Happy 50th Birthday Imelda May: Classic Moments From The Hot Press Archives

On her early musical influences:

“When I was about 13-years-old, I learned the words of a Buddy Holly interview. I knew it back-to-front. When you’re that age, you get a bit obsessed. So I was into that, and I stole my brother’s tapes of Elvis, Gene Vincent and Wanda Jackson. Then I got into the jazz side when I heard Billie Holiday.

“So I looked into that end of it, and I got into the bluesier side of what she was doing. I also got into Howlin’ Wolf in a big way, and Elmore James. I loved how they could make very simple songs really work." (2009)

On the inspiring women in her life:

“My granny was in Cumann na mBan, when she was only 16. She fought in the 1916 Rising, and she got a full 21-gun salute when she died. So it’s in my blood, to be a strong Irish woman. My mother used to bring me on protests with her. My mother fought for computers in our local area and schools. She fought for scholarships when the art college came into the Liberties. She marched up, knocked on the door, and said, ‘You need to give local kids a scholarship, if you’re in the area – to give them a chance’. So they did, and they still have that scholarship, because of my mam! They’re the women that were around me.” (2021)

Imelda May at the O2, Dublin. December 16 2011.

On poetry:

“Music, poetry and art are very normal parts of a working-class household. It shouldn’t be seen as elitist at all. If you talk to anyone, most people can recite to you their favourite poem. My dad read me Spike Milligan as a kid, and he’d act out each poem. He’d write poetry too. It was on both sides of my family. My mam’s brother, my late uncle, Joe Comerford, was a taxi driver – but he’d come over on his lunch break to sit down to read out his poems for me.

“With spoken word, it’s coming straight from the person’s mouth who’s written it. It’s normally spoken in quite a normal way, too. School didn’t do a lot for poetry, for me. We had to pick it apart, studying every line. By the time you were through doing that, you hated it.” (2020)

On performing at the Grammys with Jeff Beck:

“We had a brilliant time. It was a weird one, really, sitting beside Quentin Tarantino on one side and Alice Cooper on the other. It was mental. We were backstage, and there was loads of people with clip-boards and ear-pieces shouting your name trying to get you ready. You’re running back and forth all over the place backstage.

“I loved every minute. It was great. And all for two minutes on stage. I was delighted to be asked to play with Jeff. We love working with him. And to do it as a tribute to Les Paul, who was a musical genius. And thirdly, it was the Grammys!” (2010)

On her artistic evolution:

“I always loved the ’50s rockabilly style, but it got to the point where I practically felt like I was dressing up as this character called Imelda May before every gig. I just didn’t want to do that anymore. This is me.” (2017)

On streaming, and the state of the music industry:

“The music industry is on its knees.  I’m looking at the strikes now, all over the place. Everybody is on strike, between the actors in America, and the nurses in the UK. And I think musicians should go on strike, for sure, against all the streaming platforms.

“I just watched a video this morning, with Snoop Dogg saying he has a billion streams on one of his songs – and so, he should get a million dollars from that. But he gets a fraction of that. So he’s thinking, ‘Who’s getting it?’ And he’s right. Even for artists on a smaller level. He’s basically saying, ‘If I can’t make money off this, who can?’

"It's not even about making money – it’s about making a living. I don’t know any other job where you’re offered exposure as a form of reward. Unfortunately, you can’t pay your rent with exposure, or buy your food with exposure!" (2023)

Imelda May at Vicar Street. Copyright Sofia Urrutia/hotpress.com

On Dublin:

“The city always needs people from it to fight for it. And it needs it now. It’s been invaded in a totally different way – in that it’s been built up, and built over.

“There’s a lot of hotels, and it looks like they’re still coming. It’s important to try and hold on to our beautiful places, and the culture within them. For instance, The Cobblestone had to really dig their heels in and fight – and they’re still fighting! What do we need another hotel for? All the tourists will be left sitting looking at each other – because there’ll be nothing to see! You have to nurture the people that live in the cities. Cities are about people, not about buildings and tourism.” (2023)

On the Church and the State:

"It’s frightening how much Christianity and the State have been so intertwined. That’s been detrimental to our culture – and it’s hoodwinked us, and blinded us, into thinking that Christianity is our culture. It’s not – and it never was...

“A lot of people, including myself, were brought up Catholic, praying every day – and I do think there was a form of massive control within that. And it worked, didn’t it? It worked for the State. It didn’t work for the people – not at all. It kept us down. I think a lot of people are seeing the light now. A lot of people are disillusioned with it all, and are starting to see how much control that religion had over our culture.

“Sinéad O’Connor was right, wasn’t she?” (2021)

Imelda May at Iveagh Gardens. Saturday 22nd of July 2023. Copyright Cat Gundry-Beck.