‹ All episodes

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Jim Conway interview

February 06, 2022 Neil Warren Season 1 Episode 55

Chapters

Jim is from Sydney, Australia

How he got started playing harmonica

Formed a jug band at school with his brother Mic: The Jelly Bean jug band

Brother-in-law to be showed Jim the basics of how to play harp, and he picked it up very quickly

Grandfather was a renowned organ player who recorded some of first movie music in Australia

Also has two relatives who were opera singers

Early harmonica influences, including Memphis Jug Band and Junior Wells

Blues scene in Australia

Went to the same high school as Kylie Minogue (not at the same time)

Jelly Bean Jug band morphed into The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band

Jim was instrumental in the rise in popularity of the jug band in Australia

First two albums with Captain Matchbox were gold records

Humour was a big part of the band, with videos available on YouTube

Role of harmonica in jug band music

Jim was also an accomplished kazoo player

Any comparisons between playing kazoo and harmonica?

Jim did some of the singing in Captain Matchbox, but brother was frontman

The more Vaudeville elements of the band started to take Jim away from his true love, playing blues music

The rise to fame of Captain Matchbox, when Jim was just 19

How it felt to be propelled to harmonica stardom

Had a job as a film editor before music took off

Captain Matchbox first album was Smoke Dreams, in 1972

Second album: Wangaratta Wahine in 1974

Started bringing some gypsy jazz influences into the band

Used a lot of first position playing, which he mainly developed by himself

First position cut through in jug band setting

Reunion tour in 2011 with Captain Matchbox

Jim’s Big Wheel band

The jug band morphed into the Conway Brothers Hiccup Orchestra band, who appeared at the Edinburgh Festival

Dinosaur Party album by Conway Brothers

Jim was diagnosed with MS in 1983, and after a few years decided to leave the Conway Brothers band

Joined the Backsliders three-piece acoustic blues act

Jim’s fame helped established the Backsliders on the music scene

Difference in moving from a Jug Band to a blues act

First album recorded with The Backsliders: Sitting On A Million in 1989,

Jim co-produced Sitting On A Million album

My Creole Bell song is playing using a high G tuned diatonic

Second album with The Backsliders: Hellhound

Recorded a version of I Wish You Would with another player, Chris Wilson

Live album with The Backsliders and Georgia Rag song, played in country harp style

Charlie McCoy’s playing on Candy Man was one of the first songs Jim learnt on harmonica

Poverty Deluxe album with The Backsliders, which had more self-penned songs from the guitarist

Jim doesn’t use effects pedals, using his own playing techniques to create different sounds

Hanoi album has a Vietnamese angle

Resigned from The Backsliders in 2006

Formed and band under his own name: Jim Conway’s Big Wheel

Often played chromatics in different keys to play melodic lines

The decision to retire from performing on harmonica

Played the opening ceremony of the Australian Paralympics in 2000

Toured Australia with Brownie McGhee

Recorded some film music

The Jim Conway Blues documentary and another in the pipeline

Used to teach the harmonica, but not anymore

In 2003 awarded the Centenary Medal for contribution to the Arts

10 minute question

Harmonicas of choice and using a blacksmith to build him custom harps

Different tunings

Acoustic equipment used

How MS has impacted his harmonica playing, but he still plays for his own pleasure

Jim still enjoys the harmonica

Info

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast

Jim Conway interview

Feb 06, 2022 Season 1 Episode 55

Neil Warren

Jim Conway joins me on episode 55.
Jim is an Australian harmonica player who rose to fame at the age of 19 in the jug band: The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, with the first two albums from the band receiving gold record status. Jim also played kazoo with Captain Matchbox to great effect. The band evolved into the Conway Brothers act, before Jim decided he couldn’t continue after being diagnosed with MS.
But it wasn’t long before he felt the music calling him again and he joined The Backsliders, a blues band which he was a member of for seventeen years. He then went on to form a band under his own name, Jim Conway’s Big Wheel.
As well as some notable recordings as a session musician, including some film work, Jim also enjoyed the the great honour of touring Australia with Brownie McGhee in the late 1980s.

Links:
https://www.thecountryblues.com/artist-reviews/jim-conway/

Videos:
The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band:
Mobile Line: https://youtu.be/eJ2wBc2tXXs
Your Feet’s Too Big: https://youtu.be/7uWT3aQZjDA
I Can’t Dance (I’ve Got Ants In My Pants):
https://youtu.be/Zy4jV6B08M0

Playing chromatic with Captain Matchbox:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk7c_mqAQEY

Conway Brothers Hiccups Orchestra - Dinosaur Songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgnOIKclEvw

Playing I Wish You Would with The Backsliders:
https://youtu.be/TRZ_nNn7i14

Sydney Paralympics Opening Ceremony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRPn-pJkas

Documentary film on Jim:
https://youtu.be/wiq_fQ0XU-E

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/

Support the show

Share Episode

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Download

Support Podcast

Support

Subscribe

Spotify RSS Feed More

Listen on

Spotify Amazon Music Podcast Addict Podchaser Deezer Listen Notes +

Share Episode

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn

Happy Hour Harmonica Podcast +

Become a supporter of the show!

