Australian psych-pop duo Empire of the Sun played their first and perhaps last show during an early morning solar eclipse today. The heavily stylized six and a half minute video performance took place during the longest such event of the 21st century and seems even more dramatic now that sources close to the band are reporting its demise.
Our source tells us that Nick Littlemore split from Empire of the Sun earlier this week, after a dispute with longtime collaborator Luke Steele. Steele, formerly of the Sleepy Jackson, apparently refused to tour for the much hyped debut album “Walking on a Dream”, a decision Littlemore found unacceptable. This is not the first time Steele has been seen as uncompromising: in 2000 he suggested that his brother Jesse leave the Sleepy Jackson.
In light of this recent turn of events, this snippet from Pitchfork’s 6.4 album review seems almost prophetic: “Luke Steele still effortlessly reminds everyone within earshot that he's really into himself. Like, really. He's the guy on the cover of the Sleepy Jackson's last record "Personality" as the bare-chested angel perched atop an Arctic ice field, austerely bearing in his arms the fetal, bare-chested figure of… himself…It seems a career spent in such indulgence can't just be streamlined overnight, because although Empire tries mightily, they collapse underneath too many ideas before the record is even half over.”
Swap the last use of “record“ for “year”, and you’ve seemingly got the story of the band’s apparent demise. With no official announcement as of yet, Empire of the Sun’s future remains uncertain. On the upside: Sir Elton John is a huge fan of Nick Littlemore’s work with disco-house outfit Pnau, so maybe there’s a sunny collaboration in their future.
View Empire of the Sun’s theatrical eclipse performance on Pedestrian.tv
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