Standard of Dublin Bands?

polarbelly

this controversial enough for all of you....

personally i think alot of dublin bands are good...but... then again some are obviously not so good...

someone posted that they didn't like a single dublin band ... so... lets find out why

mick

Pigman

Vocally dull and very little diversity of style would be my guesses. Every band in Dublin seems to want to be the next U2 when they should be trying to be the new them (<- and no I'm not refering to Van Morrisons old band ).

thedrowner

thats a good point pigman-although personally i wouldnt insult them by calling them as mediocre as u2

i find a lot of dublin bands dont have an interesting enough sound for my liking, i liek music thats sad, and beutiful, or it can be happy if its special enough. a b it of electronics can be good.

i do think that there are too any bands that sound the same, and nothing sets them apart from the rest. Im going too be a bit of coward and not name name's, coz i know some of these bands from here. It wouldnt be fair to call them crap, theyre simply not my kind of music. some of them are very close to it though, and i feel that with a little bit of experimenting they could be great-but thats just my opinion, and theres no point in bands chanigng their direction just for me

i still say play what u want to play, if u like it, then it doesnt matter if theres no one out there who doesnt like what ur aiming for, at least ur doing what u want. if an audience is more important, then u have to conform. (ok going off topic)

irish bands that i like at the moment are the 66e, polar, turn, the dudley corporation, joan of arse, wallmark, the recently departed brando...

polarbelly

in fairness pigman...

i respect your opinion and all but i dont know any dublin bands who are tryin to sound like u2... in fact i cant think of any of the bands that i know that would even state u2 as an influence or as a band that they would listen to regularly

maybe some are trying to emulate their success but who doesnt want to be a multi-millionaire?

a suggestion for you... if you think that most dub bands are vocally dull...check out the 66 electric

knobbles

Well the obvious answer is they haven't got the natural talent
in themselves. Everyone has friends that play guitars but no
matter how technically good they get or how many songs they
try to write, it won't make them creatively gifted. You either have the magic in you or you don't and most don't.
It's a quite obvious gap.
To name some from the last couple of years...Damien Rice, Mundy, Gemma Hayes,JJ72, Snow Patrol,The Walls, BellX1, Skindive, Turn, Gab y Rod(if we can adopt) and, most recently, Woodstar deserve local support whether they make it abroad or not.

It's still a country that produces several new
and great artists each year but there's gonna be a lot of
ordinary left-overs floating around Dublin venues and sinking.
Yes, a lot of dublin bands are good but does their music seriously inspire you?

If you really like an artist in this country go to their gigs, buy
their stuff but you can't expect people to support bands
who don't inspire, unless it's their mates!
But there'll always be some genuine talents that come to our
attention each year.

thedrowner

Originally posted by knobbles

To Woodstar deserve local support whether they make it abroad or not.

see this is where difference of opinion come into play...ive seen woodstar and i thought they were crap, that maybe one of their songs was any good.

i blame difference of opinion.

knobbles

....i haven't heard their full catalogue yet but i have their
E.P. and "dumb punk song" is a fantastic song that doesn't
sound like anything else coming out of here at the moment.
i like the e.p. but i'd judge them on that song alone.

if you like flaming lips,mercury rev or snow patrol, check it out.

polarbelly

i liked woodstar when i saw them but they are like sparkehorse if you're looking for a comparison

thedrowner

i do like flamin lips and mercury rev but ive seen woodstar twice and theyve failed to impress me...

thedrowner

wow

---

that is a comparison i would never make!
its amazing how diffeent people hear differnt things.

