Inside Track: School of Hard Rock

Spraoi is over and now Waterford residents can look forward to the Low End Metal Festival on August 28 and 29. Domestic luminaries such as Primordial, Mourning Beloveth and Sirocco feature alongside the legendary Napalm Death and others over the two-day event at the Forum.
Fellow Suirsider Shane Barry and his band The Distractions have released their first single, ‘Kites’, from debut album, Radio Friction. The self-produced LP was mastered by Stuart Hawkes of Amy Winehouse fame.
Shane has shared the stage with Ron Sexsmith, The Pale and David Kitt to name but a few. The band have just secured a licensing deal for Spain, France and Japan and a full European tour is on the cards for September. Will keep you posted!
John Barrett, formerly of Tenspeedracer, has launched his new project, The Silent Minute. From his base in Perth the musician has just released the eponymous long-player on the Black Feathers label. The record is reminescent of Elliot Smith, Harvest-era Neil Young and Bon Iver. Magical...
Froud have just released their new single, ‘Over Again’, the follow-up to lauded debut ‘Nostalgia’. The band hail from Carrickmacross, Kilkenny, Swords, Athlone and Cork, so no one town can claim the band as their own. You can get your mits on a copy by going to downloadmusic.ie or by texting ‘Music 3502’ to 57501. Impressively they have already featured on an Italian compilation album on Midfinger Records whilst the video for ‘Nostalgia’ has received extensive play on Mix Music USA...
Dublin’s Stillroom have just lauched their Lickin A Promise EP, recently given away with The Echo newspaper. This is the first time an unsigned Irish band has linked up with a local paper in this way. The tie-up means the record is now residing in 13,000 homes in the greater Dublin area. 
The band have had their track ‘Maneater’ featured in the US film, Frenchie Goes to Hollywood, which was screened at the Monaco Film Festival, and their video for ‘Stick To Your Guns’ has been aired on 3e.
Kilkenny renegade Captain Moonlight has a single, ‘Well Now’, available on downloadmusic.ie and which features Limerick’s Rubberbandits. The new album is near completion so brace yourselves!
In other local news, Kilkenny grindcore merchants Slave Zero launch their eagerly awaited new album Exempt From All Tolerance in Whelan’s on August 20. Support on the night comes from those purveyors of brutal death metal Warpath. Unfortunately Mass Extinction, previously lined up to play, have had to pull their slot due to drummer Sam Lambert’s injured foot. Wishing you a speedy recovery Sam!
The new Chequerboard video is available to view at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiRKK9xjr4M. It’s by Swedish video artist and animator Stefan Larsson who John contacted after seeing his stunning ‘Yuki’ promo (www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-PEVPCjSF0).
The Spikes release new EP We Are on August 21. It features ‘Chain Me’, ‘Betty Ford’ and ‘Super Modern Queen’ and was produced by Mark Reddy of James Morrison fame.
After wowing the crowds at Castlepalooza, The Spikes return to live duties at the Summersound Festival in Clontarf, Dublin on August 22 and Phantom 105.2’s First Friday in The Academy on September 4…
Waterford’s Declan de Barra releases his new collection, A Fire To Scare The Sun,on September 4 on Kíla Records. The album features the radio hits ‘Until The Morning Comes’, ‘Brightest Star’ and ‘Diamonds’. It’s the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2006 debut album Song of A Thousand Birds. 
Earlier this year, Declan was selected, along with The Coronas, Wallis Bird and Fight Like Apes to represent Ireland at Eurosonic, the prestigious European Music Conference and Showcase Festival held in Groningen...
Staying in the south-east, Wexford three-piece The Jades release debut album Amber Skies on August 14. The band have been busy wowing the summer crowds at Oxegen, the Dunbrody and Ballygarret festivals in their native Wexford and most recently Indiependence. If you haven’t managed to catch them live pop along to Crawdaddy on the launch night where a top notch show is guaranteed...
Dublin’s We Cut Corners are readying a debut release for September, which is previewed at www.myspace.com/wecutcorners. The 2009 JD Set winners also play Upstairs at Whelan’s, Dublin (August 19 + After The Explosions); The Stables, Mullingar (21 + Mail Order Messiahs); Whelan’s (28 + Heritage Centre); and Upstairs at Whelan’s (September 9 + Future Islands).