Andy McGarvey

Member

• Genre: Songwriter
• Website: www.myspace.com/andy4young

Biography

I started thinking about writing songs when I was 9.  I tried to learn how to play drums when I was 14 for the band me and my friends formed, but nothing came of it.  I paid for piano lessons when I was 20 but it didn't last long cause me and the teacher had different ideas. 

I started singing and playing guitar soon after and writing songs.  This has continued throughout my life.  I have listened to and learned thousands of songs covering lots of artists and genres, and constantly keeping up-to-date playing the Killers and Kings of Leon.  I've read hundreds of mags and books trying to learn and understand artists and the craft of songwriting. I have constantly entertained family/friends and others at parties with singalongs.  Music had to be reduced to a very passionate side interest when I entered teaching in my 20's and got married but I always worked at my music keeping the dream alive.

I constantly play open stages and have sold copies of my recent debut album (Street Lights of the Universe) there and also to friends, family, neighbours, etc.  I have played quite a few solo gigs.  I had a band a few years ago and we played in bars for a while.  I haven't done any extensive organised touring but have played bars, folk clubs and festivals in Scotland, Ireland and England.  I have even played bars in California and New York and Nice and was always well received.  I had a one hour slot at a week long folk festival in 2008 paying tribute to the late great Scottish folky Danny Kyle.  Danny accepted me as a player in the first Celtic Connection talent show in the Tron (1994).  My first public performances were at the Star folk club in the early 90’s run by Arthur Johnson.  Billy Connolly came into the Scotia bar around that time and I was playing a Humblebum song called Patrick (by Gerry Rafferty).  People told me that Connolly popped his head round to see who was playing and said I was good and to stick in.  To hear that my big hero said that was amazing.  I am a member of the Musicians Union. 

Paddy, the host at the Cellars (Sauchiehall St) Wed open stage, said my single, Heroes and Me, has got hit written all over it.   The crowd in there love it.

My music covers rock/pop/folk/country.  I plan to hand in a demo to King Tut's soon.  They said they would consider a support slot.  It's been mostly fun for me and for the love and passion of the music but now I have time and some money to do something a bit more serious.  I am a kind of Scottish Bob Dylan/wandering minstrel.  My main talent is songwriting.  I have bought the book 'The Unsigned Guide' and plan to send my songs off to a host of music publishers to see if there is any interest now that I have decent demos.  I have also sent my songs off to tv and film projects and I have a myspace address where half my album can be heard.  I have about 740 friends and many nice comments from around the world.  My album is on sale online at various music stores including iTunes.  Mine is not a big story but I have had so much fun doing all this and the fact that people are buying the album and enjoying the songs makes it all worthwhile.  If nothing big comes of it I can always say I tried.