Starting at $3/month

Jim Conway joins me on episode 55.
Jim is an Australian harmonica player who rose to fame at the age of 19 in the jug band: The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, with the first two albums from the band receiving gold record status. Jim also played kazoo with Captain Matchbox to great effect. The band evolved into the Conway Brothers act, before Jim decided he couldn’t continue after being diagnosed with MS.
But it wasn’t long before he felt the music calling him again and he joined The Backsliders, a blues band which he was a member of for seventeen years. He then went on to form a band under his own name, Jim Conway’s Big Wheel.
As well as some notable recordings as a session musician, including some film work, Jim also enjoyed the the great honour of touring Australia with Brownie McGhee in the late 1980s.

Links:
https://www.thecountryblues.com/artist-reviews/jim-conway/

Videos:
The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band:
Mobile Line: https://youtu.be/eJ2wBc2tXXs
Your Feet’s Too Big: https://youtu.be/7uWT3aQZjDA
I Can’t Dance (I’ve Got Ants In My Pants):
https://youtu.be/Zy4jV6B08M0

Playing chromatic with Captain Matchbox:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk7c_mqAQEY

Conway Brothers Hiccups Orchestra - Dinosaur Songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgnOIKclEvw

Playing I Wish You Would with The Backsliders:
https://youtu.be/TRZ_nNn7i14

Sydney Paralympics Opening Ceremony:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LRPn-pJkas

Documentary film on Jim:
https://youtu.be/wiq_fQ0XU-E

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
and Blows Me Away Productions: http://www.blowsmeaway.com/

Support the show

Jim is from Sydney, Australia

How he got started playing harmonica

Formed a jug band at school with his brother Mic: The Jelly Bean jug band

Brother-in-law to be showed Jim the basics of how to play harp, and he picked it up very quickly

Grandfather was a renowned organ player who recorded some of first movie music in Australia

Also has two relatives who were opera singers

Early harmonica influences, including Memphis Jug Band and Junior Wells

Blues scene in Australia

Went to the same high school as Kylie Minogue (not at the same time)

Jelly Bean Jug band morphed into The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band

Jim was instrumental in the rise in popularity of the jug band in Australia

First two albums with Captain Matchbox were gold records

Humour was a big part of the band, with videos available on YouTube

Role of harmonica in jug band music

Jim was also an accomplished kazoo player

Any comparisons between playing kazoo and harmonica?

Jim did some of the singing in Captain Matchbox, but brother was frontman

The more Vaudeville elements of the band started to take Jim away from his true love, playing blues music

The rise to fame of Captain Matchbox, when Jim was just 19

How it felt to be propelled to harmonica stardom

Had a job as a film editor before music took off

Captain Matchbox first album was Smoke Dreams, in 1972

Second album: Wangaratta Wahine in 1974

Started bringing some gypsy jazz influences into the band

Used a lot of first position playing, which he mainly developed by himself

First position cut through in jug band setting

Reunion tour in 2011 with Captain Matchbox

Jim’s Big Wheel band

The jug band morphed into the Conway Brothers Hiccup Orchestra band, who appeared at the Edinburgh Festival

Dinosaur Party album by Conway Brothers

Jim was diagnosed with MS in 1983, and after a few years decided to leave the Conway Brothers band

Joined the Backsliders three-piece acoustic blues act

Jim’s fame helped established the Backsliders on the music scene

Difference in moving from a Jug Band to a blues act

First album recorded with The Backsliders: Sitting On A Million in 1989,

Jim co-produced Sitting On A Million album

My Creole Bell song is playing using a high G tuned diatonic

Second album with The Backsliders: Hellhound

Recorded a version of I Wish You Would with another player, Chris Wilson

Live album with The Backsliders and Georgia Rag song, played in country harp style

Charlie McCoy’s playing on Candy Man was one of the first songs Jim learnt on harmonica

Poverty Deluxe album with The Backsliders, which had more self-penned songs from the guitarist

Jim doesn’t use effects pedals, using his own playing techniques to create different sounds

Hanoi album has a Vietnamese angle

Resigned from The Backsliders in 2006

Formed and band under his own name: Jim Conway’s Big Wheel

Often played chromatics in different keys to play melodic lines

The decision to retire from performing on harmonica

Played the opening ceremony of the Australian Paralympics in 2000

Toured Australia with Brownie McGhee

Recorded some film music

The Jim Conway Blues documentary and another in the pipeline

Used to teach the harmonica, but not anymore

In 2003 awarded the Centenary Medal for contribution to the Arts

10 minute question

Harmonicas of choice and using a blacksmith to build him custom harps

Different tunings

Embouchre

Amps and mics

Acoustic equipment used

Effects

How MS has impacted his harmonica playing, but he still plays for his own pleasure

Jim still enjoys the harmonica