Raggamuffin

experimentation thats what i try to do

bass lines will always sound the same at the start
but you should push it and try to in the words of black flag "ya gotta rise above , ya gotta rise above"

thedrowner

see....that the kind of attitude i have a problem with

theres no need to rise above it

im for experimentation, youre for experimentation, but it doesnt mean that not experimenting is a bad thing, it means we dont like it and there's not reason to think its bad just coz we dont like it

Raggamuffin

punk was experimentation

does'nt mean you go wanky like radiohead or stereolab

knobbles

Originally posted by polarbelly
i liked woodstar when i saw them but they are like sparkehorse if you're looking for a comparison

flaming lips/sparklehorse, ye that's the best comparison

bandit

Quincy are one of the worst bands ever saw them support 66e in da2 and boy did they ever suck.
There review single in hot press was a classic;-
Despite opening with a potentially interesting guitar riff, Quincey swiftly knee themselves in the groin with dodgy keyboards, out of time ‘clapping’ and a vocal that ends every phrase with “owww”. I’ll be brief: they sound like a bunch of tone deaf 20-somethings who genuinely don’t realise how tragically bad they are. Not a pretty sight. Not at all.

polarbelly

just to let you know, the lads from quincey frequent this brd a wee bit... not that i think you'll care...the ol' review was particularly cringe worthy alright though... poor feckers, i'd be heartbroken getting a review like that.

Raggamuffin

damn
i've seen some shockers
some nothern irish band claled the evangelists

jesus christ
if the holocaust was proof god did'nt exist then here was the icing on the cake.

knobbles

it's probably a bit harsh slaggin some of these giggin
artists(or acts might be the apropriate word) and singling
them out unless maybe if they're gettin loads of praise which
you don't think they deserve.

i've been kindly posted a few demos from bands that were
discussed in here over the lasy year. As bands and musicians, they all sounded impressive but i've yet to come across any great songs which is what it takes to win you over.
The most impressive demo had diversity in its songs and i'd
like to check them out some time but most were kinda bland
to be honest.

Shorty

http://www.redfrecords.com/redneck.html

Look at this link, and in the review by The Event Guide it states: "... they'll never become part of this countries mainstream, where awards ceremonies strive to suggest that all music is good music once it's made by an Irish act,"

Hmmmm??:)

musicman

Well Mr Bandit(or should that be Ms),

Having read this thread and seen your post complete with quoted hot press "review"(if you cold call it that) I decided to check out this song and surprise surprise...it aint all that bad!

Now lets see...


Dodgy keboards...they sounded fine to me
Out of time clapping...sounded in time to me
Ending every phrase with "owww"...ehhh didn't quite catch that..
Tone deaf...nothing out of key or tune
As for how tragically bad they are, well I've heard far bigger bands with worse stuff that would get a great review in hotpress

I have to say I have not seen a review like that in quite some time.
It is a bad review alright.. a badly written review. What did the music sound like? Compare it to something to give the reader something to go by, nothing of that nature appeared here..

Perhaps the reviewer didn't know much about them, perhaps she didn't understand the music(not an altogether unfeesible idea) and it was easier for him/her to write this diatribe.. I guess we will never know...

I would'nt not go to see a film cause of a bad review it got, would you?
You might just be missing out on something good!!

Trev M

To be honest I thought the Hotpress review of Quincey was way over the top myself...ok you have to respect honesty but jaysuuus that was harsh ...almost like a person attack perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye......we all know how small this town is and grudges are held like assholes in Dublin aren't they hahahaa

Shorty

Originally posted by Raggamuffin
damn
i've seen some shockers
some nothern irish band claled the evangelists

jesus christ
if the holocaust was proof god did'nt exist then here was the icing on the cake.

Where do you get these from? :rolleyes: lol

TriggerGene

pulse fm is a animal station and all you muppettts are just anoying penis rubbing faggots wasting your time talking dirty **** about **** hippy bands that stroll around dublin with their cocks in their hands thinkin they are the kings of future music when dance music is takin over your retarded air waves . keep dance alive KILL ALL HIPPYS (d roof d roof d roof is on fire we dont want no benders hippys let the fire burn higher) SORTED ANIMAL BUZZ IM OUT OF HERE you pack of crusty basterd faced **** eaters.

Shorty

A jaysis buh! yolked ourrivah! rappah!

hmmwhat?

