Monaghan via Louth three-piece Green Lights release their Time To Tell The Parents EP this Friday, followed by an Irish tour – including a date with Duke Special.
The Duke will be treating fans to two signings this Saturday, first in HMV Grafton Street, followed by an afternoon appearance in HMV Donegall Arcade, Belfast
Duke Special has the tunes, the talent and the charisma to carry it all off. He’s also possessed of one of the most gorgeous voices in Ireland, and he’s not afraid to use it to its full potential.
Newly signed to Universal, the Duke will release his new 'Sweet Sweet Kisses' single next month, followed by a nationwide tour taking in no less than 12 counties.
As we eagerly await the release of Duke Special's I Never Thought This Day Would Come, we thought we'd cheer up your Wednesday with a special preview of the album artwork.
Jon Astley, the UK producer whose credits include Debbie Harry, Eric Clapton and The Who, has put together a monster 31-track compilation for the Tuesday’s Child charity.
As revealed on hotpress.com, The Divine Comedy and Duke Special do piano battle on October 14 in Vicar St, with Dave Couse playing his first Dublin show in two years supporting.
Hot Press understands that Neil Hannon and Duke Special will be renewing their musical acquaintance on October 14 with a dueling piano gig in Vicar St.
The Van Diemens – a group comprised of top musicians who've played with the likes of Van Morrison and Duke Special – play a night of rock tributes in Whelan's this month.
There are few musicians whose sense of place is as firmly etched in their music as Dr John. New Orleans; the Crescent City oozes from every pore of his being, and every crotchet and quaver of his music.
A one-night stand entitled Orchestral Manoeuvres In Belfast in which the Ulster Orchestra gets its oh-so-refined freak on with three of Ireland’s most popular performers.
This year’s Dublin Fringe Festival has one of its strongest musical line-ups yet, with all manner of gigs, once-off collaborations and curated events taking place in the Hennessy Spiegeltent.
As Duke Special set off for a jaunt around Europe with the Divine Comedy, our correspondent hitched a ride on the tour bus. In between the sound-checks and the motor-way pitstops, he received a unique insight into the life of the touring musician.
THE CANDLELIGHT SESSIONS at Phil Grimes' pub are the first rung on the ladder for many aspiring musicians. Proprietor Tom Ryan and chief rabble-rouser Johnny Kiely explain why this live gem is an important part of the Irish music scene.
There's another Belfast, an alternate dimension populated by C.S. Lewis, Van and your host and spirit guide, Duke Special, who's just released his latest album.
He’s one of the most modest figures on the Northern Ireland music scene. But with David Holmes and Duke Special among his cheerleaders, it’s clear that Robyn G. Shiels is a special talent indeed.
Here’s the deal: Snow Patrol have worked with Iain Archer, Iain Archer tours with The Amazing Pilots, The Amazing Pilots produce Duke Special. Which, I hasten to add, is not a spurious attempt on my part to link Peter Wilson to the current head boys in Ulster rock, but merely my way of showing that there’s a loose and creative network currently at play in the North, whose members are, at various levels, producing music of a staggeringly high quality.
This collection of about 50 Irish and British artists performing folk-rock works mostly written by former music journalist Colin Harper is a seriously handsome affair.
The competition might be hotting up as the Murphy’s Live battle of the bands enters the semi-final stage, but that’s nothing compared to the temperature at Whelan’s.
Check out the Spring '07 batch of videos created by Tisch School of Performing Arts students from New York University working with the cream of current Irish musical talent.
That the Duke is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from these shores in a long while is now a given. What is of more interest is what the rest of the world will make of him. ‘Freewheel’ is a fine place to start, a record imbued with such a classic feel that you swear he’d been doing this stuff for 20 years. Absolutely stunning.
The Alison Curtis Show will be live from Whelan's Upstairs on Thursday February 12 for a special Valentine's edition, with music from Duke Special and more.
It was inflight double entendres all round as Bell X1 donned cabin crew attire for a special Hot Press photoshoot. When not showing an unhealthy interest in women’s clothes and fancy Raybans, they talked about their chart-topping new album Blue Lights On The Runway, their imminent breakthrough in the US and freezing their arses off on The Late Show with Dave Letterman
Few inside or outside the Duke Special camp could have predicted that 2006 would be quite such an astonishing year. Yet here he is, rubbing shoulders with the elite and being praised from all quarters. Well deserved it is too and ‘If You Go Down To The Woods...’ is a good example of the attention to detail that has helped along the way. Four tracks, all up to his usual standard and featuring yet another jaw dropping cover, this time of Razorlight’s ‘Stumble And Fall’. Most excitingly, you have to feel that this is just the beginning.
