Beautiful Day

On the record: truly classic Irish albums

In a new series for BBC Radio Ulster, Ralph McLean picks out the best Irish albums of all time. In a sneak preview, he tells Twentyfourseven about his choices - and explains the reasons behind them.

Over the years there has been no shortage of albums released by artists from Northern Ireland. Many of these releases have been very good but I'd say that very few could be considered classics.

I have always been a music fanatic and for the new Classic Irish Albums series on BBC Radio Ulster, I wanted to pick albums which I felt no record collection should be without; albums which I felt people should listen to and want to learn more about.

For this series, I have rummaged through albums released from the 1960s up until the present day, covering every genre from punk to jazz and pop, to bring listeners a list of what I believe are truly classic Irish albums...

VAN MORRISON Astral Weeks (1968)

It would be impossible to do a series on classic Irish albums without featuring at least one from Van the Man. To me, the guy is a genius.

Astral Weeks is a fabulous album and it started Van up as a solo artist after leaving Them. It sounds like no other album I've ever heard with its crazy mix of soul, jazz, Celtic music, poetry, beat poetry and skat singing.

Astral Weeks is just so important and, as we discuss in the programme, it sold absolutely nothing at the time of release which Van is still pretty embittered about. It originally only sold something like 15,000, but it has since gone on to become a true cult classic.

Apparently, Van was pretty much destitute when he recorded it, the money had dried up and he had just got out of a terrible deal with Bang Records in the States. Everything was riding on Astral Weeks. When you know this, you can hear what an incredible album it is. It takes you back to his childhood in Belfast and his time in America as well - it's like a travel log of a very difficult time for Van when he barely had enough to eat and yet he was able to make a really poetic, beautiful album.

I think Astral Weeks has stood the test of time incredibly well and there's no better way to start a series like this than with an album of this standard. It's unbeatable.

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

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.

Meteor Award nominations announced

The nominations for the 2006 Meteor Ireland Music Awards have been announced, with U2 nominated in three categories.

The quartet are nominated in the Best Irish Band and Best Irish Album categories, while their Croke Park gigs have made the Best Live Performance shortlist.

17 Meteor Ireland Music Awards will be presented in February, with public voting in six categories - Best Irish DJ, Best Irish Band, Best Irish Male, Best Irish Female, Best Irish Pop Act, Best Live Performance - and RTÉ 2fm listeners choosing who wins the Hope for 2006 award.

Joining U2 on the Best Irish Band shortlist are: BellX1, The Chalets, The Corrs, Hal and Turn.

Along with U2's 'How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb', Bell X1's 'Flock', Dave Couse and the Impossible's 'The World Should Know', Damien Dempsey's 'Shots', the Frank and Walters' 'Souvenirs' and Turn's 'Turn' are shortlisted for Best Irish Album.

Joe Chester, Dave Couse, Damien Dempsey, Tommy Fleming, Christy Moore and John Spillane are nominated for the Best Irish Male Award.

Mary Black, Gemma Hayes, Róisín Murphy, Sinéad O'Connor, Sharon Shannon and Claire Sproule make up the Best Irish Female award shortlist.

Coldplay's Marlay Park gig, The Flaming Lips at the Electric Picnic, Green Day at OXEGEN, Elton John at the RDS and Scissor Sisters at Lansdowne Road join U2 on the shortlist for Best Live Performance.

The Conway Sisters, Ronan Keating, Brian McFadden, Tabby, Westlife and Zoo are the nominees for Best Irish Pop Act.

8 Ball, Humanzi, Leya, Red Organ Serpent Sound, The Immediate and Delorentos are the nominees for Best New Irish Act.

Antony and the Johnsons' Mercury-winning 'I Am a Bird Now' is shortlisted for Best International Album, along with albums by The Arcade Fire ('Funeral'), Coldplay ('X&Y'), Depeche Mode ('Playing the Angel'), The Kaiser Chiefs ('Employment') and Mylo ('Destroy Rock and Roll').

The Best International Male award will be contested by Beck, Jamie Cullum, David Gray, Jack Johnson, Rufus Wainwright and Kayne West.

The six nominees for the Best International Female award are:
Tracy Chapman, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Katie Melua, Gwen Stefani and KT Tunstall.

The Arcade Fire, Franz Ferdinand, Gorillaz, Kaiser Chiefs, Pussycat Dolls and The White Stripes are nominated for the Best International Group award.

