Gavin McCabe Releases Superb Track with God Is An Astronaut Man Torsten Kinsella In Producer’s Chair

Former Cujo Family man, Gavin McCabe, has released a superb recording of ‘You Don’t Know’ – a song written by Damian Cahill – via YouTube.

There is a thriving scene in Wicklow. In recent times, Hozier, God is an Astronaut, Wyvern Lingo and Zaska have all emerged from the Bray/Wicklow area. Some hugely talented outfits were inevitably destined to fall between the cracks. The Cujo Family were one of them!

The Cujo family released their debut album in 2009 and released two further LP's, finally finishing up as a band in 2016.

Gavin McCabe then moved to Edinburgh to study sound design. He still lives in the Scottish capital, playing music every day and doing the occasional gig.

There is a fascinating story behind the recording of ‘You Don’t Know'.

Songwriter and long-time Bray resident Damian Cahill, was a member of The Whipperwills, another top-notch Wicklow-based outfit. Until lockdown brought a halt to the fun, together with Kila’s Ronán Ó’Snódaigh and a cast of many others, Damien ran a lively session of what Damian describes as ‘Psychodiddle' on Sunday afternoons at The Harbour Bar, Bray.

"I had been posting short video selfies to my Facebook page, playing and singing songs that I had written myself over the years,” Damien told Hot Press. "The one song which I never did justice to was 'You Don't Know’ – and so I asked if any proper singers out there could do a halfway decent job… or at least give it a bash.

"Within a few hours of me posting the song online, I received a message from Gavin, with the most perfect realisation. I could never sing my own song that well. I was shocked and stunned.

"I heard 'You Don't Know' via a Facebook video and loved the simplicity of the song,” Gavin McCabe explained. "I wondered what I could draw out of it by slowing it down to a country-ish saunter. Damo was happy when I sent it to him – so that was a success in my book. The recording was very quick and off the cuff, no frills.”

Torsten Kinsella of God is an Astronaut mixed and mastered the recording by Gavin McCabe, adding Hurdy Gurdy as well as some additional guitar from another Wicklow denizen, David Rooney. Have a listen to the track and make your own judgement. It, and the rich earthy voice of Gavin McCabe – have been getting a big thumbs up in HP central.

In 2018 Gavin McCabe released a solo album, which has been described as "a dreamy, earthy collection of fine songs drawn from a dark palette." Listen here.