The Bacardi B-Live gang have announced full details of their Arena lineup for the Electric Picnic, with Tom Middleton, Krafty Kuts and Norman Jay among the highlights.
Poetic and rather sweet, Duke Special’s first release on V2 sweeps the listener back to the music halls of the ‘20s. There are shades of, among others, George Gershwin. But witty and charming lyrics add a modern appeal. The result is a record that will appeal to fans of The Divine Comedy. Throughout, Duke’s saving grace is his ability to inject some fun into his playing.
Producing a limited run of singles in hand made sleeves may seem rather at odds with the new ethos of the download, but Coleraine’s ‘The Sleeping Years’ looks keen to take care over everything they do. Essentially the work of Dale Grundle (once of the Catchers), battle your way into the thing and you’ll be rewarded by five tracks that are both simple yet expansive. Another singer songwriter yes, but as with fellow countryman Duke Special, one with a bit of spark to him.
Duke Special tops the bill on March 9 when Belfast’s refurbished Ulster Hall opens for business with a celebratory Do You Remember The First Time? knees-up.
Belfast boy Duke Special is to perform at the Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board and Culture Ireland reception, to celebrate new Irish cinema at the 60th Cannes Film Festival.
Julie Feeney and Duke Special have been confirmed as the first Irish participants at this year’s EuroSonic festival, which takes place in the northern Dutch town of Groningen on January 11 and 12.
Carndonagh based group, The Inishowen Gospel Choir will perform their own version of Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks' among other songs at this years Glastonbury.
The Hot Press Singing Tent at Oxegen will host the likes of Paolo Nutini (pictured), Razorlight, The Virgins, Fun Lovin' Criminals, The Blizzards and more...
Duke Special and The Frames are among the artists who are set to have their videos made courtesy of the students at the Tisch School of Arts in New York.
Hey pop pickers, get a load of this. 37 classic performances from the thin white duke, recorded at the then fledgling BBC Radio 1 studios between 1968 and '72, as the whole world went Hunky Dory.
Neil Hannon fought off tough competition from the likes of Duke Special and The Immediate to win the second Choice Music Prize at Vicar St, Dublin, last night.
Last month's tough budget provoked extraordinary public outrage, with thousands taking to the streets in protest. In the new issue of Hot Press, Brian Cowen defends the government's decisions to raise taxes and cut funding for healthcare and education.
Aslan were the unexpected winners of the night at the Meteor Ireland Music awards, beating off competition from the likes of Ash, Delorentos and the Flaws to take the title of Best Irish Band.
To interpret the work of a composer such as Duke Ellington is a difficult task by any yardstick; the music is very complex and transcends much of the construct of jazz, into which genre it is usually placed.
I Never Thought This Day Would Come is a confident, big-hearted and ebullient record, which sees Peter Wilson tell his truths from behind the mask of Duke Special.
The Darkness couldn’t take the place of the Thin White Duke in our hearts, but they truly are an irresistible force of glam-rock delight. Music geniuses or not, the camera sweeping through the crowd showed that, at this stage, we were only capable of pointing open-mouthed and all we wanted were simple gestures of sensory pleasure. The jumpsuit is half the battle.
Mick Flannery is just one of the top artists featured singing a track on Seachtain na Gaeilge’s Irish language compilation Ceol ’09, due for release next month. Jackie Hayden talks to him about the experience.
The year just gone was one of the most successful yet for Northern musicians. With Snow Patrol, David Holmes and Duke Special riding high, we take a look at 2009’s crop of contenders.
Musicologists often find it neater to trace the roots of soul, blues and rap back to their African origins. In the process, they can often avoid exploring the far untidier influence of the African-American entertainment tradition in which Cab Calloway was a pivotal player.
We hope you're feeling hungry because on September 1, 2 and 3, over 50 of the hottest live acts and DJs around are descending on Stradbally Estate in Laois for the Electric Picnic.
"I used to always take clothes off people as well, like little kids after gigs who would go 'You were brilliant' and I’d go, 'Can I have your jacket?'”
