In their own words….
Valentine Black writes and plays music in the alt-country/folk-rock vein. Having spent a long time playing in original rock bands and various cover bands in the clubs and pubs of Ireland and beyond, Peco Mc Loughlin decided to take some time off, go back to basics and make the music that was most natural for him to do. So he borrowed his grandfather’s name and began to do just that.
After the dissolution of rock band Bright Light Fiasco in the summer of 2008 he began writing and recording songs for his debut album, which is due for independent release in 2010. Songs on the album are about everything from life in modern Ireland to the old chestnuts of love, loss, life and even murder! The music is influenced by artists like Ryan Adams, Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Springsteen and bands like James, Wilco, The Band, and The Clash to name a few. Like many artists, the list is pretty long and varied!
More detail…
Before his Valentine Black incarnation Peco fronted folk-rock-pop band Pedestrienne, then a solo stint under the ‘Peco’ moniker. He was also the lead singer and guitarist with indie-rock band Bright Light Fiasco. At the same time he was also fronting bands playing the music of the artists he loves in the bars and pubs of the country. Between the lot he’s played most of the top venues in Ireland and a fair bit abroad and enjoyed varying degrees of radio and TV exposure with each group, releasing a solo EP and a couple of singles with each band. Years spent searching for what style helped him best express himself musically-the melody of pop, the energy of rock, or the earthiness of country and folk. Consequently the music is country or folk based with a nod here to rock and a nod there to pop!
