Then, of
course, I started to play with the Emperors Of Ice cream, Bass Odyssey and a
host of other local bands at that time. Whenever the great Louis Stewart was in
town we played together. He was another game changer for me as a young drummer.
Here was this world class guitar player who encouraged me and was
supportive of my playing. I also got to record with Bic Runga and Nick
Seymour (Crowded House) before I decided to try playing in Berlin for a year
and then NYC for 18 years. In New York I had an opportunity to play with Saul
Rubin, Greg Glassman, Stacy Dillard, Asaf Yuria, Pasquale Grasso, Alexi David
and Dida Pelled, among many other bands. I recently moved to Amsterdam and am
enjoying getting to know the scene here.Order Irish Drummers: Volume 1
Irish Drummers is an insightful publication into the people behind the drum set. A joy for any music enthusiast (and everyone else).
Welcome to Irish Drummers
This site exists is to showcase the talent and creativity of Irish drummers through the years. The great contribution that this band of musicians have made to Irish culture and music throughout the world.
Welcome to Irish Drummers
This site exists is to showcase the talent and creativity of Irish drummers through the years. The great contribution that this band of musicians have made to Irish culture and music throughout the world.
Sunday, 19 July 2020
I have a
few drum kits: a Yamaha, a Canopus and I practice on a '67 Ludwig white pearl
marine in sizes 22 x 18, 12x9, 13x9, 16x16 with a Ludwig supraphonic
snare 5x14 that I bought in
New York with Zildjian A's cymbals, 14" hi-hats and 18" and
21".
Who are
your favourite players?
When I
started out on drums my favourite players were from the bands I was listening
to, like Dennis Davis (Bowie), Michael Shrieve (Santana), Ginger Baker (Cream),
Phil Thompson (Roxy Music), James Gadson (Bill Withers), Phil Collins
(Genesis), and Chris Frantz (Talking Heads). Growing up some of the Irish
players I listened to were Fran Breen, John Wadham, Jerry Fehily and Darren
Beckett.
Then,
when I started to really study drums and take playing more seriously, I learned
so much from drummers like Kenny Clarke, Papa Joe Jones, Max Roach, Elvin
Jones, Tony Williams to name a few innovators on the drum kit who continue
to inspire me. My first teacher in New York was Eddie Locke, a phenomenal player
and mentor, who taught me as much about the tradition of Jazz as playing
the instrument itself. Of course, there are some incredible current
drummers--Billy Hart, Marcus Gilmore, Dan Weiss and Tyshawn Sorey--who are
doing really exciting things and exploring new boundaries on the drums.
What are
your favourite albums / songs?
I
remember stocking shelves in a supermarket as a kid and they would always play
Paul Brady's "Nothing But The Same Old Story." I loved that
song and the album Hard Station. Jimi Hendrix was a big
inspiration, especially Band Of Gypsys. Kind Of Blue was
my gateway into the world of Jazz so of course Jimmy Cobb was a big influence.
I got to see him and hear him play many times in NYC when I lived there, which
was a dream come true. Any John Coltrane album; Elvin Jones was another huge
inspiration. I got to hang out with him a couple of times, once at a drum
workshop in Dublin before I moved to NYC. When he asked if I knew anyone there,
and I said "not really," he turned to me and replied,
"well, you do now." That gave me a lot of confidence to make the
leap.
Can you
tell us some of the artists that you have played / recorded with?
I left
school when I was 16 with the life of a drummer in my mind and started playing
with a local band in Cork called The Dancing Bastards from Hell,
affectionately known as just "The Bastards." It was a
conglomeration of well known musicians in Cork at the time. I only really got
the gig because they had basically run off every other drummer in town with a
lot of onstage slagging. That was as much a part of the Cork scene as it was
how you played. It was a tough apprenticeship in those days but fun. I
think they left me alone because there wasn't any other drummer left and I
was so young. The band was banned from Trinity College and the entire town of
Mitchelstown amongst many other claims to fame.
Then, of
course, I started to play with the Emperors Of Ice cream, Bass Odyssey and a
host of other local bands at that time. Whenever the great Louis Stewart was in
town we played together. He was another game changer for me as a young drummer.
