[Cover for the 'I Think I Miss You' 12" EP] On Monday night I got myself to The Glor Sessions in the International Bar run by Stephen James Smith and on an average night can attract 5-6 fine musicians and another 5-6 fine poets. I've been there three times since Stephen took it over and each time it's been fun, eccentric and for the most part indescribable! Anyway I spent the night sitting behind one of my all time heroes in Fearghal McKee, the lead singer with Whipping Boy. I was in genuine awe of the [...]
I had been so busy preparing my birthday tribute to David Bowie that it slipped my mind that the Chameleon of Pop used to get his birthday cards on the same day as the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley's birth in Tupelo, Mississippi. Like Bowie, Elvis was also an actor, although the films he appeared in were merely vehicles for his star status and internationally-recognised persona. And, like Bowie, Elvis was a huge influence on the development of popular music. Of course, his music wasn't as innovative or original as [...]
Lately, I have realised that besides food and drink, all the items I am looking into buying or have bought, are simply replacement purchases. Camera broke. Must buy a new one. Microwave needed. Must buy a new one. Microwave broke. Must buy a new one. George Foreman went missing. Must buy a new one. T-shirt [...]
The following odd grammer is copied from http://www.jinxlennon.com/ SUGAR CLUB OCTOBER 8TH A NIGHT OF MAGIC RAWNESS AND RAGE IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ON THURSDAY 9TH OCTOBER IF YOU DECIDE TO SHOW YOUR FACE DOWN LEESON ST.PETER MURPHY AND THE REVELATOR ORCHESTRA WILL PROVIDE EXTRACTS FROM PETER'S ACCLAIMED WORK ''JOHN THE REVELATOR'',FERGAL MC KEE'S SHITTY SHIT SHITS WILL DEMONSTRATE WHAT A STAGE SHOW SHOULD BE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND BRIAN CONAGHAN WHO IS ONE OF THE HEAD HONCHOS FROM THE [...]
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG (Philo Version) Topical Tuesday is the new feature where I represent a topical item with a sample mp3 from one of Ireland's best artists. The focus for many Irish families this week is the return to school for the 800,000 kids and the difficult situation that has been imposed on them. Through no fault of their own they now have more classmates, less teachers, less subject choices and far more chaos in their lives because of the state the country is in at the moment! Let's hope we don't go back to the time [...]
Just a quick random post today. Three songs thrown together purely because I like the cut of their respective jibs. From Whipping Boy , we have a 3 minute blast of melancholic nostalgia. Everytime I hear this song and indeed anything from the rather awesome 'Heartworm' album, I can't help but wonder why this band were never bigger than they were. Sandwiched in the middle we've got a rather faithful rendition of a track from The Breeders ' debut album . A song that somehow manages to sound both cheery and [...]
If you are in town you could go to Leanne Harte & Elder Roach in Bewleys Cafe Theatre! Then again 3 legends are upstairs in Whelans. Martin Egan, Fheargal McKee and Craig Walker are sure to provide us with a magical night! Finally why not join the stars in Boyles, Slane on Friday drinking to the sounds of Wayne Brennan!
Three of Ireland's indie legends are appearing Upstairs in Whelan's tonight. Martin Egan , former Power Of Dreams frontman Craig Walker (pictured), and Fearghal McKee , legendary frontman with Whipping Boy with his new Line-up (SSS), share a triple bill. Egan, whose songs have been recorded by Christy Moore, Hothouse Flowers, will be performing brand new material, some of which was written with Eamon Carr of Horslips and Will Merriman of The Harvest Ministers. Walker this year celebrates 20 years in the music business with a new album, Siamese , [...]
![Blind Pilots - The Toys Have Gone Berserk [Review]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/1785048_lg.jpg)
According to their MySpace: " .... BLIND PILOTS play melodic guitar driven rock, with occasional effects laden synths. Their music is influenced by Radiohead, Whipping Boy,the National and U2. Taking their name from The Cooper Temple Clause song of the same name, the Pilots formed in late 2004." Jim and Ronan from the band were the opening act of the launch of The 2UIBestow Sessions in Boyles, Slane last week and gave us an excellent set of tunes both new and old. The old tunes were from their debut EP recorded in April 2008 called 'The Toys Have [...]
Is it me, or is 'Friends ReUnited' (and a hundred sites like it) a vacuous world of eavesdropping and one-upmanship? I mean, why, oh why, would you want anyone to know that you are now "Married (To Tracy) with 2 kids, a lumbering great mortgage and a hamster with terminal alopecia"? And why pray tell, 20-30 years on, would you wish to be re-united with a 'friend' who boasts online (with photos) of his 13 foot dinghy, a Thai bride, and a timeshare in Playas de la Scunthorpe? (Bet he still has the 'Scwewy Wabbit' speech impediment though. [...]
