Category: Entries 2011 A-E

Chayka – Carrying On

Q1. Where are you from?

Ferbane, Co. Offaly

Q2. Musical influences?

Sheryl Crow, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Jeff Buckley, PJ Harvey to name but a few.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Since I’ve joined Chayka, our writing process is a team effort of the lads jamming out songs, mostly Ric writing random lines down as the musics being played, with myself and the others adding what we think might go well also. It’s a nice big team effort, not afraid of open criticism : )

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

A few years ago I was playing an acoustic gig in a big pub in town, the only people there were a few who were pretty drunk after watching some football match all day. A big fight broke out on the dance floor with chairs flying everywhere.. we didnt know whether to stop or just keep playing – we kept playing: ) So since then I carry chicken mesh for all gigs, u never know when a Blues Brothers incident is gonna happen again – Il be prepared tho.

Q5. If you could share the stage with anyone, who would it be and why?

Sheryl Crow, Susan Tadeschi or Joe Cocker in his hayday – what a voice!

 

In their own words

Chayka are a 6-piece out fit hailing mostly from Kildare. They have been creating music together since the late nineties in some guise or another. Their current moniker, Chayka, was adopted in early 2007. Since then they carried on to record a limited run E.P. “Looking for an Enemy” and were subsequently offered a Recording Contract in November 2008 from a well respected Danish Label.

More recently, frontman Stevie Byrne departed but was seamlessly replaced the dulcet tones of Emilene Kavanagh. The current line-up Emilene Kavanagh, Alison Reynolds, Ken Richmond, Sean De Burca, Jonny Kelly & Riccardo Panza have kept themselves busy gigging while producing their long awaited long player set for release in late 2011. It promises to be a soulful encounter infused with the natural varying influences that this 6 piece provides.

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Echoes – Gone

Q1. Where are you from?

Echoes represent Dublin, Newry and Tipperary but the band is based in Dublin.

Q2. Musical influences?

Influences: The Beatles, Oasis, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, The Strokes, The Stone Roses, The Libertines, Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, Paul Weller, The Jam, Damien Dempsey, Thin Lizzy, The Pogues, The Clash, The Smiths, Bon Iver, The Vaccines to name but a few!

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Phil Culleton (guitar/ backing vocals) is the main songwriter for the band. Originally the song writing process involved Phil bringing a song to each band member in and practicing their individual parts. As Echoes progressed the band found the now preferred method of recording an early rough demo of a song and each member learning / working on their own parts, which in turn makes practice sessions a lot more productive and leaves more time to work on harmonies, solos, final song structure, etc… Most Echoes songs are written with acoustic guitar which means whether played with a full band or stripped down to one guitar and vocalist the songs will still be recognisable.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Our most bizarre gig experience is getting thrown off stage for causing “structural damage” to the building! The crowds pogoing antics lead to the ceiling in the venue below collapsing on the punters downstairs. We were promptly thrown off stage with a few songs left in the set, which didn’t exactly calm the crowd down either!

Q5. If you could share the stage with anyone, who would it be and why?

Too hard to answer! There’s 5 of us in the band so each band member would probably pick a different person so just for arguement’s sake we’ll say some generic dead legend or other – John Lennon, Phil Lynnott, Jimi Hendrix etc. Or just anyone form our list of influences…

 

In their own words

ECHOES are an emerging Dublin based band consisting of Phil Culleton (guitar/vocals), Paddy Sweeney (vocals) and Peter Byrne (lead guitar), Sean Delaney (drums) and Marty Canavan (bass).

Although ECHOES were formed in 2010, the bands history runs deeper than that.  Culleton, Sweeney and Byrne began playing together in 2000 when the former schoolmates formed their first band Paragon.  After the demise of Paragon the lads went their seperate ways; Culleton and Sweeney sticking together and performing acoustic gigs across Dublin under the name The Way Out Ones before eventually forming the short lived Whiskey Chasers.

