Andrew Penhallow

Andrew Penhallow (1952–2023) was an Australian music figure who founded electronic music record label Volition Records and co-founded the Boiler Room at the Big Day Out music festival.

Early career After moving to Australia from England in the 1970s, Andrew Penhallow worked as a contributor for Rolling Stone Australia and as manager of the local band Pel Mel.

In 1979 he co-founded GAP Records with Rolling Stone Australia publisher Paul Gardiner. They released Pel Mel's debut album and licensed releases from English labels Factory Records and Rough Trade, including releasing Joy Division's albums in Australia for the first time in 1980.

Penhallow was also managing director of Factory Australasia, a local subsidiary of Factory Records, between 1984 and 1992. The label's first release was New Order's Low-Life album, released when the band toured Australia in 1985. In 1988, Factory Australasia released New Order's 'Blue Monday 1988' which reached number three in the charts, even with a lack of radio airplay. Penhallow criticised commercial radio stations such as Triple M at the time for not playing dance music, with the success of 'Blue Monday 1988' attributed to dance clubs and music videos seen on TV. Volition acts such as Boxcar and Vision Four 5 appeared at the first Boiler Room,

Penhallow was behind the ARIA Award for Best Dance Release being introduced to the annual ARIA Music Awards in 1995, with Volition acts winning the first two years.

Later years After Volition's publishing deal with Sony Music expired in 1996, Andrew Penhallow took a year off before returning to the music industry with a publishing company Higher Songs. and from 1999 worked as local dance A&R consultant for Warner Music Australia.

Awards and nominations

Australian Dance Music Awards The Australian Dance Music Awards (DMA) were founded by 3D World in 2000 to celebrate dance music in Australia and recognise the people who helped it gain greater recognition nationally.