Brendan McInerney - Drums and backing vocals for Bleeding Heart Pigeons

What inspired you to take up drumming?

I guess what started it was listening to early U2 albums', mostly the War album. This was when I was around 10 or 11 and I wanted to start playing. A cousin of mine was throwing out an old drum kit and I started on that for the first few months.

What type of drum kit do you use?

I'm playing a C&C Player Date 2 kit with a walnut veneer finish. I adore this kit! Sizes are (22/10/13/16) and a 14 x 6.5 snare. 

Cymbal wise: Mainly Istanbul Agop - 18" Traditional medium crash, 20" dark crash 21" signature ride with 14" Traditional hats.  For some songs I use a 20" Meinl Byzance flat ride, a really lovely cymbal, have had it for years. I'm also using Roland SPD-SX sampling pads live with BHP.

Who are your favourite players?

To name a few - Chris Bear (Grizzly Bear), Matt Barrick (The Walkmen), Chris Talbot (Wild Beasts), Bryan Devendorf (The National)

What are your favourite albums / songs?

Some of my all time favourite albums would have to be: Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest, Sigur Rós - Agaetis Byrjún, Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden, Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest. 

Recent favourites I've been listening to: Stereolab - Dots and Loops (Have become a bit obsessed with Stereolab in recent months)

Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind, Big Thief - Two Hands, Destroyer - Have We Met.

How are you spending your time during this COVID-19 lockdown?  

Been trying to keep positive and stay productive. I have been reading a good bit more of late, (Kevin Barry - City of Bohane, John Connell - The Cow Book) trying new recipes in the kitchen, getting in a cycle, when I can too. Also organising album promo bits with the guys, over zoom calls, I have some of my kit set up in my sitting room at the moment also, so it’s not too bad!

Bleeding Heart Pigeons have a new album 'Stir' coming out this month. Can you tell us what to expect?

We do, we're self releasing it on May 22nd. It's our first release since our debut 'Is' in 2016 and was written and recorded in our small farm shed converted studio, throughout 2017. We took more of a 'song writing' approach this time, I think with the last album we just didn't know when to stop (lol). We wanted to write songs for a more accessible audience while still trying to keep our own sound. I am very proud of the finished product and can't wait to have it out.

Limerick, where you're from, has produced some great acts over the years. What is it about Limerick, in your opinion that creates such great music?

It sure has! There are some really great bands in Limerick at the moment and many of them are great friends of ours. DIY LK have a massive part to play in Limerick’s music scene, from hosting gigs in Pharmacia by really great bands from around the country to their annual festival - Feile na Greine (which sadly is cancelled this year due to Covid-19) it’s an amazing group and am proud to be a part of it. It’s great to have something like it in Limerick. We were never really part of a community as such around the time of the first album, so it’s very nice.

Photo credit: Piquant Media