View source for Operator Please

{{Short description|Australian pop band}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Operator Please
| image            = OperatorPleasePRphotoByDanielBoud.jpg
| image_size       = 150
| caption          = Operator Please in 2008. L–R: Henderson, McConnell, Wilkinson, Commandeur, Gardiner
| landscape        = yes
| background       = group_or_band
| alias            = 
| origin           = [[Gold Coast, Queensland]], Australia
| genre            = [[Indie rock]], [[indie pop]], [[pop rock]], [[New wave music|new wave]], [[dance-punk]], [[teen pop]]
| years_active     = 2005–2011
| label            = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]<br />[[EMI Music Australia]]
| associated_acts  = [[Bossy Love]], [[Colour Coding]]
| website          = 
| current_members  = 
| past_members     = [[Amandah Wilkinson]]<br />Taylor Henderson<br />[[Tim Commandeur]]<br />Chris Holland<br />Ashley McConnell<br />Sarah Gardiner<br />Stephanie Joske<br />Kieran Richards<br />Blake Ross
}}

'''Operator Please''' were an Australian [[Pop music|pop]] band, originating in the [[Gold Coast, Queensland]], in 2005. Their final line-up consisted of vocalist and guitarist [[Amandah Wilkinson]], drummer [[Tim Commandeur]], keyboardist Chris Holland, bassist Ashley McConnell and violinist Taylor Henderson. They are best known for their 2007 single "[[Just a Song About Ping Pong]]", which won an [[ARIA Music Award]] at the [[ARIA Music Awards of 2007|2007 ceremony]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,22548616-5007184,00.html|title=Ping Pong proves a winner for indie band Operator Please|author=Braithwaite, Alyssa|date=8 October 2007|access-date=15 November 2007|publisher=News Limited}}</ref>

==History==
===2005–2011===
Operator Please formed in early 2005 by [[lead singer]] and guitarist [[Amandah Wilkinson]] and students of [[Elanora State High School]] in an attempt to compete in the high school's annual "[[Battle of the Bands]]" competition, which they went on to win.<ref name="triplej">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/events/ausmusicmonth_06/next_crop/operator_please.htm|title=Operator Please|publisher=[[Triple J]]. [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=15 November 2007}}</ref> 

After winning the contest, the five members, aged 17 to 19, recorded and self-released the [[Extended play|EP]] ''[[On the Prowl (EP)|On the Prowl]]'' in 2006, limited to 300 handmade copies. The EP included an early version of the song "[[Just a Song About Ping Pong]]". The band released a second EP, ''Cement Cement'', in 2006, which generated interest both locally and internationally from a combination of word of mouth and exposure on the Australian youth radio network [[Triple J]], and the band were signed to Virgin Records.<ref>
{{cite news|title = Give us more Operator Please|publisher = The Courier Mail|url = http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22172422-5003421,00.html|access-date = 21 August 2007| first=Catriona| last=Mathewson| date=2 August 2007}}</ref> The band opened for [[Arctic Monkeys]] and [[Kaiser Chiefs]] on their 2007 Australian tours.<ref>{{cite web|title = Kaiser Chiefs / Wolf And Cub / Operator Please|publisher = Rave Magazine|url = http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/content/view/4807/82/|access-date = 22 July 2007}}</ref>

In July 2007, the band released a re-recorded version of "[[Just a Song About Ping Pong]]" as their debut single. The song peaked at number 12 on the ARIA Charts and at the [[ARIA Music Awards of 2007]]; the song won the [[ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single]].<ref name="aria">{{cite web|title = ARIA Nominees Announced|publisher = SameSame.com.au|url = http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/1368/ARIA-Nominees-Announced.htm|access-date = 21 September 2007}}</ref> Celebrity blogger [[Perez Hilton]] labelled Operator Please as "our favourite new band" and "the next big thing".<ref>{{cite web|title = Listen To This: Our New Obsession| date=15 July 2007 |publisher = Perez Hilton|url = http://perezhilton.com/?p=1487|access-date = 21 August 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Listen To This: The New Wave!| date=5 July 2007 |publisher = Perez Hilton|url = http://perezhilton.com/?p=956|access-date = 21 August 2007}}</ref>

In October 2007, the band released "[[Get What You Want]]", which peaked at number 27 on the ARIA Charts.<ref name=aus/> This was followed by the band's debut studio album, ''[[Yes Yes Vindictive]]'', in November 2007, which peaked at number 28 on the ARIA album chart.<ref name=aus/>

In 2008, the band toured throughout [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]<ref name="tour">{{cite web
|title = All Shows for Operator Please|publisher = MySpace|url = http://collect.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bandprofile.listAllShows&friendid=42470861&n=Operator+Please|access-date = 21 August 2007
}}</ref> and released ''Yes Yes Vindictive'' in the UK on 17 March 2008. 

Operator Please spent 2009 composing their second album. On 8 February 2010, the band released the album's lead single, "Logic". The band's second album, ''[[Gloves (album)|Gloves]]'', was released on 23 April 2010 in Australia and 31 May 2010 in the rest of the world. The album peaked at number 20 on the ARIA album chart.<ref name=aus/>

In June 2010, the band completed their first headlining tour since late 2008; they were supported by Perth band [[Tim & Jean]] and Sydney band [[Chaingang (band)|Chaingang]]. Shortly afterwards, they would play a variety of festivals, including [[Splendour in the Grass]] and [[Canberra]] festival Stonefest. They also played the Australian leg of the 2011 [[Big Day Out]] festival. March and April 2011 saw the band tour Australia, this time as the main support for Sydney musician [[Sparkadia]]. "Catapult" was released in January 2011 as the fifth and final single from ''Gloves''.

