Talk To Strangers

Mark O’Sullivan guides us through the sinkholes of Guatemala, challenging Death to a game of MW2 and appropriate gigwear.

Hello Mark of Goatboy fame! How the devil are you? Not bad. The sun is shining so I’m happy.

Are you responsible for the sinkholes in Guatemala? I hope not…

There’s a guy in the UK who goes by the name Goatboy too. Do you reckon you could take him in a fight? Not if he’s holding that axe…Us Goatboys are all brothers anyways, not even musical rivalry could make us fight.

Are IMRO doing more bad than good by charging bloggers fees for featuring Irish music? I can see IMRO’s  point in a way, they are only looking out for the best intentions of the artists on their roster…But the way I see it as long as bloggers are just promoting music and not making it available for download with out the artists consent I don’t really see the problem.

Which mp3 player do you have? I’m mp3 playerless at the moment. I left my iPod Touch in a taxi last year on the way home drunk from a party. I’ve been afraid and too broke to get one since…

Hats at gigs – good or bad? As long as its not a top hat and I’m not standing behind you. Hats are cool…

What’s your favourite Hip-Hop record? Don’t have one…

Crunchie or Moro? Tough… probably Moro for the nuts.

Who killed Cock Robin? I’ve no idea and I’m too lazy to find out…

Are you one of those dirty stinkin’ apes who bought an iPad? No but if I was stinkin’ rich I would.

You’re playing Death in a game for your life, but the choice of game is yours – what do you pick? Modern warfare 2.

Who’s the best band in Ireland right now? I dunno, but I’m really digging Cathy Davey’s album at the moment.

Tell me a secret. I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you…

What are you going to do the second this interview is over? Eat my Superquinn cheese-filled mushroom in the sun and then maybe finish a song I’m working on.

Mark O’Sullivan, it’s been a pleasure.

If you’re around:

Goatboy plays the Village this Friday with Morning Hush and A Futurist Theatre, as well as his own show in Odessa on the 16th of June.

Guitarist/singer Jonathan lets loose on who’s going to win the World Cup, batman accessories and that Crunchies and Moros are not all they’re cracked up to be.

Hello Jonathan from Morning Hush! Yo

What are you doing right now and why?! Organising a bunch band stuff. I’ve also picked up a mini flu so I’m trying to look after myself.

Will Myspace ever really die? Myspace is a nonsense. I only use it as a last resort. It’s all over the place really.

What phone do you have? Blackberry Bold and in my studio I have a toy phone that looks a bit like the batphone. Just in case.

You’re releasing the single “Romance” on June 4th in The Village. What was recording like? We recorded in my own little studio so it was great being able to get the exact sounds we wanted without having to keep an eye on the clock. Once everything was tracked it was nice to hand it over to someone else to mix it though.

Crunchie or Moro? Always always Wispa.

Realistically, shouldn’t Mechagodzilla beat Godzilla? In a fight? Probably. In a battle of wits? That’s a whole other story.

Best moment being in this band? Probably what we’re doing at the moment, recording the album and getting ready for the single launch.

Has your life ever been in danger? Not really. Couple of near serious car crashes….

Have you seen anything in the cinema lately? I went to see Manhattan in the IFI recently. They were showing it in their Woody Allen retrospective.

Who’s the best band in Ireland right now? The Minutes.

Fucking magnets, how do they work? Ha ha. That ICP video really shook things up didn’t it? I don’t know to be honest. Let me get back to you.

You’ve successfully invaded and conquered China, what do you call the country now? The opportunity to sell naming rights would be too good to resist so whoever put in the biggest bid. The Republic of Coca Cola maybe. Starbucksland? We’ll see I suppose….

Who’s going to win the World Cup? It’s Spain’s to lose really.

Finally, what are you going to do the second this interview is over? More Lemsip.

Jonathan from Morning Hush, it’s been a pleasure.

