Irish music scene

pragmatic1 · 03-02-2017 09:56PM #1

Why doesn't Ireland produce bands making popular music like the UK. Apart from U2, we've very few internationally known acts. Can't stand most of our singer songwriters apart from Damien Dempsey. On the other hand our trad is in my opinion probably the best folk music in the world.

Anesthetize · 03-02-2017 10:04PM

Republic of Ireland. Population: 4.595 million
United Kingdom. Population: 64.1 million

pragmatic1 · 03-02-2017 10:16PM

I know. But even still, a small nation can still produce a lot of talent. Jamaica population 2.715. They punch well above their weight.

Ubbquittious · 03-02-2017 10:21PM

We are too busy enjoying the fresh air outside or drinking pints in the pub. The English on the other hand, are all bored sh!tless and depresssed stuck in their apartments and red brick houses bored out of their absolute skulls.

Until one fella out of frustration decides to make a YouTube video of himself strumming the absolute sh!te out of an electric guitar while jumping up and down on the couch after 1 can of coke from the fridge too many.

Then he gets a few comments from some of the bored people saying "thats actually quite good m8" and he starts on his path to become an international act.

Thats how all British bands start off

shane9689 · 03-02-2017 10:29PM

We actually punch way above our weight too. a lot of famous artists coming from ireland. Jamaica is an exception. It was a newly founded colony that threw a bunch of different musically inclined cultures together... it was new and exciting music. Ireland suffered the opposite faith, we have mass migration, even if an irish lad makes a song he will probably leave and do it elsewhere because there's not enough money in it to make music hits here, better off moving to london or new york.

Anesthetize · 03-02-2017 10:29PM

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I know. But even still, a small nation can still produce a lot of talent. Jamaica population 2.715. They punch well above their weight.

True. But comparing a country with a small population like Ireland with the UK doesn't make much sense.

I still think that Ireland has produced a decent amount of acts who are internationally known in particular circles:

My Bloody Valentine
Thin Lizzy
Rory Gallagher
Taste
Damien Rice
Enya
Sinéad O'Connor
Hozier
Primordial
God is an Astronaut
Virgin Prunes
Planxty
The Cranberries

I'm not a fan of all of these, I'm just throwing them out as examples.

Silentcorner · 03-02-2017 10:56PM

Ireland has always had an excellent music scene...

Dublin is prolific at producing excellent talent...at any given time there are always about 3/4 s***hot bands on the scene...

Check out the diversity of these songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtgzfwAaBxI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtf7hC17IBM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeQhjDoy3l0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CshpZTyEqs0

They are just 4 songs appealling to different demographics...I could easily stay here all night post similar examples...it is one of the things I love about Dublin actually...

Then you get the stalwarts like BellX1/The Frames/The Coronas/The (hated) Script...and then beauties like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDBpu7LcR7s ....

The only way to appreciate talent is to get in front of it...this country is full of it....

Cork/Limerick/Waterford also have a good scene, but in cities of that size it is hard to get national traction..and forget about getting any meaningful radio coverage...

You just happened to compare us to the Brits, who are one of the most prolific of all nations for producing talent...a good few of whom, by the way are sons/daughters of Irish expats...

Ferrari3600 · 03-02-2017 11:30PM

Silentcorner wrote: »

You just happened to compare us to the Brits, who are one of the most prolific of all nations for producing talent...a good few of whom, by the way are sons/daughters of Irish expats...

Yep.

Kate Bush - one of her parents was Irish.
Suede - Bernard Butler was from Dun Laoghaire
Oasis
The Smiths
The Sex Pistols
Boy George (real name George O'Dowd)

etc

Temptamperu · 03-02-2017 11:45PM

RTE dont support young Irish talents.

03-02-2017 11:56PM

Ireland does have some decent musicians , on Paul McCloone show, a few pop up on his shows, a live session of 3songs usually on Wednesday night....better than Adele/Sheeran or the pop crap they shove down the publics throat

Burial. · 04-02-2017 12:01AM

Eden/The Eden Project is the best singer/songwriter I've came across in years. He's going to be huge. Starting to blow up a little.

youreadthat · 04-02-2017 12:04AM

Ubbquittious wrote: »

We are too busy enjoying the fresh air outside or drinking pints in the pub. The English on the other hand, are all bored sh!tless and depresssed stuck in their apartments and red brick houses bored out of their absolute skulls.

Until one fella out of frustration decides to make a YouTube video of himself strumming the absolute sh!te out of an electric guitar while jumping up and down on the couch after 1 can of coke from the fridge too many.

Then he gets a few comments from some of the bored people saying "thats actually quite good m8" and he starts on his path to become an international act.

Thats how all British bands start off

Pubs are unheard of in England.

greenflash · 04-02-2017 12:10AM

Temptamperu wrote: »

RTE dont support young Irish talents.

The Irish public generally don't support Irish talent if they can help it. You have to go to England to get glam enough. Same with football players. Hardly anyone wants to support LOI teams or idolize their players but put them on a plane to Gatwick and they're the best thing since chocolate coated blowjobs with a finger up yer hole.

Grandeeod · 04-02-2017 12:16AM

Over the years, Ireland has had a lot of great bands. Intinially Irish Radio played those bands and people like me bought the singles and albums based on that airplay. The same bands got signed by labels and the same labels put **** all effort into promoting them in the UK. During this period Thin Lizzy, the rats, U2 broke through. Van the man had done it earlier. Chris De Burgh only made it after lady in red. Its a mixed bag that got ****ed once Louie Walsh came along.

