But where would you be in the middle of the night with no bells and your knickers ringing? Or more to the point, where would you be without the new Hot Press/Heineken link up with Tower Records on Sundays?
Tower's Wicklow Street store manager Clive Branagan reflects on how the shop's independent stance enabled them to get progressively stronger, while others floundered.
FLApes have been disappointingly M.I.A. recently while they crack the UK market, but they're back to play several Irish dates this month, including a one-off show in Tower Records.
Hotpress.com is delighted to bring you this pre-release goo at the artwork for Bell X1’s Blue Lights On The Runway album, which makes it into the shops here on February 20.
Rumours of the death of Tower Records Ireland - circulating ten to the dozen in the capital this week - have been greatly exaggerated. "Our operation in Dublin is very robust," assures a spokesperson
Those going to the Hard Working Class Heroes musicfest in Dublin next weekend (August 26-9) will be mighty thrilled to learn that there will be a series of lunchtime in-stores at Tower Records as a taster for what the three-day event holds.
At the precise moment that TOWER RECORDS are celebrating their 30th anniversary, they have the youngest managing director in their history – ANDY LOWN. Since assuming his present post in July 1996, he’s masterminded the expansion of the company in Ireland, and is about to preside over the opening of five new outlets in this country. Interview: STUART CLARK.
Ding Dong Merrily On High! The Season of Goodwill is upon us and you can do your bit by dipping into your pocket to buy an album of carols in aid of the hospice.
THE THEME of this year’s World AIDS Day, on December 1st, is ‘A Time To ACT’. When I first heard this I wondered if I was dreaming – twelve years into the epidemic, and we’re being told it’s time to act!
No, the term “sexy tech” doesn’t refer to the HP design department; it’s Philadelphia producer King Britt‘s mission to put the hip-shake back into techno under The Nova Dream Sequence banner.
STRIKING THE RIGHT CORD'
Film soundtrack buffs and nattily-attired acid jazz whippersnappers CORDUROY tell peter murphy about their strange
passion for Dave Allen's theme tune.
The seeming indifference of the Department of Education has prompted the band TUPELO to release a song to highlight the plight of children attending Cabra’s neglected Gaelscoil Bharra
Resistance Isn't Futile
EAMON SWEENEY reports on Detroit's pivotal Underground Resistance label, and the controversy ignited when Sony released a 'cover version' of one of the label's best-known tracks.
Nearly 30 years after he coasted into the big time, PETER MURPHY asks PETER SARSTEDT the big question - and finds that there is much more to the man than the "one-hit wonder" tag implies.
Harmonica virtuoso DON BAKER has been busy recently adding another string to his bow, in the form of an acting career which has so far seen him work with Jim Sheridan and Richard Attenborough. And in between takes he s even managed to put the
finishing touches to his latest album, Just Don Baker. Interview: PETER MURPHY. Pics: cathal dawson
JONATHAN O’BRIEN (real name) meets
WREKKED TRAIN DAVE (not real name) of the
LO-FIDELITY ALLSTARS (real name) and finds out how CLAUDIO GENTILE (real name) fits into their chaotic scheme of things.
In a rare interview, Simpsons writer Mike Scully talks about the show’s A-list musical guests, his love for Ned Flanders and upsetting the entire population of Brazil. He also tells us what to expect from The Simpsons Movie, which blockbusters its way onto the big screen in the summer.
Formed out of the ashes of The Marshals, Television Room are set to release their debut single and play a smattering of live dates in the coming weeks.
The Walls - purveyors of rather excellent new single 'To The Bright And Shining Sun' (that's from the AIB advert, that is) - added to the Chili Peppers' Lansdowne Road bill
As none of the three people named in the title of Something Happens new album Alan, Elvis And God was available for interview, Tom Dunne, Ray Harman and Ted Ryan took on the roles of all three to discuss how the planet-fab foursome are moving into overdrive with the acquisition of a new record deal and the imminent release of that new album.
Tape: JACKIE HAYDEN.
Dublin rockers Large Mound will stretch the limits of endurance this August 23, with three gigs in one day – and with a healthy dose of charitable intentions.
The fact that it's just over ten years since Pac-man was wowing the world's computer buffs, shows the vast leaps that the gaming industry has made since. Hot Press investigates the cult of the console.
LET'S GO SHOPPING
Gerry McGovern embarks on a mission to steer you through the sea of software.
That, according to Shane MacGowan, will be the title of his next, and exceedingly long-awaited album. in the meantime there’s Sean Nós, the war, his dad, drink and Celtic football legend Jimmy Johnstone to be going on with.
They say they’ve come from hell to bring us foot and mouth. But in reality they come from a small village outside Ipswich. STUART CLARK meets CRADLE OF FILTH, metal maniacs and purveyors of blasphemy, horror and gore – and, as you might expect, ends up talking about mums, kiddies, Winnie the Pooh and moisturiser
Winners of the Hot Press/Sennheiser competition to play the Live Stage at The Music Show over the weekend, DC Tempest release their new single this week.
With her own debut album, ELEANOR McEVOY, one of the stars of 'A Woman's Heart', has come out of the folk closet and revealed herself to be a real rocker - feedback, distorted guitars and all. Interview: COLM O'HARE
With her own debut album, Eleanor McEvoy, one of the stars of A Woman s Heart , has come out of the folk closet and revealed herself to be a real rocker feedback, distorted guitars and all. Interview: Colm O Hare.
