Friday, October 3, 2008

Chasing Bailey

































Some people reading this will know who I am talking about when I mention the name 'Chasing Bailey' because you've grown up in Tamworth, like me. Others may have been lucky enough to have heard them recently upon the release of their debut single 'Little by Little' and album 'Long Story Short'. For those of you who are yet to stumble across them, I shall take this moment for a bit of proud promotion. I should mention that I am friends with two of the band members, Crystal and Charlene, but despite this influence I think it is safe to say that they are an extremely talented bunch who've come a long long way.

Last semester I wrote a character profile based on an interview I did with Daniel Conway, the lead guitarist. I had every intention of trying to get it published but that is yet to happen/I haven't tried yet. Apologies for the length, but I hope you'll take the time to give it a read.

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Long Story Short

Hannah Lewis speaks with Daniel Conway.


The last two years has been a whirlwind of performing, travelling and recording for 19 year old Daniel Conway.
Hannah Lewis met with him at his most relaxed, at home in Tamworth at the local pub where he works casually at any time he’s not busy with the band. Coffee in one hand, the other open for a warm hand-shake, Conway is welcoming and openly eager to share his story.

Seven years ago marked the beginning of Conway’s musical career. Little did he know that when he was asked to play guitar for a band calling themselves ‘The Baileys’, in 2001, he would now be getting ready for the release of the band’s first album. Conway is the guitarist and back up vocalist for the five piece country pop band that was born into the local music scene in Tamworth, recognised as Australia’s Country Music Capital and home to the annual Australian Country Music Festival. The band now goes by the name ‘Chasing Bailey’. It is comprised of the Bailey siblings: 20 year old Charlene (vocals and guitar), 23 year old Crystal (electric mandolin and vocals) and 21 year old Kurt (drums), along with 21 year old Lindsay Dallas (base guitar) and Conway.

They have come a long way since their first gig at the Tamworth Showground arena.
Conway says that the audience who witnessed their first live performance consisted solely of the Baileys’ parents, Lindsay’s mum and band manager Joan Douglas.

“That was the very first thing we’d ever done.
“We played to no one.
“We were going upwards from then,” Conway says.

They have definitely moved upwards on a number of levels.
Their sound, in particular, has undergone progressive transformations from the original country twang to a more electric pop-rock style. Chasing Bailey’s debut album, Long Story Short, hits stores around the country in July. Their first single, ‘Little By Little’, has already made waves on Australian radio stations as well as Channel Ten’s Video Hits.

The decision as to why the band decided to change their name to ‘Chasing Bailey’ has been on the minds of many fans who’ve known the band since their humble beginnings.


“We’d always thought of changing the band name from ‘The Baileys’ to something that could label the whole band, rather than just the family name, but we didn’t want to take the family name out because that’s really who we are,” Conway says, adding that even if he isn’t a Bailey by birth, he is a Bailey at heart.


Conway spent his first 12 years in Caboolture, Queensland, where he started playing guitar at age 10 after being shown the first few chords by his older brother.
Before learning to play, Conway clearly remembers his first experience of live music at his granddad’s 60th birthday party. He recalls it as the moment when he realised playing guitar was definitely something he hoped to be doing in the future.

“It was just a house band playing and I was probably about seven, but I’ve got a photo of me standing up at the dance floor playing the guitar.”


It was through Chasing Bailey’s band manager, Douglas, that Conway met the other band members on a visit to Tamworth, in 2001, not long before he made the move from Queensland.
All members except for Dallas attended Tamworth High School together. You could say that Conway grew up with the band.

“Since I was 12 not a day has gone by where I haven’t seen the band.

“We’ve been in each other’s pockets since then,” Conway says.

When it comes to musical influences Conway says country music has been a driving force since he was young.

“I listen to heaps.

“Guitar players like Larry Carlton and Keith Urban were a huge influence early on and I listen to singers like Rod Stewart and Jon Bon Jovi.
“People like that.”

After playing the country music scene in Tamworth for many years the band began to spread out nationally and were involved in a ‘Talent Development Program’ in Sydney in 2006.
Graduating from the program opened doors to greater opportunities and eventually led to record company interest. The band was signed to EMI: one of Australia’s leading record companies, in 2006.

“I don’t think when they signed us they had actually seen us.
“That’s how much they’d heard about us.”


Signing with EMI had a major impact on how Conway viewed his career as a musician and the role the band had in his life.


“Until things started getting serious with the record companies and stuff like that I didn’t really think, ‘oh wow, this is really going to be something that we’re gonna do seriously’, because it was just an everyday thing.
“But it didn’t take long for things to start happening for the band to be recognised as something pretty cool, then I thought, ‘oh, this is something’.”

Not long after being signed, the band began working with ARIA winning record producer Paul McKercher.
Paul has had notable success with the likes of Eskimo Joe, Pete Murray and Spiderbait. Conway says the band was shocked and excited after receiving the call that they would be working with such an experienced producer.

Recording the album began in 2007 and was a four week process.
The title, Long Story Short, is the premise of what the album is about.

“The title says it all: Long Story Short.
“It’s just what we’ve been doing, our lives unfolding on that level.

“It’s the stories we’ve learnt and we’re telling it through our songs.”


Conway reveals that at least six of his own songs will feature on the album.
When asked about his creative inspiration he is not ashamed to admit that he often writes about girls.

“There are a few songs that aren’t about girls, but mainly when something just happens to stir me, something to mix me up in a good way or a bad way, then I go and write.”


Throughout the entire interview Conway’s excitement for the band and their future together is hard to ignore.
When asked about the first time he heard Chasing Bailey’s first single, ‘Little By Little’, on the radio, he says that it happened while working at the bottle-o.

"That was hysterical” he says.
Having just served a customer he returned to the storeroom to be met with the sound of his own hard work blaring on the radio.
“I started dancing around in the store room.
“It was one of the most exciting things I’ve experienced in my life, hearing our song on the radio.
“It sounds small but when it’s you, it’s ‘Oh my God’.”


Since recording the album the band has made appearances on various national radio programs as well as Channel Seven’s Sunrise.
It seems that the release of the album in July might lead to further national recognition for Conway who has already had moments of acknowledgment from strangers in Tamworth.

“I actually get recognised at work a fair bit.
“Some people come in and say ‘Oh you’re in that band’ and I don’t even know them,” he says.

After the album is released in July, Conway hopes to get out and give Australian fans a taste of the band’s live music.
He says that performing live is the best thing about being in a band, closely followed by spending time on the road with the band members.

“After about a week others want to come home but I just want to keep going,” he says, adding that his favourite part about performing on stage is the vibe and intensity created between the audience and the band.


If Conway weren’t busy touring, recording and performing with the band, he admits that there is one thing that may have led him in totally different path.


“Well gee I don’t think I can give that away,” he says.
“But if I wasn’t a guitar player I would have been a tennis player.

“I’m a huge tennis fan. I would have won Wimbledon, I think.
“I mean, seriously, you’ve got to aim for the top!”

Conway has an exciting future with the band, so it seems that Wimbledon won’t be on the cards any time soon.
He is more than happy with his achievements so far and has high expectations for a successful career. In ten year’s time he hopes that the band will be succeeding with multiple albums while maintaining the same level of enjoyment he is experiencing today.

“I’ll always be doing this. Whether it’s playing, writing, producing, whatever.
“It’s what I want to do.”

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You can check them out at: http://www.myspace.com/chasingbailey

1 comment:

Ali said...

you're a great writer! I'll have to check these guys out...