“The Stovies were wildly entertaining, brimming with talent, all heart and kilt! Being in the audience is like going on a journey through the Scottish landscape with yer best mate…maybe with a scotch in hand”
“The album is something truely special. The Stovies have given a fresh take on traditional songs and showcased the incredible musical talents they posess. My new go-to scottish album”
“Can’t recommend them highly enough. Their music and charm really delight all ages”
Stovies – A traditional Scottish potato based dish – Stovies are all about bringing together delicious flavours from a leftover roast to boil away on the stovetop
Ah, gather ’round, ye braw souls, and let us spin ye a tale about The Stovies – a bunch of mates as tight as a Scotsman’s grip on his whisky glass. It all kicked off in 2022 when Graeme, fondly known as “The Scotsman,” crossed paths with Neil Gray. Aye, it was a chance meeting that birthed the musical mischief that is The Stovies.
Alongside the indomitable Bob Connor, these three musketeers unleashed their sonic shenanigans upon the world at Alchymia distillery in Table Cape. Since that fateful day, they’ve been gallivanting across Tasmania, leaving a trail of toe-tappin’ and kilt-liftin’ in their wake.
Just like a fine pot of stovies, we believe in throwin’ in a bit of this and that to spice up the flavour. Be it Mick Hales on the harmonica, Mal McKinnell beatin’ the drums, or our international fiddle extraordinaire, Stephen Cordiner, anyone brave enough to step onto our stage becomes an honorary Stovie. It’s like joinin’ an exclusive club, but with more whisky and fewer secret handshakes.
Curious about the lads behind the mayhem? Dive into the profiles below, and if ye find yerself in need of a musical feast that’s as tasty as a plate of stovies, reach out.
Bob started playing professionally in Launceston in 1978 at Squatters Tavern as a solo acoustic artist and, quite soon after that, teamed up with guitarist Neil Gray forming the duo of Bob and Neil which is still inflicting tunes on an unsuspecting public to this very day.
They also formed a rock band called the Lounge Lizards playing covers around venues in Launceston.
The nineties saw Bob playing in a variety of musical entities including The Blue Meanies (a Beatles tribute band), The Neons, a 50/60's band replete with slicked back hair and Brylcreem, and Thor and the Vikings (which were, essentially, a musical rabble who spent most of their performances talking to the audience and occasionally playing a song).
In the late nineties Bob moved to Victoria due to employment and played in an Irish acoustic duo with Séan Nash, who hails from Dublin and is a keen purveyor of pints. They formed an Irish rock band called The Message which performed extensively around Victoria including The Port Fairy Folk Festival. They also performed overseas in the most unlikely places including Brunei and Oman..
Bob now spends half of his time in Tasmania working at a business started by him and his old mate Neil Gray and playing a few gigs here and there including as a member of The Stovies with The Scotsman, Graeme McColgan. He is currently recording and engineering Graeme and The Stovies' debut album, Distant Shores.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, I grew up surrounded by the sounds of Scottish music, courtesy of my papa, Tommy. He was all about Jimmy Shand and The Corries, and their tunes seeped into my soul, though it took a global pandemic to awaken the musician in me.
In 2020, with a wee one on the way, I got my hands on my first instrument, a ukulele, and decided to serenade my soon-to-arrive bairn..
12 months later, along with my Aussie wife and our 4 month old, I traded the dreich drizzle for Sydney's sunny shores. The distance from home didn't dampen my love for Scottish music, ceilidh dancing, and a good dram of whisky. Starting out as a solo act, I soon discovered that the Aussie music scene had a few surprises in store for me.
I've had the pleasure of teaming up with some talented folks and have formed two duos, "The Broken Backs" and "Auld Alliance." But it was a serendipitous meeting with Neil and Bob from Tasmania in 2022 that truly shaped my musical odyssey..
Neil and Bob, these musical madmen from down under, became not just collaborators but incredible mentors and supporters. Together we formed The Stovies, a bunch of mates playing tunes we love to audiences we love.
I started playing guitar at about age 12 and felt at home with it. I was lucky to have a guitar teacher in those early years who taught me the basics of improvising, and this foundation stood me in good stead for the rest of my life. I started playing in Rock bands about 1975 and was always keen to have a jam with other musicians. I learned a lot from that.
In about 1977 I met my good mate Bob Connor, and we played as a Duo around Launceston. In the early 80’s we formed a Cover Band called “The Lounge Lizards” and played all around Tasmania till the early 90’s. Works and family took over for a while but a few years later I was coaxed back into playing by some mates on the Northwest Coast.
I was never much of a singer and usually only did backup singing, however there was a night circa 1998 when we had a gig where the lead singer was Ill at the last minute, so I stepped up to the plate to cover for him and thus, at about age 40, I started doing some solo performances. This has opened a lot of new opportunities and has led to some wonderful collaborations, bands and friends.
About 2010 I started playing in an acoustic band called “You3’ where we had a wonderful singer called Jess Farrow and that led to some great arrangements of songs. I am currently playing in a duo called Shani and Neil, doing gigs with my old mate Bob, playing in a Ukulele band, and getting roped in to gigs and having a lot of fun with the Mad Scotsman, Graeme McColgan and our new band The Stovies.
“they have you singing along, dancing & having a good laugh & yet equally able to bring a tear to your eye with his beautiful heartfelt ballads.
They connect with audiences & have a real gift for making them feel special as they take them on a musical journey that they won’t readily forget.
Have The Stovies perform at your next Sunday Session, Festival, Birthday or Wedding.
Available all over Tasmania