Well, it all goes to show that you can’t predict anything. There I was, like all distant observers, predicting an apocalypse in Mid-Africa, and what happens?
The Stables in Mullingar has become an essential stopover on the Irish rock touring circuit. Here, the venue's booking man, David McLynn tells Jackie Hayden about the current state of rock in the Midlands.
The Roisin Dubh has become one of Ireland's most prestigious music venues, hosting artists such as Violent Femmes, Josh Ritter and Republic Of Loose. Booker Gugai gives us the lowdown on the live scene way out west.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a musician in Norn Iron next week as anyone who can bang, blow or strum an instrument clears off to Washington DC for the Rediscover Northern Ireland Arts & Culture Program.
GARBAGE are a band who absorb all the detritus, darkness and despair of the pre-millennial zeitgeist and spit it back out in a torrent of searing guitars, futuristic technological trickery and lyrics that freeze the blood. They've also made two of the most sinister pop records of modern times - the second of which, Version 2.0, is due for imminent release. PETER MURPHY met them in London to discuss sex, surveillance, studio strife, pre-2000 tension and their special fondness for The Beach Boys.
Having previously traded as shoe-gaze darlings The Catchers, Northern indie-poppers The Sleeping Years are back with a new record – and a rather handsome sleeve
Electric Avenue in Waterford City is now a firmly established stop-off on the Irish circuit. Proprietor and promoter Mick O'Keefe talks a little about his past and explains how he's in this for the long haul.
Kicking off our 2007 coverage of the northern music scene, Hit the North answers all of those questions that have been keeping you awake at night. And a few that haven’t.
He's got a young family and a demanding day job, but that hasn't prevented Davy Matchett, supremo of Only Gone Records, from fighting the good fight on behalf of the Belfast music scene.
Annual article: 12 months ago Colin Carberry was reaching for the Prozac, now he’s more bullish about the Norn Iron music scene than he has been since he started shaving.
Or how TONY BENNETT survived drugs, near-death and the mafia, to become possibly the coolest man on the planet at the age of 72. Interview: Joe Jackson.
North-of-the-border scenester Paul Archer is back with a thrilling new project, Burning Codes. He talks about moving to Britain, becoming a father, and when Snow Patrol supported one of his gigs.
So they say. And so too was David, who slew Goliath in the bible. In fact, there is ample reason to believe that key characters involved in two pillars of the DUP’s view of the world would be deeply offended at recent remarks by Ian Paisley Jnr in Hot Press.
This issue, Hot Press magazine comes with a stunning cover mount CD. Here’s your track by track guide to this exclusive collectors’ item, featuring the winners and headline acts from Murphy’s Live 2007. Click here to buy the mag and get your free CD!
As Velvet Revolver prepare to play Dublin on January 12, Duff McKagan talks to Steve Cummins about the band's chart-topping success and his pancreas-exploding days of yore with Guns N' Roses.
Snow Patrol and Ash are just some of the North’s rock ambassadors who have given their backing to the Oh Yeah Music Centre, a state-of-the-art multi-media development which will put Belfast on the international musical map.
Bruised but unbowed by a turbulent campaign, the People s Coalition candidate, ADI ROCHE, discusses matters personal, political and presidential with JOE JACKSON.
Alex Barclay used to write about fashion and beauty products. Now she’s a best-selling crime author with a lucrative book deal. What sets her apart from other whodunnit writers is her forensic eye for detail and chilling mastery of plot. She’s just getting started, she tells Peter Murphy.
Irish labels, bands and artists often face an uphill struggle to garner recognition, even on their home turf. Which is why hotpress and HMV have undertaken their own combined initiative, to coincide with the announcement of the shortlist for the first Choice Irish music prize. As a product of this initiative, all ten albums will be specially stocked and displayed in HMV stores all over Ireland on the run-in to the announcement of the winning album later this month. Here, we take a look at the list – and reflect on those that have been omitted.
Jeff Buckley, fresh from his recent triumphant gig in Whelan’s, and with his debut album Grace just released, tells Patrick Brennan why he doesn’t want to live or die in L.A., how Cooney and Begley are getting on in New York and about why he needed therapy after meeting Bob Dylan!