===2012–present===
Although the band have not officially split,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/homeandhosed/blog/s3339635.htm|title=Has Operator Please Called It Quits? No!|work=Home & Hosed - New Australian Music blog|publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]|access-date=12 December 2013}}</ref> they have been inactive since 2011, and the band members are currently part of other projects. Wilkinson has adopted the moniker [[Bossy Love]], collaborated with John Baillie Jnr of [[Dananananaykroyd]], and released her debut EP ''Me + You'' in October 2013;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/press/bossy-love-announces-debut-ep-me-you-out-october-21st-2013|title=Bossy Love Announces Debut Ep 'Me + You' Out October 21st 2013|date=17 September 2013 |publisher=[[Contactmusic]]|access-date=12 December 2013}}</ref> Holland and Commandeur formed the duo [[Colour Coding]] and released their debut EP ''Proof'' in March 2012, later announcing a hiatus for that project in November 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/ColourCoding/posts/594799530586705|title=Colour Coding - It is a little sad to announce, but we...|publisher=[[Colour Coding]] on [[Facebook]]|access-date=12 December 2013}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Details
! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br /><ref name=aus/>
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| [[Official Charts|UK]]<br /><ref name=uk>{{cite web|url=http://zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_O.HTM|title=Chart Log UK 1994–2010: The O – Ozric Tentacles|website=zobbel.de|access-date=4 September 2022}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Yes Yes Vindictive]]''
|
*Released: November 2007
*Label: [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] (5137072)
*Format: [[Compact Disc|CD]]
| 28 || 157
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Gloves (album)|Gloves]]''
|
*Released: 23 April 2010
*Label: Virgin, [[EMI Music]] (50999 6290472 8)
*Format: CD, [[Music download|DD]]
| 20 || —
|}

===Extended plays===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of EPs, with selected details
! Title
! Details
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[On the Prowl (EP)|On the Prowl]]''
|
*Released: 2006
*Label: Operator Please
*Format: CD
|-
! scope="row"| ''Cement Cement''
|
*Released: 2006
*Label: Scorpio Management, Virgin	(3864422)
*Format: CD, DD
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year
! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br /><ref name=aus>Australian chart peaks:
*All top 50 peaks: {{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Operator+Please|title=Discography Operator Please|website=australian-charts.com|access-date=4 September 2022}}
*Top 100 (ARIA) peaks to December 2010: {{cite Ryan|page=209}}</ref>
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br /><ref name=uk/>
|-
!scope="row"|"[[Just a Song About Ping Pong]]"
|rowspan="3"|2007
|align="center"|12
|align="center"|—
|rowspan="4"|''[[Yes Yes Vindictive]]''
|-
!scope="row"|"[[Get What You Want]]"
|align="center"|27
|align="center"|121
|-
!scope="row"|"[[Leave It Alone (Operator Please song)|Leave It Alone]]"
|align="center"|62
|align="center"|133
|-
!scope="row"|"[[Two for My Seconds]]"
|2008
|align="center"|93
|align="center"|—
|-
!scope="row"|"[[Logic (song)|Logic]]"
|rowspan="4"|2010
|align="center"|47
|align="center"|—
|rowspan="5"|''[[Gloves (album)|Gloves]]''
|-
!scope="row"|"[[Back and Forth (Operator Please song)|Back and Forth]]"
|align="center"|84
|align="center"|—
|-
!scope="row"|"Like Magic"
|align="center"|—
|align="center"|—
|-
!scope="row"|"Volcanic"
|align="center"|—
|align="center"|—
|-
!scope="row"|"Catapult"
|2011
|align="center"|—
|align="center"|—
|}

==Awards and nominations==
===ARIA Awards===
The [[ARIA Music Awards]] is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of [[Australian music]].
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Award
! Work
! Result
! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[ARIA Music Awards of 2007|2007]]
| [[ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Single|Breakthrough Artist – Single]]
| "[[Just a Song About Ping Pong]]"
| align="center" style="background: #ddffdd"| Won
| rowspan="3"| <ref name="ARIA2007">{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/2007 |title=ARIA Awards – History: Winners by Year 2007: 21st Annual ARIA Awards |publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] (ARIA) |access-date=13 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118143950/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=2007 |archive-date=18 November 2007 }}</ref>
|-
| [[ARIA Award for Best Pop Release|Best Pop Release]]
| "Just a Song About Ping Pong"
| align="center" style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated
|-
| [[ARIA Award for Best Pop Release|Best Pop Release]]
| [[Magoo (Australian producer)|Magoo]] for "Just a Song About Ping Pong"
| align="center" style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[ARIA Music Awards of 2008|2008]]
| [[ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist – Album|Breakthrough Artist – Album]]
| ''[[Yes Yes Vindictive]]''
| align="center" style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated
| rowspan="2"|<ref name="ARIA2008">{{cite web| url = http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history/year/2008| title = Winners by Year: 2008| publisher = Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)| access-date = 5 June 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090813152819/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=2008| archive-date = 13 August 2009| url-status = dead}}</ref>
|-
| Best Pop Release
| ''Yes Yes Vindictive''
| align="center" style="background: #ffdddd"| Nominated
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Operator Please}}
{{Operator Please}}
{{ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Queensland musical groups]]
[[Category:Australian indie rock groups]]
[[Category:ARIA Award winners]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2005]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:2005 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Australian indie pop groups]]
[[Category:Australian new wave musical groups]]
[[Category:Musicians from the Gold Coast, Queensland]]
[[Category:Female-fronted musical groups]]