Beautiful Day

Geldof and Bono make Nobel peace prize list

Sir Bob Geldof and U2 star Bono are among the 191 nominees for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

Sir Bob, former lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, was nominated for organising last year's Live8 charity concerts, while Bono won plaudits for his campaign against world poverty.

This year's prize has the second highest number of candidates. Last year saw 199 names go forward.

The winner will be named in October, with the prize presented in Oslo on December 10th, the anniversary of the death of its founder, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel.

The prize is now worth $1.3 million.

From Monsters & Critics

VAN MORRISON Confirms Easter Bank Holiday Concert

Van Morrison will perform for one night only at the INEC Killarney over the Easter Bank Holiday on Saturday 15 April, 2006.

Tickets 44.50 including booking fee are on sale now from Ticketmaster and usual outlets nationwide. Telephone 0818 719 300 or log onto www.ticketmaster.ie

Pay The Devil, the new country set from the legendary Van Morrison will be released on March 6. Pay The Devil is comprised of 15 tracks, three originals and 12 covers of some of Van Morrison's favorite classic country songs, including "Your Cheatin Heart", "Things Have Gone To Pieces" and "Big Blue Diamonds".

Morrison has successfully recorded jazz, rock, R&B, blues, Celtic, skiffle and more. Now his distinctive voice melds seamlessly with country classics written by songwriting masters such as Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Merle Kilgore, Rodney Crowell, Curly Williams and Leon Payne. The magic also carries over beautifully on Morrison's three original songs "Playhouse", "This Has Got To Stop" and the title track.

For 40 years, Van Morrison has continued to be an important and vibrant artist. He has never rested on his laurels when he easily could have with such important albums as Astral Weeks (1968), Moondance (1970), Tupelo Honey (1971) Irish Heartbeat (1988), right up to the critically acclaimed Magic Time (2005). Pay The Devil is another shining example of an artist following his muse and being as vital today as he was when he began.

From MCD

Gemma Hayes Review

THREE years ago there was an unmistakeable buzz surrounding Gemma Hayes. After she signed to one of the then hippest labels, Source, the Tipperary singer's debut album, 'Night On My Side', was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. She had little trouble selling out her UK concerts.

Then it all went wrong. Hayes suffered two years of writer's block and a much-anticipated follow-up was left on the back burner. After decamping to Los Angeles, her mojo returned and - with the help of sometime REM and Beck drummer Joey Waronker - she wrote and recorded a second album.

'The Roads Don't Love You', which was released last autumn, marked a progression from her debut and consequently this Dublin show relied heavily on material from that album. Her three-piece band may have played just twice before, but they had little trouble in delivering faithful reproductions of the album's finest moments.

Two songs stood out: 'Two Step' recalled Alanis Morissette's passionate delivery, while a supremely assured 'Happy Sad' (not to be confused with the Tim Buckley tune) highlighted her ability to write top-notch radio-friendly hits when she puts her mind to it.

Those expecting a muted delivery were in for a shock because the Gemma Hayes of 2006 really rocks out, and her set included a cover of 'Whole Wide World', one of the more worthwhile efforts to come from the pen of British punk oddball, Wreckless Eric.

And a new song, provisionally titled 'In Over My Head' showed that Hayes has well and truly left writer's block behind her.

It didn't all go to plan, though. 'Easy on the Eye' - which she billed as a "Ballyporeen love song" - dragged along. However, it proved to be an apt song title: clad in oh-so-fashionable skinny jeans, the radiant Hayes exuded a sexiness that appealed to at least half of the audience.

From Unison.ie

Microdisney entry in Allmusic

The Irish outfit Microdisney derived its paradoxical power from the distinct visions of its two frontmen, vocalist Cath al Coughlan — a dark, brooding lyricist given to angst-ridden, incendiary wordplay — and guitarist Sean O'Hagan, a gifted composer of atmospheric, seductive pop fare. Formed in Cork in 1980, the group went through a series of line-up changes and approaches before settling on the core duo of Coughlan and O'Hagan as well as bassist Mick Lynch and drummer Rob Mackahey. In 1982, Microdisney released its first singles, including "Helicopter of the Holy Ghost," the first of many songs which grappled with Coughlan's obsession with the Irish Catholic church.

Around the time the group released its full-length debut Everybody's Fantastic, Coughlan and O'Hagan relocated to London, where they recruited new bassist Ed Flesh and drummer Tom Fenner. In 1984, they also issued a compilation of early singles titled We Hate You South African Bastards! With 1985's The Clock Came Down the Stairs, Microdisney won not only significant critical acclaim but also the patronage of influential DJ John Peel. In addition, they earned a contract with Virgin Records; their first single for the label, "Town to Town," nearly reached the U.K. Top 50.

After the 1987 album Crooked Mile (recorded with new bassist Steve Pregnant and keyboardist James Compton), Microdisney released the single "Singer's Hampstead Home," a vicious attack on labelmate (and admitted heroin addict) Boy George. When 1988's 39 Minutes failed to elevate their commerical fortunes, Microdisney called it quits. While Coughlan brought his intensity to the Fatima Mansions, O'Hagan followed his pop muse to form the Beach Boys-inspired High Llamas; he also worked frequently with Stereolab and Will Oldham's ever-shifting Palace Music.