The Manson Family at work, rest and play, in sickness and in health. Peter Murphy travels to britain and the US to bring back the full, intimate story of a band on the run
co.uk, with their spiky sound and their hearts set on superstardom, are the new great white hopes of the northern rock scene. STUART CLARK met them.
PiX: MICHAEL TAYLOR
Having been catapulted to fame by their debut, the knives came out for GARBAGE with the release of Version 2.0. But their crifical mauling has only served to bring the band closer together. PETER MURPHY saw them triumph at The Point, and spoke to SHIRLEY MANSON about fame, performance and one-night stands.
Never mind pressies and OD’ing on cranberry sauce, the important thing about Christmas is that it signals the return of the HP-10 Summit. Absolutely no blushes are spared as Ireland’s rock ‘n’ roll elite dissects the musical year that was 2006. Keeping order: Stuart “Paxman” Clark. Taking photos: Graham “Paparazzi” Keogh. Taking the piss: Eyebrowy
Never mind pressies and OD’ing on cranberry sauce, the important thing about Christmas is that it signals the return of the HP-10 Summit. Absolutely no blushes are spared as Ireland’s rock ‘n’ roll elite dissects the musical year that was 2006. Keeping order: Stuart “Paxman” Clark. Taking photos: Graham “Paparazzi” Keogh. Taking the piss: Eyebrowy.
From Chet Baker through Joe Cocker to The Cranberries, the world of music owes the late Denny Cordell an enormous debt. Bill Graham pays tribute to an inspirational craftsman who made Ireland his final home and resting place.
A new album, an exclusive gig and opinions on Velvet Goldmine, the Internet and life, love and happiness. STUART CLARK meets the legendary DAVID BOWIE.
On the eve of the release of Tour De Flock, BellX1’s live album and DVD from Dublin’s Point Theatre, Paul Noonan, Brian Crosby and Dominic Phillips answer the weird and wonderful questions of hotpress readers, from the swimming habits of monkeys to ripping the gusset of your pants on stage.
They blasted into the public consciousness at the end of 2005, when 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' became the year's biggest breakthrough No.1. Since then it's been an extraordinary rollercoaster ride for the Arctic Monkeys, with bass player trouble, celebrity fans, EastEnders appearances and a row with fellow newcomers The Feeling to show for their efforts. Oh, and then there's the small matter of shifting nearly two million copies of their debut album...
Champagne corks were popped last week as Snow Patrol joined that elite group of bands who’ve simultaneously topped the charts in Ireland and the UK. It’s all a far cry from the days when their fame was confined to the University of Dundee Students Union bar. Gary Lightbody takes time out from wowing the masses in Dublin and Belfast to tell Stuart Clark about their twisty and turny route to the top.
In a rare interview, US alt culture icon Tom Waits talks to Dave Fanning about touring with Zappa, getting the nod of approval from Dylan, his fastidious approach to songwriting and why Bill Hicks remains America’s foremost political commentator
After 12 months which saw the group go from the indie B-division to rock’s premier league, Snow Patrol have had a more dramatic 2004 than most. In an in-depth interview, Gary Lightbody discusses a life-changing year, the Irish and British music scenes, friendships, relationships and where the band go to next.
Massive Attack explain why they are outspoken opponents of the proposed war in Iraq, give high praise to Sinéad O’Connor and reveal how a porn soundtrack left them gasping for airtime.
Annual article: The Electric Picnic wasn’t just one of the musical events of the year; it also let us chow down and have a natter with some of the top pop combos of the day, including Bloc Party, Gang Of Four and New Order.
As the founder of Island Records Chris Blackwell can claim a unique role in the evolution of popular music. He pulls up a chair and shoots the breeze about his Jamaican heritage, his relationship with Bob Marley and taking power-lunches with U2.
Philip Chevron's career has been nothing if not varied. From the early days with the Radiators through his collaborations with people like Agnes Bernelle and right up to his current work with The Pogues, he has proved himself to be a consistently fine songwriter and performer. In the first part of a lengthy and intense interview, he talks to Eamonn McCann about his childhood, his love of Broadway musicals, the Horslips connection, the genesis of the Radiators and his fleeting career as a journalist.
Johnny Ray invented rock ’n’ roll. Elvis Presley marked the beginning of the downfall of popular music. The Beatles only ever wrote one great song. Cranky stuff maybe, but when the speaker is Tony Bennett – the man Sinatra called “The best singer in the business” – you have to listen. Joe Jackson does and, in this exclusive interview, hears how a Jewish-Italian New York kid grew up to be a musical legend, a respected painter and a man who, at 67, can still kick ’90s rock off MTV.
