Ammonia was an alternative rock band from Perth, Australia who were often labeled grunge and compared (and contrasted) to fellow Australian rockers Silverchair. They drew inspiration from ‘heavy pop’ bands like Cheap Trick and The Posies.

Beginning as Fuzzswirl, the band changed their name after the departure of original bassist Phill Natt. After developing a local following and then expanding east into Sydney, Ammonia was the first band to be signed on the Murmur Records label, an Australian division of Sony, who then also signed Silverchair. The band’s first EP In A Box was successful in Western Australia. A second EP Sleepwalking followed.

Their first album Mint 400 was a concept album about selling-out, named after the off-road race in Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas. It was produced by Kevin “Caveman” Shirley – the man also behind Silverchair’s debut Frogstomp. Its first single “Drugs” was a top 40 hit in Australia, pushing Mint 400 up to #15 there in late October 1995. Another single “Ken Carter” reached #50 in early 1996.

This success prompted Sony to release Mint 400 outside of Australia (on Epic Records in North America). “Drugs” sold over 50,000 copies in the US and peaked at #29 on the Alternative Chart in April 1996. The standalone single “Satin Only” was released later that year as the band was on an ‘endless road trip’ across the US three times. In late 1997, a second guitarist was added to the band temporarily, replaced the following year by original bassist Phil Natt.

Ammonia released their second and final album Eleventh Avenue in May 1998 to moderate, and short-lived, success. The album peaked at #20 in Australia, but fell off the charts after only two weeks (compared to fifteen weeks for their debut). Its three singles did not chart, however the lead single “You’re Not The Only One Who Feels This Way” did make it onto Triple J’s listener-based Hot 100 at the end of the year. The band called it quits in December and frontman Dave Johnstone went on to form Parlour in 1999.