A short video preview of EP37 - Hawaii by The High Llamas

A short preview of Episode 37 – Hawaii by The High Llamas

This is a special bonus episode of the podcast. An Draíocht is a radio documentary I produced in 2023. With the assistance of Eoin ‘Stan’ O’Sullivan, Sliabh Luachra musician in residence, I immerse myself in the music of Sliabh Luachra by going on a quest to track down six Irish traditional vinyl records released in 1977. It was first broadcast on RTÉ Lyric FM on Sunday 12 March 2023. Episode notes are ⁠here.

For this episode I’m joined by Dara Higgins, and brothers Diarmuid MacDiarmada and John Dermody to discuss the Jimmy Cake's second album, Dublin Gone, Everybody Dead. We chat about their first band together, Das Madman, the formation of The Jimmy Cake, the recording of their debut album Brains and how nine (and then ten members) of a band handle the composition of songs. Dublin’s music scene in the early 00s. Our conversation takes in a discussion about the realities of trying to break a band, with ten members, outside of Ireland and support for the Arts in Ireland. Epsiode notes are here.

A second short preview of Episode 36 – Dublin Gone, Everybody Dead by The Jimmy Cake

A short preview of Episode 36 – Dublin Gone, Everybody Dead by The Jimmy Cake

Carol Keogh joins me to chat about The Tycho Brahe, the band herself, Donal O'Mahony and Diarmuid MacDiarmada formed in 2002. This Is, their debut album was released in 2002 and Love Life, its follow-up was released in 2003. Prior to The Tycho Brahe Carol and Donal were in The Plague Monkeys and before that again Carol, Donal and Diarmuid were in The Low Babies. We also chat about Carol's varied musical guises since The Tycho Brahe - she's written and performed with Autamata and The Natural History Museum as well as releasing music under her own name and collaborating with loads of other artists. We talk about her most recent work as The WICC and much, much more. Epsiode notes are here.

A short video preview of EP35 - This Is by The Tycho Brahe

A short preview of Episode 35 – This Is by The Tycho Brahe

Dale Grundle and Alice Lemon from Catchers join me to chat about their band Catchers. Formed in Portstewart in the early 90s the band were signed to Setanta Records and moved to London. 'Cotton Dress' their debut single was awarded 'Single of the Week' in Melody Maker and the band recorded Mute, their debut album, with Mike Hedges in France. Mute was critically acclaimed in the music press and Catchers toured Europe with Pulp and Edwyn Collins becoming hugely popular in France. Dale and Alice chat about the Catchers career, the recording of both Mute and Stooping to Fit, their second album. Episode notes are here.