Category: Entries 2011 F-J

Johnny Murphy – Jack Said


In his own words…

Johnny Murphy is a man borne of Wexford coasts and Dublin streets. Fascinated by music throughout his childhood, at 16 he set about teaching himself guitar and at 17, moved by the sounds of the Beatles and Van Morrison, he felt compelled to start writing his own kind of music. After moving to Dublin city at the age of 18, Johnny quickly became permanent fixture in the capital’s ever changing music scene.

His music career began like so many before him; performing at open mic nights throughout the city, including long established and well respected gigs such as the Glor Sessions in the International Bar and the Zodiac Session in Bruxelles. Early successes at these open mic nights quickly led to showcase gigs in the Voodoo Lounge, Bewleys and Whelan’s, featured spots on both national and Dublin based radio and support slots for acclaimed singer/songwriters such as Anthony Furey and Fiach.

While Johnny was honing his skills as a live performer he was also recording demos at a furious pace, experimenting with genres, mixing styles and recruiting like-minded musicians to help him forge the sound he was looking for. This current EP, recorded over the course of 6 months, is the culmination of his musical journey thus far and demonstrates Johnny’s gift for melody and ambitious lyrical insight. Johnny writes about his world, what he sees and what he has experienced. As a result, his songs are highly personal accounts of life that will resonate with the listener long after the last note has played.

 

International Racket Squad – Radio Revolution

Q1. Where are you from?

Johnny: We’re a bit of an international melting pot… Miguel our bass funky player, and Angelo our dreadlock percussionist are Brazilian, our drummer Hubert is Polish – and Paddy and myself, who sing and play lead and rhythm guitars come from exotic climes of Dublin and Kilkenny respectively.

Q2. Musical influences?

Paddy: All the way from James Brown, The Clash to more contemporary musicians like Outkast, Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Paddy: We have two songwriters Johnny and myself. The seed for a song can come from many sources…I sometimes wake up with a tune in my head and he mumble the different elements into the voice recorder of my phone. Later I’ll try and reconstruct the sound with real instruments. Usually the feeling of the song will evoke a mental picture and this will be the source of the lyrics. Then Johnny adds harmonies and we hand it over to the rhythm section who give it the Racket Squad treatment and funk it up.

Johnny generally has a rough idea for a song and bash around with a guitar or keys until he finds something he likes. He’ll then make up a melody using rough lyrics and plays around with it for a week or two. I’ll add harmonies and help tighten up the lyrics if he wants me too. Then over to the rhythm section again.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Paddy: Probably that gig in the Dail bar, where time Enda Kenny smashed the whiskey bottle he was drinking, and shouted “Stick em up and I’ll fight you” after we sang “The government wants to take my money”. Brian Cowen just stood there with his pint of Guinness and looked on in bemusement…. Ok well maybe it didn’t quite happen this way :)

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

Johnny: A James Brown concert in 1983, in which the hardest working man in show business invited both Michael Jackson and Prince to the stage for a little jam. Micky J woos the ladies with some funky dancing, while Prince is piggybacked to the stage on the back of a gigantic body guard dressed in a leopard wrestler’s outfit! There was a whole load of fun on that stage.

 

In their own words

Even ten years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine a Dublin band with roots as diverse as International Racket Squad – a motley crew of Irish, Brazilian & Polish musicians who have a love for dance, rap, reggae, ska, rock, popular Brazilian music, funk and Afrobeat.

The accomplished Brazilian-Polish rhythm section provide an interesting foundation for the high energy performances of the two Irish frontmen on guitar and vocals. Despite the range of influences each man brings to the band, their sound and style is very distinct – though it’s hard to ignore the less subtle influences on band members of The Clash, Primal Scream, and even James Brown.

The live setting is a natural habitat for this band with music that feels tailormade to fill the dancefloor. Although their performances are upbeat and energetic, the subject matter also gives expression to deeper personal themes, and socio-political commentary.

The band have just taken up a monthly residency at one of Dublin’s best live venues – The Globe Bar on South Great George’s St, where a full house and dancing on the tables are likely occupational hazards. This band have also been regular guests at the Turks Head in Temple Bar.

To find out more check out their website and Facebook.

 

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Brendan Flynn – Take a Bow

Q1. Where are you from?

The ever sprawling metropolis of the city of Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Q2. Musical Influences?

I’ve been influenced by a wide range of people, my dad used to play saxophone in a showband so music has always been in my life. My teens were filled with great bands such as Therapy?, RATM, Sepultura et al. As I picked up the guitar and began to progress with the songs I could play, I would jam to everything from James Taylor to Marilyn Manson. As long as the music was good I’d listen to, and play along with, it.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

For me the music always comes first and easiest. I can feel my way through the melody until I have tune I’m happy with. The lyrics I find a little more difficult, but the chords tend to write the tone of the song. I try my best to keep it upbeat and positive as most of the experiences I write about are.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Well it’s more a post-gig experience, but when I was younger and playing in a band with my friends, we’d played an amazing gig in Mount Temple GAA hall. It was quite a small space for the amount of people that attended and every band that played was really on top form so the atmosphere outside was great. As we were waiting for the bus to bring us home the conversation turned to how many people could actually fit into the phonebox outside the hall….Turns our 9 people 2 guitars and a set of drumsticks is max capacity…we may have gotten 1 more in, but our giraffe of a drummer was complaining that the light at the top of the phonebox was burning his neck!!!

