Posts Tagged ‘Gospel’

Champagne Animal – Wild Mast

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Q1. Where are you from?

Champagne Animal get around, we have a mancunian on keys, a californian/galway girl on backing vocals and the rest of us are different corners of Ireland. Resulting in a collective that is interesting to say the least. Most of us met through The Dublin Gospel Choir.

Q2. Musical influences?

The influences in the band are so varied but it works in our favor because no 2 people have the same opinion about how our songs should sound and everybody brings something different to the table. Our keys and guitar player are classically trained and are influenced hugely by this, I (lead singer) love the divas, Whitney, Mariah, Christina, Regina Spektor etc…..And then our bass player is old school with Guns n Roses, Metallica and Elvis on his favorite playlists.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Our writing process varies, myself and dave the guitar player would usually construct melodies and lyrics together and then bring it to the band and jam it out but everybody in the band has musical ideas and so we try and meet up and see what we can create collectively, sometimes it’s an absolute disaster but more often then not we create something we love.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

We found supporting Fight Like Apes a little surreal as we had only been together a few months and suddenly we were supporting the band on New Year’s Eve in The Village. As far as dodgy gigs go, we have played on a stage where there were no lights, which posed many problems as you can imagine. We also played a stage that had a pillar right in front of my microphone, strangely enough it was one of my favourite gigs trying to manoeuvre myself around that pole made for a very interesting night!

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

Such a hard question to answer, but I suppose any of our influences mentioned above would be amazing. Right now though we are really very happy to be sharing the stage with each other. We have been together just over a year and have had some brilliant gigs and experiences and long may they continue!

 

In their own words

Champagne Animal formed a year ago after members met through The Dublin Gospel Choir.

The unique, yet accessible, sound of Champagne Animal stems from their eclectic tastes and experiences in music, which range from rock to gospel, pop to classical. This broad spectrum of styles results in a sound which is fresh, punchy and emotionally charged.

While they have been together for just around a year, they have managed to pack in a lot and have secured themselves some much sought after slots, such as appearances at The Ruby Sessions, The Sunday Roast, Balcony TV, and The Workman’s Club as well as the launch of the Irish Glastonbury 2011 Competition supporting ‘Shouting At Planes’. They were especially grateful to end 2010 on a high when they were asked to support Fight Like Apes in the Village at The Phantom New Year’s Eve Ball.

They have just finished recording their first EP, which will be launched mid- 2011. Until then, they continue to write and plan their world domination.

Q1. Where are you from?

Champagne Animal get around, we have a mancunian on keys, a californian/galway girl on backing vocals and the rest of us are different corners of Ireland. Resulting in a collective that is interesting to say the least. Most of us met through The Dublin Gospel Choir.

Q2. Musical influences?

The influences in the band are so varied but it works in our favor because no 2 people have the same opinion about how our songs should sound and everybody brings something different to the table. Our keys and guitar player are classically trained and are influenced hugely by this, I (lead singer) love the divas, Whitney, Mariah, Christina, Regina Spektor etc…..And then our bass player is old school with Guns n Roses, Metallica and Elvis on his favorite playlists.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Our writing process varies, myself and dave the guitar player would usually construct melodies and lyrics together and then bring it to the band and jam it out but everybody in the band has musical ideas and so we try and meet up and see what we can create collectively, sometimes it’s an absolute disaster but more often then not we create something we love.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

We found supporting Fight Like Apes a little surreal as we had only been together a few months and suddenly we were supporting the band on New Year’s Eve in The Village. As far as dodgy gigs go, we have played on a stage where there were no lights, which posed many problems as you can imagine. We also played a stage that had a pillar right in front of my microphone, strangely enough it was one of my favourite gigs trying to manoeuvre myself around that pole made for a very interesting night!

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

Such a hard question to answer, but I suppose any of our influences mentioned above would be amazing. Right now though we are really very happy to be sharing the stage with each other. We have been together just over a year and have had some brilliant gigs and experiences and long may they continue!

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Inishhowen Gospel Choir – Send Up Judah

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Q1. Where are you from?

We’re from Inishowen in Co. Donegal.

Q2. Musical influences?

Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Rotary Connection.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

We are a gospel choir so we perform covers of various artists, but we our musical director writes all his own material & goes under the name of False Relations.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Opening Glastonbury 2010, in the Stone circle holding hands with around 1,000 festival goers!

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

Stevie Wonder, he ozzes SOUL!

 

In their own words

Q1. Where are you from?

We’re from Inishowen in Co. Donegal.

Q2. Musical influences?

Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Rotary Connection.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

We are a gospel choir so we perform covers of various artists, but we our musical director writes all his own material & goes under the name of False Relations.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Opening Glastonbury 2010, in the Stone circle holding hands with around 1,000 festival goers!