Here was this world class guitar player who encouraged me and was
supportive of my playing. I also got to record with Bic Runga and Nick
Seymour (Crowded House) before I decided to try playing in Berlin for a year
and then NYC for 18 years. In New York I had an opportunity to play with Saul
Rubin, Greg Glassman, Stacy Dillard, Asaf Yuria, Pasquale Grasso, Alexi David
and Dida Pelled, among many other bands. I recently moved to Amsterdam and am
enjoying getting to know the scene here.
How does
it feel to have The Emperor of Ice cream back together again?
I'm
really enjoying getting back together with The Emperors. Graham Finn--the
Emperor's guitar player--is also in NYC and we'd try to play together whenever
we could, and it's been great to get back working with Eddie Butt, Haggis
and Eddie Kiely, our manager, again. It all happened very organically.
Starting with a nostalgic newspaper article in the Irish
Examiner; the interest in the band and enjoyment of the singles
we've released so far has given us a wonderful opportunity to finish an
album we started 25 years ago.
The long
awaited debut album from Emperor of Ice cream is about to be released. Can you
tell us what can we expect?
We're
proud of this album and want it to cement our time together as a band--where we
grew up, the time we shared--and also who we have become as musicians and
people since then. It's been exciting to see our two singles, "Lambent
Eyes" and "Everyone Looks So Fine," do so well in Ireland and
it's been fun re-recording a number of these songs from our locations around
the world. It's all pretty remarkable considering we popped up again after all
these years and can't play live currently with COVID-19 to support the album.
Hopefully
next year we'll have a chance to show the folks who have supported us that we
can still play our asses off and give people a great night out, which we could
all do with right now!!!
How did
you cope during the COVID-19 lockdown?
Obviously
I miss playing live with other musicians but I try to be positive and use this
time for personal practice on the drums. I have a ton of stuff I'm
working on--like four-way coordination and melodic playing on the kit.
And, of course, we're putting the Emperor's album together and
promoting it online and with social media.
Between
the album, practice, listening to music and learning more on the piano there's
no shortage of things to do during lockdown. But, you know, it's also important
to take it easy on the expectations we have of ourselves right now and focus on
finding the joy in drumming and music, however we can.
Saturday, 11 July 2020
Rob
Barrett is a well respected drummer, educator and Top Barber from Dublin. Having
started his drumming career, as a marching band drummer at the tender age of 9,
he then went on to become one of Ireland’s most accomplished pipe band drummers
with the St. Laurence O’Toole pipe band, under the tutelage of the brilliant
Stephen Creighton. Rob has won almost every major honour, including several
World Drumming Championships’. When it comes to kit drumming, Rob has been
a well respected player for many years.Rob spent
10 years working in the Drumgeon in Musicmaker, where it is fair to say he was regarded
as a reliable source for any drum advice. He also built up an amazing roster of
drum teaching accolades having worked with some of the world’s top drummers
.
What type of drum kit do you use?
At
the moment I go between an Ayotte Velvet series steel hoop kit and a 1970’s
Pearl Wood/Fiberglass.
The
Ayotte is a 22x16, 12x9, 16x15 Maple kit.
The
Pearl is a 22x16, 12x8, 13x9, 16x16.
My
main snare is a Ludwig Acrolite 14x6.5.
And
I’ve a mish-mash of Sabian cymbals. I’m kind of known for having loads of
hi-hats. I’ve got 3 or 4 different sets on my kit at any time.
Who are your favourite players?
My
favourite players right now are:
Stephen
Creighton who is my pipe band mentor and World renowned Drum Sgt of St Laurence
O’Toole pipe band.
Dan
Mayo is a super experimental kit player who combines acoustic drum sounds with
modular synths and heavily processed effects.
What are your favourite albums / songs?
Wow
there’s so many great albums and tracks to pick from so I think it’d be easier
to give you the tracks and records I can’t stop listening to recently.
My
favourite albums currently are:
KAYTRANADA
- 99.9%
Kendrick
Lamar - To Pimp a butterfly
Favourite
song currently is:
Illingsworth
- Magic Deck
My first serious band was Distractors who were a Finglas based rock and roll outfit that toured Ireland for 3/4 years and played all the usual venues and festivals. After Distractors I took a few years break to concentrate on Pipe band drumming.
