It was on radio that I heard a very strange story. A homemade CD with four song titles had arrived at EMI Music Company and was simply labelled “Szymon”. There was no other information, no accompanying letter and only a return address for somewhere in Newcastle, New South Wales.
The music came from Szymon Borzestowski (1989-2012) whose family consisted of Polish parents Anna and Andrzej, and their Australian-raised children Eva, Kubush, Szymon and Dominik. All the children learned music; Eva was the singer, Dom learned drums and Kubush the guitar. But it was Szymon who was talented across many instruments - he had studied saxophone and clarinet, taught himself guitar and piano, and then got involved in composition.
Szymon became serious about music in his final year at high school and then devoted all his energies to writing and recording throughout the next year. The teenager originally crafted every note in his bedroom, using whatever rudimentary equipment he could grab hold of. By the end of 2008 he had completed four excellent songs and sent them as a demo to various people. Brokenworld had lyrics; the other three were instrumentals.
The music came from Szymon Borzestowski (1989-2012) whose family consisted of Polish parents Anna and Andrzej, and their Australian-raised children Eva, Kubush, Szymon and Dominik. All the children learned music; Eva was the singer, Dom learned drums and Kubush the guitar. But it was Szymon who was talented across many instruments - he had studied saxophone and clarinet, taught himself guitar and piano, and then got involved in composition.
Szymon became serious about music in his final year at high school and then devoted all his energies to writing and recording throughout the next year. The teenager originally crafted every note in his bedroom, using whatever rudimentary equipment he could grab hold of. By the end of 2008 he had completed four excellent songs and sent them as a demo to various people. Brokenworld had lyrics; the other three were instrumentals.
There were a couple of rejection letters but he heard nothing more, so like every Australian before him, he flew out for a few months to Europe and Africa. It was only after he left Australia that father Andrzej sent the demo tape to EMI.
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Szymon Borzestowski
EMI’s Mark Holland remembers the day in 2008 he and his EMI colleague Craig Hawker plucked this unsolicited demo tapes from a huge stack in the office. Record labels typically received hundreds of tapes a week and probably had the time to listen to only a handful. Mark Holland was delighted when he heard the unknown teenager’s music - it was a seductive blend of folk, pop and electronica.
Mark Holland and Craig Hawker became the men who encouraged the singer to follow his musical dream. They helped Szymon Borzestowski get some better equipment with a development deal and across the next two years, Szymon agreed to send in the songs as he finished them. What they did not know was that in January 2010 Szymon had been hospitalised and medicated for the first time for depression. There were more hospitalisations where psychiatrists tried different combinations of medication but nothing helped.
In fact, Szymon’s mental state was fast deteriorating. He could not face the prospect of finishing an album, of having to promote it on tours and in radio interviews. Sometimes he attempted to create new music but would immediately erase the files out of rage and frustration. He was destroying his own legacy. Even the tracks that did survive had been cast aside and neglected before completion.
When Szymon died at his own hand in late 2012, EMI had only one album’s worth of songs ready to be finished. The family searched for other works in Szymon’s bedroom, but they could not unearth his hard drive. So along with Holland and Hawker, the family agreed there was just enough carefully crafted electronic folk-driven music which could be mixed and completed.
The family still listen to their late son and brother’s music. Sometimes it is a sad experience; other times they are delighted knowing that his musical gifts are finally being shared with the world. To hear some of Szymon’s beautiful, shimmering and ethereal music, go to Tigersapp which was released on August 21st 2015, nearly three years after his passing in December 2012.
I have heard of other musicians having their music released posthumously. In 1982, two years after John Lennon's tragic murder in the USA, The John Lennon Collection was a compilation of songs in memory of Lennon's amazing gifts. It was hugely successful in Britain and everywhere people loved Lennon music. And just a few months after Amy Winehouse's alcohol-related death in Britain in 2011, her posthumous album Lioness: Hidden Treasures was released. The album consisted of her demos and her previously unreleased songs.
There is a difference, however. Everyone on the planet knew John Lennon and Amy Winehouse. Who knew Szymon Borzestowski?
on his overseas travel
EMI’s Mark Holland remembers the day in 2008 he and his EMI colleague Craig Hawker plucked this unsolicited demo tapes from a huge stack in the office. Record labels typically received hundreds of tapes a week and probably had the time to listen to only a handful. Mark Holland was delighted when he heard the unknown teenager’s music - it was a seductive blend of folk, pop and electronica.
Mark Holland and Craig Hawker became the men who encouraged the singer to follow his musical dream. They helped Szymon Borzestowski get some better equipment with a development deal and across the next two years, Szymon agreed to send in the songs as he finished them. What they did not know was that in January 2010 Szymon had been hospitalised and medicated for the first time for depression. There were more hospitalisations where psychiatrists tried different combinations of medication but nothing helped.
In fact, Szymon’s mental state was fast deteriorating. He could not face the prospect of finishing an album, of having to promote it on tours and in radio interviews. Sometimes he attempted to create new music but would immediately erase the files out of rage and frustration. He was destroying his own legacy. Even the tracks that did survive had been cast aside and neglected before completion.
When Szymon died at his own hand in late 2012, EMI had only one album’s worth of songs ready to be finished. The family searched for other works in Szymon’s bedroom, but they could not unearth his hard drive. So along with Holland and Hawker, the family agreed there was just enough carefully crafted electronic folk-driven music which could be mixed and completed.
The family still listen to their late son and brother’s music. Sometimes it is a sad experience; other times they are delighted knowing that his musical gifts are finally being shared with the world. To hear some of Szymon’s beautiful, shimmering and ethereal music, go to Tigersapp which was released on August 21st 2015, nearly three years after his passing in December 2012.
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There is a difference, however. Everyone on the planet knew John Lennon and Amy Winehouse. Who knew Szymon Borzestowski?