After a short break the lads reformed under the name The Skins before settling on the name ECHOES with arrival of Peter Bryne who had spent his time away from the lads (as well as competing for a spot representing Ireland at The Winter Olympics 2010!) playing in bands such as Silken Thomas, Dumb and Drummer, and Stellar Jets – the latter of which he still plays with alongside drummer Sean Delaney.

After seeing an internet ad by the band, Marty Canavan checked out their myspace and duly signed up – boasting the experience of being “Mani” in The Stone Roses tribute act The Third Coming and also formerly being the lead guitarist in Northern Ireland act The Beat Poets.

www.myspace.com/echoesceol

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Bailer – Sixteen Months


Q1. Where are you from?

North County Dublin

 

Q2. Musical influences?

Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder, Foo Fighters

 

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Maurice our guitarist writes the songs, typically a melody comes first with a couple of lyrics. We thrash this out in the rehearsal studio and the song develops from there.

 

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

We were playing a gig before and somebody rang in a bomb scare. The manager signaled to us to stop playing and to let everyone know to evacuate the building. After about 10 minutes when the Gardai finished their sweep of the building we went back in and continued on with our set which was quite funny!!

 

Q5. If you could share the stage with anyone, who would it be and why?

It would be amazing to share the stage with Bob Dylan because he is such a legend!

 

In their own words

This Dublin based band formed in 2001 and combines the talents of singer Caitriona McGuinness, songwriter / guitarist Maurice Brennan and bassist Peter Jordan. Bailer released an EP and two singles before releasing their debut album ‘Running’ in 2008 which brought national and regional radio  airplay. The band have played in venues and festivals all over Ireland  including The Olympia Theatre, Vicar Street, The Point Theatre and the Hard  Working Class Heroes showcase. They have been invited as special guests for leading Irish artists like Brian Kennedy, Hothouse Flowers, Aslan and Mick Flannery. Bailer have performed live on FM104, 98FM, Clare FM and  Shannonside.

Bailer are currently recording new tracks for their second album. ‘Daylight’ is available now on iTunes.

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Bobby Bovell – Possible

Q1. Where are you from?

I am a South Londoner, born and bred.

 

Q2. Musical influences?

My biggest musical influence is my dad, UK reggae musician/producer, Dennis Bovell. My dad introduced me to music and musical instruments. One of my earliest childhood memories is of my dad showing me how to hold down a Fm7 chord on the guitar.

As a teenager I had the privilege of going on international tours with my dad while working as the sound engineer for his band, The Dennis Bovell Dub Band. Seeing them perform on the same stage as artists such as The Roots, The Wailers, and MC Solaar inspired me to develop as an artist.

I am also inspired by artist such as Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, and Miles Davis. I admire artists whose lyrics provide some form of social commentary; music that is not just music for music’s sake. My musical style is influenced by jazz, soul, reggae, latin, electro, funk, hip-hop, folk and a whole bunch of other genres. That’s why my album, ‘The Emergent EcleKtic’ is so eclectic.

 

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

I get inspired by a beat or a theme that I want to write for or about. Then I start messing around with melodies and messing around with lyrics. Some songs like, ‘New’, ‘Love, Hate’ and ‘Wrestle with Angels’ poured out of me like water. Others took more time and effort.

Once I have the melodies and lyrics I start forming the structure of the song. However, there are songs that I’d write then a few months later I’d revisit them to rewrite the metaphors or change the structure.

After I have the structure I record a rough guide of the song with the chords that I’m playing on the guitar or keyboards. Then I work with my producer to build the song around that rough guide, and produce the actual sound of the song that we want. This can also change during the creative process; ‘Rosie’ started out as a hip-hop/soul track and is now a reggae track.

 

Once we have the sound we want we then start working on way the song should be sung or rapped in terms of the emotion that needs to be conveyed based on the story we are trying to tell.

 

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

I haven’t really had any bizarre gig experiences… I did a street performance in Copenhagen and a little girl stopped to watch the entire performance then decided to drop some money in the guitar case. So that was sweet. Two-year-olds are really into my music which is quite bizarre. I guess I’m The Toddler Whisperer.

 

Q5. If you could share the stage with anyone who would it be and why?

