Paul Mac - Biography

Biography

Paul Francis McDermott, who performs as Paul Mac, was born on 17 September 1965. He is the youngest of seven children and grew up in a strict Catholic family in Sydney. As a teenager Mac played hymns on the organ at his local church, including for weddings and funerals. He later described himself as "the worst Virgo, ex-Catholic you’ve ever met". He is a classically trained graduate from Sydney Conservatorium of Music, as a Bachelor of Music Education. In the mid-1980s he was a member of Smash Mac Mac, which were an art noise band covering Talking Heads material – Mac introduced drum machines and electronic elements. In 1987 they issued the album, Chapter One: Light on the Silo. In 1989 Mac formed the synthpop, electronica group The Lab in Sydney with Yolanda Podolski on lead vocals, and Warwick Hornby (aka Warwick Factor) on vocals and bass guitar. The group signed with rooArt, which released their two extended plays, Ultra (1992) and Terminal (1993). They moved to BMG and issued their debut album, Labyrinth, in 1997. The group disbanded the following year.

Meanwhile back in 1991 Mac had formed a side-project, Itch-E and Scratch-E, with fellow Sydney-based electronica artist, Andy Rantzen of the group, Pelican Daughters. Both provided keyboards and samplers. Itch-E and Scratch-E became their main focus with the success of their debut album, Itch-E Kitch-E Koo (1993), and its related single, "Sweetness and Light" (1994). At the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 the single won 'Best Dance Release'. During his acceptance speech Mac controversially declared, "We'd like to thank all of Sydney's ecstasy dealers, without whom this award would not be possible". One of the sponsors of the ceremony was the National Drug Offensive – which withdrew their support – in 2005 Mac explained that he did not expect to win and so had not prepared a speech. The group often includes Sherriff Lindo for live performances. From 1996 to 1998, Mac and Rantzen also performed as Boo Boo and Mace!, and with Lindo aboard they worked as Boo Boo Mace 'n' Nutcase.

In 1997 Mac remixed the single, "Freak", from Australian post-grunge band Silverchair's second album, Freak Show. The track was issued in April as a B-side of their second single from that album, "Abuse Me". Mac worked with Silverchair's Daniel Johns as an alternative rock duo to release a five-track extended play, I Can't Believe It's Not Rock (2000). Mac and Johns co-wrote the music for Love Is a Four Letter Word (2001) episode 13, "Split". In mid-2003 the pair formed another alternative rock group, The Dissociatives, which issued their debut album of the same name in April 2004. Their first live show was in Hobart in June of that year. Mac explained his motivation, "As music narrows out into increasingly smaller genres, it's important to bring the fun of making music back into play. Not following any predetermined rules and making the most honest beautiful music we could is fun". At the ARIA Music Awards of 2004 Mac and Johns were nominated for 'Producer of the Year' for the album.

In 1998 Mac released a four-track EP, Paul Mac Presents Snapshots, on Interdance Records. It featured guest vocals by Stephen Allkins on "Ooh I Love Your (Disco)", Infusion on "Loco", Phil Smart on "Basic Boom" and Abel El Toro on "All Systems Are Go". On 6 August 2001, Mac issued his debut solo album, 3000 Feet High, which peaked in the top 30 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Australian music jornalist, Ed Nimmervoll, felt the album was an "emotional journey" where "hroughout, the dancefloor taunts us like a temptress, determined to lure us into her arms, but we're torn between her charms and the inner us which the dance beats may drown out". The lead single, "Just the Thing" (June 2001), reached No. 17 on the ARIA Singles Chart and featured lead vocals by Peta Morris. In December 2001 he performed at Homebake on the Big Top stage. At the APRA Music Awards of 2002 "Just the Thing" won 'Most Performed Dance Work' and was nominated for 'Most Performed Australian Work'. In January 2002, and again in 2006, Mac appeared at Splendour in the Grass. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2002 Mac won 'Best Dance Release' for 3000 Feet High and was nominated for 'Best Male Artist' and 'Engineer of the Year'.

Mac's second album, Panic Room, appeared on 17 October 2005, and reached the top 40. Johns had advised Mac to "follow your dreams regardless of what outside fashion is saying you should be doing". Vocals are variously supplied by Morris, Sarah McLeod, Luke Steele, Abby Dobson (ex-Leonardo's Bride), Lenka, and Ngaiire Joseph. Mac explained seeing Joseph, on TV in August 2004, "I was watching the episode of when she got kicked out and I thought 'who is this girl, she is fantastic'... I tracked her down and gave her a call. It turned out great. I am just really happy with the whole album". For Silverchair's 2007 album, Young Modern, Mac supplied piano and toured with the group providing keyboards and piano on stage.

In 2008 Mac provided the music for a one-man comedy play, Possessed, performed by Frank Woodley. In March that year, he supplied the theme song, "The Only One" for the feature film, Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger, with three versions on the soundtrack: one had vocals by Bertie Blackman, another by Sydney Children's Choir and one was an instrumental. He formed a production duo, Stereogamous, with Jonny Seymour (aka DJ Seymour Butz), in 2010 they worked on LCD Soundsystem's single, "I Can Change", from their album, This Is Happening. They have also remixed "Cupid Boy" for Kylie Minogue and "Bring Night" for Sia Furler. In 2011 they worked on George Michael's track, "Every Other Lover in the World". Mac co-wrote "I Don’t Care What You Say" with its performer Anthony Callea and Cindy Ryan (of Stella One Eleven); it was released in February 2012 by Callea on his seven-track EP, Last to Go, which was co-produced by Mac. On 6 September, the feature film, Kath & Kimderella, premiered with Mac's musical score.