I am
the current drummer for Dublin rapper Rebel Phoenix @rebel.phoenix
Alternative
band Errorists @erroristsband
Experimental
improv band RRestlers @rrestlers
Dublin
blues legend Mary Stokes @mary_stokesblues
What advice would you give someone wanting to play
drums?
For
anyone thinking of playing drums I’d suggest getting lessons. Try out a few
different teachers and find out which teacher suits you best. Go into
Musicmaker and make friends with the lads in there. They are a great source of
info and advice for all levels of drummers alike.
Also
try and remember that no matter how serious you do or don’t take it, it’s only
drums!! It’s supposed to feel great and be fun always! If it doesn’t enrich
your life and soul it mightn’t be for you.
How did you cope during the COVID-19 lockdown?
I
know it may seem a little strange but I really enjoyed the lockdown. I didn’t
realise how much I needed a recharge and a rest. I’d been grinding and working
flat out for quite some time whether cutting hair in Trench or drumming with
various acts and artists. So when the lockdown happened I took a breather and
was mindful of getting into a daily routine. I didn’t drink any alcohol,
started practicing yoga and spent a lot of time with my practice pad a sticks.
I revisited a lot of my pipe band tunes which was great!!
I
know that gigs won’t be happening any time soon so I’ll keep up my practice and
enjoy working in the barber shop now that we’ve reopened.
____________________________________________________________________________
Rob is regarded as a great drum tuner and can still be found working with some of Ireland’s top bands/drummers/studios. His @kungfudrumming classes are a popular fixture in @yellowdoormusicstudios and has brought a sense of community for the resident drummers while refining their craft.
Saturday, 27 June 2020
What type of drum kit do you play?
I'm a bit
of a vintage drum nerd so my main kits are a 60s Rogers Holiday in 20, 12,
14 and a 70s Japanese Badge Pearl in 22, 12, 16. I love that old-school dry
studio sound, so both kits are set up with coated P4 heads on the toms and
an Emad on each bass drum (with plenty of tea towels on standby) My main snare
is a Pearl Sensitone Aluminium 14x6.5 that I use on pretty much everything as
it has that lovely warm 70s era Acrolite tone and is incredibly versatile. If
I'm doing more of a hip-hop/electronic thing I'll bring the Mapex Brass Master
13x3.5 which is essentially a modern, piccolo version of the Black Beauty.
It's cranked pretty high with an O-Ring for extra dryness so is perfect for
playing breaks and processed sounds. I'm proud to endorse Sabian Cymbals and
Vater Drumsticks (huge thanks to all at Musicmaker) so I have a nice selection
of Artisan, HH, HHX and AA models to choose from depending on the situation. My
main live set up is a pair of 15" Artisan Light hats with 17" &
18" HHXtreme crashes in both brilliant and natural finishes. For a bigger
sound I'll put those same hats with the 21" HHX Groove Ride and
19" & 20" HHXtreme crashes. I also have a really nice
22" Artisan light and 20" AA Raw ride with rivets that I use for
quieter/jazzier stuff plus a couple of older model HH thin crashes that go
together beautifully. Stick wise I go between the Vater 5B Sugar Maple and Jazz
Ride models, as well as their Wire Tap brushes and T3 Mallets.
Who are your favourite players?
There are
so many! Style wise, I'm influenced by everything really. From straight up
serving-the-song playing and stick-smashing heft, to unorthodox phrasing ideas
and bold experimentation with sonics and textures. I started playing in the mid
90's so cut my teeth to all things grunge, punk and metal as well as some of
the acid jazz and hip-hop around at the time. In the early 00's I got
deeper into jazz and world music while studying in Newpark, which in turn
expanded into free playing, minimalism, and electronica. Mid 00's to the early
teens was a heavy diet of funk breaks and even more hip-hop, running the
Mixtapes From The Underground project, and in the last few years I've been
going down the less is more route, checking out a lot of early country, folk
and Americana as well as tons of 60's & 70's Krautrock, psych, post punk
and new wave. I've also been lucky enough to work at a record store
the past seven years which has given me access to a wealth of sounds, so
that's been a pretty big influence too. All of these different phases have
informed the musician I am today and I'm always excited to keep exploring
and listening as much as possible, with open ears and an open mind. In no
particular order, drummers (and producers) such as Tony Allen, Stewart
Copeland, Jimmy Cobb, DJ Shadow, Dave Grohl, Delia Derbyshire, Billy Martin,
Mick Fleetwood, Jon Brion, MF Doom, Steve Reich, Four Tet, Edan, David Axelrod,
Matt Chamberlain, Dave King, Questlove, Dosh, Squarepusher and Glenn Kotche
(among many others) are all constant sources of inspiration.
