Tarmac Adam

Tarmac Adam
Matt O'Donnell of Tarmac Adam on stage at The Saint, Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
Background information
Origin	Melbourne
Genres	Pop
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Onesize Records
Associated acts	Crowded House
Website	www.tarmacadam.com.au
Members	Matt O'Donnell Steve Paix Josh Barber Rueben Alexander Nick Seymour
Past members	Sean McVitty Paul Hester

Tarmac Adam is a Melbourne based, Australian pop band that on its debut album featured two former members of Crowded House, bassist Nick Seymour and drummer Paul Hester.

The band was formed in 2001 by singer-songwriter Matt O'Donnell and also included Sean McVitty (guitar) and Steve Paix (keyboards).

The band released an album in 2003, Handheld Torch, recorded in Melbourne and Dublin and produced by Seymour. The album was self-funded by O'Donnell after approaches to record companies by Seymour for a recording deal were rebuffed.

O'Donnell explained the band developed from a solo recording project he had begun planning about 2000. "I always had one foot in music," he said. "During my years as an occupational therapist, I'd take time off each year and go overseas, primarily to Germany, as a solo acoustic act, sometimes with a band. I've played in bands for 15, 16 years, on and off."

He said he had written a batch of songs and began working with McVitty on demos for about six months. "Sean knew Paul (Hester) through the neighbourhood connections at Elwood. Paul played on a couple of tracks we worked up and it started to take some shape. Nick (Seymour) was in town over a summer going to see a Big Day Out. Paul contacted Nick and it went from there. We were all on it part time for the first 18 months and for the last 12 months it has been a full-time process."

Hester died in March 2005 and, in 2007, Seymour returned to Crowded House after the band was reunited for an album and tour.

In June 2007, Tarmac Adam announced it was "back jogging on the main arterial as they prepare for the next stage of the journey. It's been a while but the break has been fruitful". The band's website said Handheld Torch would be repackaged, adding unreleased tracks from the early sessions with Seymour and Hester and ambient instrumental re-mixes. In February 2008 the website featured a new song, 'You As Me' and noted that "Tarmac Adam music is being made".

The years from 2003 had brought a wealth of new life experiences that enabled O’Donnell and Paix to begin crafting a new set of songs that in 2013 would make up the album 'The History Effect'.

O'Donnell drew much of his lyric inspiration for ‘The History Effect’ from, oddly enough, one day in the year: "We'd just had the annual family Christmas gathering, and for me it just opened out into all these themes – getting older, acknowledgement, aspiration, regret, acceptance."