Draft:Andrew Penhallow
Andrew Penhallow | |
|---|---|
 Andrew Penhallow in 2021 | |
| Born | 24 January 1952 London, England |
| Died | 17 May 2023 Sydney, Australia |
Early Life[edit]
Andrew Penhallow was born and raised in Muswell Hill, London. He moved to Australia in 1975.
GAP Records and Factory Australasia[edit]
In 1980, while working as an art director at Rolling Stone Australia Penhallow established GAP records with the magazine's editor, Paul Gardiner.
While GAP released Australian independent music (its most successful act was Pel Mel), and licensed many Rough Trade (UK) acts, its real success came through its deal with Manchester’s iconic Factory Records.[1] [2]
Factory Australasia was the most successful offshoot of Factory in the world. [3]
Volition Records[edit]
In 1988 Penhallow set up Volition Records[4] to release music from what was then the underground dance and club music scene - creating and promoting a roster of electro and dance music acts - Severed Heads, Boxcar, Itch-E and Scratch-E, Single Gun Theory, Future Sound of Melbourne (FSOM), Southend, Vision Four 5, Sexing The Cherry, and Robert Racic.
Penhallow, through the Volition roster, is credited with ushering “what would usually be seen as underground music into the mainstream consciousness”.[5] [6]
Volition also signed several guitar-based indie bands (the Falling Joys, Big Heavy Stuff, and Swordfish).
Penhallow created the label Second Nature through Volition to release 1994's Proud: An Urban-Pacific Streetsoul Compilation highlighting unrecorded or unknown Pacifican hip acts. Proud is now regarded as one of the most essential New Zealand albums of all time[7] and was re-released in 2023.[8]
As the dance and techno music grew in popularity[9] Penhallow consistently lobbied the Australia Record Industry Association to introduce at Best Dance Release category in the annual ARIA Music Awards. In 1995, the first year of the category, three of the five nominations were Volition acts (and Volition act Itch-e and Scratch-e won)[10] The following year, the Volition act FSOM won in the category.[11]
The Big Day Out – The Boiler Room[edit]
In 1994, Big Day Out organizers Ken West and Viv Lees asked Penhallow to come up with better ways for the specific needs of electronic band production to be met. Penhallow created the Boiler Room, launched in 1995.[12]
As interest in raves and dance clubs grew, the Boiler Room become one of the major draws of the Big Day Out.[13]
2000AV, Resolution Music and DNA INDUSTRIES[edit]
From 1997 Penhallow concentrated on artist management, A&R, and the developing area of music synchs.
In 1999, Penhallow became Warner Music Australia’s Australian Artist Dance And Electronic Music Lead Consultant. He created the Australian dance compilation series “A Higher Sound”.[14]
Andrew Penhallow eventually produced and compiled a dozen compilation albums of dance and electronic music sourced exclusively from Australian artists, producers and DJs.
From 2006 under the umbrella of Resolution Music, Penhallow managed the rights of independent labels, artists, producers, DJs, and songwriters, developing outlets for them through labels, publishers, distributors and music placement companies.
Penhallow also delivered keynote addresses, "Led Zeppelin World Tour" (Ervin Gallery 2008), "Signal to Noise (1973–83) Music Technology" (Sydney International Festival of the Arts 2010).
Death[edit]
Penhallow was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer in February 2023. He died from multiple organ failure on 17 May 2023.[15][16] [17]
References[edit]
- ^ Factory Australasia 1980-1990 https://www.factory-overseas.de/australia_cont.html
- ^ Factory Records: Andrew Penhallow https://factoryrecords.org/andrew-penhallow.php
- ^ Factory Records: Factory Australasia (Appendix) https://factoryrecords.org/factory-australasia/factory-australasia-appendix.php
- ^ Harley, Ross (6 October 2015). "ACTS OF VOLITION Volition Records, Independent Marketing and the promotion of Australian Techno-Pop". Perfect Beat. 2 (3): 21–48. doi:10.1558/prbt.v2i3.28777.
- ^ Andrew Penhallow, Aus. Dance Music Pioneer, https://themusic.com.au/news/aus-dance-music-pioneer-andrew-penhallow-passes-away/E7upBwYJCAs/17-05-23
- ^ 21 Essential Australian Dance Tracks From the 90s https://stoneyroads.com/2015/05/21-essential-australian-dance-tracks-from-the-90s/
- ^ Classic Record for 2022 is Proud https://nzmusician.co.nz/news/classic-record-2022-proud/
- ^ The Proud compilation, reissued on record (2023): Sounds of the Southside https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/absoluteelsewhere/10724/the-proud-compilation-reissued-on-record-2023-sounds-of-the-southside/
- ^ Australian Dance Culture by Michael Park & Gareth Northwood https://ohmsnotbombs.net/sporadical/australian-dance-culture-by-michael-park-gareth-northwood
- ^ Itch-E and Scratch-E win best dance release, ARIAS 1995 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOXg-nbe-Gc
- ^ FSOM win best dance release, ARIAS 1996 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0ty90EEcdk
- ^ Inside the Boiler Room — how the Big Day Out changed Australia's perception of dance music https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/big-day-out-boiler-room-paul-mac-groove-terminator-bexta/11568102
- ^ Paul Mac’s Guide to the Australian 90’s Rave Scene https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/paul-macs-guide-to-the-australian-90s-rave-scene/10265284
- ^ A Higher Sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1t3oS3a7V8
- ^ Andrew Penhallow, Australian Music Trailblazer has died https://www.billboard.com/pro/andrew-penhallow-obit/
- ^ Australian electronic music pioneer Andrew Penhallow dies https://ra.co/news/79022
- ^ Andrew Penhallow: Obituary March 25 2023 Obituaries, Canadian FYI, March 25, 2023 https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2023/05/23/obituaries-march-25-2023