What are your favourite albums / songs?
Bob James
- Angela (theme from Taxi) is a big one for me as it holds so many memories. I
used to stay up way past my bedtime to watch that show and I always loved the
combination of the opening flute line with the footage of the yellow checkered
cab cruising across the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. It still gives me
that warm and fuzzy feeling all these years later! It's also the first
time I heard the majesty of the Fender Rhodes which is pretty much my
favourite instrument after the drums. More recently I've discovered the
incredible Kentuckian singer/songwriter Joan Shelley, in particular her
self-titled album from 2017 which was produced by Wilco main man Jeff Tweedy
and features his son Spencer on drums. He's only in his early twenties but has
the chops and sensibilities of Levon Helm, Jim Keltner and Ralph Molina
combined. It's one of my favourite records of the last few years and is an
absolute masterclass in song craft and understated playing.
Other
honourable mentions:
The
Cardigans - Life
Joe
Jackson - Look Sharp
Feist -
Metals
ESG -
Come Away With ESG
Jaga
Jazzist - A Livingroom Hush
Beastie
Boys - Ill Communication
Can you tell us some of the artists that you have played / recorded
with?
I've been
very fortunate to work with some amazingly talented folk across various
disciplines over the years, but definite highlights would have to be: Nina
Hynes, Sean Og's Trihornophone, The Dead Flags, composer Garrett Sholdice,
Tryst, Fehdah, Loah, AJ Croce (son of Jim Croce),The Holy Roman Army, Butter, Emma O’ Reilly,Shelley Bukspan, Lethal Dialect, Jamie Clarke (ex Ambience Affair) and my own improv jazz/hip-hop
collective Mixtapes From The Underground.
What advice would you give someone wanting to play drums?
Listen to
as much music as you can and find out what moves you. Join a band and play
shows. You learn more on stage than you ever can in a practice room. Find
a good teacher that inspires you. If you can, learn to read music and work
on your rudiments. If you want to be a working musician, learn to
play with a click, be on time for rehearsals and gigs and do your homework
before said rehearsals and gigs. Get a good physio (your body will
thank you for years to come) and always, ALWAYS protect your ears.
There's
no right or wrong way to create, so try not to get hung up on criticism or what
other people may think. Being a creative person can be hard and there can
be a certain expectation to be switched on all the time, from yourself and from
others. It's ok to have off days. This is normal so be kind to yourself.
If you feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask for help, be that talking to
other artists, friends and family or to a counsellor. Playing music is such a
privilege, so enjoy it and if you can make a living from it then even better.
Most importantly, have fun!
What upcoming projects are in the pipeline?
At the moment all gigs are off
the table with the Covid pandemic, but I was lucky to get to record some great
music before the lockdown happened. The main one being with my longtime friend
and co-conspiritor A.Smyth on his debut album which we did with the brilliant
Dara Nolan at his Astakalapa studio in Gorey. It's a really special record
and I'm so proud to have played on it. Also did some nice neo-soul grooves and
percussion for my pals, Sligo based La Gracia. My good buddy and local funkster
Danny G is putting the final touches to his second album and there may be some
new music from Paj and Selk too. I'm also working on a beat tape for my solo
project Mother Tongues, which is all made using samplers and turntables (no
drums allowed!) so I'm hoping to put that out over the coming months.
Photo credit; Stephen Kiernan
Sunday, 21 June 2020
It's kind
of a mix and match kit made up of '60s Rogers toms, an old Premier 20"
kick drum from the '50s and a '70s metal shell premier snare. I use Istanbul
Agop Cymbals.
Who are your favourite players?
