We Do Need Another Hero

Stephen Hero: the name of the original Joyce manuscript that was to become A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man. It’s also the nom de plume of Patrick Fitzgerald, erstwhile frontman of noise-sodden English indie-lectuals, Kitchens Of Disticntion.

Or, if you prefer, a portrait of the singer as a solo artist.

Fitzgerald, a Londoner of Irish and Swiss stock, has just released his second record under his new moniker. Titled Lullaby, it was recorded in Cashel last year. A dreamy, reflective record with an acoustic undertow and jangly electric guitars on top, it’s not a million miles from ‘High & Dry’-era Radiohead (who themselves admit to a fondness for the old Kitchens). And it boasts cat-killingly curious subtitles like ‘Feed Me On The Banks Of The River Nile Afterlife’. Nice.

"I picked the title Stephen Hero not because of who he was but because of the idea behind it," explains Fitzgerald. "It was the fragmentary nature of it all; this idea that he had written this thing and thrown it in the fire, from which it had to be rescued. It was all about that disregard for his own work. I felt that too. When I did the first album, Landed, I was unsure of whether I was going to do anything with it or just leave it on the shelf. My partner persuaded me to give it a chance.

"There was a bit of a crisis point where I said: do I do music anymore or not? And if not, what do I do? So I went to Galway for six months and tried to figure it out. I did a lot of reading and lounging about and walking. I also gave up drinking and smoking."

That must have been hard, given the

reputation the place has for conspicuous consumption.

"I found it very easy," says Fitzgerald, "because people were quite hostile in the pub. I’d walk in and there was dead silence. I couldn’t speak Irish so I couldn’t converse with the locals. It was weird. I didn’t like it there. I liked Sligo much more."

What made you decide to go to Sligo?

"Because there isn’t anyone there," he jokes. “Having lived in London for 18 years and feeling both claustrophobic and agoraphobic, I just had to escape. I like Ireland because of that sense of space. It was quite good for my mental health at the time. I feel quite well now."

Now that there’s some distance – both geographical and metaphorical – between Fitzgerald’s life now and his days with the Kitchens Of Distinction, how does he look back on those times with the band?

"Fondly," he replies. "It was great. We had such a laugh: that idea of being with your mates up against the world. I think some of what we did was really good."

Even when the Kitchens Of Distinction were still going, Fitzgerald did a solo record under the name Fruit, which he assures me sold quite well in Germany! That album featured the services of the soul-singing extrovert David McAlmont, who memorably doubled up with ex-Suede guitarist, Bernard Butler, some years back. McAlmont will be coming over to Dublin to sing a few songs with Fitzgerald when he plays Dublin’s Shelter later this month. It will be the first Stephen Hero show in Dublin since appearing as Mark Mulcahy’s special guest in Whelan’s some months back.

“Mark Mulcahy was a big inspiration for me," says Fitzgerald. "He works completely on his own on stage. I thought if he can do it, I’ve got to have a go.”

Landed and Lullaby are both available on Ragoora Records. Stephen Hero plays The Shelter at Vicar St on Sun 24th June