If I could share the stage with anyone I would probably choose Marvin Gaye because I think he really knew how to interpret a song.  Or maybe Bob Marley and The Wailers because as a band they really embodied that musical energy that artists should try to emulate today.

 

In their own words

If Bob Marley, Omar, and Kanye West were in the studio with Rev. Al Green they would produce that soul-stirring, head nodding, toe-tapping, infectious vibe that is Bobby Bovell’s ‘ecleKtic’ sound.

British-born, South London bred singer/songwriter/rapper/guitarist/trombonist, Bobby Bovell is the eldest son of UK reggae music legend, Dennis Bovell. As a teenager Bobby toured the globe while working as the sound engineer for The Dennis Bovell Dub Band. When not on the road Bobby was at work with his father in the studio. Of his experiences Bobby says, ‘My dad gave me an invaluable education in the studio while he was writing, producing and mixing for various artists from Wet, Wet, Wet to Alpha Blondy‘.

In spring 2011 Bobby Bovell released his debut album, ‘The Emergent EcleKtic’, which he describes as ‘a ready made playlist of musical genres uniting to tell one story’. Using ingenious storytelling Bobby presents heartfelt social commentary, through soulful vocals, over a tasty musical smorgasbord of reggae, soul, hip-hop, latin, pop/rock, folk, and electro sounds.

Having performed in the USA, Australia and throughout Europe, Bobby Bovell has spread his infectious vibe to gain an international fan base of reggae rockers, hip-hop heads, neo-soul lovers and acoustic folksters alike. Bobby continues to travel the globe on his mission to ‘create art that inspires us to believe that the impossible is possible. It’s my way of speaking about our world in the hopes that we can find a common story within our diversity’.

Bobby Bovell is currently headlining shows in Denmark and UK. His debut album, ‘The Emergent EcleKtic’ can be heard on UK radio stations Choice FM, Premier Gospel and Solar. The album is available now from bobbybovell.com, iTunes, Amazon.

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Broken Glass On Broadway – Liar

Q1. Where are you from?

Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

Q2. Musical influences?

Jeff Buckley, The Strokes, Muse, Royseven,The Smiths, Codes, Florence and themachine,Biffy Clyro, The Coronas, Elvis.. To name a few.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Usually our singer Kyle would write a song with a melody hook or an idea and bring it in and the band would build something around it and then other times of one the guitar players might have a hook on the guitar or synth and we would just jam it till we got a vibe.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Am probably playing at a talent competition and having to go on after a man with a dog that does tricks.. Weird…

Q5. If you could share the stage with anyone,  who would it be and why?

We would love to gig with The Coronas. As they have such and great and loyal fan base and we have a similar target audience.

In their own words

“I’m drifting further from this town”

Clonmel five piece, Broken Glass On Broadway, maybe be relatively new to the music circuit but they’re already making a considerable impression.  Most bands who only arrived at their final line-up nine months ago can’t boast of support slots with Miracle Bell, Royseven, Ryan Sheridan and Ollie Cole.. but these boys can.

Guitar driven with smatterings of electro/synth sounds, the uptempo, singalong anthems of Broken Glass On Broadway have won the affections of the public and promoters alike. Songs like “Liar” and “Numbers” have helped the band’s fanbase grow exponentially over the past few months with appearances in the final of “Tipp’s Got Talent” and on Balcony TV, complimenting energetic and memorable performances in The Stables, Limerick, Whelan’s, The Village and The Grand Social in Dublin, to name but a few.

“You find yourself- you find another way around”

“We’ve had a great few months” lead singer, Kyle Fitzpatrick says, “We’re just going to keep writing songs, and doing what we love most- playing music together.”

The next few months will see the band focus on writing new songs, recording demos in preparation for their debut album, and getting in the odd gig here and there for good measure. If they’ve started as they mean to go on, Broken Glass On Broadway will be a household name before too long.

Broken Glass on Broadway are: Kyle Fitzpatrick (Lead Vocals), Dylan Fogarty (Guitar/Keys/Synth), David O’Connor (Guitar/Keys/Synth), James McGrath (Bass), Alex Ridley (Drums/Percussion).

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