Mr. Conroy is a Faroese-Danish alternative pop music artist which revolves around singer-songwriter Remi Thomsen. The band was formed in January 2001 in Copenhagen and has been based in Copenhagen, Denmark ever since. The band’s lineup has since the formation consisted of pianist, guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Remi Thomsen, drummer Kenneth Gøtsche, bassist Kim Scheutz and guitarist Jens V. Jakobsen.
Mr. Conroy released their debut album in August 2022 entitled ”Ignite the light”, which included 11 orignial songs including the singles ”America”, ”As you were” and ”The turning”. Especially ”As you were” received attention in terms of radio play and streams.
Their second album "Left behind" was released in November 2023. The album includes 9 original songs including the singles "Replica", "Under the surface" and "Tried to die".
Mr. Conroy are known for seldom playing live and the only known gigs by the band were the release concerts at Drop Inn in Copenhagen on 30 September 2022 in connection with the release for ”Ignite the light” and on 17 November 2023 in connection with the release of "Left behind" .
In December 2020, Remi Thomsen, just turned 40, realized that something was missing in his life. In fact, a business coach helped him realize that he missed playing music with others. Since the beginning of the hiatus of the band Claiborne in 2010, Remi had written songs and recorded demos but not together with others. In December 2020, Remi decided to play his songs with others and to record the best material and maybe publish it.
Remi contacted drummer and long-time close friend, Kenneth Gøtsche, whom he had known since 1993 and played with in the band Claiborne from 1994 to 2010. Claiborne did 3 releases: Promotion #1 (1998), Head high (2005) and Sustain (2009). Remi also contacted guitarist Jens V. Jakobsen, whom he had known and been friends with since 1994 and played in the band Jeremus with from 1996 to 1997. Jeremus recorded two songs, which were never released. Kim Scheutz was an acquaintance of Remi’s, who Kenneth Gøtsche suggested that Remi should contact regarding taking on bass duty. Kenneth and Kim had a join background together in the Korn cover band Kornjam. Kim is also the bassist in the band Juno Bell, which opened for Claiborne in 2009 at the release concert for the album Sustain (2009).
Mr. Conroy rehearsed together for the first time in January 2021 and started preparing the recordings the debut album.
Originally, the band were looking to fill in the last word of words of the name “Remi and the …” but the members had a hard time finding the right word. The band were looking for something clever like "Jerry and the Pacemakers" or "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers". “Remi and the safe words” was considered, but deemed too controversial and not a match for the seriousness in the music. Hundreds of names were considered and after Kim suggested Mr. something, Remi came up with Mr. Conroy.
Conroy is an old irish surname (originally Ó Conaire”) and the word means wise advisor or man. Remi thought it to be a nice meaning as the songs are personal about life and existing in the modern world from a man’s perspective. The meaning of Conroy in acient times: King or Ruler, was not a part of the basis for deciding on the name.
The songs for Mr. Conroy’s debut album were selected from a large pool of songs that Remi had composed and written over several years. 12 songs were selected for the album in close dialog with Kenneth Gøtsche.
The title “Ignite the light” is from the lyrics to the song “Endless war” on the album and signals new hope and a new beginning.
Mr. Conroy went to Ark Recording Studio in June 2021 to record drums, bass, piano and some of the guitars. The rest of the guitars and the vocals were recorded afterwards with Jens as technician. The recordings were finished in March 2022. Kasper Sandbjerg from K mix & mastering mixed the album, finished in June 2022. The album was released on 25 August 2022.
"Ignite the light" includes the singles “America”, “As you were” and “The turning” all of which were released after the release of the album. Especially “As you were” received attention in terms of radio play and streams. "As you were" was nomitated for "Radio hit of the year 2022" on Faroese national radio, KVF, where the song was played intencively.
Mr. Conroy played their debut concert at Drop Inn in Copenhagen on 30 September 2022 celebrating the release the debut album.
"Left behind" was initially thought to be a theme album with songs that dealt with the life and death of close friend and fellow musician Rasmus Rasmussen (1980-2012). The songs were picked just around the 10-year anniversary for Rasmus’ death. However, Remi changed his mind since the theme felt like commercializing on such a personal friendship and tragedy. Of the 10 songs, that were picked for the album, 6 dealt with Rasmus Rasmussen and 4 songs did not.
The album title is from the song “Neon lights” where “Left behind” referres to Remi’s feelings after Rasmus decided not to live anymore in October 2012.
"Left behind" includes Mr. Conroy’s first instrumental song “Song for Rasmus” as well as the first guitar solo (on “Tried to die”). Also the album included the first song with a co-writer in addition to Remi Thomsen ("Around & Around" by Remi Thomsen and the late Rasmus Rasmussen). The singles "Replica", "Under the surface" and "Tried to die" were released prior to the album release on 9 November 2023.
Mr. Conroy played their second concert at Drop Inn in Copenhagen on 17 November 2023 celebrating the release of their second album.
Remi Thomsen
Kenneth Gøtsche
Kim Scheutz
Jens V. Jakobsen
January 2021: Formation
August 2022: Release of the debut album “Ignite the light”
November 2023: Release of the second album “Left behind”
Ignite the light (25 August 2022)
Left behind (9 November 2023)
America (30 August 2022)
As you were (15 September 2022)
The turning (15 October 2022)
Replica (7 September 2023)
Under the Surface (29 September 2023)
Tried to die (20 October 2023)