Altan, Kila, Lasairfhiona, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon and John Spillane are the nominees for the Best Folk/Trad award.

Humanitarian, Lifetime Achievement and Industry awards will also be presented.

From RTE

Cranberries Included on New Irish Music Wall of Fame

The Cranberries are among 12 of the most influential artists in Irish music to be selected for the newly-erected Wall of Fame in Dublin.

The wall, which encompasses the Temple Lane wall of the historic Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin, includes 11 smaller windows (6 x 6 ft) and one large window (20 x 20 ft) to house photographs of Ireland's most influential musicians. The wall was unveiled on October 20th with a launch party that included notables Dave Fanning, Paul Brady and Philomena Lynott.

The permanent outdoor exhibit is complimented by a small indoor exhibit inside the Temple Bar Music Centre, which includes a synopsis of each artist compiled by Hot Press editor Stewart Clark. The 12 artists were chosen for the following criteria: "The artists featured on the Wall of Fame were judged by several criteria - not record sales alone, but also for their genuine pioneering work in contributing to modern popular music and for showcasing the quality and range of Irish musical talent on the World stage. It is by no means a definitive list of the Irish top 12, but each act has been highly influential in the Irish music scene past and present."

The exhibiton includes a 6 x 6 ft decal of Dolores O'Riordan, photographed at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London in 1994. Photographer Jill Furmanovsky of Dublin's Rockarchive Gallery said, "The band had already conquered America but were relatively unknown in the UK. This daytime showcase was for the press and promoters. Dolores looked like a schoolgirl bunking off during her dinner hour." The translucent decals are backlit at night, which makes the free public exhibit an attraction even during the evening.

The other 11 artists on the wall currently are Paul Brady, The Boomtown Rats, Christy Moore, Philip Lynott, Rory Gallagher, Shane MacGowan, U2, Sinead O'Connor, The Undertones, Van Morrison, and Luke Kelly.

You can find more info at the  Wall of Fame's Official Website.

From Zombieguide

U2 and Corrs duet for new film

U2's Bono and The Edge have performed a "haunting, romantic" duet with fellow Irish singer Andrea Corr for the soundtrack to a new movie by German director Wim Wenders.

The Corrs' lead singer said she was delighted to have performed the collaboration for the new film 'Don't Come Knocking'.

She said: "The Edge rang me and left a message to say that he and Bono had written a song for the Wim Wenders film but had realised they had written a duet and needed me to sing it.

"I was thrilled because I really am a big fan of Wenders' work.

"I flew out to Amsterdam while U2 were on tour and we recorded it there before their concert.

"It's a beautiful song. It's really romantic, quite heartbreaking.

"I haven't actually seen the film yet but I am really looking forward to it."

Bono and Bob on Nobel Peace Prize shortlist

U2’s Bono and Bob Geldof are high on the shortlist to scoop the Nobel Peace Prize, according to bookmakers’ odds revealed today.

The Irish duo are 8/1 in the running for the prestigious award for peace, which will be announced tomorrow in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

Bookmakers Boylesports offered strong odds on the two men over their lengthy campaigns to ease hunger and poverty in Africa.

American artists are finally being squeezed out of the UK charts

The British Phonographic industry said that American artists are finally being squeezed out of the UK charts. The percentage of sales in the rock genre included 4.9% for U2 and 4.7% for Snow Patrol.

American artists are finally being squeezed out of the UK charts

  British Phonographic Industry said recent figures showed that American artists are finally being squeezed out of the UK charts. Figures for the British charts last year showed the percentage of sales in the rock music genre  for Snow  Patrol was 4.7% and for U2 4.9% .

The Blades vs U2 wars

  IT'S A mighty long way from the Baggot Inn to Croke Park. You'll find more people than you would think who still express surprise that it's not the other Dublin band from the Baggot Inn days who will be performing at the GAAdrome tonight.

Back in 1979, it was The Blades who had "Next Big Thing" tattooed on their foreheads. They had it all and more: from the romantic band start at their local CYMS Hall in Ringsend, to their classic three-piece line-up, their Mod/Stax influences and, in Paul Cleary, one of the best songwriters this country has ever produced.

At Croke Park tonight, there will be some people who actually think that U2's debut album was The Joshua Tree. There will also be people who, when they hear the band play Electric Co, will think it's a brand new song.