Okay, longtime Seattle residents and/or esoteric new wave fans, I’m on a quest. Some colleagues in Germany have reached out to me about tracking down a local ’80s synth act called Cinema 90. Apparently their song “In Ultra-Violet,” featured on the Engram Records Seattle Syndrome Two compilation, has become a cult favorite among fans of the genre, and there is interest in legitimately reissuing their work.

Does anybody know what became of Cinema 90 main man Colin McDonnel (also of 3 Swimmers)? Here’s what little background I was able to find at Minimal Wave:

Cinema 90 was from Seattle, WA and was the solo project of Colin MacDonnel. He had been keyboardist for local postpunk band 3 Swimmers before Cinema 90. He released one track, “In Ultra-Violet” on the Engram Records compilation called “The Seattle Syndrome 2” (1983). He performed at least twice in 1983 in Seattle’s Metropolis club (in Pioneer Square).

Colin also rates a very brief mention in Clark Humphrey’s book Loser. Local buffs Charles R. Cross and Gillian Garr have already passed along what little info they could to me. I anybody remembers or knows anything else about this band, or MacDonnel’s whereabouts today, please leave a comment.