Listening to Nevermind when I was 11, playing in a shed with a drummer and bassist at 13, playing my first show, releasing this record.
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
I tend to mess around with riffs to begin the creative process. Once I stumble upon something that I think has some potential, that’s when the games being! I then try to hum a vocal melody over the riff, getting an idea as to whether it’s a verse or chorus etc. If I get the feeling that it’s a verse riff, I go and see can I build the song around it, all the time being cognisant of vocals lines (never lyrics) and drum beats. After the bones of the song are relatively set in stone, I begin to think about the next elements; vocal lines; beats; guitar solos and melodies; bass.
The next phase of the process is the most difficult. I then have to be completely, 100% honest and critical with myself as to whether the near finished track is any good or not! If not, it has to be dropped. Easier said than done…
Who has influenced you the most?
Metal, rock and grunge-era bands have really inspired me. Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Metallica, Pantera, Slayer among others. But I’m finding a lot of inspiration from modern, raw punk and post-punk bands inspiring also.
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
Inspiration is a funny one. It can present itself at the most random times and it’s down to you whether to utilise it or not. I mainly feel inspired by new and interesting music and going to live shows. But I can get it from other places as well. The other day I went to Saltburn in the cinema and was thinking to myself; “These actors don’t give a fuck. They’re just going for it!” That, to me, is inspiring.
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
Based in Galway, on the west coast of Ireland. A town more renowned for trad music than rock and metal, but the scene is alive and well. Bands like NewDad, Shark School, Bokotono, Pavillion, Ilenkus among many other Irish and international bands play Galway in venues such as the Roisin Dubh, Sally Long’s, Seven and the Ol’ 55 bar. Galway is a town which thrives on creativity and expression.
The name comes from the frustrations we feel throughout our everyday lives, while at the same time portraying a ‘front’ and getting on with things. The music is an honest expression of these feelings.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
Spinal Tap!! If it was a game I would probably go for a 1st person shooter like Doom.
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?). You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
I don’t know how I would do that to be honest! Maybe the 5th track from the record; Tired & Down. Musically, there is a lot going on in the way of dynamics, percussion and progression. Emotionally, it is a very meaningful song with powerful and raw lyrics.
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
I just mentioned Spinal Tap without seeing this question!! I’ve played a lot of shows, some great and some terrible. The greatest shows are always the ones where the crowd is open to giving your music a chance. One of worst gigs I’ve ever played was in a run-down, pool bar in a random village in rural Ireland. Nobody wanted to listen to us and they didn’t hide it.
Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?
We are currently finalising a band lineup and hoping to bring the live experience to Galway and beyond in the coming months.
What makes a great song?
One that you find yourself humming 30 minutes after listening to (in a good way!). One that resonates with you and gets you moving.
Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?
The first track off the album, Not For Me, contains one of the first riffs I have ever writte (the main riff). I forgot about it for many years but came back around to and built around it to create the track.
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
Tired & Down or The Sea.
Idles, Gojira, Amyl and the Sniffers, Fontaines DC, Viagra Boys, The Murder Capital.
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
Always digital but maybe vinyl in time.
Whiskey or beer? And defend your choice
Beer. I like a neat whiskey but if I had to choose between them it’d have to be beer.
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
Golden disks/Zhivago records.
What's next for the band?
Form the band lineup, play local shows, grow and write and release new tunes.
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
The 9 track record, released Jan 4th, is the most truthful product I could ever be a part of making. If you give it a listen, thank you so much. Enjoy.
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