In 1989 Oxley formed a soul pop duo , Melanie Oxley & Chris Abrahams , with ex-The Sparklers bandmate , Abrahams ( by then also a pianist-songwriter for experimental jazz trio , The Necks ) . She worked periodically with Abrahams , performing , writing songs and recording albums , while maintaining a career as a primary school teacher . In December 1990 the duo released a four-track EP , '' Resisting Calm '' , on Spiral Scratch Records . For the EP they used Tony Buck on drums , Mike Bukovsky on trumpet , Gerard Corben ( ex-The Sparklers ) on guitar , Guy Dickerson on guitar , Stuart Eadie on floor toms , Jackie Orszaczky on bass guitar and Lloyd Swanton on acoustic bass . It was co-produced by Abrahams and Oxley . National radio station , Triple J , placed the track , " Benchtop " , on high rotation – a live version appeared on the compilation album , '' Live at the Wireless 2 '' ( 1991 ) . Their debut studio album , '' Welcome to Violet '' , followed in October 1992 on Remote Control Records , which exemplified their " moody , emotive soul/pop " sound . At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 , '' Welcome to Violet '' was nominated for Best Independent Release . On 3 October 1994 , their second studio album , '' Coal '' , appeared
ARIA Music Awards of 1993
ARIA Music Awards of 1993
Melanie Oxley