Dateline San Diego, March 28th: with seven songs from their world-beating Vertigo album in the set, on the opening night of their world tour, it quickly became clear that – the occasional glitch notwithstanding – U2 have re-imagined their live set with remarkable success. Tara McCarthy asks: how do they do it?
You may not be aware of this – but you, dear reader, are living in one of the most romantic places on earth. That’s according to countless writers and readers of romantic fiction, for whom Ireland and the Irish are bywords for commercial success. On St. Patrick’s Day, a US publishing company will publish Emerald Enchantment, an anthology of all things green, red-haired and romantic. New York-based tara mccarthy, seeking insight into the tragic history of her own romps in the hay with Irishmen, assesses its contents – and has little difficulty separating fact from fiction.
Illustration: MIKEY CROTTY
…for a while anyway. In a few short weeks Belfast's GHOST OF AN AMERICAN AIRMAN will leave home once again to tour distant lands. That's the bad news. The good news is that while they're here, Ghost... take time out to tell TARA McCARTHY what the hell they've been up to for the past two years.
On this, the occasion of my last Demo Parade (yes, readers, the sad truth is that by the time you read this I will be back home in the United States) I thought it would be appropriate to look back on my reviews and pick out the ten best demo tracks of my year at Hot Press.
DUBLIN'S HARVEST Ministers release their debut LP Little Dark Mansion this week on Sarah Records, the UK independent label that released their first two highly successful singles on that side of the water.
'Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me' may be their battle cry, but leftist rocker/rappers Rage Against the Machine are new to Dublin and Tom Morello needs to be told how to do everything from crossing streets to putting vinegar on his chips. Here, while strolling through town, the guitarist talks about the band's politics, life in Los Angeles and the camera of the people - the Kodak Electrolux. Tour guide: Tara McCarthy
Rob B of the Stereo MC's is angry. At rock stars who take drugs and at governments who ban marijuana. At media people who support the status quo and at religious leaders who distort the message. His antidote? "You've got to feel the music," he says. "It's got to be an inspiration." Interview: Tara McCarthy.
I said to an A&R man the other day that I could never do his job and I thought I meant it. Only later did it hit me that my job is, in some ways, harder than A&R.
I said to an A&R man the other day that I could never do his job and I thought I meant it. Only later did it hit me that my job is, in some ways, harder than A&R.
Whatever your fancy chances are the capital will be able to oblige. Here, the Hot Press team pound the pavement in selfless pursuit of Dublin's hottest - and coolest - nightspots.
ANYONE familiar with the concept of a 'production weekend' will understand why Hot Pressers attending last Saturday's Support JIM Gig made a graceful exit at around midnight.
If memory serves me, about two years ago this group were called The Cypress Hill Gang, under which guise they released a controversial single, 'How I Could Just Kill A Man'.
Tara McCarthy talks to Freres Jackman about their trip to not-so-far-away places where everybody loves music and bands actually make money playing gigs!
The BLUE ANGELS have waited a long, long time for the release of their debut album Coming Out Of Nowhere. Now that this occasion has finally arrived the big question is: what next?
TARA McCARTHY talks to SHANE O'NEILL
THIS WEEK'S batch of demos includes some by bands who have had my feet tapping in the past. Unfortunately, the results aren't always quite as captivating as first time round.
If, as the coolest of the cool are prone to say, grunge is dead, nobody has told it. More importantly, nobody's informed all the common folk who, at least in the States, are pushing Pearl Jam's Ten into its eighty-third week on the Billboard Album Charts.
It must be said. I listen to more crap than any journalist in the Western World. Most of the time, however, even a dire tape has a few redeeming factors - maybe one classic song out of four, maybe a humourous lyric, maybe a fantastic singer. Other times - and yes, this is one of those times - you find a demo that is genuinely not worth the tape it's recorded on.
'Hold On', the opening track on this, Tribe After Tribe's latest album, is so frighteningly good, so savage and unrelenting with its screaming guitars and African vocal and drumming techniques that Pearl Jam's claim that this band from Africa-via-LA are going to be the next big thing seems as irrefutable as the fact that two and two makes four.
Beatbox New Band Challenge winners and now curtain-raisers at Féile - it all seems to be happening with remarkable speed for The Unbelievable Children. Once the hyperactive Tim has calmed down a little bit, Tara McCarthy finds out where these precious kiddies plan on going from here.
Evan Dando of Lemonheads is one of rock's new wave of sex gods. But for a man of such apparently heavenly looks, he is rather short on statements of, er, philosophical gravitas. Bearing witness: TARA McCARTHY
Together for only a year, MR NORTH are causing more polarisation on the Dublin rock circuit of than any band since the legendary Muff Divers.
Within the past six months they've been tipped for world domination by some and written off by others as nothing but ground up Chili Peppers. Which side will you be on when lines are drawn? Interview: TARA MC CARTHY