Elvin
Jones, Earl Palmer, Danny Richmond, Jim Keltner, Paul Motian, Ringo, John
Bonham to name just a few.
What are your favourite albums /
songs?
Stone
Flower - Antonio Carlos Jobim
Good Old
Boys - Randy Newman
Mingus Oh
Yeah - Charles Mingus
Hosono
House - Haruomi Hosono
Somewhere
Else - Sun Ra
Swing
Slow - Swing Slow
How did you get involved in Cloud
Castle Lake?
Through a
friend. They were looking for a new drummer and a mutual friend recommended me,
so I went in and we played through some stuff and it just kind of clicked. It's
been a great experience playing with them, and many of the other projects I'm
now involved in came about through connections I made through CCL. So I'm
forever thankful to the guys for having me on board.
It's been
a pretty quiet year for us. We're all involved with other projects outside CCL
and were all pretty busy individually for the past year, so we didn't have much
time as we'd like to focus on the band. Once this lockdown ends though,
hopefully, we'll be back in the studio working on new music!
How are you spending your time
during this COVID-19 lockdown?
I've been
having a crack at learning Ableton, which I've been meaning to do for a long
time. Doing a lot of cooking, walking, listening to music. It's been a good
opportunity to get some practise done. I don't have a kit set up at home so
I've just been doing some much-needed hand technique practise
Photo credits; Igor Kwasniak and Red Keane.
Friday, 15 May 2020
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
Saturday, 9 May 2020
Fixity is a home for my compositions and ideas around repetition, space, and textural exploration in song form through improvisation. It has existed since 2015 and since then has taken in the perspectives and skills of numerous musicians from Ireland and Sweden that are important parts of my musical life in different ways. There have been 10 releases in total so far since then, including two LPs released by Penske Recordings, 'The Things In The Room' [2016] and 'No Man Can Tell' [2019]. All available at fixity.bandcamp.com .
Other ongoing projects I am involved in as either drummer, producer or saxophonist include Senior Infants, The Bonk, Not Earth, The Great Balloon Race and The Council For the Dark Arts Orchestra. I also organise Cork Improvised Music Club, an independently promoted residency dedicated to the world of real-time music making at Plugd Records in Cork City since 2013.
What type of drum kit do you use?
I play a Gretsch New
Classic in bebop sizes (18/14/12) with a Sonor SClassix 14x4 Birch snare.
Cymbalwise I use a 20" Bosphorus master series unlathed ride and
22" Istanbul Custom Jazz ride with 14" hihats made up of a KCustom
Dark top as the bottom and Meinl Thin crash on top.
Who are your favourite players?
Mitch Mitchell, Brian
Chase, Rashied Ali, Bob Moses, Jim Black, Paul Motian.
What are your favourite albums / songs?
Cosmic Music - Alice and
John Coltrane
Songs Of Experience -
David Axelrod
Kraftwerk 1 - Kraftwerk
Endtroducing - DJ Shadow
Dazzle Ships - OMD
For a long time my
favourite song has been 'Naima' by John Coltrane, in particular the version
recorded live in Stockholm in 1961 with Eric Dolphy. I think it’s the most
beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.
You have played with a lot of musicians, is there
anyone else you’d like to play with?
I’m really glad to have
had the opportunity to play with some really beautiful people throughout the
years and I would love to be able to keep on developing these relationships
further and finding new possibilities. There are a few folks I would love to
play with and learn from such as Matts Gustafsson, Tyshawn Sorey, Roscoe
Mitchell, Lee Ronaldo, Marc Ribot... I could go on.
How are you spending your time during this COVID-19
lockdown?
For the most part, my
practice as an artist is built on interaction and collaboration in real time
with people so this lockdown has put a significant hold on a lot of what I do.
I don’t have a studio right now so it's a time where playing drums and
being involved in collective improvisation are not possible. Given the
circumstance, what I’m doing is composing, practicing saxophone and
recording what I can for various projects in preparation for whenever we can
return to our lives. It is not an easy time for musicians and dealing with an
uncertain future is a terrifying thing, but we have to be sure to keep
what fulfils us present in our lives, every day.
Picture credit; Kieran
Murphy
Saturday, 2 May 2020
R.S.A.G have a new
album 'Chroma' coming out in May. Can you tell us what to expect?