Originally posted by Trev M
To be honest I thought the Hotpress review of Quincey was way over the top myself...ok you have to respect honesty but jaysuuus that was harsh ...almost like a person attack perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye......we all know how small this town is and grudges are held like assholes in Dublin aren't they hahahaa

Hey Trev!

You are indeed right. For reasons I can't really go into here that review had a lot more than meets the eye! No one in the band sees that as criticism because of this and no one is offended.

For those people who were angry at the review and for those who got off on it, Quincey's new single and video is a song called So Real and is not even finished yet. Superstar was recorded in about three hours for no money and was not intended for release.

Dublin has some really great bands. Through gigsmart, phantom and other things around I personally have seen dozens of fantastic artists over the past year. People get so caught up trying to promote themselves or their friends band that it turns bitchy and envious. It is a sad state of affairs. Artists (my band included) work their ass off for little or no money because they believe in what they are doing. Keep it up because I know we will.

http://www.quinceyband.com

Business man

The problem is there are too many run of the mill 'indie' bands who write strummy acoustic guitar ballads that just come across as the most boring drivel ever. Either that or they write songs that are hidden under layers of guitar effects that just cover up the holes.

Stage presence doesn't seem to enter many peoples minds eiter as far as any of the bands I've seen recently go. Being 'cool' does not mean sauntering onto the stage in Eamonn Dorans while your drummer who has come on ahead of you plays a 'rockin' 4/4' while you set up your gear. (I wont name the band but that was possibly the lamest thing I've ever seen)

Basically there are just too many bands which then taint the few good bands there are.

lamda

Its a lack of personality thats the problem if ya ask me....
No rock stars in this city... and those that think they are are pretentious losers who are the sole members of their own fan clubs.
Hmmmmm that sounds harsh but im gonna stick with it. Or maybe ill take up primal scream therapy....

knobbles

i don't know what the main agenda is for this forum -
to promote local music or to discuss great music from home
and abroad.

It all sees to be local promotions and plugs and worst of all
pretending to be a new member and starting a topic on a
local band when it's fairly obvious it's the band themselves doin it.
....well i noticed it with one local band(whose music i've yet to hear) at it the last while and it's sad.

There' s fec all talk about great international music,
favourite artists,great new albums and bands except maybe the big gigs. Are these topics not of more interest than "saw a
cool band in DA2"?
I don't wanna be harsh but it's just all over the place and
there's never anything interesting to talk about
....though this is an interesting topic!

I dunno, leave a link/promotion to your band on your signature
and leave it at that and more discussions about great gigs
like sigur ros or QOTSA or debate the manics new album etc.

thedrowner

there was a thread discussing the manics, and one discussing the new sigur ross album, and they dropped down and out coz no one was replying to them, knobbles....

knobbles

....and wasn't it nice to share it with other fans,
sigur ros gig

sorry, i didn't contribute to the any manics topics but i'm
not a fan, it was just an example, pay more attention to the "etc"

jonny

not sure if this has already been said. but i'll say it anyway.
i reckon the reason that theres so much drivel, especially in ireland as regards new music is because everyone aspires to be a rockstar whether they have it in them or not.
most bands have NO heart and soul and a lot of them just rip off their heros.
there are so many people who are "musicians" for the sake of it rather than for the love of it.
i find that a lot of bands analyse a certain type of music, then take that formula and use it for themselves. this creates NOTHING.

(ahem) also, a lot of people put up posts on this message board looking to form a band, or looking for a specific band member, and reel off a whole load of band names, who im guessing are the essential ingredients for the finished band which will be...what?...ORIGIONAL?

i'm sorry, i just cant get my head around this.

