Timothy Commandeur (born 21 June 1990[1]) is an ARIA Award–winning Sydney-based drummer and producer, best known as the drummer in Operator Please and Panama.[2]

Timothy Commandeur
Timothy Commandeur in 2013
Timothy Commandeur in 2013
Background information
Born (1990-06-21) June 21, 1990 (age 34)
Queensland, Australia
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • producer
InstrumentDrums
Years active2005-present
Websitehttps://commandeur.com.au/

Biography

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Drumming since the age of ten,[2] Commandeur joined Amandah Wilkinson and the band Operator Please in 2005 at age 15.[3] The band performed together for six years[2] and toured the world. They performed on major stages such as Glastonbury to Splendour In The Grass.[4] Operator Please won an ARIA Award at the ARIA Music Awards of 2007.[5]

In 2011, Commandeur joined cousin and former Operator Please member Chris Holland to form the band Colour Coding. They released an EP called Proof and the duo created remixes for artists Amy Meredith and Alpine.[6][7]

In 2013, Commandeur made his first foray into a solo career, releasing an EP called Cabin Fever as Alaskan Knight.[8]

In 2014, Commandeur joined the band Panama and embarked on tours around the world including playing at SXSW in 2014 and Primavera Festival in 2015.[9][10][11]

Commandeur has been writing music since 2015 under the moniker "Commandeur" and signed with Risqué Music in 2020.[12][2] Commandeur's work has attracted feature vocals from KLP, Ollie Gabriel, Genes and Yeo along with the likes of Set Mo requesting a remix.[13]

When discussing Commandeur's collaboration with Ollie Gabriel on the song "Me and You", Dave Ruby Howe from Triple J stated: "Tim's a skilled drummer and equally talented producer".[14]

 
Commandeur with Operator Please in 2007.

Commandeur has drummed as part of the stage band for PNAU, Alice Ivy and Tkay Maidza and international acts that tour Australia such as Dua Lipa and King Princess.[2]

Personal life

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Commandeur dated model and actress April Rose Pengilly, daughter of INXS musician Kirk Pengilly, from 2011 to 2014.[15] Commandeur has been dating Laura Lee Scott since 2014 and were due to be married in October 2020 but had to postpone due to the pandemic.[16][17] They eventually married in 2022 at Sydney’s Strickland House. The wedding was featured in Vogue Australia.[17]

Operator Please recorded their first EP in Commandeur's father Roulf's professional recording studio on the Gold Coast.[3] When Roulf died in 2016, Commandeur inherited his father's recording gear, including Genelec speakers.[2]

Commandeur's first drum kit was a 1960s Premier Jazz kit that his father bought from the local Avon lady for $400 after her husband died.[18]

In 2017, a fire broke out in a studio in Marrickville, which saw Commandeur losing recording equipment to fire damage.[2]

Discography

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Extended Plays

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List of EPs, with selected details
Title Details
Cabin Fever
(as Alaskan Knight)
  • Released: 22 June 2013
  • Label: Alaskan Knight
  • Format: DD

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Happy birthday Tim". Facebook. 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Devestation [sic] and Relief - An Interview with Tim Commandeur". Studio Connections. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Only connect". The Age. 20 January 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  4. ^ "New Single By Nasty And Nice Australian Band Operator Please – FM For Music". Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  5. ^ "Operator Please". rage. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  6. ^ Cashmere, Paul (27 February 2012). "Operator Please Meet Colour Coding". Noise11.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Colour Coding Videos Photos Editorial". baeblemusic.com. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Alaskan Knight - Cabin Fever". Insight & Critique. August 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  9. ^ "The Musical Jungle". Broadsheet. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Panama". issuemagazine.com. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  11. ^ Phillips, Nicola (15 September 2015). "Sound of the Week: Panama". Kaltblut Magazine. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Commandeur signs to Risqué Music, unveils new single". The Music Network. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Commandeur". triple j Unearthed. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Commandeur Teams Up With PNAU Collaborator Ollie Gabriel For "Me and You"". Fucking Cool Festivals. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  15. ^ Halliwell, Elle (2014). "Budding actor April Rose admits some have criticised her for mentioning her famous dad, INXS band member Kirk Pengilly".
  16. ^ Commandeur, Tim (2020). "Commandeur instagram".
  17. ^ a b Lai, Gladys (2022). "Inside a '90s-inspired harbourside wedding bursting with native florals and high-tea glamour".
  18. ^ Commandeur, Tim (2019). "Instagram".