Hard day's night ahead for marathon music project

You think you have a busy week ahead?

Spare a thought for Queensland University of Technology's (QUT) music technicians who, from Sunday morning, will be undertaking the mammoth task of recording 100 songs in 100 hours.

The QUT Independent Music Project's (IMP) ground-breaking initiative, 100 Songs, is now in its second year.

The project works to unearth and showcase a wealth of musical talent in Queensland's south-east, with 72 bands on the bill for 2012.

QUT's head of Music and Sound, Professor Phil Graham, said last year's program had succeeded in showcasing a diverse cross-section of local independent music.

"100 Songs is a great opportunity for the participating acts," he said.

"They get to work with excellent producers and engineers. They get their music in front of publishers, labels, and distributors. And they get to be part of an exciting event that simultaneously raises the profile of local music and each of the acts involved."

Recording will begin at QUT's Gasworks Studio, based in Newstead, on Sunday morning (May 20) and will wrap-up in the wee hours of Saturday morning (May 26).

Leon Van Lieshout, bassist for Brisbane band The Clues, said he was looking forward to the experience.

"There's a lot of pressure to get everything down in a short amount of time, but I'm really looking forward to it," he said.

"There are some great bands in Brisbane; I think it's just the lack of venues letting a lot of bands down.

"Programs like this really help to showcase the local talent in another way - it gives us another outlet."

It's not just local musicians who are hoping to find their big break through the project.

Music media company 3Form Productions, made up of music and film students from across Brisbane, will be documenting the entire process.

Producer Ben McLure, a second year QUT music student, said 100 songs would be the biggest project the company had undertaken since starting up almost a year ago.

"We're doing a documentary with the band Brother Fox, who won the Blues Fest Busking Competition, but 100 Songs will definitely be the biggest project we've undertaken," he said.

"It's an honour to be part of something like this."

Media contact: Alita Pashley, QUT media officer, 07 3138 1841 or alita.pashley@qut.edu.au

Brisbane band The Clues will be taking part in this year's 100 songs