Gavin Conway: "Throw a Stone"
"When I started out, this is what I wanted to do." - Gavin Conway
Gavin Conway never dreamed he'd be able to play music as a career. But before long, the young Dubliner began receiving attention as a house DJ in his early 20s. "The DJing took off, so I went with it. And don't get me wrong - it's been great. But writing my own songs, as a kid, was always the goal. Now that I’ve done this, these songs that are on the way, it’s really exciting.”
On ‘Throw A Stone’, Conway’s very first song as a singer-songwriter, guitars and his distinctive knife-like tenor are front and centre. ‘00s and ‘90s flavours are present, as well as nods to classic Manchester acts like Stone Roses and The Charlatans. Donal Bowens, long-time friend of Conway and popular drummer on the local Irish music live scene, delivers a stylish performance on the drums, and Conway’s thoughtful and accomplished vocal soars over the top.
The chorus hits lightly, confident in its power. A bright feeling pervades, as Conway invites his listeners to 'throw a stone'. Asked about what this means, Conway is visibly pleased. "One thing I'm proud of on this song - there really is meaning in every line. It's for each person to find their own version of what this song means. Metaphors, metaphors, metaphors." The second verse introduces a reserved but palpable electronic bass line, keeping the track engaging from start to finish.
Conway began his exploits in music in secondary school, whilst playing music with friends, before attending Ballyfermot Rock School.
Once his ability as a DJ was discovered, he began being asked to run his own nights, before going on to play the well-loved Ultrafestival in Croatia, hosting the drivetime radio show ‘Phever’, and eventually setting up the Dublin house music collective, Seshin.
But all the while, a desire to play classically crafted songs on the guitar never left him. "I had loads of songs written. I just never got a band, never got around to doing anything with them. That was until the pandemic hit."
"Dan Cullen came onboard to help with production. I wanted the recordings clean and crisp - my friend Chris Browne runs a good studio in Swords called Studio 44.”
All this is just the beginning for Conway’s new chapter as an artist, and he bears all the energy of someone with dreams that won’t go away in a hurry. “Playing someone a song you wrote is personal. It's really special, and I’m so glad to be finally able to do this.”
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