2024 (hiatus) |
| Labels |
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| Members |
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| Past members |
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RVG have released three studio albums to date: A Quality of Mercy (2017), Feral (2020) and Brain Worms (2023). The band's blend of indie rock and post-punk has found considerable critical acclaim within Australia; Junkee has described RVG as "one of Australia’s best bands",[2] while The Guardian has described Vager herself as "one of [Australia's] most underrated songwriters".[3]
Career
Vager formed RVG in Preston circa 2015, originally as a backing band for her solo material.[2] Vager named the band the Romy Vager Group in tribute to the Patti Smith Group, later shortening it to the acronym to make the focus less on herself and more on the band as a unit.[4] In October 2017, RVG released their debut studio album A Quality of Mercy.[5] The record was made live at Melbourne pub The Tote, and was released without any promotion or formal announcement on their Bandcamp page.[1]
In April 2020, RVG released their second album, Feral.[6]
In February 2023, RVG released "Nothing Really Changes", the first single from the band's third studio album.[7] Brain Worms was released on 2 June 2023.[8] In an album review, Alex Gallagher from NME said "RVG's third album is their best yet. Taking the most vital elements of scrappy 2017 debut A Quality of Mercy and its brilliant, bold 2020 follow-up Feral, Romy Vager and her bandmates craft an ambitious, lush record full of feeling and executed with confidence."[9]
In November 2023, Romy Vager collaborated with Augie March and released a cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Henry Lee".[10]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details | Peak Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS [11] | ||
| A Quality of Mercy |
|
— |
| Feral | 28 | |
| Brain Worms |
|
44 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "A Quality of Mercy" | 2017 | A Quality of Mercy |
| "That's All" | 2018 | |
| "Alexandra"[12] | 2019 | Feral |
| "Dying on the Vine"[12] | Non-album single | |
| "I Used to Love You" | 2020 | Feral |
| "Christian Neurosurgeon" | ||
| "Perfect Day" | ||
| "Army of Me" (with Julia Jacklin)[13][14] | 2021 | Non-album single |
| "Nothing Really Changes"[7] | 2023 | Brain Worms |
| "Squid"[15] | ||
| "Midnight Sun"[16] | ||
| "Don't Take It Badly"/"Pet Sematary"[17][18] | 2024 | Non-album single |
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | A Quality of Mercy | Best Independent Album | Nominated | |
| Independent Breakthrough Artist | Nominated | |||
| Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavey or Punk Album | Nominated | |||
| "A Quality of Mercy" | Best Independent Song | Nominated | ||
| 2024 | Brain Worms | Independent Album of the Year | Won | [19] |
| Best Independent Rock Album or EP | Nominated | |||
| "Nothing Really Changes" | Independent Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Hayden Somerville for RVG – "Nothing Really Changes" | Independent Video of the Year | Nominated |
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. It exists to discover, reward and promote new Australian music of excellence.[21]
J Awards
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.
Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards, are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music. The commenced in 2005.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | A Quality of Mercy | Best Album | Nominated | [25][26] |
| "A Quality of Mercy" | Best Song | Nominated | ||
| themselves | Best Band | Nominated | ||
| Best Emerging Talent | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Romy Vager (RVG) | Best Female Musician | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Feral | Best Album | Nominated | [27][28] |
| Best Rock/Punk Album | Nominated | |||
| "I Used to Love You" | Best Song | Nominated | ||
| themselves | Best Band | Nominated | ||
| Romy Vager (RVG) | Best Musician | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | RVG | Best Live Act | Nominated | [29][30] |
| 2023 | "Nothing Really Changes" | Best Song or Track | Nominated | [31] |
| RVG | Best Group | Nominated | ||
| Best Rock/Punk Work | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | RVG | Best Group | Won | [32][33] |
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia.