User:Abarnum

Andrew Townley Barnum aka ATBarnum Born Greenwich Connecticut USA and raised in Sydney, Australia. New Zealand born mother, American father. Now a dual citizen of Australian and The United States of America. Andrew has performing in bands, solo projects, recording and performing music since High School in the late 60s to the present day. He studied Graphic Design at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Began career as an Art Director in Sydney before returning to Los Angeles to freelance as a Graphic Designer and Songwriter-Performer. He met and married Lissa Barnum in Los Angeles and began their design and music partnership. Returned to Sydney in the 80s. Succeeded with both Design practice (The Barnum Group) and music (Vitabeats). He then moved into Design education (UTS Viscom and Billy Blue College of Design) and solo recording projects at the turn of the millenium. Andrew has recorded 4 solo albums and is currently Head of College at Billy Blue College of Design. He is currently completing his Master of Arts (research) at UTS focusing on the re-definition of creativity for the creative industries. He is married to Lissa with one daughter, Cayenne Augusta Barnum. Music has been a burning passion since his first guitar lessons in Grade 5. All through high school in Sydney there were bands like The Apple Corps (pre Apple records), who became Paul Bunyan and the Brenton Set (Animals, Stones, Britpop with the late David Moir), Spirit Lake (stolen from a book title, Blues and rock n roll) and Death by Fire (heavy psychedelic blues power trio). During University it was The Gherkins (Blues and southern rock) then during his first job as an Art Director at McCann Erickson. There was Metropolis (40s ragtime and swing trio) and a first national jingle for Coca-Cola brand Leed Lemonade (Big kids, little kids and lemonade lovers). Moving to Los Angeles, Andrew began writing his own songs and performing solo at open mic nights in LA venues. Formed Decades (new wave pop) at the turn of the 80s with New Zealander Alastair Riddell (Space Waltz). The next venture was with new partner (and soon to be bride) Lissa Barnum and the formation of Live Nude Girl (new wave performance pop). A demo-tape of Live Nude Girl found its way to Sydney producer Mark Moffat. Andrew & Lissa re-located to Sydney and ''Vitabeats was born in the 80s. After their first release with Festival Records (Tough Guy), Vitabeats were signed to Hot Records where they released a 12 inch EP containing single Boom Box produced by John Bee at Studios 301''. With a breakthrough video created by Lissa Barnum and Paul Nichola and a performance on Countdown, Boom Box became a national hit. This was closely followed by singles All the girls look like Audrey Hepburn and Build it Right (from soundtrack to Aussie film Emoh Ruo). Vitabeats then released their album Spot the Spanner (Hot/EMI). Vitabeats last performed their hits during the Australian Bicentennial. Feed the Clouds is the 4th solo album working with producer and musician Boris Alan Hunt. Andrew and Boris began their partnership recording late Vitabeats material then with spoken word album Loudspeaker, Word on groove. They’ve produced 3 solo albums together, Historic Boatshed III (90s), Mt. Salvage to everywhere (late 90s) and Angel of Mercy (The middle Ages)-(00s). A compilation of these 3 albums is available through itunes Australia entitled Southerly. Feed the Clouds started as 28 songs recorded at Black Rabbit Recorders in Hartley NSW that were developed then finally edited to the 24 tracks that appear in the double cd/book. The book is an illustrated-interactive songbook featuring the work of 25 illustrators and designers.This limited edition of 500 copies is released in 2010.