Mackay musician Matt Tandy to release debut EP ‘Bannister Street’ dedicated to his late-mum

When Matt Tandy lost three of his biggest supporters in the space of a year, he was given a gift that most musicians could dream of.

Matt Tandy releases his debut EP 'Bannister Street' February 28, dedicating it to his late mother, Mackay February 25, 2025

A week before recording his debut EP, Matt Tandy got a phone call saying his best mate had passed away unexpectedly, months after losing his mum and grandfather.

“I didn’t feel anything, I was a bit of a mess about it all,” he said.

That night he grabbed a pen, an acoustic guitar and started writing a melody that had jumped in his head.

By early in the morning he had written a song unlike anything he’d written before.

“I’m not a spiritual person but it was weird,” he said.

“I kind of see it like a present.”

Matt Tandy and his youngest daughter Dylan

The song is called ‘Race the Sun’ and it features in his ‘Bannister Street’ EP, named after the South Mackay street he and his mother grew up on.

His debut album touches on the life of his early 20s, living in Melbourne as a young musician before returning to Mackay, losing his mother and starting a family.

“The whole thing is extremely personal. I wanted it to be about Mackay”, he said.

His mother, Cheryl Tandy, was his “biggest supporter” and “a brilliant visual artist”

“She really kept on me to release my music,” he said.

Cheryl Tandy inspired son Matt Tandy’s new record ‘Bannister Street’

“Even when she was almost gone, she would drive to watch me out at the festival.

The album is dedicated to her, best mate David Seabrook and his grandfather Nev Kay, his “three biggest supporters”.

“I lost them all in the space of a year.”

As a 34-year-old father of two kids, it hasn’t been all sliding doors making a living as a musician, but starting a family helped him become a better writer.

That was how he was able to write up to 50 songs in the space of three years.

“A lot of people who have kids say the same thing. It’s a boost of creativity,” he said.

“I’m not the best guitar player, I’m not the best singer, but I’ve always loved writing. It’s my special skill.”

After moving to Melbourne as a young adult and being saturated by the buzzing music scene in Preston — home to artists like Courtney Barnett — Mr Tandy brought what he learnt back to the growing arts community in Mackay.

“It’s an exciting time,” he said.

“We have a bit of a surge of original artists in Mackay and it’s actually exciting.

“Bands like The Diesel Gypsies, those young fellas from Giant Palms are getting pumped on the Js.”

With no recording studio in Mackay and very little traction among local bands due to it’s regional locality, artists often have to travel to Brisbane to produce songs.

“Automatically it adds so much cost when you have to go stay in Brisbane for a week and travel,” he said.

But thanks to a local Regional Arts Development Fund grant, his vision to become a singer songwriter came into fruition.

The grant offered him around $5000 which went towards equipment, travel and recording music, helping him dedicate more time to his craft.

Mr Tandy’s ‘Bannister Street’ comes out this Friday, February 28 and will be launching it at the Goanna Brewery on Saturday March 1.

Originally published as Mackay musician Matt Tandy to release debut EP ‘Bannister Street’ dedicated to his late-mum