In light of the news that Fearghal Mc'Kee is gigging again with a new band 'SSS' I give to you one of the best love songs ever written by an Irish artis. 'So Much For Love' is from the 2000 self titled third album. So Much For Love All she wants is to be remembered Everyday All he sees is his own reflection, Standin' in the way She says I wish we could kiss like we used to I wish we could be I wish we could just make time Stand still for me So [...]
Wow what a line-up for the tiny venue of Upstairs in Whelans. The only good thing about the recession is that while you may have less gigs to go to, you will have magical nights to experience. More info: http://www.myspace.com/craigjo hnwalker http://www.myspace.com/martina egan Let's remember how brilliant Craig Walker (The Power of Dreams) and Whipping Boy were:
It's been a long time since I made a mix so here is an Easter Mix. All of these tunes are reflective and thought-provoking on this important religious holiday. The Frames - Sideways Down Duke Special - Those Proverbs we made in the Winter Must End Cornerstone [Peadar King] - Wanted Something Katell Keineg - O Seasons Cara Dillon - Standing On The Shore Lunasa - Absent Friends [...]
Because I'm nothing if not sensitive to the demands of the crowd, here is Whipping Boy's When We Were Young:
![My Top 40 [Irish Artists & Songs]](http://cdn.elbo.ws/posts/1587817_lg.jpg)
The main feature on Mixtape4Melfi I was most proud of was the countdown of my Top 100 tracks of all time. I have decided to produce a Top 40 list of Irish artists and their best songsin honour of St. Patricks Day next Tuesday. Of course it's totally subjective but I'd love your comments: 1. Mark Dignam - Glide Mp3 Info 2. U2 - Bad 3. Thin Lizzy - Dancing In The Moonlight 4. Nick Kelly - Tiburon Prayer 5. The Frames - Fitzcaraldo 6. The Prayer Boat - Slow Down 7. Pony [...]
I bought this book last week for next to nothing and kinda speed read it while my twins were at Judo. The Polysyllabic Spree is a collection of book reviews Nick Hornby wrote for The Believer magazine during the years 2003 and 2004. A few things struck me while reading it. Firstly were the wise words from Nick when he advises in the introduction to stop reading a book if it's not good! Great advice! I'm often struck by hearing people saying it was a good book but I struggled through it! Why struggle? I suppose it's like music blogs, [...]
Another mixtape4melfi repost here. In February, four middle age Irish Times rock critics created a top 40 Irish Album list of all time. As lists go.....this one stirred up many a comment or 220 odd on the Irish Times blog. Link: http://www.irishtimes.com/blog s/ontherecord/2008/02/29/the-t ickets-top-40-irish-albums-of- all-time/ So in the Irish Times on friday 29th Feb, the below list of the best 40 albums was compiled by 4 Ticket rock writers. I found the list [...]
I'll start with the end. This is the final post on Mixtape4melfi. I have a new Irish Music only blog 2 U I Bestow which I think has a more specific purpose in the hope of promoting Irish bands. I'm inspired to do this because I feel it is a major injustice if the music world doesn't get to know about Mark Dignam . 1. Mark Dignam - Glide Mark was centre of Dublin's busking scene in the post Joshua Tree pre Economic Boom Ireland. Mark busked with Glen Hansard, Mic [...]
In what was another cruel case of 'should've been's' Whipping Boy have long since gone back to their day jobs. I saw them in concert several times, the last of which was a reunion gig in 2005 which felt flat and even more disappointingly slightly false. Here was a band with an intense anger and when that subsided the mood remained defiant and rebellious. By 2005 this had dissipated so the
Whipping Boy were an Irish band who notched up a couple of hits in the mid to late 90's, and who should have been huge. Coldplay huge. Oasis huge. U2 huge. "We Don't Need Nobody Else" is bile. Melancholic, to be sure - but pain, anger, frustration. A hint of madness. Passion. Love and hate mixed together, thrown together, shaken and twisted and turned until one is indiscernible from the other. According to bass player Myles McDonnell: If enough people had heard 'Heartworm', we could [...]
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mp3hugger
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the Weekender ::: New music from Catcall // the National // Summer Camp
KNIFE PARTY – RAGE VALLEY EP
Check Out: Ty Segall Band – “I Bought My Eyes”
