To Here Knows When - Great Irish Albums Revisited

On this episode I’m joined by Eoin ‘Stan’ O’Sullivan and Dave Hackett for a deep dive about Louder & Clearer the second album by Stanley Super 800. We chat about: The Shanks, The Céilí Allstars, The Young Offenders, Simple Kid, SS800’s self-titled debut album, touring Ireland, Sofa Records, Choice Music Price 2007, reforming for the 20th Clonakilty Guitar Festival, and loads more. Producer Mark O'Sullivan also provides his recollections. Episode notes are here:

A short video preview of Episode 47 – Louder & Clearer by Stanley Super 800.

A short preview of Episode 47 – Louder & Clearer by Stanley Super 800.

On this episode I’m joined by Joe Chester for a deep dive about A Murder of Crows. We chat about Dublin in the mid-90s, playing music with Sunbear, Nina Hynes, Ten Speed Racer, and others. We also chat about A Lazarus Soul, Elvis Costello, Christy Moore, collaborating with Gemma Hayes for Culture Night 2024, revisiting A Murder of Crows for its vinyl reissue and loads more. Episode notes are here:

A short video preview of Episode 46 – A Murder of Crows by Joe Chester.

A short preview of Episode 46 – A Murder of Crows by Joe Chester.

On this episode I’m joined by Patrick Barrett for a deep dive about At the End of a Winding Day by The Hedge Schools. Pat formed The Hedge Schools with his former Ten Speed Racer bandmate Joe Chester. We chat about Ten Speed Racer, collaborating with Joe on The Hedge Schools’s three albums, bespoke independent releases and the impetus to create art, recording two albums as Arrivalists and revisiting At the End of a Winding Day for its recent vinyl reissue. Episode notes are ⁠here⁠.

A short video preview of Episode 45 – At the End of a Winding Day by The Hedge Schools.

A short preview of Episode 45 – At the End of a Winding Day by The Hedge Schools.

On this episode I’m joined by Giordaí Ua Laoghaire for a deep dive about Ciddy Hall by Nine Wassies From Bainne. Giordaí Ua Laoighaire was a member of Cork punk band Nun Attax before joining Micro Disney. Giordaí played guitar on Stano’s first two albums and later in the 1980s was a member of Cork band Soon. In 1988 he moved to Dublin and wrote music for theatre and presented his own high-regarded radio show on Raidió Na Life. He formed Nine Wassies From Bainne in the early 90s. Episode notes are here.

A short preview of Episode 44 – Ciddy Hall by Nine Wassies From Bainne.

On this episode I’m joined by Jacknife Lee for a deep dive about Compulsion's two albums: Comforter (1994) and The Future is Medium (1996). Jacknife formed Compulsion with Joseph Mary Barry, Sid Rainey and Jan Alkema. Jacknife, Joey and Sid had previously been in Thee Amazing Colossal Men. All this and more is discussed: the Irish music scene of the 80s, and his post-Compulsion career as a producer. Jacknife talks about working with U2, REM, Snow Patrol and recording as Telefís with the late Cathal Coughlan. We start in the Cabra Grand cinema at a Siouxsie and the Banshees gig in 1980 and we work our way up to the present day - it's the longest episode to date, it's a history lesson. Episode notes are ⁠here.

A short video preview of Episode 43 – Comforter and The Future is Medium by by Compulsion.

A short preview of Episode 43 – Comforter and The Future is Medium by by Compulsion.

On this episode I’m joined by Stano for a deep dive into his first album 1983's Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft. Stano has been a recording artist and composer since the early 80s. He has released over a dozen albums, and numerous singles of startlingly, uncompromising original music. He is regarded as a true innovator, with an intense understanding of sonic structure and always ahead of his time, he has been described as a Sonic Architect. Of the album's 2018 reissue Boomkat wrote: "Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft is one of those blue moon reissues that, in hindsight, seem to blow away so much other, better known material from the era whence it came. We’re left in no doubt this LP is a true, overlooked classic of its time." Episode notes are ⁠here⁠.

A short preview of Episode 42 – Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft by Stano.

A short preview of Episode 42 – Content to Write in I Dine Weathercraft by Stano.

On this episode I’m joined by Gerry Leonard for a deep dive into Hinterland, the band he formed in the late 80s with Donal Coughlan, and the duo's 1990 album Kissing the Roof of Heaven. Both Coughlan and Leonard had been in a variety of Dublin bands during the 80s but it wasn’t until they both moved to Copenhagen in 1986 that they got to know each other. Early in 1987 the duo returned to Dublin and formed Hinterland – Coughlan was principally responsible for the lyrics while both concentrated on melodies and arrangements. Demos were recorded for a second album but it wasn’t to be. In the mid-90s Leonard headed for New York with $200 in his pocket and ended up working with Bowie. He’s worked with Suzanne Vega and loads of others and we chat about all of that and more. Coughlan, who was diagnosed with MS in his early 20s, sadly passed away in 2016, he was only 54. Episode notes are here.

A short video preview of Episode 41 – Kissing the Roof of Heaven by Hinterland.

A short preview of Episode 41 – Kissing the Roof of Heaven by Hinterland.