| "The Lights Are On" is the first
full-length album recorded by Portwood. The album was recorded early
2009 in Auckland and mixed and mastered at York Street Studios finally
being released on 12lh October 2009. Portwood
is the brainchild of Gareth O'Connor a Scotsman who made the permanent
move to Auckland in ZOO8. Before he moved out to NZ he spent 6 years
in London playing on the London music scene. He had the romantic
idea of playing around London with his trusty guitar in hand until
a good Kiwi girl brought him back with her to Auckland. Whilst in
his last year in London he was looking for players to help add to
his acoustic sound but never quite found the time to find the right
people. So upon landing in Auckland Portwood was born.
Portwood is still only a one-man band but
with the recording of a full length album featuring more than just
guitar and vocals the doors are now open for Gareth to find those
players he was searching for. He would certainly need help to realise
the album's potential in the live arena. A couple of Gareth's friends,
Cy Winstanley and Vanessa McGowan did come down to visit and added
their mark on a couple of tracks most notably with Vanessa adding
vocals to "Loneliness Is Only Here" but have since returned
to London to focus on their own musical commitments.
Once the recording process was finished
Jason Hole at York Street Studios took up the mixing and mastering
duties and now the finished article is available to you. It's an
album of great beauty.
Gareth hope you enjoy. |