ABOUT
"Cat fight howlin' in the alleyway
Junkyard hobo seen better days
Cold winter morning, news boy callin
Friend of a close friend buried in a rage - thats life!!"
- Its cold out tonight
The Journey...so far
Way back when:
In 1993 a group of local Australian North Coast Musicians formed a band with one common goal - to produce, perform, and record really good original music. The band was known as 'The Kelly Gang'. It's 5 members: Dave Cavanagh, Maree Barron, Johnny Harris, Matty Parnell, and myself Dean Macaw released a 4 song EP in 1994, which receive a lot of airplay all across Australia and New Zealand. It also had one song feature on a compilation CD, which included some of Australia's best Country rock acts of the time. Unfortunately, in 1996 the band disbanded due to some members personal issues.
The Kelly Gang (1993)
Now:
On April 21, 2017, 2 days after the sudden death of The Kelly Gang's bassist/harmonica player and good friend Johnny Harris, as well as a some years prior, the passing of a great mate to us all, Glenn (Poppy) Okell (who was also the bands manager), myself and my fiance Christine sat back and watched some old live videos of the Kelly Gang. The next morning, we discussed the songs and how great they were, and what a shame they were never recorded properly. Within 5 minutes The Kelly's Singer/Songwriter Dave Cavanagh was on messenger, and then on the phone repeating everything Christine and I had just spoken about..lol. So we decided at that point in time that there were so many songs that needed to be recorded. Most of these songs were played live extensively, while others were just in their primitive infancy which had never made it to the set list. It was like a journey home. We both knew that the day would come when we would revisit these songs.
After weeks of trolling through old desk-tapes, and rehearsal tapes, the task of recording and producing these great songs came into play, and soon the realisation that something special was happening. - and so comes Faceless Mirror.
We wanted all the songs to be not just good songs, but great songs. Songs that stick in your head, the kind you wake up and find yourself humming or singing...You know the kind...lol
The Album and The Band:
On 2 September 2017, I introduced Dave to an amazing drummer/human metronome John 'Derek' Armistead who instantly became our drummer, and 3rd member of Faceless Mirror.
In 2018, I heard of a Hammond organist, Tony Rendell who was currently playing with Australian legendary guitarist Mal Eastick. I managed to track him down and asked him if he would be interested in putting organ tracks on the songs. The moment we met Tony, we knew he was going to be in the Band. Tony then introduced us to Mark Cooper-White, who was a great bass player and to top it off, also a good bloke. We all clicked in, and haven't stopped laughing since.
When we all got together for our first Jam, we knew this was going to be a great sounding band...And it is!
The recording, re-recording, mixing, remixing, removing songs, adding new songs took place over a period of 2.5 Years, to get to where we are now. We have now decided to hand over the reigns to Michael Stavrou (Stav) to mix and master the album. We are absolutely stoked and excited to have Stav working with us.
The album is somewhat a concept album, and pays homage to the songs penned by Dave Cavanagh, and the people we have lost over the years. It has a strong social justice focus on what home means to people.
It is not just a bunch of songs thrown together, It takes you on a journey of life, and finding your home - the place most of us yearn to get back too - a place called home. From the day you enter this world - the journey home begins.
During the album you are lead on a journey through the the consciousness of society. The happy times, sad times, homelessness, breakdowns, addictions, dreams., and of course the love. Feel and be the love on this journey home
One special moment is the song 'Bring it back home' which featured on the original Kelly Gang EP. We have re-recorded this with the love that this song deserves, as we were never happy with the original recording. We have been able to mix in the original harmonica and piano parts played by Johnny Harris and Maree 'Kate' Barron into the new version. It still makes the hairs stand up.
Along the way, we have invited good mates to join us and add to the experience, such as , Megan Young, James Guinea. Paul Robinson (Rabbit) , Andrea Deeley, and Marshall Okell.
We believe we have done justice to these songs, we the attention and passion that they wholeheartedly deserve.
Welcome to our journey..
Meet the Band...
DAVE CAVANAGH
Lead Vocals \ Guitar \ Songwriter
Dave Cavanagh’s original music is a reflection of everyone and everything surrounding him. His talent for transforming an experience or feeling into a musical piece of brilliance is motivating not only for musicians but also for a daily dose of inspiration. Dave has released a number of solo albums and has had songs used in various surf movies and TV shows, including Mick Fanning's 'Lightening Strikes, Surfing Safaris, Dingos Tale, Surfers Paradise, and channel 9 network TV ‘The Ink Show’. Dave also wrote Top 10 Tamworth Country Hoedown song “I’ve Been to Bourke’n’Back (performed by the Bourke’n’Back Boys) which was also nominated for Song of The Year, as well as receiving *1st Prize SBS T.V. National Video Awards and Silver Medal New York Film Awards for “Don’t Lock Me Up”( in conjunction with video maker Shaun Ashcroft) Sung by the lead singer of the legendary U.K band (The Sweet)
DEAN MACAW
Lead Guitar \ Vocals \ Arrangements
Dean is a self taught guitarist who has played and recorded on the North Coast of Australia for over 30 yrs. Dean has formed, and been apart of many popular Northern Coast Bands such as Hot Pursuit, Fat Dingo, Tokyo Joe, The Kelly Gang, The Milkmen, and Occarock ... Just to name a few.
In 2017 Dean left Occarock after 12 years of gigging with them, and started working with Dave Cavanagh on recording, arranging, and producing songs that would end up being Faceless Mirror's debut album - Journey Home. While doing this, both Dean and Dave have searched high and low for suitable band members to form the Faceless Mirror band.
JOHN 'DEREK' ARMISTEAD
LEAD DRUMS \ VOCALS
Derek Armistead's precise timekeeping has been keeping musos in check for over 40 years and has earned him the nickname of Mr Metronome.
He has played in many North Coast bands, touring bands and recording studios. Some of the bands include Under Raps, 3 Way Radio, The Injectors, All Ordinaries, Bag Snatchers and has supported bands including Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Dr Feelgood, Max Merit and the Meteors, Redgum, INXS and Mondo Rock among others.
His long career and love of music has brought him together with Faceless Mirror through his friendship with Dean where both have played in bands together over the years.
TONY RENDELL
Lead Keyboards \ Hammond & Leslie
Tony started playing in a cabaret band around 1978, playing 3 nights a week around the north coast.
He then moved on into rock bands, stagefright, 70 grand, The perfect storm, and a few more from the north coast.
In 2000 joined a very popular Armadale band Bastile and toured extensively through Western NSW and South East Qld. In 2005 formed a deep purple tribute Band with 4 other north coast muso's and toured up and down the East coast of Australia.
In 2016 Tony came out of retirement and joined the Mal Eastick band, which then brought him to Faceless Mirror.
MARK COOPER-WHITE
Lead Bass \ Vocals
Mark “Coop” Cooper-White first picked up a bass guitar at age 14 to fill a gap in the Wee Waa school musical and has continued to coax great rhythms from that same guitar for four decades since. He’s finally bought a proper one – a Rickenbacker - in time to join in on this album.
Coop is an in-demand live and session bassist and backing vocalist, playing rock, blues, jazz, folk, country - anything really - with numerous bands of all genres throughout northern NSW, south east Queensland, and loving all of it.