When blues legend B.B. King came to town for his recent bash at College Green, as part of the Guinness Blues Festival, BILL GRAHAM caught up with the man whose extraordinary career has spanned many decades and which shows no sign of abating.
Pix: CATHAL DAWSON.
His career was almost over before it began. But hard work - and a surprise hit - have turned Edmund 'Mundy' Enright into one of Ireland's most widely adored stars. Here he reflects on some of the high points of what has been an amazing journey, during the course of which he has rubbed shoulders with some of the greats.
The star-spangled story of how Richard Melville Hall learned to relax and love sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. "Don't tell anybody but I'm actually the lead guitarist with Slipknot," he informs Stuart Clark.
He’s the joker in the Irish music pack, a working class hero who has at once conquered and subverted the mainstream. For his first album in six years JERRY FISH and his MUDBUG CLUB have also roped in some top-tier collaborators including rockabilly queen Imelda May and Carol Keogh.
Not since the death of Elvis has the passing of a music legend so gripped the world. As fans and detractors alike struggle to come to grips with the sad, strange end of Michael Jackson we assess his legacy – as musician, celebrity and enduring icon and talk to some of the people who knew and understood him best.
She’s the post-modern starlet who is stalked by paparazzi wherever she goes but is as comfortable talking about Andy Warhol and John Updike as she is hanging with fashionistas. Say hello to Lady GaGa the good-time pop princess who went to school with Paris Hilton, cultivated a drug habit ‘cos that’s what David Bowie did in the ’70s, but thinks fame is just a game.
Currently the hottest female property in music, Alicia Keys has come a long way from the little girl whose first record was kermit's 'it's not easy being green'. Admittedly, she's had some serious assistance from heavy friends - including music biz mogul Clive Davis - but mainly she can thank her own prodigious talent and spirit of independence. Matt Diehl hears how Alicia Keys came to share the grammy limelight with U2
It s re-introductions all round, as the Starman embarks on a hazardous solo mission. Stuart Bailie records him taking one giant leap for a man.
The Starman walks into a public bar in Chorlton and looks for a quiet spot. The old regulars at the back are nudging each other. They re sure that they recognise the face
and the style of a traveller who s been all the way up there and back.
25 years after the publicaton of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, doctor hunter s. thompson remains the originator and unequalled exponent of Gonzo journalism, an author as famous for his own high-octane, outlaw lifestyle as he is for the remarkable series of books and articles which made him a rock star of the written word.
Tracked down to his lair in the Colorado mountains, Thompson lives up to all expectations in this exclusive interview and story by daniel senstius and jurrien dekker. Photography: chris van houts.
An aristocrat turned rock’n’roll promoter, Lord Henry Mountcharles has been one of the most intriguing figures in Irish public life over the past twenty years. On the eve of Madonna’s hugely anticipated gig at Slane Castle, Mountcharles talks to Hot Press about his priviledged upbringing, studying at Harvard, running for electoral office, experimenting with drugs, meeting U2, Guns n’ Roses and David Bowie, and his encounters with UFO's. Photography Cathal Dawson
With ‘Yellow’, Coldplay captured the imagination of even the most resistant of hard-boiled rock’n’roll cynics. Now, as A Rush Of Blood To The Head achieves lift-off in the U.S., even the sky is no longer the limit.
It’s all about broken down tour buses, Alan Partridge, high speed collisions, Moby, broken ribs, Mina Suvari, MTV stars and David Bowie as Ash launch a sonic assault on America. So riddle me this: can Ireland’s hardest-working rock’n’roll outfit crack the big one?
The HP-7 Summit is back with Michelle Doherty, Rocky O'Reilly, Niall Breslin, Mark Greaney, Niamh Farrell, Messiah J and Danny O'Donoghue sat around the only table that matters this Christmas.
It is five years since rapper TUPAC SHAKUR was gunned down on the streets of las vegas in a gangland-style shooting that took place on September 7, 1996. Since then he has become the subject of one of modern music’s most bizarre death cults, as he continues to sell millions of records and to top charts all over the world. but behind his death lies a story of hip-hop babylon – a sordid tale of intrigue, egos, drugs, sex, intimidation, violence – and, almost by the way, some great and enduring music.
