Alstonville band unearthed

AN ALSTONVILLE band is anxiously waiting to hear if it will be shot to stardom by winning one of Australia's most notable music competitions.

AN ALSTONVILLE band is anxiously waiting to hear if it will be shot to stardom by winning one of Australia’s most notable music competitions.

Daniel Muszynski, 18, Ben Hannam, 18, Sam Speck, 17, and Cameron Holdstock, 17, from Alstonville High School, make up indie rock band Glass Towers, one of four finalists in the Triple J Unearthed High competition.

The nationwide competition is a sub-category of radio station Triple J’s Unearthed competition, which was responsible for launching the careers of former Lismore band Grinspoon and solo folk artist Missy Higgins.

With results set to be announced on Friday morning, the Year 12 students are hoping to take the top spot. Prizes include an all-expenses paid trip to Sydney, time in the recording studio, constant air time on Triple J, and their high school will win an exclusive Triple J lunchtime concert.

“We are pretty excited and it has been great in the past week when we have been hearing ourselves on the radio,” drummer Daniel said.

“We have entered the competition in the past few years, but nothing has come from it. A friend requested us on Triple J recently and that is when they started to notice our stuff and we got played a bit more.”

Glass Towers was formed in 2008 after the boys met in their Year 8 music class and started jamming in Daniel’s garage.

Since then, the band has played numerous gigs, including last year’s Splendour in the Grass at Byron Bay, opening for international artists Bloc Party and the Flaming Lips.

“I don’t know about the other boys, but I was nervous,” Daniel said.

“When we were waiting backstage to go on we saw all the big bands and it was exciting.

“It is so different to playing there than playing in a hall.”

Despite being the up-and-coming talent on the music scene the boys aren’t living the rock’n’roll lifestyle, as guitarist Sam and bass player Cameron are still 17.

“We played for Blue Juice in Byron and I was still 17 and I thought we could just stay and watch them play, but we got kicked out at 10pm,” Daniel said.

In the meantime, the boys are studying hard for their HSC and will release their first EP when they finish school in November.

Originally published as Alstonville band unearthed