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Q1. Where are you from?

Cork city based band.(originally from Limerick,Mayo and Tipp)

Q2. Musical influences?

The Velvet Underground, LOVE, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Pixies,Sonic Youth, Spacemen3, PJ Harvey, The Blue Angel Lounge, The Northern Drones, Jefferson Airplane, My Bloody Valentine.

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

Cathal MacGabhann(guitar&vox) is the main songwriter of The Altered Hours.The songs are often written first on an acoustic guitar and then brought to the practice space to find the right sound to surround the song. The Altered Hours strive to create a sound that can capture the basic tune and take it to another level of intensity. Some of The Altered Hours’ songs constantly evolve.Through live improv and just jamming in our space.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Recently we played a show where the support band joined us onstage armed with tons of percussion. Our encore tune was played out with 5 extra members hopping mad around the stage. Shaking shakers and banging tambourines. The crowd really enjoyed the anrachy of it all and the encore went down a treat!

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

Recently we played a show where the support band joined us onstage armed with tons of percussion. Our encore tune was played out with 5 extra members hopping mad around the stage. Shaking shakers and banging tambourines. The crowd really enjoyed the anrachy of it all and the encore went down a treat!

In their own words

‘We all got born,got freaked and got music’

The Altered Hours were formed in the summer 2009. They are a five piece band based in Cork City.They have a very ‘Psychedelic Folk’ sound ranging from garage 60′s pop to modern shoegaze. Although never losing sight of the values of a good song, their psychedelic guitar sounds create an altered world for the songs to strive on. The drums and bass are played with power and percision and the vocals mingle with strong harmonies within their big sound.

Since their formation, The Altered Hours have played all over the country – including The Village(Dublin), The Pavillion(Cork), Bakers Place(Limerick),The Crane Lane(Cork), Roisin Dubh(Galway), Emmet’s(Mayo),The Quad(Cork), The Sugar Club(Dublin).

They are currently working on their debut EP and will be announcing its release date in May 2011.

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Q1. Where are you from?

The Morra are from Glasgow, famous for its humour, ship-building and world-class music acts, as recognised by Unesco in 2008.

Q2. Musical influences?

Our influences are wide-ranging: Pink Floyd and Mogwai have a strong influence on our creative output; our awareness of lyrical geniuses such as Gil Scott-Heron and Bob Dylan ensure we are following a righteous path; Zed Zeppelin, LCD Soundsystem, Frank Zappa and many more

Q3. What’s your song writing process?

We create songs by bringing ideas and concepts to the table, all four members, and merge ideas into a solid form. We try to avoid verse/chorus repetitive music and add excursions in our songs. After blending ideas we go to a cottage beside Loch Fyne in Scotland and polish the tunes, add lyrics if they’re not already there, and get them ready for playing live. After some live gigs, we’ll record our finished versions in the studio, polishing and perfecting any vocal harmonies that have developed throughout the writing process. Throughout this whole process there are battles, fights, boozes and more but that’s all part of the game.

Q4. Most bizarre gig experience?

Playing at Dublin Castle (London) with two London-based bands and a band from New York: we were all waiting for three hours for the sound engineer to arrive and he rocks up, stoned out of his box, initiating the panicked expressions across all the bands. Lo and behold, he was the most talented sound engineer we have worked with and did a sterling job. One of our top gigs and showed us the even if things look to be going tits up you just gotta rock on through.

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

We’d love to share the stage with Page and Plant, both colossal individually and together, reach a performance level of the highest calibre. Obviously Bonham and Jones are gone but playing with those gods would be one hell of a gig.

In their own words

The Morra is an alternative, rock band from Scotland. The Morra is a band that produces solid rock without abandoning creativity. In many ways the sound is different from what you might consider pure rock, but this act understands what it means to roll. Sonically they are willing to play with abandon at times, which makes them all the more fantastic to listen to. With drums that do more than just keep the beat, and guitars that pull the ear forward, the bass is allowed to make a statement. Their creative side sounds like very early new wave with intense overlaying of sound, but the attitude is defiantly hard rock. Their songs are best if played loud, but they don’t loose their impact if they are held at a comfortable listening level. The highest compliment to give any creator in any medium is that they are honest. The Morra is as honest as a four member band can be. They are a rock gem that should be discovered as soon as possible.

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