Handheld Torch
Encyclopedia
Handheld Torch is the debut album by Melbourne
band Tarmac Adam
. It was released in 2003 and featured two former Crowded House
members, bassist Nick Seymour
and drummer Paul Hester
. The album was produced by Seymour.
The album began as a solo production by singer-songwriter Matt O'Donnell, who took time off work as an occupational therapist to record some of a set of 25 songs he had written. He recruited guitarist Sean McVitty and drummer Hester, who in turn introduced O'Donnell to Seymour. Seymour began producing the album and in mid-2002 returned with O'Donnell to his Dublin base to work on vocals, where the set list was reduced to 10 songs. On their return to Melbourne, the project was joined by multi-instrumentalist Steve Paix and in January 2003 the album was mixed by US engineer Rob Feaster.
The album was funded by O'Donnell after approaches to record companies by Seymour for a recording deal were rebuffed. O'Donnell explained: "I got to a certain age where I was working as a public servant for long enough and thought I'd like to make another record and make it in a certain way. I borrowed the money to do it."
Seymour said: "On this record when I started working with Matt and Sean, we had songs that were the basis of the record realised. I sent them out to all these A&R
guys and record company stiffs that I had known over the years and got absolutely no reply. I followed up with phone calls and they'd say they weren't interested or weren't signing anything. I realised that because of the digital age you make your own records in the back garden and do a lease deal. It is a real drag but that's what you have to do. You have to come up with the money yourself to get Pro-Tools and the good speakers for your spare room. It is part of the DJ culture but a lot of kids who don't have money don't get money thrown at them anymore. It means the ones coming up the ranks are predominately middle-class to upper-class kids."
Additional musicians:
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
band Tarmac Adam
Tarmac Adam
Tarmac Adam is a Melbourne pop band that on its debut album featured two former members of Crowded House, bassist Nick Seymour and drummer Paul Hester....
. It was released in 2003 and featured two former Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
members, bassist Nick Seymour
Nick Seymour
Nick Seymour is a musician, painter, and record producer. He is best known for being the bass guitarist in the Australasian rock group Crowded House and brother to Mark Seymour of another successful group; Hunters and Collectors.- Biography :Born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia, Seymour studied...
and drummer Paul Hester
Paul Hester
Paul Newell Hester was an Australian musician and television personality; he was the drummer for the related bands Split Enz and Crowded House.-The early years:...
. The album was produced by Seymour.
The album began as a solo production by singer-songwriter Matt O'Donnell, who took time off work as an occupational therapist to record some of a set of 25 songs he had written. He recruited guitarist Sean McVitty and drummer Hester, who in turn introduced O'Donnell to Seymour. Seymour began producing the album and in mid-2002 returned with O'Donnell to his Dublin base to work on vocals, where the set list was reduced to 10 songs. On their return to Melbourne, the project was joined by multi-instrumentalist Steve Paix and in January 2003 the album was mixed by US engineer Rob Feaster.
The album was funded by O'Donnell after approaches to record companies by Seymour for a recording deal were rebuffed. O'Donnell explained: "I got to a certain age where I was working as a public servant for long enough and thought I'd like to make another record and make it in a certain way. I borrowed the money to do it."
Seymour said: "On this record when I started working with Matt and Sean, we had songs that were the basis of the record realised. I sent them out to all these A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
guys and record company stiffs that I had known over the years and got absolutely no reply. I followed up with phone calls and they'd say they weren't interested or weren't signing anything. I realised that because of the digital age you make your own records in the back garden and do a lease deal. It is a real drag but that's what you have to do. You have to come up with the money yourself to get Pro-Tools and the good speakers for your spare room. It is part of the DJ culture but a lot of kids who don't have money don't get money thrown at them anymore. It means the ones coming up the ranks are predominately middle-class to upper-class kids."
Track listing
(all songs by Matt O'Donnell)- "Too Much Time" – 3:22
- "Secret" – 4:12
- "Rest Easy" – 3:12
- "Sentimental Holiday" – 3:36
- "Blind" – 4:20
- "Handheld Torch" – 4:29
- "Vice or Virtue" – 5:05
- "Vanity Eyes" – 4:51
- "Let It Go" – 4:22
- "Swim" – 3:54
Personnel
- Matt O'Donnell – vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, piano, keyboards, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, percussion - Nick SeymourNick SeymourNick Seymour is a musician, painter, and record producer. He is best known for being the bass guitarist in the Australasian rock group Crowded House and brother to Mark Seymour of another successful group; Hunters and Collectors.- Biography :Born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia, Seymour studied...
– bass, piano, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals - Sean McVitty – guitars
- Paul HesterPaul HesterPaul Newell Hester was an Australian musician and television personality; he was the drummer for the related bands Split Enz and Crowded House.-The early years:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion - Steve Paix – keyboards, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, tin whistleTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, backing vocals
Additional musicians:
- Michelle Wood, Ash Wood, Zolton Balazs, Lisa Reybolds, Phillip Healy – strings
- Ken Murray – nylon string guitar
- Ken Stephenson – lap steelLap steel guitarThe lap steel guitar is a type of steel guitar, an instrument derived from and similar to the guitar. The player changes pitch by pressing a metal or glass bar against the strings instead of by pressing strings against the fingerboard....
- Pui – percussion
- Brian Crosby – mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
- Lawrence Maddy – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,... - Christopher Coe – programming