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

Stevie Wonder, he ozzes SOUL!

Q1. Where are you from?

We’re from Inishowen in Co. Donegal.

Q2. Musical influences?

Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Rotary Connection.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

We are a gospel choir so we perform covers of various artists, but we our musical director writes all his own material & goes under the name of False Relations.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Opening Glastonbury 2010, in the Stone circle holding hands with around 1,000 festival goers!

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

Stevie Wonder, he ozzes SOUL!

In their own words

The Inishowen Gospel Choir, founded in October 2005, has performed both nationally and internationally, with success in Ireland, France, Poland and England. With famous festivals such as Glastonbury under their belt, collaborations with the likes of Duke Special, Foy Vance, Cara Dillon and The Hothouse Flowers, and footage from sell-out shows featuring in film festivals, this highly-praised home grown choir has a lot to offer, with a wealth of performing experience to date.

Displaying a very versatile sound, from traditional, goodtime Harlem and Southern gospel anthems and uplifting renditions of soul, rock and funk classics to a mix of world music and diverse original arrangements, the choir guarantee a great night out – leaving no soul unturned.

“Their tunes range from African to Caribbean to Cajun to Bluegrass to that unmistakeable full-throated gospel ecstasy that comes from America’s deepest South…blissful harmonies….superb singers and amazing musicians” – The Derry Journal

“voices merging seamlessly..This is spiritual music, of the best kind, with soul and passion coming together in perfect harmony..an unforgettable display of vocal fireworks” – Culture Northern Ireland

“An instant hit” – Mid Ulster News

“Young, gifted and white..” – Belfast Telegraph

Q2. Musical influences?

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Niall O’Shea and the Inner City Dogs – Too Long

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Q1. Where are you from?

Dublin.

Q2. Musical influences?

Hendrix, Marley, Nick Drake, Rory G, Stones, The Jam, The Clash.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Coupling chords and melody with pages of lyrics I’ve collected. Or picking a subject matter and starting the process from scratch.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Probably having a rapper we didn’t know volunteering himself to jump onstage with a 6 piece folk rock band, rapping on a song he had no right to rap on and it sounding amazing. Supporting The Wailers in The Olympia Dublin, and having an ‘out of body’ experience playing the first song. Unbelievable venue.

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

Joe Strummer. Amazing lyricist, boundless energy, he never stopped till the final whistle and that’s something I  try to do for my gigs. Mega heavy hitter on the tele.

 

In their own words

“My earliest musical memories are of watching Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner Improvisation, and at around 9 or 10 I was listening only to Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Blues”. I had a facination with these styles of music.

A few years on Niall wanted a guitar, badly, and after having one bought for him he took to the instrument and they soon became inseparable beginning the journey of life as a musician. Collecting all sorts of musical habits along the way, Niall developed an interesting style of playing, spitting out songs at an impressive rate.

Within 2 years he was the guitarist in his first band. Being the guitarist in his first band was a fantastic experience, and with learning the craft of song writing many lessons were collected in those years.

The band played some great venues, headlined/promoted some brilliant shows, supported some fantastic acts, and imploded after 3 years. “I knew from those few years that I wanted music and songs to be a way of life for me, no matter what was going to happen, good or bad, wherever I ended up”.

In the downtime Niall decided to start singing his songs in public and began busking in the city. He became a weekend regular in Dublin. The band reformed 2 years later with 2 new members and a renewed energy.  Eventually He decided to go solo.

I knew I would record albums, but before committing to the first one, I wanted to travel to gain experience and writing inspiration. The best way to do this was  a year of backpacking, around Asia, Australia and NZ. I gigged, got myself a busking permit for the city of Sydney, and wrote”.

When he returned he took his gigging experience and new set of songs to venues all over the country, while finding himself back in demand as a session guitarist for a dozen other acts and bands.

With this new set list and experience he started recording his debut album in The Qube, with Q (Colm Quearney) on co-production duties. “Although never officially schooled in music up to this point The Qube definitely was a classroom. It’s hard to quantify just what I learned from Colm (Q) in the studio. I’m definitely a better writer, arranger,  better guitar player, and I feel I have much more integrity as an all round musician. Maybe that’s what I would’ve learned had I studied music”.

“I’ve gone the long way round to my first album.” Has it been worth the wait? ”It definitely has, and it’s the first of many.” The reason I started playing may have been to play like Jimi Hendrix and blues guitarists, but I didn’t start writing to write like anyone, I’ve got more reasons to write now, and I’ve made an album I hope people can love, associate with something positive in their lives”

That’s the start, it isn’t the end, and although you can never tell if it’s the middle, you can tell it’s going somewhere.

‘Inner City Dogs’ will be released through Locked Jaw Donkey Records.

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