Here is one fun interview I did with musician Steven Hawson over the weekend. This has a better quality than the first take we did. I like the way he clearly explains his ideas about music and how to stay motivated in the midst of the changes that’s been happening in the music industry. It’s really crazy how things have changed in the past ten years. Anyone can make a lucrative way of living as an artist if he/she knows where to market the art.
He also tells me about writing and performing music because that’s how things are. Being a musician is all about that and the rest follow. It is a condition where there is no cure but to just do it. I invite you to listen, learn something from his experience and if possible give your own ideas under the thread. This will benefit musicians and fans of the musical culture.
I am glad to get one of The High Kings do an interview. We have no other than Martin Furey who is the eldest son of Ireland’s ‘Prince of Pipers’ Finbar Furey. He also does vocals, guitar and low whistle for The High Kings. With Darren Holden, Finbarr Clancy and Brian Dunphy, the four form an indomitable power group. So, like any listener, I am curious what it’s like being them.
Their new album Friends for Life is now out.
1. Memory Lane is a fantastic album! You must have been excited when the opportunity came up with Friends for Life?
Oh yes it affirmed my belief in the Love of God to know that dreams really can come true and to be careful what we wish for, both since with great fame comes great responsibility 🙂
2. Gucci is my favorite song. It has something I have never heard in any song before. How did you come up with that kind of vocal style?
I listened to the best musician God ever put on the earth,Finbar Furey ,my father and tried to get as close to his style as possible as myself.Its a style of playing handed down in my family from generation to generation which is also popular in American music though I am not saying I know how that happened…;)
3. Johnny Leave Her is the only a capella song yet it stands out as something easy to sing along. What’s the story behind this?
There were four fellas at sea, the shortest one was trouble the largest one was easily lead and the middle two loved cards but got into an argument about a hand and so came the phrase ‘”leave her'”…Johnny I don’t know what a Johnny is doing in the song but there it is all the same,maybe he was a stowaway???
4. You already release live recordings and also toured many times. How do you keep it fresh and continue to be inspired to record songs.
The audience keeps it fresh it’s lovely to see a sea of faces who are enjoying their night..how could you not give your very heart in return for such heart in support.
5. What should every artist know when one is being catapulted into international success and meeting all kinds of people. What’s the big yes and no?
Have noticed one of either, just do what you want at all times, we are all born free and it is worth any conflict to maintain. Don’t be guilted into bullshit scenarios and do call a cheap shot a cheap shot and do be yourself no matter what they say like Sting said.
6. The four of you were invited to perform at the Official St Patrick’s Day Celebrations at The White House. How was the feeling rubbing shoulders with US President Barack Obama and Taoiseach Enda Kenny?
Another day at the office for all concerned. Good to meet him, I reiki’d him for a minute that was the best I could do for the man. Cool guy considering his obligations but I won’t support him fully til he lets snoop lion perform his new songs at the White House nor will I forgive him if I don’t get an invite 😉 Lovely atmosphere in the home which I have to hand to Michelle obviously, she really knows how to put people at their ease
7. Being in The High Kings, do you still get royal treatments when you go home to Ireland?
I am not the type of person that requires the trappings on any continent. Where do the folks hang out?
Big thanks to Anita Daly for making this possible.
The thing I like about Robert Doyle is that he has a lot to say about creativity. It is always exciting to eavesdrop inside a creative mind and discover what he does in a day-to-day basis when not working on music. This interview sent me looking for his last CD Life in Shadows and played the album once again. I remember the day it got to me. Like music, the artist has many layers. You can read between the lines or you can listen to the songs: They are all a part of him.
You have just released a new single Flags of Belfast with other musicians playing on this track. Are you taking a new direction for the new album?
‘Flags of Belfast’ is a reworking of the melody to ‘Star of the County Down’ with new lyrics. When I began working on it I knew I wanted to add other instrumentation when recording the song. I recorded a lot of demos of the track and some of these were done in Flood Plain Studios here in Dublin which is run by Graham Watson. He suggested trying a second vocal along with uilleann pipes and Aoife Dermody and Eoin Dillon were the perfect choice for this. So yeah there’s going to be some other musicians involved on parts of the album but it will still mostly be a solo record. Sometimes it feels right to have different instruments and then sometimes the music feels better played solo.
