Please Do Something podcast

As The 4 of Us prepare to release our latest album, 'Crescent Nights', I thought it would be fun to explore the albums that have led us to this moment. Joining me for this journey is my good friend and co-host, Greg Canty (host of the WinHappy podcast). In today’s episode, we dive into the making of our second album, 'Man Alive'. Did we suffer from the notorious "sophomore slump?” With Man Alive making it into Q Magazine's Top 50 albums of the year and our single 'She Hits Me; brushing the UK charts, we certainly faced some memorable highs and hurdles. Enjoy the show Brendan Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion.  

Making an album is always an exciting challenge and adventure.   As The 4 of Us gear up to release our latest album, Crescent Nights, I thought it would be fun to chat about the albums that got us here and the lessons we've learned along the way.   Joining me for this series is my good friend and co-host, Greg Canty.   First up, let's talk about Songs For The Tempted, our debut album.   Imagine this: no drummer, so we used preset rhythms on our dad's keyboard to keep the beat. Then there was a video shot in our school gym that gave us our first big break, and believe it or not, we signed our first record deal without ever playing a single gig!!.   It's been quite a journey.   Enjoy the show!!   Brendan   Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion.   Greg Canty is the host of the Win Happy podcast.    

My guest today is fellow Northerner, Brian Kennedy whose unmistakeable voice and powerful song writing has taken him from the Falls Road in Belfast during the height of the "troubles" to the world's biggest stages, His wonderful recently released album 'Folkie' sees him pay tribute to some of Ireland's greatest folk singers. Enjoy the show!     Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Today I talk to Steve Wall, lead singer with Irish bands The Stunning and The Walls. Both bands have racked up an impressive number of classic Irish anthems over many years. As an actor his recent credits include roles in Ridley Scott's 'Raised by Wolves’, The Vikings, and The Witcher on Netflix. We chat about the upcoming album Stray Sparks from The Walls, navigating the music business, sparring with Superman Henry Cavill and the differences between the world of acting and playing music. Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

“Oh, The Starlings’, is the debut album from Irish duo Kieran Goss and Annie Kinsella. It was recorded in New York with eight time Grammy winning engineer and mixer Kevin Killen at the helm. “Oh, The Starlings’ has been described by songwriter Rodney Crowell as: “So good, it’s heartbreaking...the record itself feels like an old friend.” On today’s episode, Kieran and Annie talk to me about their experience making the album with some celebrated American musicians and a few Irish ones including guitarists Gerry Leonard, John Doyle and our very own Declan Murphy. Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Acclaimed jazz and blues singer Mary Coughlan’s first album “Tired and Emotional “ rocketed her to overnight fame in 1985. Since then, she has recorded 15 further solo albums, drawing heavily from her legendary heroes Peggy Lee, Edith Piaf and Billy Holiday (to whom she devoted a double album of her songs). In 2020 she released ‘Life Stories’ a collection of songs that showcase her unique style and give some insight into her own remarkable life. We’ll be chatting about that album and an exciting new project she has in the works involving the songs of acclaimed jazz singer Peggy Lee. Plus she warns me about the dangers of yoga and the ups and downs of rowing her own boat as an independent artist in the choppy waters of the music business! Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.  

On this episode I’m joined by Hamlet Sweeney the man behind Dublin based music publishing and management start-up The Nucleus.  On a mission to become the first Irish company to bring a modern model of collaborative songwriting to Ireland, The Nucleus provides a central place where professional songwriters, producers and recording artists can collaborate. This year The Nucleus entered a global joint venture with Peer Music, the world’s largest independent music publisher. I first met Hamlet in Nashville in 2019 and as he reminds me it was his idea that I start a podcast. We chat about songwriting in today’s world and what we can learn from the songwriting hotspots like Stockholm and Nashville. Enjoy the show! Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Bass player Dave Pegg “Peggy” has had a crucial role in the continuing story of Fairport Convention, the most influential and enduring British folk-rock act in history. He has also helped to grow their annual festival Cropedy as well as working with a who’s who of artists such as Jethro Tull, Richard Thompson, John Martyn and Nick Drake. On today's episode Peggy talks about the Birmingham beat scene of the 1960’s, the unlikely downside of having John Bonham as your drummer, persuading the Chieftains to use microphones on stage and the enduring appeal and influence of Fairport Convention. Enjoy the show! Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