By PETER MURPHY
A special report on the arts in Northern Ireland which is alive and rocking with the whole gamut of cultural activity. Here James Elliott and Margaret F. Grundy give the lowdown on the province’s artistic and creative hub.
They go together like a horse and carriage. You can't have one without the other - or words to that effect. In fact, however, even rock 'n' roll has yet to invent an erotic language that does justice to the breadth and complexity of human desire. In pushing out the boundaries, madonna has taken on the role of sexual pioneer, and done it with courage and no little success. Niall Stokes weighs up the evidence . . .
Martin Lawrence is a massive commercial phenomenon and there’s no reason to doubt that the proudly braindead Black Knight will do anything other than brilliant business
Here comes the moment we’ve all been anticipating for the last four years, and the really good news is that the return of the mighty Spiritualized is one to relish.
Those who missed out on Snow Patrol's outdoor concert in Dublin need not worry - because The Frames have announced their own special gig on the same day.
The Scottish/Irish rockers Idlewild have taken time out of their busy schedule - which includes playing support to the Pixies - to make an appearance at this year's Hard Working Class Heroes.
Certain male members of the Hot Press crew are jolly excited that the drug necking, beer swilling, tattoo displaying Amy Winehouse is playing a Dublin Ambassador headliner.
Not to be outdone by FM104’s Bestest Bits, Ray D’Arcy has released a collection of the “groove-tastic” covers that have graced his Today FM morning show over the past year.
A handful of bands, each playing four or five-song sets; this is a formula that will always produce mixed results. But, pleasingly, tonight threw up more hits than misses.
Five-piece trombone act The Bones of Cork play at the Curtis Auditorium in the Cork School of Music next month as part of the city's St Patrick's Day celebrations.
THERE’S MORE GOOD news for jumping jive fans with the ESB Autumn Jazz Series bringing four more top acts to Vicar St.
Kicking things off on September 8th is Lee Konitz with the Antonio Farao Trio.
Music fans who came to the open day of the Oh Yeah music centre in Belfast were treated to a host of special performances, including an acoustic set from Gary Lightbody.
Hosted by Channel 6’s Michelle Doherty and Across The Line presenter David “Rigsy” O’Reilly, the second Choice Music Prize, set out to showcase the ten best albums of the previous year and, of course, to decide a winner.
The Artists Formerly Known As Jove, Royseven, open their recorded account with the September 8 release of ‘Older’, the first single to be lifted from their The Art Of Insincerity album, which follows in October.
People are always making suggestions. Why don’t you play this or that? It’s always helpful and quite often it can lead me down some interesting musical by-ways.
if you are the kind of individual who lives for musicals, Baz Luhrmann’s latest blast of kitsch madness is almost certainly the most mouth-watering feast served up for your consumption since Madonna’s Evita
Choice Music Prize winners Super Extra Bonus Party are among the acts that will have free videos made for them as part of the latest Hot Press/NYU Tisch School Of Arts initiative.
Here, without the benefit of studio trickery, Ireland’s leading exponent of the genre pours herart and soul into a carefully-selected bunch of songs that bring out the best in her deeply expressive vocal.
After six Murphy’s Live gigs and after much deliberation, the bands that will go to the next stage of Murphy’s Live for the semi-finals have been decided.
Fans and festival folk heading to see the world premiere of U2 3D at Cannes Film Fest got more than expected when the world's most famous Irishmen played an impromptu set on the red carpet.
Formerly known as Baby Astrolab and Big Ten Shed, Divebomb are a seasoned sounding three piece that manage to sound far more brash than their skeletal line up would initially suggest. Their penchant for big melodies and bombastic 'Rebel Rebel' era Bowie workouts is immediately apparent on the opening lo-fi glam stomper 'Stupid'.
It may be just day one, but we've already collected a heck of a lot of autographs from the likes of Republic of Loose, The Coronas, Therapy?, Spinnerette and more!
It’s so confident, accomplished and comfortable in its own skin that you feel like you’ve happened across a long-running serial that’s bubbling along mid-season.
CATIE CURTIS’ music draws from a variety of sources, but the tag of “folk/pop” will suffice. Observational in tone, her songs deal with the uncertainty of life’s path.