The tears have stopped falling – because those who bitterly mourned the demise of The Go-Betweens soon discovered that what they got instead was a double-helping of the weird genius which had inspired the band in the shape of solo albums from Grant McLennan and Robert Forster. With both of them releasing new records and working on a film script together, everything seems to be coming up roses. Why Lorraine Freeney even got to see a breathtaking reunion gig . . .
Hot Press is delighted to confirm its involvement in Music Ireland ’06, a three-day exhibition, workshop, seminar and live performance extravaganza taking place in the RDS on November 25 and 26.
Or perhaps we might have reached for another old familiar headline - Fears and Loathing in RTE - as the bosses at Radio 1 announce the chopping of virtually all specialist music programmes from the schedule. It is, writes Bill Graham, an act of cultural criminal negligence.
Brutally sexually abused as a child, by the age of 14 Anthony Godby Johnson found himself on speaking terms with death, as a result of AIDS. At an advanced stage of the illness, he knows that he is not long for this world. In the meantime, however, he has told his own unforgettable story. Report: Gerry McGovern
Hand-picked, coddled and manufactured: mainstream pop stars have the life. Don t they? KIM PORCELLI gets up about twelve hours earlier than usual and spends the day with SAMANTHA MUMBA. Hot shots: PETER MATTHEWS
Legendary Dublin band Lir are to release a posthumous live album on October 3 through 1969, the independent label whose roster also includes Pugwash and The Pale.
Moby Comes Out To Play
IT S NOT often a Grammy nominee saunters into the Hot Press offices in the midst of the controlled explosion that is production weekend. But then, Moby s one of those freaks of nature a pop star who seems interested in what goes on around him rather than employing people to block it out.
Greetings From LA
beck and tom petty get together in Los Angeles for an impassioned rap on songs, songwriting, showbiz, the Unplugged phenomenon and how too much music can boggle the mind. mark rowland listens in.
An overnight success story that was years in the making, The Strokes have been dismissed as flagrant hype and lauded as the saviours of rock 'n' roll. Eamon Sweeney, a journalist who has spent more time in their company than most, gets the fullest account yet of the rise and rise of New York's band of brothers. "Whatever happens, we'll be there together," they tell him. "we won’t let each other fall."
In what may well be the most effective marriage yet of rock and pragmatic politics, U2, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed and others are pushing the Amnesty International message on the 'Conspiracy Of Hope' tour. Pat Singer joins them on the road.
Well when you've conquered the world, what else can the biggest band on the planet do except go into space? BONO and LARRY discuss matters cosmic and personal with Olaf Tyaransen
Full profiles on Faithless, Antony & The Johnsons, Slayer, The Who, Bell X1, Status Quo, The Flaming Lips, 50 Cent, Madness, Christy Moore, Elton John and Lionel Richie.
Dublin acoustic roots band Tupelo have released a single and are doing a gig at the Village to support the campaign of parents and teachers at the Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra.
London has long been recognised as one of the world's leading centres of entertainment and musical excitement - not to mention pleasure in all its multifarious manifestations. But when you really need it, do you know where to find it? Fay Wolftree brings you the insider's inside guide to Europe's premier rock 'n' roll metropolis.
There’s no drink or drugs for Tommy Tiernan these days, but you couldn’t say his life is uneventful. In conversation with Olaf Tyaransen, the comedian reflects on tabloid interest in his private life, the night he had to get away from Jordan, the future for post-Catholic Ireland and the genius of Flann O’Brien and James Joyce. All this plus the unveiling of the secret tattoo. Photography by Mick Quinn.
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.
Punk-funk poet Jinx Lennon introduces the nation – well, two nations actually – to his Know Your Station Gouger Nation album when he plays Ireland later this season.
Superhate, a five piece band from Wicklow play raw, guitar-driven music. Here we have a three track demo which begins with ‘Hatpin’, an early Banshees-style horror-obsessional lyric linked to a driving backing.
Fresh from their appearance at the BudRising Spring festival, Dublin's Delorentos return with a new single, support slots and a headline tour of their own.
Between streaming songs, free gigs and t-shirt giveaways, Berkeley are one mighty generous band. Oh and they're music is pretty damn impressive too - judge it for yourself.
David Kitt [pictured right], The Frank And Walters, The Walls and Royseven are among the artists who have been selected to have their videos made, in a special programme run by New York University, in association with Hot Press. Royseven's recently released debut album, The Art Of Insincerity, entered the Irish album charts at No.17 this week.
In an ideal world where people of consummate good taste (Er, anyone we know,George? - Ed) ruled the radio waves, the much-maligned genre of power pop would - by rights - be an airplay staple and practitioners of this noble art such as Fountains Of Wayne …
EAMON SWEENEY reports on Detroit's pivotal Underground Resistance label, and the controversy
ignited when Sony released a 'cover version' of one of the label's best-known tracks.
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.
Before their new single 'Sometimes' is released on Reekus Records later this week, Reemo plan to play an in-store set at Tower Records on Wicklow St. in Dublin on March 5.
Think you've got them all right? Or maybe you fancy a sneaky peak (you're only cheating yourself you know!). Either way, you've got the questions – we've got the answers....
With the death of Kurt Cobain in April casting a shadow over the following months 1994 will hardly go down as one of the most joyous in Rock history. Your guide to a month-by-month account of the names and events of the past year. Stuart Clark.