"Some guys got it down, Leonard Cohen, Paul Brady, Lou Reed, secret heroes" - Bob Dylan Paul Brady’s songs have soundtracked Ireland since the 1970s, spanning folk, rock and everything in between. From his early days working with folk pioneers Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny and a brief spell with Planxty to his transition to a more contemporary sound with songs like Crazy Dreams, The Island, Nobody Knows and The Long Goodbye. During our chat he shares insights into some of the many rewarding twists and turns his music career has taken. Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Sodajerker On Songwriting is a podcast co-hosted by Liverpudlians Simon Barber and Brian O’Connor. The fact that they are songwriters themselves may help to explain how informative and revealing their interviews are with the likes of  Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Sting, Nile Rodgers, Jimmy Webb and others. Today they take me behind the scenes of one of the best music related podcasts out there and reveal insights gained from conversations with the best of the best. Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Were the sixties really swinging for a young songwriter working in London’s Tin Pan Alley?   What was the producer’s role on albums by artists as diverse as The Bay City Rollers, The Dubliners, Planxty and Sinead O'Connor?   How did Phil transition to becoming a best selling recording artist?   This and much more in a trip through his storied career.   Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

In part two of my chat with Declan we discuss how we came to write and record Sugar Island an album of songs inspired by  our shared experiences as brothers growing up on the border during the Troubles. Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Is it an advantage to work with a family member? Who does what in our band THE 4 OF US? I discuss this and more in the first of a two part conversation with my brother and creative partner Declan Murphy as we recount the ups and downs of working together for over 30 years. Enjoy! Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

John Spillane talks writer's block, finding your own voice and how a collaborative approach helped to bring about his wonderful, brand new album 100 Snow White Horses. Enjoy the show! Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

In the second part of my interview with award winning  singer and songwriter Moya Brennan she recalls how the sound of Clannad developed from purely traditional instruments to incorporate synthesisers and vocal harmony resulting in their first global hit “The Theme From Harry’s Game”.  She also talks to me about her successful solo career, the gift of making music with her own children and a valuable lesson she learned from working in the studio with Bono on ” In A Lifetime,” Enjoy the show! Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Grammy and Emmy award winning singer, songwriter, harpist and philanthropist Moya Brennan talks to me about her early days with Clannad and their rise to international acclaim in the first of a two part conversation. Enjoy the show Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

I talk to composer Ronan Hardiman, the man behind the scores for Michael Flatley's globally successful 'Lord Of The Dance', 'Feet of Flames', and 'Celtic Tiger' Dance spectaculars. Ronan has scored numerous Film and TV projects, has released two successful solo albums, and as a songwriter, his songs have been covered by Ronan Keating, Russell Watson, Hayley Westenra, and many others. He chats about leaving his job at the bank to pursue a career in music, working with Michael Flatley, and gives an insight into the differences between writing for dance, for TV and Film, and for the pop charts Enjoy the Show! This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

I talk with Nashville Hall of Fame songwriter and good friend, Sharon Vaughn. She has been writing international hits since the early 1970's for artists as diverse Willy Nelson, Randy Travis, Kenny Rodgers, Boyzone and Aslan. She chats about making it in a mans' world, moving from the U.S. to Europe and writing for country artists, pop artists and now musical theatre. She says there should be no such thing as writers block! Enjoy the show qxq5RtgswVg9L19Q2kZG Brendan Murphy, THE 4 OF US This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.