Tired of choosing between sequels and prequels? Now you don’t have to. Terminator Salvation does both jobs in the same running time as leading rival products.
That's right - the upcoming issue of Hot Press is football-tastic, and to celebrate Ireland's crucial and historic European Qualifiers at Croke Park, we've got a rather special prize to give away (free content)
The common thread isn’t only the atmospherics and Keith Mullins’ gorgeously lackadaisical vocals. More importantly – and worryingly - it’s a distinct lack of punch, the very same problem that means the listener’s not so much knocked out as tapped on the shoulders politely.
If there’s a central problem with War Stories, it’s that at times it strays too close to rock orthodoxy and loses the offbeat stylistic flourishes that made Unkle such an exciting proposition to begin with.
There was a large turn-out of luminaries of the entertainment industry for the funeral service of Brian Molloy, which took place today at Foxrock church. Molloy, who was the founder of Hawk Records and later Lunar Records, and also a partner in Westland Studios, died after a long battle with cancer.
The established Irish festival for new Irish bands is asking up and coming bands to submit their demos. The chosen ones will get to perform in this year's festival.
Psapp’s airy concoctions may be a little too delicate for those with a more robust palette, but the records of such mischievous imagination and careworn beauty like this should really be savoured.
With 25,000 albums released in Ireland every year, keeping tabs on new music has become an increasingly expensive hobby.
Staying abreast of what has become a fast moving, ever changing domestic scene is especially challenging. A handful of specialist shows aside, one rarely encounters bands such as The Amazing Pilots or Dry County on radio. Often checking out emerging groups means trial and error purchasing.
Thank God, then, for HMV’s Irish Playlist CD. Given away free with selected titles, the HMV Playlist has established itself as a gem of a compilation album. June’s Irish Playlist is exceptional throughout.
As the country’s largest music festival, Oxegen is a crucial shop window for Irish acts. From main-stage headliners Snow Patrol through new kids on the block The Script. Here are some of our favourite Irish picks.
Expectations for new material are, understandably, quite high, both from long term fans of the band and the ever-broadening circle of new admirers, Indeed, the days of Bell X1 filling medium size stages could well be numbered – as it is, tonight’s stage can barely hold the band’s enthusiasm and confidence.
In one of Woody Allen’s short stories he stumbles upon a literary time-machine which allows him to conduct a torrid affair with Emma Bovary. No surprises there. In person or by proxy, Mr. Allen’s been using his movies for precisely the same purpose for decades and Melinda And Melinda provides two Madame B’s – both essayed to passable effect by Radha Mitchell – for the price of one.
Since men first emerged from the water, they have written psalms in praise of the river. Old Man River. The River of Jordan. The Rivers of Babylon. Moon River. Shenandoah...
Just what we needed to round off our summer of car-boot delights – Scooby Doo on wheels from the chap who unleashed Starship Troopers on an unsuspecting planet.
In a previous life, he fronted winsome Northern Ireland popsters Catchers. Now, after a hiatus that included working in a bookshop, Dale Grundle is back with a folk-tinged new project, The Sleeping Years
Instead of trying to be self-consciously cutting edge, Bowie spends most of his 26th studio album belting out orthodox rock ‘n’ roll songs with a band that includes long-time friend, producer and vibemaster Tony Visconti.
Watching so many acts in sequence, the audience may have discerned a hierarchy. Those on the cusp of mainstream success played with a cocky disregard for the actual event.
From the time cracks first began appearing in the Spice Girls' foundation, Mel C was fingered as the one most likely to survive the hype; the girl with the tonsils, the 'tude and the talent. That may still hold, but unfortunately, on her debut outing, she's failed to channel those attributes into one coherent direction.
Burn those leather chaps, chaps. X-Tina wants to be PG-Tina, and that means no mo’ dressing like no skanky ho’. Except the Aguilerean definition of ‘demure’ means that when she uncrosses her legs now, you can only see all the way to Wisconsin instead of Nebraska.
The Script and Sharon Shannon were just two of the big acts honoured at last night's Meteor Awards, where Hot Press editor Niall Stokes also picked up an award...
'I feel my quill is broken! The organ of my imagination has withered! The very towers of my genius have crumbled!' Aye, pal, I know that feeling well: it seizes me every fortnight as I sit down to crank out my copy. The difference is that people actually read Shakespeare, even many centuries after his departure.