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

Jimi Hendrix & Rory Gallagher double leads, Phil Lynott on base, Dave Grohl on drums and me, a very happy and in awe bunny, on rhythm. We could all share the vocals (I won’t be greedy). With this line up I don’t really need to give a why, but whatever about the show the after party would be cracker.

 

In their own words

Brendan Flynn first picked up a guitar and began playing in ernist when he was about 15. He formed a band call DAS with 3 school friends and they gigged for the next 2 years before going their separate ways to continue with 3rd level studies. This was a great experience for him both for developing his own musical style and playing technique on the guitar.

He continued to play guitar, but it was mostly just a private passion. Around 2 years ago he was diagnosed with a medical condition that is far too boring and dull to go into here, but the knock on effect of this was that it ceased his joints and so made it nearly impossible for him to play his guitar. Only after this event did he realise how paramount his music was to him and, more importantly, that he wanted to write his own music and have it be heard.

Luckily this has been treated and within the last 12 months Brendan has been able to get back to what he loves doing best, playing and writing music. This is the first time Brendan has entered his music to a competition like this, but with a renewed, confidence and vigour there will be plenty more music to come.

 

Fox E and the Good Hands – Forbidden Fruit

Q1. Where are you from?

We are a 6 piece band, five of us are from Kildare and Barry is from Mullingar!

Q2. Musical influences?

There are a huge variance of musical influences within the band, from Hendrix to hiphop to rap to blues and jazz and classic rock – too many to mention really!

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

We write material as a band, jamm it out and wait for the magic to happen! It has worked well for us so far!

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

We were supporting the Republic of Loose and at the time the band had no name, we were just called FoxE… just before going on stage they asked us the name of the band and one of the lads said ‘FoxE and the Sex crazed Blood Hounds’ – This was misheard as FoxE and the Good Hands – the name has stuck ever since!

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

We would amalgamate Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder and Frank Zappa and share it with a new person called Jimi Wonder Zappa!

 

In their own words

Fox.E and the Good Hands are one of Dublin’s most hard working and original bands, who’s live performances are really the clincher for their fans. Front woman Eimear Fox shows her years of experience on stage with her energetic charismatic stage presence that draws everyone in. Their live shows leave crowds screaming for more and up dancing every time! After their amazing experience at the 2010 Rising Stars competition with the Dublin Soul Festival last year, things have been hectic for this band. Shortly after the festival, the Good Hands won a grant from Kildare County Council and recorded an EP which is now finished and being mastered. The official release of this will be coming up soon! They also won an award from Crooked House in Newbridge and they are making a music video of one of their best loved songs ‘Sunday’s Whore’ (A cheeky number about one night stands and catholic guilt!).

Fox.E and the Good Hands have played all around Ireland in the last few months and last summer saw them playing at festivals such as NPLD, Vantastival, Paircfest and Le Cheile. They have played in Dublin venues such as Le Circ, The grand Social, The Ruby Sessions, Bruxelles, The Twisted Pepper, The Pint, Crawdaddy and Whelans, as well as the Sunday Market performances at the O2 in association with the Musical Youth Foundation. They were also fortunate enough to get support acts last year with the Republic of Loose! A radio programme recently took interest in their music and have used Forbidden Fruit and Bitter or Better as tracks in the current radio soap ‘Sucking helium’ on Dublin City Fm. They have also had radio play on DCUfm, Kfm and Dublin City Fm

Fox.E and the Good Hands have been booked again to play some Independent music festivals this year, and this includes NPLD, Le Cheile and Vantastival. Talks are in the pipelines for slots at other festivals such as Knockanstockan and they are currently talking with the organisers of Oxjam to see if they can get involved with playing for Oxjam at Oxygen and Electric Picnic. They are currently gigging solidly throughout Dublin and have been invited to places like Clare, Kilkenny, Cork and Galway over the coming months.

In terms of the band, the Good Hands are made up of Philip Donnery on drums, David McDonald on Electric Guitar, Barry o Farrell on acoustic guitar/vocals, Jamie Caprani on bass and, of course, Ms Fox on lead vocals and keys. They are also available for smaller acoustic settings and adapt the band as necessary to suit the event. Their music has been compared to Imelda May, Duke Special, Camille o Sullivan but to name a few. They are a soul/funk band with lots of cabaret influences and our live performances leave everyone up and dancing and people cant help but be in a good mood!

