Brown's early bands (during the early 1980s) were Climbing Frame, Tender Mercies (with John Willsteed, also later with the Go-Betweens) and Blood Brothers, in which she played violin, oboe, guitar and keyboards. In 1986, The Go-Betweens – soon after signing a new contract (this time with Beggars Banquet) – discovered Amanda Brown playing live in a café. She later joined the band in London, her addition expanding the line-up to a five-piece, for which she provided backing vocals, violin, oboe, guitar and keyboards and arrangements.
Brown played on two studio albums, Tallulah (1987) and 16 Lovers Lane (1988). The Go-Betweens toured for 18 months following the release of 16 Lovers Lane, ending in Munich, Germany, and broke up in December 1989, after a farewell tour of England.
Following the break-up of the Go-Betweens, Brown formed the band, Cleopatra Wong (1991–1992), with Go-Betweens drummer Lindy Morrison, resulting in two marginally successful mini-CDs on the rooArt label, Egg and Cleopatra's Lament, including the single (and video) "Thank You". During this period, she also undertook session work with Tactics, the Shane Howard Band and Wendy Matthews Band and sang back-up vocals on former Go-Betweens member Grant McLennan's 1991 debut album Watershed.
Later work includes playing with Sydney band Love Me (1997–1998) and diverse session appearances with artists including R.E.M.,The Reels, Died Pretty, Silverchair, David Bridie, David Lane, The Cruel Sea, The Apartments, The Junction House Band and Boxcar (on the album Algorhythm).
A graduate of the Australian Film Television and Radio School, Amanda Brown has established a career as a screen composer, writing for television and film soundtracks. In 2003 she released the Incognita soundtrack CD, a mixture of songs and instrumentals accompanying a performance by the Stalker Theatre Company. The performance of Incognita toured Australia and Europe, commencing at the Sydney Festival 2003, and the show explored issues of Australia's past and present.
Brown composed scores for feature films, including Preservation (2003), Floodhouse (2003), Look Both Ways (2005) Monkey Puzzle (2007) and Son of a Lion (2008). Documentaries she has Composed the music for include Suburb For Sale (2006) and A Well Founded Fear (2008). Brown is also the occasional 'sixth' member of Toni Collette's live band, The Finish, and has continued to record and perform with various artists including The Vines, Youth Group and Josh Pyke. In the winter 2007–08 she duetted with the Danish singer Michael Møller on the song A Sunday Routine from his debut solo outing from his band Moi Caprice.
Since November 2007, Brown has been a member of The Rainy Season, a five piece band fronted by Jed Brown, and including Peter Jones (ex Cosmic Psychos), Clyde Bramley(ex Hoodoo Gurus), and fellow former Go Between Lindy Morrison.
In 2008 Brown won the IF Inside Film Award for Best Music for her score to Son of a Lion. A soundtrack album of the music from Son of a Lion was released in late 2008. In 2009 she won the APRA/Australian Guild of Screen Composers Award for Best Music in a Documentary for the score to Sidney Nolan: Mask and Memory.
Brown continues to diversify and in 2009 she mixed David Lane's album Head in the Clouds. However, she now has no plans to make her first solo album of songs. On her 50th birthday in 2015, Brown was elected to the APRA Board as a Writer Director. She resides in Sydney.
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