'Chroma' is a mood driven album, with a much richer soundscape and heavy weight percussion. You'll hear songs that will connect to my earlier work and then some from a new more sensitive space. I am proud that my co-writer Jamie Walsh and I were able to merge our musical and lyrical ideas to produce songs of intensity and emotion.
'Chroma' is a mood driven album, with a much richer soundscape and heavy weight percussion. You'll hear songs that will connect to my earlier work and then some from a new more sensitive space. I am proud that my co-writer Jamie Walsh and I were able to merge our musical and lyrical ideas to produce songs of intensity and emotion.
You hail from
Kilkenny, a city that has produced some great artists over the years. What is
it about Kilkenny that inspires such creativity?
Kilkenny has a great advantage; being situated in the middle of Waterford, Dublin and Cork. As a result, over the years the city has hosted an array of music and arts festivals which attracts people from all over the world. This has created a sense of pride along with a lot of inspiration for the city. Kilkenny has always been a creative hub for artists, producing bands like Crawl Babies, Engine Alley, Kerbdog, Jerusalem Taxi's, My Little Funhouse, Headspin, Surfin' Dead, Blue Ghost, Gout and The River Valley Band, to name but a few. They all in one way or another inspired each other. Kilkenny is also the home of Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios, who have had two Oscar nominations, for the last two animated features. Is there something in the water? Maybe, but for me it's the people.
Kilkenny has a great advantage; being situated in the middle of Waterford, Dublin and Cork. As a result, over the years the city has hosted an array of music and arts festivals which attracts people from all over the world. This has created a sense of pride along with a lot of inspiration for the city. Kilkenny has always been a creative hub for artists, producing bands like Crawl Babies, Engine Alley, Kerbdog, Jerusalem Taxi's, My Little Funhouse, Headspin, Surfin' Dead, Blue Ghost, Gout and The River Valley Band, to name but a few. They all in one way or another inspired each other. Kilkenny is also the home of Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios, who have had two Oscar nominations, for the last two animated features. Is there something in the water? Maybe, but for me it's the people.
How do you feel you have progressed as a musician over the years?
I feel I've progressed from a lot of different aspects of what I do. My
playing has progressed from performing live both as R.S.A.G. and with other
bands and artists. With recording and producing music you have to approach
performing in a different way. You have to think about the overall sound and
how each performance will fit to suit the mood and narrative of each track.
This too has been an interesting learning curve for me over the years. Each
album brings with it these differences both in playing style and techniques.
Technology has also helped my progression. Apart from playing, recording and
producing, I also teach music. This too has helped develop and progress my
craft. Apart from really enjoying the teaching process I feel I've learned so much
from my students. I love hearing how they interpret what I'm teaching, hearing
their own individuality and style developing as they grow in confidence.
What type of drum kit do you use?
I use an APK premier kit. It's from the mid 80's. I bought it from a guy
about 15 years ago who still had it in its plastic wrapping. I particularly
love how the toms sound.
Who are your favourite players?
There are so many but here are a few:Buddy Rich
Gene Krupa
Tony Allen
Louis Bellson
Max Roach
Ringo Starr
Steve Shelley
John Bonham
Steve Gadd
Jimmy Cobb
Al Jackson
Levon Helm
What are your favourite albums?
In no particular order:
In A Silent Way - Miles Davis
Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
The White Album - The Beatles
Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M.
Beethoven's 6th Symphony
Repeater - Fugazi
Entroducing - DJ Shadow
How are you spending your time during this COVID-19 lockdown?
In A Silent Way - Miles Davis
Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth
The White Album - The Beatles
Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M.
Beethoven's 6th Symphony
Repeater - Fugazi
Entroducing - DJ Shadow
How are you spending your time during this COVID-19 lockdown?
I've been keeping busy during lockdown, trying to make the most of my
time at home with my wife and two dogs. I'm recording new music, teaching and
facilitating a very interesting new music project online with young people from
Kilkenny for Ossory Youth. It's aptly called 'Lockdown Session'
You can order the new R.S.A.G album below
Photo Credit;
Colour photo - Ruth MedjberB & W photo - Unknown
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