If you’re around:

Morning Hush play The Village on Friday 4th of June to release their single “Romance”

Well isn’t this just a touching and lovely post reminiscing what have been a very fun and not-at-all-memorable-due-to-strawpedos 5 years?

Go. And while you’re there, talk to a stranger…

What’s this?

It’s only one of the best live bands in Ireland releasing their debut E.P.

They’re not afraid to sound epic.

You should not be afraid to listen.

I Phoenix

Redtwelve

burnusboth

It’s a festival for the LGBT community (why not just use H?)

I’ll be there!

Well there needs to be at least one heterosexual male for Sophie Ellis Bextor to prey on.

I volunteer!

Disconnect4’s guitar-jockey succinctly talks to strangers about Hasbro, defending the concept of time travel, Barack Obama’s gig-going activities and, due to an unfortunate time lapse, what John Higgins’ ‘title’ really means…

Hello Eoin from Disconnect4! How are you? I’m pretty hungover man. How are you?

Pretty hungover myself. But enough about me. All this MRSA is terrible, isn’t it? It sure is man. Its a real shocker!

What has your band got against the iconic Hasbro kids game Connect4? We were intially called DONTdisconnect4 but we had to shorten it. The true fans know that we love connect 4.

Do you play it often? I was always more of a Downfall kinda guy… Actually not that much anymore. There’s only so far you can take it. We’re a Twister sort of band. Do you think travel twister would work?

Only off road. Speaking of which, where’s the band off to next? Well,we’re going to Letterkenny tomorrow to talk to some TY students with Not Squares then we play an all ages show. then on to Psychofest on Saturday.

Biggest show yet? I think it was the Coors Peak Festival last summer!

Has Barack Obama lived up to your expectations? He’s ok. He doesnt show up at that many disconnect4 shows.

Crunchie or Moro? Ooooooooooooh that’s tough. They’re both Cadburys. (pause) I’d go Moro if I was hungry.

Is time travel possible? Are you calling Doc Brown a liar?

Not at all, but if I did, he couldn’t hear me, stuck back in the 1880s. He’s no Doctor Who, that’s for sure. His new assistant is lovely. Not a Doctor Who man at all. Is it any good?

Yeah, it’s really good. I’d recommend it. Thanks, I might check it out!

Who’s the best band in Ireland right now? The Funeral Suits.

Tell us a joke. This interview!

Ouch. Do you think John Higgins can defend his title in the snooker? I reckon so! im totally blagging that I have no idea who he is!

Pint of choice? I was a Heineken man but im swaying toward Carlsberg now. Mostly I can only afford Bavaria though. It’s the beer of kings.

Do you believe in ghosts? No.

Well said. Favourite animated movie? That’s another tough one. I love the old disney movies. I’m going to say Robin Hood!

Finally, what are you going to do the second this interview is over? I’m going to go see a man about a dog!

Which breed? A pug! I really want a pug.

Eoin from disconnect4, thank you very much! Thank you very much! G’luck!

If you’re around:

Disconnect4 play the Roisin Dubh with Codes on June 4th

It’s rather nasty, isn’t it?

If you haven’t a clue what I’m on about, then I don’t know what I can do for you really.

Except maybe direct you to this excellently written dialogue on Harmless Noise and the plight of one affected by it.

With a sort of away-goals rule mentality, I’m holding off on the next podcast because I frankly don’t have enough money to purchase a license for this sort of thing.

If you disagree with IMRO’s stance, you can follow the facebook group.

Four big bands

One small stage

Seven coins

Eight thirty

Thirtieth of April

Crayonsmith

Drunken Boat

Squarehead

I <3 The Monster Hero

Crayonsmith’s brainfather lays bare about C64 music, Michael O’Leary, how not to chew ice, Ian McKellen Vs. Ian McKellen and how to contact The A-Team.

Hello Ciaran from Crayonsmith! How are you? Hello! I’m good, thanks. And you? Amazing sun today for Dublin!