Here are two recent reviews of their music:

“Fox.E is one of the finest voices to emerge on the Irish music scene. With her great original compositions and passionate performances she is one to watch out for in 2011″ – Jack Lukeman.

‘Will I sing another bold one?’ says Dublin singer Eimear Fox. Temptation, transgression, religion, sex and sin, these are the themes dealt with in Eimear’s entertaining songs. She sits behind a stage piano surrounded by three musicians: Guitar, Bass and Cuban box drum. ‘Forbidden Fruit’ is a thumping cabaret number dealing, tongue–in-cheek with the sins of the flesh. Vocally she’s got all the trimmings, her voice perfectly suited to this genre. Eimear’s next song has a tangofeel yet still remaining true to her feel good Cabaret with echoes at times of Camille O’Sullivan. Eimear’s last song opens with what might have been an intro to a sermon heard in a Baptist Church ‘Well let me tell ya, let me tell all you people’ -is she about to sing excitedly in praise of the our lord no, no not at all this song is called ‘Sunday’s Whore’ another melodic erotic narrative with no less punch, power and pizzaz! Watch out for this band! (Music Review Unsigned http://musicreviewunsigned.com/zodiacsessions.html)

Further reviews and live footage can be found on their website www.foxeandthegoodhands.com

Hey!

Are you looking for original acts to play at your venue and leave all of your punters smiling and dancing? Well then Fox.E and the Good Hands are the band for you!

Fox.E and the Good Hands are well-established Dublin based band who have a lot of experience and top quality musicians. This band is fronted by Eimear Fox, a talented song writer and charismatic performer who has been compared to the likes of Camille O Sullivan and Imelda May, but to name a few. Eimear’s extensive experience as the director of the Electric Maynooth Gospel Choir (currently on tour with Jack Lukeman and booked to launch the Special Olympics and play a headline slot at the Dublin City Soul Festival among other high profile gigs) gives her an edge on stage, she is an extremely engaging performer and it really is the live shows that show what this band are capable of. FoxE and the Good Hands gig solidly throughout Dublin and are currently expanding to other counties due to popular demand! Last year was a very busy year for the band and this year shows even more promise, with an EP ready to go, a private investor ready to launch the EP and offer other promotional support, and a music video being made in Crooked House Studio’s.

They are also currently in studio at the moment recording a single (I like it Curvy), which they hope to release in the next two months. With some high profile support acts lined up (which will be announced as soon as dates are confirmed), and solid bookings over the next few months, as well as confirmation to play the majority of the independent festivals as well as work at electric picnic through Oxjam, the year ahead is certainly looking very promising. Recent reviews of the EP from the likes of Jack L are outstanding and you can look through all the information below and see how the people are reacting to this funky fresh edgy band! Fox.E would love to play as an original act at your venue. Please look through all the info below and contact us with any questions or queries,

We really look forward to hearing from you,

Kind Regards,

Fox.E and the Good hands

0861757636

www.foxeandthegoodhands.com

jeimear@yahoo.com

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Intinn – Come Away

Q1. Where are you from?

Galway, Cork & Switzerland

Q2. Musical influences?

UK Dub music – plus Irish trad – Thin Lizzy – Bob Marley

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Differs every time, no set structure, just go with how best feels in the moment

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

A fans hair going on fire in the crowd

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

Beyonce, so that we could steal her crowd!

 

In their own words

Intinn are a unique five-piece band from the West of Ireland. Their music is a distinct blend of reggae, dub and drum “n” base with a Celtic trad twist. The Intinn story started in 2003 when Iarla and Cian, both childhood friends from Galway encountered Dublin born Dan in Cork. The trio got together for jams and soon decided to form a band. Catriona, another companion form the early youth days in the west coast was asked if she would play the keyboard with them and agreed even though her main musical interest is in the Celtic Harp. The next major event in the Intinn tale was when Catriona decided to permanently swap the keyboard for her first instrument, the Celtic Harp. Sebi then replaced her on keyboard. An album was then recorded and released in June 2009.

In May 2010 Intinn entered the European Wide Reggae competition. This competition aimed at determining who the “best new coming Reggae act” in Europe would be. The fist stage of the competition was done though online voting by where fans had to log on to the website www.reggaecontest.eu and vote for their band of choice. Intinn successfully got to stage 2 that was held on the main stage of London’s One Love Reggae Festival in August. At One Love Festival Intinn were again successful and were named “Best New Coming Reggae Act of Ireland & UK”. With this, Intinn had to make plans to travel to Spain to perform on the main stage at Rototom Sunsplash Festival in Benacassim in late August where the final of the competition would be held & cam 2nd

Last summer Intinn played to thousands of fans at many festivals including; Life Festival, Sibin Fest, Knockanstockan, Body & Soul, One Love, Rototom Sunsplash & Electric Picnic.

 

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