You mentioned the new album will be released in 2015. How’s the recording going?
I had hoped to have the album ready by the end of this year but that probably won’t happen now so 2015 is more realistic. From a recording perspective the last single was interesting for me because I got a new preamp for the home studio which now lets me record a guitar sound I’m happy with. This was always a problem in the past. So for the single I recorded the guitar and vocal myself and then we put the other parts down in Flood Plain. This gives me some flexibility for the next record that I didn’t have before. So for now I plan to record most of the album myself and for any extra instrumentation I’d like to work with Graham again. This will be a totally different recording process to last time when I only recorded two of the tracks myself and the rest with an engineer. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to recording yourself and I’ve been debating these with myself over the years. We’ll soon see if I’ve made the right choice this time round!
How will the tracks differ from your last album Life in Shadows in terms of arrangements and lyrics?
At this stage I still have a lot of work to do on writing and arranging. Like the last album it’ll be a mix of original and traditional music but there’ll be a different feel because hopefully I’m a better musician now and this should show in the music. I have about 15 or 16 separate ideas that I’m working on. Some of that material will get cut and hopefully there’ll be a good album in what’s left. Also there’ll be more songs in English this time. In the past I was mostly interested in singing in Irish but there’ll definitely be more English on this record. There’ll be some new instrumental pieces and I want to push those arrangements further on this record. I love to improvise when playing fingerstyle because you have the chance to play basslines, harmony and melody altogether so I’ll improvise around the themes and try to work out the arrangements that way.
Aside from music, what are the other projects you are working on? Can you tell us a bit about your day job?
Work and music takes up a lot of time so aside from that I don’t have any other projects. There are other important things in life though so I hope I make time for them too. The day job is in IT and this comes in useful when invariably you have technical problems in the studio. Obviously not being a full time musician means you can’t spend as much time as you’d like on the music but you try to use the time you have and always stay with it. It would be great to have time to play more gigs and record more often but the important thing is to keep playing music.
After the last album what has changed so far?
Well I think I’ve learnt a lot since then. Each project is a great learning experience and it’s worth all the work for that alone. There was a big jump from the EP I released in 2008 to the album in 2011 and I think it’ll be a similar step this time. Overall I was very happy with the last record. It was great to get a positive reception and some good coverage and radio play. Of course listening back there’s some things that I’d have done differently both in the recording and post-production but that’s all part of it.
What do you plan to accomplish musically this year?
Work on the album is the priority now and if I can get a good piece of it recorded by the end of the year I’ll be happy with that. I’m also working on a collaboration with a bouzouki player based around some traditional songs which hopefully will get to involve other musicians too.
Where can listeners buy your last album Life in Shadows?
The CD is available from Claddagh Records and will soon be for sale again directly from www.robertdoyle.net. A digital download is available from iTunes, Amazon and eMusic.
What other instruments do you play?
I’m learning to play some piano at the moment. It’s not serious piano study but I’m enjoying playing some chords and seeing how they’re built on a different instrument. It would have been great to learn piano when I was starting out all those years ago because as a guitar player you’re often trying to play like a piano player if that makes any sense! I think it’s important to not get too obsessed with the instrument you’re playing so spending some time on another instrument is something I’d recommend.
Boundaries are drawn
On council walls
Divisions are made easily
When a vote was called
The decision did say
The flag won’t fly daily
The Union remains
But the North had changed
Some divisions are the same
Next time you hear the Lagan sound
See the flags of Belfast town
When the protests began
Where are the leaders now
Heard with nothing to say
If there was a chance or a call for calm
It was soon swept away
Living on the sides
Of religious divides
Faith not faded with time
Next time round can you ask the crown
Has she seen the flags of Belfast town
At the start of the night
Through empty streets with dark light
Marches begin to pass
Along an enclave
Calls of an old age
Armed guards to defend both sides
Segregation in schools
Teaches old rules
Lessons begin early
As the children plan
To not let tradition down
And wear the flags in Belfast town
With the city closed
Blockades along the roads
Wasn’t this all a thing of the past
A sectarian divide
A part of city lives
No need to portray any side
Masks leave faces with no names
One after another taking aim
As broken bottles fall all around
The flags of Belfast town
Photo of Max T. Barnes Taken June 16, 2011 at Ray Stevens music in Nashville.
