2024, August 2024, Reggae
Gav Pauze – Pauzeradio
Aug
Photography: Suzanne Bainton Photography
Gav Pauze began his music career in 1995, playing Jungle and Drum & Bass in clubs across England and Scotland. He studied music at Clarendon College in 1998, becoming a qualified audio engineer. His passion for music led him to create the “Unique Reggae Mix Show” in 2006, which featured uplifting Reggae Roots and Dub. The show’s popularity quickly spread internationally, reaching audiences in the USA, Germany, the Philippines, and more, ultimately broadcasting to over 150 countries by 2019.
Initially aired on Unique FM (UK), the show transitioned to Pauzeradio.com in 2009, where it archived all past episodes and regularly premiered new mixes. By 2022, it also aired on Genesis Radio Birmingham, marking a significant expansion in its reach.
In addition to his radio work, Gav published his first poetry book, “In Heart Mind & Soul,” in 2011, followed by “Pauze For Thought” in 2016. His poetry addresses real-life struggles, love, and social issues, which also led him to write songs for various Reggae artists, including Mikey General and Peter Runks.
Gav has recorded, mixed, and mastered audio for numerous well-known artists, including Bunny Rugs of Third World Band and Luciano. In 2015, he began writing for Soul Central Magazine, discussing industry issues and publishing Reggae charts.
By 2019, Gav collaborated with music broadcaster Steve Topple on the “Topple Uncaged” podcast, mastering episodes featuring icons like Protojé and Tarrus Riley. His attention to detail and innovative techniques ensured the highest quality in every production, solidifying his reputation in the music industry.
In 2004, Gav Pauze was involved in a BMX accident that left him with serious head injuries. The doctors gave him a bleak outlook on life, as the accident left him with inhibited speech, mobility, and writing skills.
Nothing the doctors did helped Gav Pauze, from prescribing him tablets to sending him on courses at the hospital to help him walk and talk again. So, he decided that the only way to get the right help was by helping himself. Gav reverted to what had been therapy for him since he was 15, the very thing that had been an escape for him, which was DJ’ing.
Gav stumbled across an album from a positive roots Reggae artist called Dub Judah, and that album became the soundtrack to his healing process. When playing the songs, he felt rejuvenated and refreshed. The music uplifted his mood, inspired him, and gave him an energy that he had not fully embraced with music before.
Through the ‘natural therapies’ of reggae music, poetry, and positive energy, Gav is now a successful DJ, songwriter, and published poet.
Gav Pauze
IRIE. What about Jungle/Drum and Bass music inspired you to become a DJ?
GAV PAUZE. At first it was using two turntables; I had been fascinated with them since age 8. Then, after testing numerous genres and having fun, I settled for the baselines and rhythms of Jungle, which was essentially inspired by and made with many reggae samples in the music!
IRIE. In 2004, you suffered a severe BMX accident that could have had a negative outcome in your early life. However, you overcome this setback through DJing, writing poetry, and listening to the therapeutic words and music of a positive roots Reggae artist called Dub Judah. Can you share this experience with us?
GAV PAUZE. The power of music is amazing; that’s the simple answer. But as we are what we eat (an old saying from my days working in kitchens as a chef), it’s the same with words, sounds and images; we are what we consume. If we consume negative, we might not think it can affect us, but subliminally and deeply inside, it does hold an influence!
Roots and dub have such power, not just the life teachings in the lyrics but also the frequencies within the music. It’s a healing tool, and I feel one of the many reasons why mainstream media, especially in the UK, finds it so hard to support.
On my journey of healing, listening to Dub Judah’s album Better To Be Good, especially the title track of that album, totally changed my life view and set me on this musical journey by uplifting, inspiring and teaching me. Every time I hear that song, I get goosebumps; it’s like the first time I heard it all over again. No one can tell me that music does not hold power, because it does and that’s proof.
IRIE. What inspired you to start Pauzeradio?
