To help local musicians through these challenging Covid times, Pandamonium will also be releasing one of their compilation albums, of which the last one was released in 2005. And furthermore, to help in the local industry recovery, they will be recording a song for all suitable local original acts for free in the newly renovated studio.
Pandamonium Released Compilation CDs of local original artists from 1999 – 2005. The albums were always a uniting force on the local music scene and the albums received airplay both nationally, and around the globe. Each year a massive all day and night gig was staged to showcase all the bands playing the compilations, with sometimes up to 19 acts playing each show. The first 2 were staged at Dunwoodys, and the last 4 were held at Johnos Blues Bar, in what was always one of their biggest days of the year. In 2003, the compilations took on the moniker “Northern Exposure” which will continue with the next one.
Originally located behind Music City in Sheridan St Cairns, the studio recorded some of NQ’s earliest and most iconic albums including Hot Rubber Glove’s “Elexotica”, Functions “Test Pilot” (featuring a young Mark Myers and Tim Wright!) and many many more.
Around 2005 it was time to close the Sheridan St facility and move the studio closer to home. According to owner Todd Macalpine “I had 2 young kids at home, a mortgage, and it was time to do something with more stable hours. Instead I went to work at Cairns Convention Centre, and apart from the day to day conventions and basketball games, got to work with artists like Joe Cocker, Powderfinger, Jet, Cold Chisel, Leonard Cohen, Dolly Parton, George Thorogood, Jack Johnson and many more in my role as production coordinator.”
Now that the kids have grown up and left home, and Macalpine has escaped from the corporate/touring side of the industry, he is free to focus on helping the recovery of the NQ music scene – and his passion, recording and unearthing some of the best local acts. He muse’s “Everyone loved the old Sheridan st studio, but the new studio is the best I have ever had, can’t wait to see what comes out of it!”
Pandamonium will be seeking at least 12 bands to feature on the compilation. Indie rock, metal, hard rock, punk, funk, pop, indie singer/songwriter and similar genre’s are all welcome to apply. The selected bands will get a free studio recording, and get to play a set at the launch gig next year, which will help to pay for some of the pressing costs. Each band will also receive 12 copies of the CD to distribute to friends and fans to help spread the word about local original music . The remaining CDs will be distributed to radio stations. The venue for next year’s launch is still TBC. Macalpine enthuses “Can’t wait till this Covid madness is over and we stage the launch, it’s gonna be a hell of a party wherever it is!”
Interested acts can email Pandamonium todd@pandamonium.com.au or call 0423009459
Check out the new studio HERE