We got a breakthrough with pop eventually but at the expense of many many great Irish bands that I could list all night. I leave here with this great tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlcSZotpAhE

Testament1 · 04-02-2017 12:28AM

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Why doesn't Ireland produce bands making popular music like the UK. Apart from U2, we've very few internationally known acts. Can't stand most of our singer songwriters apart from Damien Dempsey. On the other hand our trad is in my opinion probably the best folk music in the world.

All relative really. Ireland has a wealth of musical talent but that doesn't mean they're all going to make it big internationally. Irish metal bands do pretty well for themselves in the international scene but that's a niche market.

Dave_The_Sheep · 04-02-2017 01:20AM

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Jamaica population 2.715. They punch well above their weight.

Jamaica, really*? Seriously?

*My answer is tongue in cheek, because I don't really pay attention to the modern music scene, being more a film-score/classical fan, but other than Marley and maybe Shaggy, I can't think of a Jamaican artist that's really hit it big.

Electric Sheep · 04-02-2017 01:28AM

There should be a special place in hell for Irish people who use the phrase "punching above our weight" outside of boxing discussions.

Angel Crow · 04-02-2017 01:29AM

Anesthetize wrote: »

My Bloody Valentine
Thin Lizzy
Rory Gallagher
Taste
Damien Rice
Enya
Sinéad O'Connor
Hozier
Primordial
God is an Astronaut
Virgin Prunes
Planxty
The Cranberries
.

You forgot Six.

04-02-2017 06:21AM

Anesthetize wrote: »

True. But comparing a country with a small population like Ireland with the UK doesn't make much sense.

I still think that Ireland has produced a decent amount of acts who are internationally known in particular circles:

My Bloody Valentine
Thin Lizzy
Rory Gallagher
Taste
Damien Rice
Enya
Sinéad O'Connor
Hozier
Primordial
God is an Astronaut
Virgin Prunes
Planxty
The Cranberries

I'm not a fan of all of these, I'm just throwing them out as examples.

Who or what are Primordial? I'd say the international circles that likes Damien Rice or the Virgin Prunes are rather small.

I'd say you could throw out a similar list from a lot of countries, Scotland or Wales being obvious ones...

exaisle · 04-02-2017 06:38AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Who or what are Primordial?

Kinda extreme metal version of Horslips....from north county Dublin...sponsored by several hair care product manufacturers, not.

04-02-2017 06:49AM

Ah, thanks.

We must be one of the worst countries in the world at producing electronic acts. Unless we claim the Aphex Twin, in which case we immediately become one of the best. But otherwise even Belgium whip us, with their Telex, Soulwax, CJ Bolland etc. And Belgium is a musical wasteland.

Dr Crayfish · 04-02-2017 12:26PM

youreadthat wrote: »

Pubs are unheard of in England.

I hope you're being sarcastic. England has the best pubs in the world.

Dr Crayfish · 04-02-2017 12:34PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah, thanks.

We must be one of the worst countries in the world at producing electronic acts. Unless we claim the Aphex Twin, in which case we immediately become one of the best. But otherwise even Belgium whip us, with their Telex, Soulwax, CJ Bolland etc. And Belgium is a musical wasteland.

They invented the saxophone ffs, there'd be no careless whisper without it

gramar · 04-02-2017 12:55PM

pragmatic1 wrote: »

I know. But even still, a small nation can still produce a lot of talent. Jamaica population 2.715. They punch well above their weight.

Bob Marley and who else?

Where I live I hear U2, The Cranberries, Enya, Sinead O'Connor, Hozier, Van Morrison, Ash, The Corrs, The Boomtown Rats and The Script on mainstream stations every day of the week.

On a few other stations catering for more specific tastes you'll hear The Undertones, Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Two Door Cinema Club and others.

I won't even bother mentioning the likes of Westlife and Boyzone. Oh look...I just did.

Sofiztikated · 04-02-2017 01:11PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah, thanks.

We must be one of the worst countries in the world at producing electronic acts. Unless we claim the Aphex Twin, in which case we immediately become one of the best. But otherwise even Belgium whip us, with their Telex, Soulwax, CJ Bolland etc. And Belgium is a musical wasteland.

Ambivalent.
Sunil Sharpe.
Jamie Behan.
Matador.
White Collar Boy.
New Jackson.
Chymera.
Brame and Hamo.
Defekt.
Tinfoil (Sunil Sharpe and Defekt)
Enter the Void.
Daire Carolan.
Niall Clery
Barry Redsetta.

et al.

Hardly a wasteland.

DominoDub · 04-02-2017 01:22PM

Belgium's Finest !

04-02-2017 02:11PM

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Ambivalent.
Sunil Sharpe.
Jamie Behan.
Matador.
White Collar Boy.
New Jackson.
Chymera.
Brame and Hamo.
Defekt.
Tinfoil (Sunil Sharpe and Defekt)
Enter the Void.
Daire Carolan.
Niall Clery
Barry Redsetta.

et al.

Hardly a wasteland.

Household names every one of them.

Sofiztikated · 04-02-2017 02:20PM

Omackeral wrote: »

Household names every one of them.

Point was that he said Ireland doesn't produce electronic artists. We do.

Now, whether or not they are household names, that's different. If they don't get airplay on Irish stations, because electronic music is niche at best here, well they're less likely to become household stars. If they want to, that is.

jojofizzio · 04-02-2017 02:28PM

Angel Crow wrote: »

You forgot Six.

And Jedward

Anesthetize · 04-02-2017 02:58PM

Omackeral wrote: »

Household names every one of them.

Does it matter?

04-02-2017 03:16PM

Angel Crow wrote: »

You forgot Six.

Whipping Boy
Revelino
A-house
Kerbdog
Turn
Divine comedy

Irish music scene

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