Conway Savage, the much respected keyboard player, composer and member of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds has died at age 58. It’s been a sad year for indie music fans. 2018 has seen the loss of many notable musicians from Melbourne’s rich, indie music scene and most them were interconnected. Spencer P Jones, who Conway had also shared stages and studios with died just last week.
From 1993, Savage had a solo career and released albums, Nothing Broken (2000), Wrong Man’s Hands (2004) and Rare Songs & Performances 1989–2004. He also collaborated with other artists for their albums, such as Soon Will Be Tomorrow (with Suzie Higgie, 1998) and Quickie for Ducky (with Amanda Fox and Robert Tickner, 2007). Conway joined Nick Cave in 1990 for the Bad Seeds album ‘The Good Son. and also played on Cave’s ‘Henry’s Dream’ (1992), ‘Let Love In’ (1994), ‘Murder Ballads’ (1996), ‘The Boatman’s Call’ (1997), ‘No More Shall We Part’ (2001), ‘Abbattor Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus’ (2004) and ‘Dig Lazarus Dig’ (2008).
He released his first solo EP in 1992 with guests Martyn P. Casey and Mick Harvey of The Bad Seeds. His most recent EP was 2010’s ‘Pussy’s Bow’.
Savage has been a session player on numerous albumss by Australia’s indie elite including recordings by: Kim Salmon, Dave Graney, Spencer P. Jones, David McComb and Robert Forster.
Conway’s brother, Frank Savage, is a part-time rock music cabaret singer and his niece, Cash Savage, is the lead singer of the band Cash Savage and the Last Drinks.
In 2017 Savage underwent medical treatment for a brain tumor.