Why am I Recording and Writing Songs about Shackleton and the Endurance?

Tony Parker NESC
Jun 1, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jan 23

Hi,

Sub-Antarctic Vibes

So, a little while ago, I finished a huge music project — a double album called Life in the Sub-Antarctic: The Weather Station Years, all about Campbell Island. It took three years, and honestly, I thought I was done with remote islands and freezing cold stories.

Then Peter, my co-producer, heads off to Campbell Island and South Georgia for work — and it just so happens to be right around the 100-year anniversary of Shackleton’s death. That’s when we both got pulled into the story of Shackleton and the Endurance... and suddenly we were off on a whole new creative journey.

Back to Front - Inside Out - A New Journey

This new project is going to be a bit different from anything I’ve done before. I am writing and releasing the songs in the same order as the events in Shackleton’s book, South — even though the whole album’s not finished yet. So I can not jump to the 800-mile boat trip or the crushing of the Endurance. Setting myself a really big creative challenge.

It’s kind of wild and slightly nerve-wracking, but also exciting, as we release the story track by track, moment by moment, with sound effects, atmosphere, and a real sense of being in it with the crew.

The Music, The Madness, and the Endurance

This is about more than music — it’s about telling a survival story the way it deserves to be told. Not from a distance, but right in the middle of the cold, the chaos, and the courage.

And to be clear, this is real music. No AI-generated content here. Just Peter and I, building it piece by piece, the way Shackleton and his men survived — one decision, one step at a time.

Peter lives in Wellington, and I am based in Auckland. I create ideas, record them, send Peter files to listen to, and the ideas go back and forth. All without meeting in person. I wonder how many tracks we will create this time.

Just like the last album, it will be full of sound effects to make a music scape to feel like you are there. Well thats the plan.

Join Us on this Musical Odyssey:

So, I'm extending a warm invitation to you to join us on this musical odyssey, tracing Shackleton's footsteps and the epic saga of the Endurance crew. It's gonna be a journey filled with twists and turns, but hey, that's the beauty of it, right?

First Tracks:

The first two tracks, Eve of the Great War and Leaving South Georgia, are almost ready to go. And yeah — they’ll include a very rare recording of Shackleton’s actual voice. It doesn’t get more real than that. No AI voices!

Thanks for listening and coming along for this ride. We’ve got a long journey ahead — across ice, sea, and sound — and I’d love to have you with us.

Let's make history together through the power of music.

Looking forward to this.