And The Blag Played On...

“He made a guest appearance at another gig, and afterwards there were huge groups of people waiting for him outside these two stage doors that had tons of security. I just ran around to one of the doors, stuck my head into the theatre and shouted ‘Oh my God, Leonard Cohen’s right there!’ so there was just this stampede of people running over. The security guards had to go running to keep them under control, and I just snuck through the other door backstage, and ended up having a chat with Leonard Cohen!”
I tell Glackin that I’m highly suspicious of his stories, which sound more like the plot of a Will Ferrell movie than something that ever actually happens in real life.
“No, seriously, I’m the best blagger in the world, you’ve no idea! I just can’t pass up an opportunity like that. If I think something can happen for me, I can’t pass it up.”
This typically Irish mix of barefaced cheek, charm and determination has worked well for the Dublin singer, who has just released his debut album Not Lost. Proving he can work as well as play hard, Glackin started writing the album in 2006, when his first single ‘Brian Murphy’ went out as a radio release... Well, nearly. The song addressed the murder of a young Dublin man outside of Anabel’s nightclub, and was deemed too controversial for the airwaves.
“Gerry Ryan said he’d play it on his show, and I was on cloud nine, I thought I’d made it! But then weeks went by and nothing happened, and I was told that the song had been sent to the legal department. Eventually they said they couldn’t let it air on the show, and other stations followed suit.”
Having gigged solidly for years and working on your first single only to have it banned must have been incredibly disheartening. “Actually, the ban was kind of cool!” laughs Glackin, “It made me feel like Johnny Cash!”
Enjoying his rebel reputation, Glackin moved to London in 2007 to focus on writing his album. But if Not Lost is anything to go by, his mind was definitely still in the Fair Isle. Apart from the use of decidedly Irish instruments like the fiddle and low whistle, there are constant references to Dublin. However Glackin is sure that it won’t exclude any listeners.
“When you hear Billy Joel sing about the Hudson River or Springsteen talking about the Jersey Shore you don’t say ‘I can’t relate to that’ – people interpret it and turn it into their own thing. It’s all just universal.”
Though Glackin seems to lean towards more political subjects than the usual universal themes of love and loss. Is he aiming to make statements with his songs about racism and violence, or is he just trying to avoid pissing off ex-girlfriends with bitter break-up songs?
“I dunno, when stuff is all over the news, and everyone’s talking about it, taxi-men are talking about it, it kind of invades your thoughts and it’s just easy to write about. I don’t really like writing about myself, I can’t do the whole Damien Rice ‘I’ll wait for a girl to break up with me then write about that’ thing.”
Though Glackin may well have found his muse. “I met Laura Whitmore in the airport a while ago, God she’s hot. Forget Leonard Cohen, that was my most star-struck moment!”
Oh lord, let’s hope he gets another single banned quick, because that’s just not cool. But if anyone can work their way onto MTV and blag a date with the presenter when he gets there, it’s this boy. Miss Whitmore, brace yourself.

Not Lost is out now.