BIOGRAPHY FOR MARVELLOUS YEAR (2009)

Marvellous Year is the first full release under the name Don McGlashan & the Seven Sisters – reflecting a more “band” effort than his first solo album Warm Hand. As you will hear, The Seven Sisters are bursting with “unfailingly musical” talent, giving the songs real energy, atmosphere and depth. Don’s songwriting and ability to capture melody and the everyday moment is as strong - or even stronger – than ever.

Another reason Marvellous Year is so darn good is that both Don McGlashan and the band (Chris O’Connor, Maree Thom, John Segovia and Dominic Blaazer) have been on a real musical roll for the last couple of years. The band have played numerous shows, such as to thousands at the Auckland Domain, WOMAD and various theatres, clubs and pubs up and down the country.

As Don says “I think because I was performing, writing and recording a lot in 2008, I was able to try lots of ideas out - on the band, in the studio, and on audiences - so there's a lighter, more relaxed feel to some parts of this record. Warm Hand took a fair while because I was trying to find a sound for my solo stuff. I was gradually assembling the band as I recorded. Now the Seven Sisters is established, and we're used to playing together, so Marvellous Year was able to happen a lot more quickly, naturally, and with less head-scratching. It sounds, to me, more like a bunch of songs written for, and played by, a really good band."

As well as the band input, Marvellous Year was also a joint effort in the production stakes, with Don working alongside Sean Donnelly (SJD). Don says aside from Sean’s undeniable musical talent and ears, his input was to: “Challenge me, push me and throw banana skins in my path whenever I got too complacent.” The album itself was recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios, mixed brilliantly by Jordan Stone and features guest backing vocals from Neil Finn and string arrangements by Victoria Kelly

Don McGlashan is recognised as one of New Zealand’s foremost songwriters, artists and performers. His career spans from the seminal post-pop-punk band Blam Blam Blam, to art experimentalists The Front Lawn, to platinum selling and internationally recognised popular band The Mutton Birds. However, he has never - until now – released a solo album. So it is with much excitement that his first solo album, called “Warm Hand”, will finally be released in New Zealand on Monday 15th May 2006 - through Arch Hill Recording.

“Warm Hand” was mostly tracked in the isolated environment of “The Barn” at Te Papatipu - on the West Coast at Bethells Beach. This was in order to provide an imagined world akin to the hazy shack photograph inside the Neil Young album “Harvest”. Talented perfectionist Ed McWilliams (Anika Moa, Ed Cake) did most of the album tracking, using some idiosyncratic and unconventional ways to capture the barn’s natural atmosphere

Engineer Tom Miskin provided the perfect organisational and technical balance to Ed’s innovative style. The band, for most of the recordings, consisted of Ross Burge on drums (the Mutton Birds), Sean James Donnelly on bass (SJD), John Segovia on slide/pedal steel (Boxcar Guitars) and Tatiana Lanchtchikova on accordion. Willy Scott (Anika Moa, Dimmer) also played drums on one song and Chris O’Connor (Trinity Roots, Cloudboy) another two. Victoria Kelly wrote the string arrangements.

The actual production of the album was a joint effort between Don, Sean and Ed. While Ed mostly produced the tracking sessions, Sean contributed his many talents to the textures and detail of the album. Sean, who understands the difficulties of working as a solo artist, was instrumental in encouraging Don to continue his recording career and undertake recording the album. Final mixing of “Warm Hand” was done by Luke Tomes at Echo studios.

The original concept for the album was a more minimalist stripped back project, but the album’s several years of gestation has meant it has grown into something fuller, richer, more ambitious – something quite unique and definitely very good. Along with this development Don has established an excellent live band; they have already sold out their show at the Wellington Arts Festival and played to several thousand at the Auckland Zoo. The band features Sean, John and Chris.

From 1980 to 1982 Don was the drummer and singer with Auckland band Blam Blam Blam, which had a string of top 20 singles and an album “Luxury Length”, which went to No. 4 nationally. His song "Don't Fight it, Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both Of Us" won Song of the Year in the 1982 NZ Recording Industry Awards.

After a year in New York Don returned to New Zealand and founded "The Front Lawn" with Harry Sinclair. An acoustic group that combined theatre and songs, they toured all over Australasia, Europe and America from 1985-90, picking up many awards and rave reviews. Their 1987 record "Songs From The Front Lawn" won three New Zealand Music Awards, still sells steadily and is now close to platinum figures.

From 1991 to 2002 he was singer and main songwriter in "The Mutton Birds", releasing 4 NZ top ten albums (two platinum) and two top five singles, including one No. 1 single "The Heater". His song "Anchor Me" won the A.P.R.A Silver Scroll in 1994. In 1995 the Mutton Birds signed to Virgin Records UK, and lived in London until 1999, touring all over the world. The Mutton Birds played Glastonbury, T in the Park, Womad and a large number of other European festivals. They also received excellent reviews and comments from Q Magazine, Mojo Magazine and others; the Sunday Times named the album “Envy of Angels” one of the ten best releases of 1997. Since returning to New Zealand in 1999 Don has been writing music for film and TV, including Toa Fraser’s feature film “No. 2”, which recently won the audience award in its category at the Sundance Film Festival. Recently two of Don’s songs have gone into the top five; the re-recording of “Anchor Me” as part of the Rainbow Warrior tribute, and “Bathe in the River"