I would be guilty of gross hyperbole if I asserted that John Coltrane has been largely forgotten by all except jazz fans, but there's little doubt that his place in history has been considerably obscured due to the shadow cast by his contemporary and one-time bandmate, Miles Davis.
hotpress.com can exclusively reveal the hundred or so acts that are getting offered a slot at the prestigious Hard Working Class Heroes Festival 2005. Selected by over 25 judges including the likes of Thrills & Humanzi manager Allan Cullivan
See him after midnight in the trailer-park: beside his fire with its strange aromas, the withered man with the parched voice and the piercing eyes with even stranger talismans on his jacket.
Bands looking to follow in Snow Patrol and Duke Special’s footsteps should get themselves off to the free Music, It’s The Business seminar that’s taking place in Belfast’s Black Box on February 23.
Christy Moore follows in Duke Special and Damien Rice’s footsteps by performing on the new series of Later With Jools Holland, which airs every Friday at 11.35pm on BBC 2.
Fresh from playing an exclusive BT2 and Diesel store event earlier in the day, superstar London DJ The Duke Dumont spins a November 3 set in The Pod’s Lobby Bar.
Waterford Arts Festival joins the plethora of autumnal events taking place to brighten the shorter evenings, and features an impressive bill featuring the likes of Duke Special, the Marshall Stars and New Colour Soul.
Waterford Arts Festival joins the plethora of autumnal events taking place to brighten the shorter evenings, and features an impressive bill featuring the likes of Duke Special, the Marshall Stars and New Colour Soul.
The 16,000 fans who attended David Bowie's Point Theatre gigs (pics Roger Woolman) will be able to see themselves on the telly next year.
Yup, the Thin White Duke has decided to immortalise the Dublin leg of his Reality World Tour on DVD.
Having struggled in the early days to balance the books, Alternative Ulster magazine is approaching its third birthday with optimism, and a big wad of Arts Council cash.
There will be a secret meeting in Belfast next Thursday (April 23rd) to mark the centenary of the birth of Paul Robeson, the prototype for Muhammad Ali.
Some pay good money for it, some advertise in small print for it, and some recording artists send written requests for it. Put it down to a religious upbringing, or unrequited longings, but whatever the sad reasoning, some people seek abuse.
As 1993 draws to a close, considerable optimism is being expressed about the possibility of bringing peace to Northern Ireland. But no process or initiative grounded in Catholic Nationalism can bring about enduring peace, says Eamonn McCann.
Amanda Byram was today unveiled as the host of this year’s Meteors Awards and nominees for 2009 were revealed - as well as the fact that Sharon Shannon would receive a lifetime achievement award.
As Velvet Revolver prepare to play Dublin on January 12, Duff McKagan talks to Steve Cummins about the band's chart-topping success and his pancreas-exploding days of yore with Guns N' Roses.
Religious leaders have reached new levels of bolloxology in their attempts to explain the tsunami in South East Asia. Plus: the unlamented demise of Fr. Martin Tierney and why documentarist and author Jon Ronson is in a field of his own.
Or how the Christian right detected family values in the sex lives of penguins. But only the heterosexual ones. Plus: the bizarre parable of the Eyeballs In The Sky.
30 years after the recording of Bitches Brew, the release of The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions comes on like Apocalypse Then The Sequel. PETER MURPHY journeys upriver into the heart of darkness and unearths still more evidence to confirm MILES DAVIS reputation as one of the most peaceful and influential musicians of the millennium.
Annual article: With Compass Records taking over the Green Linnet catalogue, the Nashville label has now become one of the biggest traditional imprints in the business.
The Irish music industry has spawned a number of official bodies and companies, who provide invaluable services especially relevant to artists going the independent route. But what do these operators actually do? Here, we present a handy run-down on the key bodies and expert companies out there waiting to serve you.
From U2 to The Frames and Sinead O’Connor to Damien Rice, music has helped put this country on the map. So why is the government so slow to back the music industry?
RTE2 have plenty of live music action to keep us placated for the next few weeks - here's the line up of bands and when to catch them. For more about the Other Voices series, click on the link at the very bottom.
Independent Irish acts have been enjoying unparalleled success recently both at home and abroad. We talk to some of the key bands, DJs, bedroom boffins, labels, fanzines, record shops and blogs who've decided to follow the DIY path to glory.
