• Q+A: Tell No Foxx

    May 15, 2015 - By 

    Wicklow soundscapers Tell No Foxx have been thrust into the public eyes and ears the past few weeks following the release of their well-received single ‘Dust’ last March. Living somewhere between kaleidoscopic and melancholic, their massive pop sound has earned them the applause of fans and critics alike. Liam Doyle caught up with the lads ahead of their supporting slot this Sunday with Indiana at the Workman’s Club in Dublin to get the low down on ‘Dust’ as well as their plans for the future. It looks like it’s been a busy year for Tell No Foxx, any personal highlights…

  • Interview: Ane Brun

    May 13, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of her highly-anticipated return to Dublin in December, James Hendicott chats to Norwegian alf-folk singer-songwriter Ane Brun about her forthcoming seventh studio album, working with the likes of Peter Gabriel, and the profound feeling of excitement she gets when starting a new musical project. Your last couple of releases, the ‘best of’ and the rarities album were interesting, in that one summarises your career, and one diverges totally from it and delves into other people’s work. i in particular came straight out of the blue. Was that an exciting way of doing things for you? Will you be returning…

  • Interview: Woody Woodmansey

    May 1, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of the legendary English drummer’s appearance at Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival’s Marquee on Friday, May 8, Mike McGrath Bryan chats to Mick “Woody” Woodmansey, best known for his work with David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars. Hi Woody. You played on four of Bowie’s most influential and important records. How did you come into his fold, so to speak? I had played with Mick Ronson in a band called The Rats in the city of Hull, East Yorkshire. We were a blues based progressive rock outfit playing on the University circuit, supporting major acts at that time, plus we…

  • Interview: Charlie Caplowe (Xtra Mile Recordings)

    April 29, 2015 - By 

    In a revealing conversation, Will Murphy talks to Charlie Caplowe, founder of one of the finest independent record labels around, Xtra Mile Recordings. Based in London, the imprint is responsible for putting out some stellar records from Reuben, Frank Turner/Million Dead, Future of the Left, Against Me! and many more. Hi Charlie. What’s the early history of Xtra Mile? What led to the creation? Who were the key players? I was working as a PR for many years handling the press for many acts including Million Dead, Frank Turner’s old band. No labels were signing them, so I said, “Well, sod that.…

  • Q+A: Mylets

    April 29, 2015 - By 

    At just 20 years of age, Henry Kohen AKA Mylets’ debut album has just been released via Sargent House. Having received exceptionally warm reviews from the likes of NPR and the New York Times, he’s just left California to tour Europe with And So I Watch You From Afar. Koken talks to Niamh Hegarty about some of his time at Sargent House to date and the evolution of his new album, Arizona. Your standard of musicianship is particularly high. When did you first pick up a guitar? I found my dad’s old 3/4 scale off-brand acoustic in a closet when I was…

  • Interview: Dutch Uncles

    April 9, 2015 - By 

    Just under two months from the release of fifth album, O Shudder, and barely into a UK/Ireland tour, Dutch Uncles frontman Duncan Wallis chats to Joe Madsen about performing live, recorded ventures both past and future, and changes in band membership. So how are you guys feeling about the reception and feedback you’re getting on the new album? Interesting question.  I don’t think we’ve thought too much about it, really.  We’re very happy with the reviews.  We weren’t expecting to get so many 4/5’s and 8/10’s because that’s all we got straight across the board with our last album, so we didn’t…

  • Q+A: Princess

    April 9, 2015 - By 

    One of our featured 15 for ’15 acts, Dublin noise-pop duo Princess are truly riding the crest of a wave at the minute. Ahead of shows at Belfast’s Woodworkers on Saturday, April 11 (free), Galway’s Roisin Dubh on April 16 and Limerick’s Kasbah Social Club the following night, we chat to Liam Mesbur from the band about their increasingly enthralling sound and direction. Hi guys. I remember featuring ‘Tortured Wings’ in a BBC Ulster radio segment two years ago. Your sounds has really developed since then. What do you owe that to? When we did that tune it was myself writing everything and…

  • Q+A: The Vincent(s)

    April 7, 2015 - By 

    It’s a gorgeous, sunny afternoon in Cork City and I’m about to interview a band that describe themselves as death pop and bleak drag. In person, they are far from bleak but some of the most uplifting people you could ever meet. Cork’s The Vincent(s) had me in stitches laughing. Tell me a bit about your musical background. How did you all start getting into making music? Marc: My mother bought me a four track, when I was really young – it was like one of those Fisher-Price four tracks with drums and stuff, I started messing around with that. It…

  • Interview: Rory Nellis

    March 12, 2015 - By 

    Just over a year since the release of his wonderfully beguiling four track EP, The Moon, Belfast-based singer-songwriter Rory Nellis is currently crowdfunding for his forthcoming debut album, Ready For You Now, via Pledgemusic. Ahead of its release in June, Nellis – also frontman with the indie rock quartet Seven Summits – talks to us about the crowdfunding process, the host of local musician friends who feature on the album and how focusing on the positives of his hometown pays creative dividends. Hi Rory. Your forthcoming debut solo album, Ready For You Now, is being released via PledgeMusic – an increasingly…

  • Interview: Sleater-Kinney

    February 19, 2015 - By 

    Ahead of their Dublin show at Vicar Street on March 26, Brian Coney talks to Janet Weiss, drummer with the recently-reunited, impossibly influential Sleater-Kinney about getting back together, rediscovering the magic of writing and refusing to be ever consigned to the “girl band ghetto”. Hi Janet. Before touching on the reunion itself, in what ways do you think No Cities to Love – your first record in a decade – is a continuation, musically or thematically, from The Woods? I think that with so much time between The Woods and the new record, it’s not really a direct response to…