What a beautiful vista. Pity about the smog. I actually work near the Dublin mountains so I get to see the last unspoiled bits of nature!

What’s wrong with the world today? Too many people sweating the small stuff and not enough people taking a minute to stop and look around and appreciate what’s right under their noses.

Insane Clown Posse have a song out about that at the moment. It’s called Miracles. Have you heard it? I have heard it! It’s gas! Some of the rhymes are unbelievable!

Fucking magnets indeed. You’ve playing with some very nice bands over the next month. Patrick Kelleher, Drunken Boat, Sleep Thieves… Yeah, May and June have a few gigs alright where I’m getting to play with friends. I’m also getting to play with one of my favourite bands Think About Life Whelans Upstairs May 8. Their use of melody and texture and beats echo what I hear in my own head when it comes to writing music.

Who’s the best band in Ireland then? I like a lot of Irish bands but right now, off the top of my head, I love what Jogging, Guilty Optics, Patrick Kelleher, Grey Mayhem and Squarehead are doing.

Do you agree with Michael O’Leary that airlines shouldn’t pay passengers back for their hotel costs? I was just talkin to my mate in work about this. It’s a funny one. The argument FOR hotel costs being covered is that essentially the airline company did not fulfill their side of the contract to get the passenger to where they want to be. If you look at it on a smaller time frame where, say, your flight home from the US is cancelled and will fly the same time tomorrow, the airline is obliged to refund you for your hotel expense for that night. They don’t tell you that but if you go to a hotel you should pass on the receipt to the airline company, as it’s not the customer’s fault the flight got cancelled. The fact that the flights were cancelled for longer than the normal length of time is unfortunate for the airline companies and Ol’ Micko but part of the business. Airline companies make easy money off people who don’t turn up for flights or want to change a flight so they have to accept when it works against them.

Who’d win in a fight between Gandalf the Grey and Magneto? Gandalf could just summon up a huge magnetic chamber and Magento would just be stick inside, no?

Surely a magnetised of a chamber would favour Magneto? Presumably he could invert the poles, making Gandalf fall on his goose. Probably still a big ask though. I see your better at this sort of stuff than I am! Here’s one back at you? – can you think of a synth solo better than the one in Jump by Van Halen?

The entire soundtrack of NBA Jam? Hmm, I’ll have to check that out. Do you know Martin Galway? He did the soundtracks for a lot of C64 games? Amazing stuff!

Crunchie or Moro? Oooh! I’ll have to go with Moro! While Cruchies are quite different, there’s a lot of goo and chewy stuff in Moro so it lasts longer. Incredible with tea!

Who’s going to win the Champions League? I used to be good on football years ago but not now. I did hear that Inter beat Barcelona the other night. so Inter Milan?!

Tell me a secret. I wrote to the A-Team when I was 5 coz I had a fight with my mates. I wanted the lads to come and beat up my mates. I addressed it to THE A-TEAM, Hollywood, USA and put it in the postbox with no stamp! I’m sure it’s in a frame in An Post as the dumbest letter ever sent!

Have you checked ebay for it? Hadn’t even thought of that! I hope whoever found kept it though, because I would!

How would you rather bow out -> skiing in front of an avalanche or playing violin in a crashing helicopter? Helicopter. I’d take music over sport every time!

Favourite pub? I really love Anseo in the early eve before it gets rammed which reminds me: I haven’t had a daytime drink in a pub in ages. I must see to that soon.

Are you one of these weirdos who chews ice? I do NOT! I’m a Guinness man!

Favourite childhood toy? Keyboard. Before I could play that it was Lego. Deadly stuff!

Finally, what are you going to do the second this interview is over? Play piano for a bit then head to Whelans. My friends Windings are launching their new single ‘Brain Fluid’ tonight. Lovely song!

Ciaran from Crayonsmith, it’s been a pleasure! Thanks dude! Likewise.

If you’re around:

Crayonsmith play the Lower Deck this Friday.