Sydney musician ‘mcArtney’ is set on helping creating music industry history in Australia by releasing his music exclusively online in March.

His self-produced, self-recorded Debut release ‘volume one’ features a string trio, a gamut of instruments, special guest Gabrielle Huber (from upcoming Australian outfit Dead Letter Chorus) and his complete live band. ‘Circles’, the forthcoming single, has already received radio airplay from Sydney’s FBI 94.5 fm and Melbourne’s Triple R 102.7 fm.

mcArtney has recorded and produced all the songs, enlisting the help of Sean Carey (Thirsty Merc) for mixing and mastering by Kathy Naunton (Paul Mac, Missy Higgins, The Dissociatives). The online facilities will be done by himself and online promoter, Natalie Harker (Festival of the Sun, Imparts).

“It was a natural progression; all the music was recorded at home and various versions were put on my myspace page (www.myspace.com/mcartney) from there I gained feedback from the page and from speaking to audience members after performances. All the gigs I’ve done in Sydney, Melbourne, and soon to be doing in the USA, were primarily organised online. Everything is done…shall we say ‘the green way’ ”.

In 2007 Radiohead set a precedent by initially releasing an album only online and English band, The Crimea, gave free downloads of their album, whilst in Australia a few artists have experimented with online releases. 2008 will see mcArtney leading the way for Australian musicians by using these online initiatives to release his debut.

Harker stated, “mcArtney sees the value in communicating directly with his audience, and for an independent artist removing the gatekeepers of the industry lets him have creative freedom and more importantly hold the profits his musical gains”.

At performances, mcArtney is going to sell login codes for a page from his website for $5. “That’s the whole thing, it’s so easy for me and so easy for consumers” says mcArtney, who is potently confident. “Although, I am not shutting myself out to doing a small run of actual discs…if there’s a demand I’ll supply”.

“Last year I watched all these bands work their online activities, Silverchair had downloads to mobile phones, Radiohead sold their album from their website, Jack Johnson plus many more did pre order online releases”.

mcArtney also co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in his own film clip for the first single ‘circles’. The film clip involves him dreaming up a sock puppet love story, in which vintage 8mm film was used. “I’m a bit of a vintage style geek, so when co-writer/co-director Chris Harvey mentioned he had this 8mm camera, I was ecstatic! it really helped separate the two realities”. The film clip can be viewed from his myspace. www.myspace.com/mcartney

mcArtney is playing at the Hopetoun Hotel on Wednesday the 19th of March, 2008 at 8pm. Sean Carey (Thirsty merc) himself is playing along with Sydney Band The Falls and Melbourne trio of Brothers, The Hazelman Brothers. Entry is $8.