Frames still nurturing the chaotic beauty of rock

Review

The Frames

Vicar Street, Dublin

SEVERAL years ago The Frames struck artistic pay-dirt when they gave up trying to write a hit and embraced the chaotic beauty of avant-garde rock.

Immediately, the Dublin band became a more interesting proposition, a sort of folk-tinged, raggle-taggle Radiohead.

The irony, of course, was that, the moment they turned their backs on a mainstream audience, The Frames achieved massive popularity, and not just in Ireland.

They can also count on a burgeoning fanbase in America, where there is a traditional weakness for groups which deal in heightened emotions. The fact The Frames have a violin player probably helps - or, at any rate, distinguishes them from Coldplay.

Half a decade on, it is a measure of how far The Frames have progressed that a concert largely dedicated to road-testing new material draws a capacity audience. Sometimes, the recently finished songs cling fervently to what by now sounds like a formula, one that is unashamedly earnest and occasionally uplifting.

To many, The Frames (below) may appear to be a vehicle for their frontman, Glen Hansard. That isn't quite true and probably has to do with the fact that, while his bandmates resist the limelight, he at least tolerates it.

Hansard's ragged, heartfelt voice sits at the centre of the new stuff. 'On No More I Love You', he whispers, then screams, as the rest of The Frames encourage their instruments to portentously howl and shriek. Until this moment, the crowd has been chatty and even a little irreverent. Now, they hold themselves eerily still, smitten to the core.

From Unison.ie

My Bloody Valentine man plays rare gig

Kevin Shields joins Gemma Hayes on stage
My Bloody Valentine main man Kevin Shields made a rare live appearance in London (February 9).

The reclusive musician joined Gemma Hayes during her gig at the Enterprise pub in Camden.

Introducing Shields during the encore Hayes explained: "There are two people I've always wanted to play with, Bob Dylan and Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine and he's here!"

Inviting Shields - who had watched the gig largely unnoticed by fans in the audience - to join her on guitar, Hayes added: "If we get this right he's going to come up here and play with us, I'm shaking in my boots."

Sheilds played guitar with Hayes on a new song 'Nowhere Man And Whisky Girl'.

The Irish singer-songwriter meanwhile played a full set drawing on songs from her debut album 'Night On My Side' and her recent record 'Roads Don't Love You'.

From NME.com

Guitars Of The Stars

Just how important are guitars to the rock 'n' roll image? "Incredibly important," says Michael Molenda, editor in chief of Guitar Player magazine. "When rock 'n' roll was young in the 1950s and '60s, performers gravitated to whatever they could borrow or afford. But when the music hit its stride, just the fact that guys like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Richie Blackmore held certain guitars made them iconic."

Then there are the "custom" models, which are graced not only with artists' imprimaturs, but with the same dings, scratches and dents as the original guitars. For instance, Fender's Rory Gallagher Tribute Stratocaster--named for the late, great Irish rocker--which lists for $3,929, is "very distressed," says Morgan Ringwald, vice president of public relations for Scottsdale, Ariz.-based guitar maker Fender. "It looks like a beat-up old guitar, but it's an exact replica of his most famous guitar

From Forbes.com

U2 scoop three Meteors

U2 stole the show at tonight’s Meteor Ireland Music Awards as the rock band swaggered away with three awards at their home town event.

The band, who have been topping the charts for over 20 years, successfully fended off newcomers to rake in the award for Best Irish Band, whilst their latest effort ’How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’ took the Best Irish Album.

Before a packed out Point Theatre in Dublin, U2, who were represented by Adam Clayton, were also awarded the Best Live Performance for their sell-out Croke Park gigs which had left music lovers scrabbling for tickets.

Snow Patrol use bush Inspiration

Northern Irish band SNOW PATROL rented an empty house on a desolate Irish cliffside to record their second album, after hearing KATE BUSH had composed in the same building.

The RUN stars are currently adding the finishing touches to EYES OPEN, the follow-up to their successful third disc FINAL STRAW.

The rockers has hailed the Irish fishing village of Dingle as the perfect location to inspire their musical creativity.

Frontman GARY LIGHTBODY says, "We rented an isolated house on the top of a cliff.

"Kate Bush wrote there and it's not a wild stretch of the imagination to see why. It's a very dramatic place."

From contactmusic.com

Blood or Whiskey To Tour With Stiff Little Fingers

It is with great honor that Punk Core Records is to formally announce that Blood or Whiskey will be joining Punk legends Stiff Little Fingers as the opening act for their upcoming UK tour. Since the release of their critically acclaimed album Cashed Out on Culture last March, Blood or Whiskey have been the toast of the current Irish infused Punk trend by masterfully mixing traditional Irish music with Punk in manner the hasn’t been seen since The Pogues first made their historic stamp on the genre. Listed below are the dates in which Blood or Whiskey will be joining Stiff Little Fingers.

March 15 – Middlesbrough, at Town Hall
March 16 – Aberdeen, at Lemon Tree
March 17 – Glasgow at Barrowland
March 18 – Newcastle at Carling Academy
March 20 – Birmingham at Carling Academy
March 21 – Cambridge at The Junction

From Plug in Music