AND ANOTHER THING: i was in the chatroom once and somebody, who claimed to be a musician, asked for pointers on "how to write a song". if youre asking for advice on this matter, you probably shouldnt be writing songs

Shorty

Knobbles, read the "An Observation" thread, it's exactly about what you just said. And I think we're just at a bit of a low point at the moment for great music, I do feel we are due something new within the next year, a new musical movement.

johnnynolegs

a good point jonny very valid and true - anybody else have any theories on why there are few bands who are worthwhile out there?????

polarbelly

i think that there are alot of good bands out there... personally... i wont name them in case i leave out anyone

there are also alot of **** bands out there...

what i , again personally, like to hear in a band is emotion both in the music and lyrics...thats just me though

stage presence etc. as someone mentioned above does nothing for me except usually make me annoyed at the bands...

eh i have to go now but i'm sure i'll reply to myself later

mick

Holyghost

Originally posted by Raggamuffin
damn
i've seen some shockers
some nothern irish band claled the evangelists

jesus christ
if the holocaust was proof god did'nt exist then here was the icing on the cake.

Hmmmm... are you talking about the gig they played with the Warlords of Pez? The Evangelists very strange stuff indeed: Primus, Captain Beefheart, System of a Down. Not everyones cup of tea. Personally I think they are one of the best experimental rock bands in the country.

Good bands in Ireland? Off the top of my head... Weevil, Boa Morte from Cork, Yakuza from Belfast, The Redneck Manifesto, Large Mound, Neo Super Vital, Settler.

Arch

When it boils down to it, I think you have to acknowledge the validity of any band really – someone might want to start a band because they are kept awake at night by melodies, someone else because they want to fukc about with their buddies in front of people. But who can say which will end up the more popular act?

When there are bands with so many different aims and listeners with so many different opinions out there, I think it’s impossible to define any rules at all. When I go see a band that seems to have little to offer, I can’t say ‘these guys suck’ cause there are no rules, no agreed standards. You could think a band is the worst in the world but you will always find a bunch of people who love them. I don’t think record company staff have any more of a bull’s notion either. When No Doubt achieved success with ‘Don’t Speak’, A&R men were out looking for unsigned ska bands with female singers, for christ’s sake.

There will always be bands that have, in Spinal Tap terminology, ‘a more limited appeal’, but as to why their music isn’t as magnetic or convincing to a general audience as some other similar act, beats the schit out of me. So fukc it - I think anyone who wants to perform in public should be considered valid.

Arch
_________________________
http://www.stantonstation.com

Trev M

Hi Arch ,
Long time no hear , hope all is well ....must take a trip over to Stanton station ! Anyway I agree with you 100% on this one.....for me the talent out there is incredible, some of the bands I've seen have given me goosebumps ...Ooooooo:p

I think its very much down to people taking things for what they are not what they think they should be......

My favorite band at the minute are OZ I've seen them live a few times and bought the single there recently and think these guys are fantastic...now people will see that as a mate plugging a mate but in fact that isn't the case I met the band through gigsmart fair enough , but for me they're the best at what they do for me at the moment .....straight forward balls to the wall rock, great songs well put together with killer vocals and lyrics...the standard for me is high, these guys are not on their own either..Popstar are great live, same type of energy, Pinion are getting there...the lads improve evry time I see them...there are so many more....now these bands are not experimental or vastly different than a lot of other bands but the delivery of their music is great and thats what its about for me....a gig , in a bar , its loud its good and it gets your foot tapping and your adrenaline pumping or it makes you think , or remember or whatever......its music its not science , its not mathematics,......its not quatifiable.

I never go to a show and go .....oh these guys are a rip off of this or that, or they should do this or that ....they are what they are if I like em I'll see them again if not I won't , but I think its peoples closed minds that is the problem not whats on display, they've become victims of their own prejudice and unrealistic expectations. There's probably very few outstanding bands in the world at any given time that will make it bigtime but there are a lot of very good bands around who play what they play very well and I think if you look at it like that you become a bit more open to new and different stuff.