GAV PAUZE. In the MySpace days, the start of my radio show, I uploaded my radio show that played on Unique FM so an artist in Jamaica who had done jingles for the show could listen. I accidentally posted the download link to the bulletin board. This got over 1000 downloads. So I continued posting to the bulletin board, and then about nine months later, one of the show listeners in the USA who had downloaded all my shows told me their hard drive was full; they asked if there was somewhere they could listen without downloading. Streaming platforms didn’t exist back then in the same capacity as now, and it gave me the idea to create an archive so anyone could listen to my show anytime from anywhere in one place.
IRIE. What are some of the biggest challenges you face as the founder of Pauzeradio?
GAV PAUZE. The biggest challenge, in general, is trying to do everything needed to keep things running smoothly while innovating and constantly pushing the boundaries simultaneously! I find this fun though, as I am creative in my heart, even though some days can be very long and hard, but the music gives me strength.
IRIE. What role does Pauzeradio play in the current media landscape?
GAV PAUZE. I feel we have set a lot of standards for professional representation of an amazing genre, Roots Reggae. I am proud of how we represent the scene by showcasing the artists with the quality of the music at the heart of it.
I have always remained humble since I started my show in 2006. I applied that in every aspect of my work, but because I kept focused on that, the great achievements I’ve made have not been credited to me. Over the years, I’ve made many sacrifices to push the music because I wanted to give back what it gave me, which is life. I’ve come to the point where I don’t care much if I don’t get credit for things, but there are some things I know I started that others are claiming, and that’s annoying.
IRIE. How has the radio industry changed since you started, and how have you adapted?
GAV PAUZE. Just as vinyl turned to CD and then to digital media like WAV and MP3, the broadcasting industry, radio, and TV have switched to on-demand streaming at speed, too—it’s easier to extract money from it that way. I feel I was slightly ahead of the curve with streaming at the start, as that didn’t exist as it does now when I first started on radio. As for now, in 2024, I feel I’m a little behind the curve but unique in what I do, and I get a great response from everyone who contacts me about the website.
IRIE. As social media continues to evolve, so does Pauzeradio. How do you feel about the direction of social media in terms of music promotion?
GAV PAUZE. Social media has always been important for promotion and branding, but as social media websites forgot about the users that helped turn them into giant corporations making a lot of money, they also forgot about the importance of user experience. I feel that social media will continue its downward spiral, putting money before the people who made them what they are; that’s been happening for a little while now. I think other mediums for promotion have already come to the forefront, like email marketing being the main one; it’s also what my website data is showing me.
IRIE. You are very serious about your vinyl. How important is preserving and offering this medium to reggae fans worldwide?
GAV PAUZE. I have been a vinyl junkie for a long time now; setting up the vinyl shop was an accident, and that came about because of Mikey General. It’s those things that are the most successful with Pauzeradio—the things that evolve naturally.
As for preserving it, well, when you buy an MP3 or stream a song on a streaming platform, you don’t actually own a physical copy; yes, it’s easy, but are the artists getting fairly compensated for their work? The answer is no. If we want artists to thrive, we have to support them fairly. Buy their vinyl and, CDs and merchandise. It helps a lot for them to continue on their path of making great music for us.
IRIE. Is there a reggae song that resonates most with you, and if so, why?
GAV PAUZE. There are two critical tunes to me. Buju Banton with Hills and Valleys—that song got me through the struggles of my late teens. Then there is Dub Judah and his song Better to Be Good. That song means so much to me. If it wasn’t for me hearing that song during my recovery after my accident, I am not sure I would be on this path with roots now.
IRIE. You are embarking on a new venture with Pauze merchandise. Can you share it with us?
GAV PAUZE. We are currently developing some Pauzeradio-branded clothing. After doing a test with some clothing previously, it got a great response, and I have spent a lot of this year finding a decent company to collaborate with. Still a lot of work to do on that, and it’s a little delayed, but we will get there. Everything is always possible when the time is right.
IRIE. Is there anything else you want to add or share with the IRIE audience?
GAV PAUZE. I would like to say a huge thank you to all artists, producers, listeners, and the staff and mentors who inspire, uplift, and motivate the work I do. Those who send music, those who listen to my shows, visit our website, everyone who shares the work on Pauzeradio, and those who have offered advice and support. Without all of you, the work on Pauzeradio would not be possible.
Website:
Pauzeradio.com
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