I have featured interviews about Irish artists touring the United States. This time it is the other way around. This interview focuses on Max T Barnes who is a million-selling American artist and his tour of Ireland which is happening very soon.
It is great to get fresh perspective from a mind that has seen it all. But Max T Barnes does not carry the attitude of “ been there done that.” In fact he continues to thrive in the music world with a sense of humility underneath the wisdom. He shares them all unconditionally. And he is one fascinating artist that many can learn from.
1. After many hits in America, and having more than 20 million records sold worldwide, do you ever feel nervous or excited about this upcoming tour of Ireland?
MTB: That is a great question. We are coming to have fun with the folks and make friends. Of course I am a little jittery about this tour – “Will they like me” etc. But I am coming over with a great partner in Craig Curtis who is a great singer and showman and that gives me some peace. We all are striving I guess for what we have yet to achieve. That is the human condition I reckon.
2. You wrote songs for major labels like Warner Brothers, Sony, Curb, Polygram and MCA. What have you discovered so far? How competitive is the music environment?
MTB: I would say it is dog eat dog but that would be an insult to dogs 🙂 just kidding. No at the level which you are consistently having hits, it is very fun and rewarding but in your mind it can be very tense. Imagine you have to write a song a day. now imagine it has to be a great song a couple times a week. Now imagine your songs have to beat the biggest names in country music to get a #1 -consistently – it is heady stuff. I have learned humility. Having said all that, I really don’t understand it fully — I think God must have given me this gift and I hold on to my faith in God.
3. You will be joined on stage by Craig Curtis, with Paul Hollowell. How do you feel performing with these talented artists?
MTB:Paul is my best buddy and we talk every morning but he will be on tour with Dolly so he can’t come this time
I know they are playing Dublin and Belfast on their world tour “Blue Smoke” which I think is sold out.
Craig Curtis has a Randy Travis like voice and I have a Vince Gill/Colin Raye Type voice so it’s a good blend. Craig is a very funny guy and we have a big big time on stage. Where appropriate, we have a beer on stage and ask the audience to join in our drinking game 🙂 We have a good time and I tell stories about these hits we sing – behind the scenes stories no one has heard. He and I write all his stuff together so it is very comfortable – Vey fun!
4. What’s the reason behind your decision to launch a music tour in Ireland?
MTB It is complicated- another story, but I love traditional country music and from what I understand the Irish do to.
That’s why.
5. What will your Irish fans expect to hear from you?
MTB My big hits and my dad’s 24 hits. These are very well known songs “Love me” by Collin Raye – “Who’s gonna fill their shoe”s by George Jones “Look at Us” by Vince Gill and so many more so fans will recognize them but the cool thing are the stories about the back scene in the biz. With the exception of Craig’s new stuff, We sing nothing but hits.
6. What are the places you wish to visit when you are there?
MTB I took my wife Robin some years ago for a 10 day vacation there so I have seen the tourist stuff. (it was amazing!!)
But this time, I could think of nothing better than to see the inside of someone’s home because we got an invite because we made a new friend.
7. What’s the pivotal point in your upbringing that made you decide you want to be in music?
MTB True story— I was 17 at a movie by myself because a girlfriend broke up– and I remember thinking what do I want to be?
and the answer was —be in music (play guitar) and I realized that I needed to practice!!! so I got up and left in the middle of the movie, went home and practiced!!! Still practicing 🙂
8. Can you tell us a bit about your record collection these days? What tunes are you listening to?
MTB I don’t really have a collection. I have maybe 7 or 8 hundred cd’s from artist’s my dad or I have cuts on — or friends cuts — or my artist friends.
I am typical of songwriters though- in that I rarely listen to music on purpose . I was cleaning out the barn the other day and my wife asked me why did I not have the radio on? I told her because I like the records in my head better – I really do hear music in my head and I sing along – But my mental jukebox is eclectic! Coldplay, Bad Co. Hank Jr. Randy Travis (a lot of Randy lately) And I love to sing in John Anderson’s voice!!
John Anderson was over to my house just yesterday recording!! Oh my gosh I love his voice!!!
Celtic Music Fan 