All the best - Trev

mojopin

It upsets me to read alot of the messages on this thread. No good Irish bands out there at the moment?? That's a joke. MY two favourite at present are the 66 electric and doug sheridan (who you can see for free every Sunday for god sake). What it boils down to is that most people just couldnt be botherd going to see someone based on one good song they heard on phantom or a good review from a friend, I on the other hand do it all the time,and not just because I'm in a band.
I'd like to say thanks to the random phantom listeners who helped fill up Isaac butts there 2 sunday's ago, really appreciated it, I could tell they were cause they just kept saying "play relapse, play relapse" which is the only song phantom have till today that is.


www.beautifullosers.info

Trev M

Spot On !
Although in fairness some people complaining I have seen at gigs so there is some case in there point, maybe its a case that the musical diversity is limited in Dublin and doesn't cater for peoples tastes enough? i just reckon though people just aren't open to new bands or local bands as much as they used to be.

thedrowner

Originally posted by Arch
When it boils down to it, I think you have to acknowledge the validity of any band really – someone might want to start a band because they are kept awake at night by melodies, someone else because they want to fukc about with their buddies in front of people. But who can say which will end up the more popular act?

When there are bands with so many different aims and listeners with so many different opinions out there, I think it’s impossible to define any rules at all. When I go see a band that seems to have little to offer, I can’t say ‘these guys suck’ cause there are no rules, no agreed standards. You could think a band is the worst in the world but you will always find a bunch of people who love them. I don’t think record company staff have any more of a bull’s notion either. When No Doubt achieved success with ‘Don’t Speak’, A&R men were out looking for unsigned ska bands with female singers, for christ’s sake.

There will always be bands that have, in Spinal Tap terminology, ‘a more limited appeal’, but as to why their music isn’t as magnetic or convincing to a general audience as some other similar act, beats the schit out of me. So fukc it - I think anyone who wants to perform in public should be considered valid.

Arch
_________________________
http://www.stantonstation.com

this is what ive been saying again and again and again

and i must say, all you begrudgers out there, how often do you actually go to gigs? if i reeled off a list of bands would u have seen them? I know when i first heard of the 66e i immediately presumed there were the same as a lot of the bands out there at the moment-but theyre not, as far as im converned anyway. i know there are plenty of bands i could just dismiss, thinking i had seen them before, of even if i ahevnt, that surely they must be the same standard as every1 else....but i coud be wrong.

The Evangelists

Originally posted by Raggamuffin
damn
i've seen some shockers
some nothern irish band claled the evangelists

jesus christ
if the holocaust was proof god did'nt exist then here was the icing on the cake.

Just for the record, we're from Muff in Donegal.
Jesus' díck went limp when he read that.

Silverfish

Um, back to the point.....

The standard of Dublin bands.

Not getting at you Mick, cos everytime I post something everyone takes it personally, but thats a bit of a generalisation. Its like...the way insurance companies treat 18-24 year olds etc.

There are some pretty bad Dublin bands out there, I won't name any,

But there are some pretty great ones out there too, like Johnny Pyro and dare I say it, Polar, and the Crayonz and stuff. But then again, thats just my opinion. Everyone has a different one. I know people who don't like these bands, and think the standard of bands in Dublin is pretty awful. I happen to think its doing okay.

A lot of bands around at the minute sound the same to me, though, there seems to be a lot of blandness infiltrating the Dublin music scene.

Candice

damnit! dont ya hate when ya have something to say..and then you can't remember

ah well.

hmm...

yessss


(btw, go to my website... www.candicemusic.moonfruit.com ...probably not the best post to start self promoting, but hey...every chance i get, eh? i am incredibly unorigional though, so i suppose it has relevance. i want to be the cliff richards)

johnnynolegs

I think you are right silverfish in that there does seem to be a blandness coming into the scene but really hasn't it always been there and any bands that come out now that are different are jumped on as the next big thing - even on this board???

