WHEN Newcastle musician Austin Mackay was finishing school last November at St Francis Xavier he felt compelled to express his feelings of uncertainty about the new phase his life was about to enter.
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The song that would emerge from that time would be the anthemic pop-rock single Edge Of Unknown. Little would the 18-year-old know how that song would come to encapsulate far more a few short months later as COVID-19's tentacles spread across the globe.
"I'd just finished my HSC and it was song that was really fitting for me at the time because I was at that point in my life where I didn't know what was gonna come next for me and my music," Mackay said.
"I feel like with the situation we're in currently, the song has kind of got a few different meanings now for each listener. In this whole COVID situation we don't know what will happen next, so I feel that brings new meaning to the song."
Edge Of Unknown was produced by Morgan Evans' drummer Dane Baldwin and features performances from Bravo Victor bassist Jono Burgess and Viper Creek Band guitarist Jeremy Minett. The individual tracks were recorded in isolation during the COVID lockdown and edited together.
"It's an amazing crew," he said. "My aim is to be the worst in the band, so I don't have to rely on anybody else but myself, which I could because they're all such professional musicians."
Edge Of Unknown is out on Tuesday. It's the first single off the Honey Hills frontman's solo five-track EP, due in spring.
E4444E LAUNCH
BACK in June Newcastle electronic artist Romy Church, aka e4444e, released his intriguing debut album Coldstream Road.
Finally e4444e will have an opportunity to launch the album with his live band at the Civic Playhouse on August 13. Tickets are strictly limited.
SPACED OUT
SPACEY Jane fans are urged to hold onto their tickets for their Small Ballroom show after it was cancelled for a second time.
The Perth four-piece were originally due to perform at the 48 Watt Street venue on April 11, but the show was postponed to August 9 due to the coronavirus. In the meantime, Spacey Jane released their debut album Sunlight which debuted at No.2 on the ARIA charts in June.
"Due to the escalating number of COVID-19 cases and the continued closed border situation in WA, we're going to need to further postpone our upcoming tour," the band said in a statement. "We're pretty heartbroken by this and it's clear for the moment that these shows can't happen."
VINYL ON THE MOVE
WALLSEND music outlet Hiss & Crackle Records is moving to a larger site. Owner Mitchel Eaton said the new shop in Tyrrell Street, a short walk from the current Nelson Street site, would allow for more customers under social distancing restrictions.
Hiss & Crackle Records opened in May last year and quickly established itself as a popular haunt for vinyl enthusiasts and for its support on Hunter artists. Hiss & Crackle Records will close the Nelson Street store on August 1 before reopening in Tyrrell Street on August 6.
