Burnie born Sabian Lynch from Alpha Wolf on their “niche” Grammy nomination
A Tasmanian-made metal band and its Burnie-born guitarist have been honoured with a Grammy-nomination at this year’s prestigious awards. What they had to say about the musical nod.
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Representing the state at this year’s Grammys, Burnie born Sabian Lynch and his band were among the only Australian artists to get a nod at this years Grammys.
Lynch’s band Alpha Wolf was nominated for the niche award for ‘Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package’ for their Half Living Things boxset.
At the Grammys in Los Angeles, Lynch said it felt so good to represent Australia being among a handful of Aussie acts to grab a nomination.
“There’s not many of us here at all but Australia continues to put out quality in all aspects of music.”
John Lennon’s posthumously released Mind Games ultimately took out the award, but Lynch said it was still a huge feat to be nominated.
“I feel like it’s such an incredible achievement to come from small town Burnie and continue to drive at what I do and see how far I go.
“The Grammys were never on my radar but to be here today feels right,” Lynch told the Mercury.
“I stopped keeping a bucket list a long time ago because we honestly have no idea what we can achieve next.”
Music’s biggest names gathered in Los Angeles for the 67th Grammy Awards, honouring the best recordings, compositions and artists as chosen by the members of the recording academy.
Aussie artist Kevin Parker better known as Tame Impala won best electronic track for his collaboration with French electronic duo Justice.
Kendrick Lamar cleaned up, taking home song and record of the year for his brutal diss-track against Drake, Not Like Us.
American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan won best new artist Beyonce took home the award for album of the year for Cowboy Carter.
Late last year Lynch was back on home soil donating guitars across the North-West coast for budding musicians.
Alexis Clousen has been a metalhead “basically, since birth”.
“She went through a Taylor Swift phase very, very briefly but that didn’t last long,” her mother, Laura Edwards said.
The 11-year-old from Penguin is one step closer to chasing her dream of playing gigs after she received an Ibanez electric guitar from one of the North West’s premier metal exports.
Sabian Lynch is living the dream of many young musicians: sharing the stage with his favourite bands, getting endorsements from his guitar makers and working full-time as a member of metalcore band Alpha Wolf.
Alpha Wolf was formed in Burnie in 2013 and, despite now being made up of two Tasmanians and three mainlanders, Lynch still considers the band “Tasmanian”.
He said he felt he had to “escape Burnie” to chase his dreams and grow the band.
Now internationally recognised and based in Melbourne, Lynch and founding member, bassist John Arnold, are the only remaining Tasmanians.
They’ve toured the world, recently played Good Things Festival and have even collaborated with American rapper and actor Ice-T.
As a Wynyard High School student, Lynch could be found most recess and lunch times in the music room “jamming with friends or learning new riffs” on his first guitar he bought from Save-A-Buck Wynyard.
He found transporting his own guitar back and forth from school on the bus a struggle, and since building up his reputation in the guitar industry, has wanted to give back to the community he grew up in.
“I really wanted to give back to where I came from because there wasn’t much for people like me while growing up there,” he said.
Lynch secured eight Ibanez guitars to distribute across the North West Coast with four going to his former school, two given away in a raffle at Fosters Music in Burnie and two to fans hand-picked by Lynch, including young Alexis. She said his advice was to practice “12 hours a day, no sleep just school and practising”.
Alexis said she’d like to be a sound engineer or graphic designer in the future, but has always wanted to be a musician and play “gigs on the side”.
Lynch’s advice for young Tasmanian musicians that want to chase their dreams was to “follow their gut”.
“My advice is to always follow your gut if it’s something you really want in life,” he said.
Lynch hopes to bring the band back to the North West Coast in the near future, after last appearing there in 2021.
“It was weird playing to school friends and watching them enjoy it and pretty much knowing everyone in the crowd, but it was a great time,” he said.
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Originally published as Burnie born Sabian Lynch from Alpha Wolf on their “niche” Grammy nomination
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