• Front of House: Keith Killen (Skinny)

    November 16, 2016 - By 

    In the latest installment of Front of House, photographer Tara Thomas shoots and talks work, experience and breaking through in the industry with Irish tour manager, backline tech and touring guitar tech Keith Killen AKA Skinny. Hi Keith! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Well, I like long walks in the rain and… I’m 30, I work as a touring guitar tech, backline tech and tour manager for a number of bands as well as FOH and some corporate work. I absolutely love my job and don’t like having too much time off, idle hands and all that!…

  • Isolation and Release: An Interview with Arcade Fire’s Sarah Neufeld

    November 4, 2016 - By 

    Both in her solo output and work as a member of Arcade Fire, Sarah Neufeld has long established herself as one of the world’s most forward-thinking, consistently singular violinists. Ahead of the only Irish date of her current European tour at Belfast’s The MAC on Monday (November 7), the Canadian chats to Brian Coney about collaboration, virtuosity, writing on the road and what to expect from Arcade Fire’s forthcoming fifth studio album. Hi Sarah. Your second album, The Ridge, is a wonderful release. Congratulations. What was the writing process like for this release, especially compared to Hero Brother? Thanks! I wrote The Ridge in a more…

  • Dreaming On: An Interview With Pleasure Beach

    October 26, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of their Jameson Bow St. Session alongside Wyvern Lingo and Amaron + Magic at Cork’s Crane Lane tomorrow, Alan Haslam from Belfast five-piece Pleasure Beach talks to Brian Coney about writing hits, what defines dream-pop and taking it as far they can. Register for free tickets to the band’s Bow St Session here. Hi guys. For the uninitiated, how did Pleasure Beach come about? When were the seeds sown and when did it all come to flourish? Hi! Well, we were all involved in various other projects around the time of the band’s formation. I had a handful of new songs…

  • Clever Things Done Simply: An Interview with Wyvern Lingo

    October 22, 2016 - By 

    Catching some downtime following a busy few months that saw the release of their stellar A Letter For Willow EP and a UK support tour with James Vincent McMorrow, Bray trio Wyvern Lingo will soon set off for a string of Irish dates across November and December. Ahead of those – as well headlining Jameson’s Bow St Sessions at Cork’s Crane Lane on October 27 – Brian Coney talks to drummer/vocalist Caoimhe Barry about plans for their debut album, the open road and striking a balance between accessible and experimental. Register for free tickets to the band’s Bow St Session with Pleasure Beach and Amaron + Magic…

  • Love and War: An Interview with Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe

    October 14, 2016 - By 

    As their average fan will happily tell you, Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe isn’t as much outspoken as he is nail-on-head, uncannily on-the-money about pretty much everything he cares to discuss or pass comment on. To say, then, that he “gives a good interview” – no matter how brief – would be a fairly towering understatement. With two eyes on the horizon, Newcombe talks to Robert Higgins ahead of the release of BJM’s fifteenth album, Third World Pyramid, touching on creativity, sobriety and imminent war. You’ve always been a prolific songwriter, but the past year has been busy even by your standards. What do…

  • Interview: Psychoanalysing The Man Who Fell To Earth with Dr. Eve Watson

    October 14, 2016 - By 

    This is the year when we lost one of the true greats, a man who defined the term enigma, tore up the manual of rock music when it was barely written and who continues to inspire freaks, free-spirits and anyone who hasn’t felt the need to fit in beyond his death. From the start of his career through to the remarkable epitaph that is Black Star, the man born David Jones has left behind a massive hole in the hearts and minds of music fans everywhere. Dr. Eve Watson is one such fan. Studying in the States saw her discover…

  • For Love Nor Money: An Interview with Gross Net

    October 13, 2016 - By 

    Ahead of the release of his stellar debut LP via Touch Sensitive in November, Girls Names’ guitarist Philip Quinn AKA Gross Net talks to Brian Coney about money, sanity, impetus, authenticity and the fact “we’re all fucked”. Photos by Diarmuid Kennedy You release Quantitative Easing, on November 25. It follows on from Outstanding Debt, your collection of re-commissioned tracks from aborted releases. Once again, money is the pervading theme here. Cast your mind back ten years ago, did you ever envisage it taking such a hold over your art? Well… ten years ago releasing music, or making a slight bit of income…

  • Blood and Guts: An Interview with Le Butcherettes’ Teri Gender Bender

    October 10, 2016 - By 

    For the uninitiated, Le Butcherettes are a three-piece punk rock band based in El Paso, by way of LA and the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico.  As founder and front-woman Teri Gender Bender has alluded to, her grounding in a deeply religious city, where ‘humble hard-working people’ live on the same streets as ‘violent kidnappers’ had a profound impact on her mind-set.  This juxtaposition of good and evil would act as her musical education, informing image, lyrics and sound. Through a process of cultural osmosis Gender Bender drew inspiration from many sources, be it Mexico’s ‘raw corruption’ or American punk music –…

  • Tales From The Manor: An Interview With Emmet Condon of Another Love Story

    October 10, 2016 - By 

    Camaraderie and intimacy are what lie at the root one of Ireland’s most enticing summer spectacles, Another Love Story. Off the back of its marvellously successful third year, Homebeat founder and festival curator Emmet Condon talks to Eoin Murray about what separates ALS from Ireland’s larger music festivals and about the very real love that fuels it above all else. Photos by Aaron Corr It’s been a few weeks since Another Love Story. Now that you’ve had some time to let it digest, what were some of the highlights of the festival for you? Highlights are a bit tough to…

  • Far From Nowhere: An Interview With Malojian

    October 6, 2016 - By 

    Having released Southlands last year to critical acclaim, Malojian’s subsequent announcement that they’d be jetting off to Chicago to record the follow-up, This Is Nowhere, with the illustrious Steve Albini was just cause for much excitement within the NI music community. Now, on the cusp of its release, we pinned down Stevie Scullion – Malojian’s driving force – to get the scoop on recording with Albini, the writing of the new album, and more. Words by Aaron Drain. Photos by Colm Laverty Catch Malojian at the following Irish shows over the next three months. October 7: The Fat Gherkin (Solo…