Anyway what does it matter if one band sounds the same as the next or if one singer sounds the same as the next singer , once you like the songs that is all that matters . If you like the band then tell your mates and their mates and everyone you know. If you don't like them then just say "nope their not my cup of tea" don't go around saying they are crap they shouldn't live they should be playing etc.

thedrowner

like johnny, i rpesum,e this is the way it was and always has been, in most places around the world

its only becoming more relevant to me now as i take an interest

polarbelly

Originally posted by Silverfish
Um, back to the point.....

The standard of Dublin bands.

Not getting at you Mick, cos everytime I post something everyone takes it personally, but thats a bit of a generalisation. Its like...the way insurance companies treat 18-24 year olds etc.

There are some pretty bad Dublin bands out there, I won't name any,

But there are some pretty great ones out there too, like Johnny Pyro and dare I say it, Polar, and the Crayonz and stuff. But then again, thats just my opinion. Everyone has a different one. I know people who don't like these bands, and think the standard of bands in Dublin is pretty awful. I happen to think its doing okay.

A lot of bands around at the minute sound the same to me, though, there seems to be a lot of blandness infiltrating the Dublin music scene.

how is anything you said getting at me silverfish luv???

and

for the record the only reason i started this post was in reference to another board member saying that ALL dublin bands are ****e, i presumed if one does a few does so i was interested in why?

on a personal level... i know there are probably 1000's of gigging dublin bands ... i've maybe only seen 100, most of them i thought were good at what they do and only a handful of them were to my PERSONAL tastes... of the bands i do like i see them whenever they play if possible and i try to venture to as many gigs as possible in order to see new bands... i'm going to see oz and skylight tmrw two bands i know i like and i'm getting to see 2 other bands that i dont know...maybe i'll luv them

Ste k

i have been gigging for about 4 years now and have seen loads of bands and brilliant individual musicans in these bands but to be honest i dont think I have ever really seen more than a handful that I would go out and buy their CD (including the one I'm in). I dont what it is with Dublin but It seems that some of the music produced here just falls into this never ending land of repetitiveness. I have gone to gigs and heard bands playing Oasis'o'like songs still just not making an effort to do anything.

What alot of bands lack is a good lead singer who can not only hit the right notes but know which ones they are and write a decent melody. That seems to be a major problem in Ireland, mind you I think that Bono sings some of the best melody's ever written and I dont even like them, he just knows how to fit a vocal to the song.

Does anyone give classes in that!!!

Lunar Junkie

National Prayer Breakfast
Ten Speed Racer
The Redneck Manifesto
Settler
Playground Psychotic
Estel
The Jimmy Cake
Ely
Jeff Martin
Large Mound
The Chalets
The Dudley Corporation

et cetera

Shorty

For **** sake, there is only one truly great Irish band, yet everybody here seems to be blind to the fact.

It's LISTO!

Sheesh!!!:rolleyes:

Amz

Ahhhhh Listo.........what a truly inspiring piece of work!
The lads in the band are so generous that they were even giving away free tickets to their gig just so as not to exclude any of theri fans........

i had a tikcet but i was at a competition in leitrim to see who could watch paint drying the longest before the desire to scrape their own eyeballs out became too strong........im sure i misse a great night out in the TBMC but ya know family commitments and all that. For anyone thats interested John MCGuinness from Mohill county leitrim won that particular competition and will now participate in the world championships in Uzbeckistan next february.

Best of Luck John from all of us on the Phancom FM message board!
We love ya man!

Pigman

Originally posted by polarbelly
in fairness pigman... i dont know any dublin bands who are tryin to sound like u2.

Sorry, I was generalising there. What I mean is that every band (unintentially or not) seems to end up being the standard guitar clanging/strummin 4 piece combo with weak and boring vocalists to cap it all off. It could just be the places I'm going to but that seems to be the only type of music anyone wants to book.

There's always exceptions of course. Acts like Jimmy Cake, Burning Love Jump Suit and Sub Rosa come to mind as Dublin groups that are exciting prospects, but like I said, they are the exception rather than the rule.

The fact that the deplorable JJ72 are the only Dublin band in the past 5 years to get recognised outside this country gives indication to how dire the scene currently is.