Flaws for Thought

If Carrickmacross-based Flaws frontman Paul Finn’s life story was made into a film, then chances are that it wouldn’t be all that dissimilar to Rocky. You see already in his band’s three year existence they’ve overcome crippling set-backs such as their record label going bust and their founding member Stephen Finnegan jumping ship and yet like the Italian Stallion he’s still fighting on, eager to make his mark on the musical map. At the moment their well-received debut album Achieving Vagueness (which was released last year) is nearing the end of its cycle, but that doesn’t mean Paul is taking it easy.

In fact nothing could be further from the truth as judging by The Flaws’ hectic summer schedule, which includes appearances at Glastonbury, Electric Picnic and Hot Presses’ particular favourite the Scouts Jamboree, their battle for greatness has only just begun. Ding-ding, seconds out, round two.
“Since our album came out nearly a year ago, everything has changed in the band,” says the affable singer. “Our work rate went up a notch and I think that that is exactly what you want when you’re in a band for three years that is still only really talked about by a select number of people. In the last year people we didn’t know or see before started coming to the shows, which was deadly. We were glad that happened as the album got great reviews and it made sense for more people to prick up their ears and pay more attention to us.”
The first time this writer met Paul, I was in a smoky bar in Belfast and the songsmith was laying out his plans for world domination for all to see.
“Ambition is a terrible thing” he said to me with a glint in his eye, and from then on it was obvious that Finn was hungry for success. Now that his band are starting to reap the rewards, how does he feel about his steady rise to the top?
“I’m happy with the way things are going right now,” he reflects. “We’ve some new stuff written but it is still early days. It’s been two years since we wrote the first album and we’ve all grown up a little bit, we’ve developed as songwriters and we’ve just been developing what’s there and making sure we’re not afraid to try out new ideas. We’ve demoed some of it and it’s a growth of sound when all is said and done.
“I’m particularly excited about playing Glastonbury,” he continues. “All of us in the band can’t wait to fly over. Ever since I was a kid I used to listen to the annual BBC Radio One broadcasts from the festival and I used to record all my favourite sets and keep them on cassette. None of the band members or anyone in our team has been before and I can’t wait. We’ve got wellies so we’re ready for it.”
Of course, while playing the yearly mud-fest in England is a definite feather in the cap, it’s nothing compared to the weekend of Motley Crue-esque hedonism that is sure to be the Scouts Jamboree in Punchestown this summer. Okay, maybe not…
“That gig will be deadly,” laughs Paul good naturedly. “Our bass player Dane used to be a scout so that’s where the connection comes from. I’ve heard there’s going to be 20,000 at it and it’ll be scouts from all over Europe. They have this jamboree every year and Ireland is the host this summer. I think it’s going to be insane and we plan for it to be pretty crazy.”
While we’re sure that the Carrickmacross quartet will help inspire a new generation of bands at the Jamboree, we ask Paul whether he thinks his outfit’s success has inspired others from the Monaghan and Cavan area and what the scene is like in general.
“We try to help bands out as much as we can,” he begins. “One of the problems is that there’s nowhere to play really. There’s half a venue in Monaghan town called McKenna’s The Brewery, but unfortunately it’s not as good as somewhere like the Spirit Store in Dundalk. The area is bogged down with cover bands and if you play a gig in Carrickmacross and it doesn’t last three hours with ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ at the end then you’re in trouble.
“There are some really good bands from the area though and Sanzkrit are our favourites. When we first started out they were gigging at the same time and at the moment they’re recording an album which I can guarantee once it comes out there won’t be a single person that’ll say it’s bad, because they’re such a great group. Their singer Dave Marron is a genius lyricist that I envy and I have nothing but respect for him and the band as they’re superb songwriters. I’ve actually remixed their single ‘Talk Of The Town’ recently and there’s a great camaraderie between the two bands. Anyone who hasn’t heard them yet should check them out on www.myspace.com/sanzkrit as well as another band from Monaghan Town called Green Lights (www.myspace.com/greengreenlights). They’re relatively new and they’re doing some really interesting stuff in the studio. When you hear them on CD it’s kinda mind-blowing the sounds they come out with.
“As for whether The Flaws turning professional has inspired other bands, well I’m not sure,” he concludes. “I think it’s one of those situations when you’ll know if it is right for you because everyone is different. I suppose it’s a bit like when you’re internal clock tells you it’s time to get married or something like that. It’s one of those things where it just hits you one day and you know it’s the right thing to do.”

The Flaws play a series of festivals this summer, including Le Cheile, Meath (August 1); Castlepalooza, Offaly (2); Indie-Pendance, Cork (3); and Electric Picnic, Laois (29). For full dates see www.theflaws.com