Josh Ritter on the break-up of his marriage

Born in Idaho and beloved in Ireland, Josh Ritter returns with his seventh studio album The Beast In Its Tracks and it is his most confessional to date.

In the new issue of Hot Press, Ritter opens up about how deeply the record was influenced by the end of his marriage in 2010.
"I exposed myself for the person that I might be a little more than normal," he tells Olaf Tyaransen.
In a brutally honest and emotionally charged interview, Ritter reflects on the strained relationship between two creative people.

“It’s funny, I thought it would be great!” he guffaws. “Dawn is like a fantastically talented person, and that kind of talent and joy, musically, is something that is so intoxicating. But maybe it just wasn’t right. Certainly it was a much darker period for those around me than I knew. My band and family and friends, definitely felt something that they were, in a lot of ways, kind enough to coast along the top of. They knew how much I was trying to make that thing work.”

He admits that he struggled with suicidal thoughts, and went "wild" for six months, but he eventually turned to writing and found new love.

Also on the agenda is voodoo dabbling in New Orleans, his fresh perspective on the themes of his novel, and the challenges of being a new father.

As an added bonus for iPad subscribers, we're bringing you extra digital content as we delve into the archives to look at old reviews and albums, and unveil never-before-seen video of the star.

You can read the full interview in the new edition of Hot Press which hits the shops tomorrow (April 24). We also speak to former Fine Gael politician Richie Ryan, Jared Leto of 30 Seconds From Mars fame and Frank Turner, as well as a Voice Of Ireland special.