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Issue Date: July 21, 2004 || © 2003-2004
IndieArtistStation.com. ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
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Interview with Barry
O'Brien - vocals, guitar, and
keyboard.
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Maya:
Who are or have been your influences?
Barry: My influences would be
The
Beatles, The Police, Janes Addiction, Xtc, Elvis Costello,
etc. Maya:
Who are your listeners? What do you learn from your
fans about your music? What kind of comments do you
receive from your fans that has moved you or was a great
compliment to your music?
Barry: A lot of people
comment that my chord progressions and melodies sound
very unique which is something I pride myself on. A lot
of people who like my music are musicians as
well. Maya: Who
all encompasses your team? What are the challenges if
you are a solo-artist?
Barry: The challenges of
being an independent ,solo-artist are having to go do it
all on your own. Luckily I have a lot of friends in the
business who give me great advice and help when needed.
My band members are also friends (Keith Farrell on bass,
back up vocals and Aidan O'Grady on drums and
percussion) who are working musicians but help me
because they like what I do. Because I'm only really
getting out there now, I don't have a manager, label or
even a promoter. Maya: Who's your favorite person
to work with in the music industry?
Barry: My bass
player/producer/engineer/ and all round music guru -
Keith Farrell. He really helps me from every angle
because he's been doing it for so long... since an early
age. He's not afraid to tell me if something
sucks. Maya: Who
would you like to work with?
Barry: I'd love to work with
someone like Jon Brion [producer,
multi-instrumental genius who's worked with everyone
from Aimee Mann to EELs, Elliot Smith,
etc.] Maya: What
can't a musician do without these days?
Barry: To be in this
business, you really need it all, from the start: a
demo, website, press kit with photos... the lot. You
have to be ready for when anyone comes
looking. Maya:
What kind of equipment/software do you use and what
do you wish you had?
Barry: I don't have any. I do all my recordings with
my bass player/producer - Keith - in his place. I have a
4 track though! Maya:
What's on your Favorite links on music?
Barry: The
Ultimate Band List , CDBaby.com , GarageBand.com ... | Maya: What should be on every
artist's reading list?
Barry: The
Indie Bible. Maya:
What has been the great
resources in your music career?
Barry: The
Indie Bible. Mojo magazine. Guitar teachers. And my
friend John Boyle - who has been a working musician
since he was 16 years old. He's been in and out of many
bands and has witnessed a lot of ups and downs in this
business... so, he has always given me the inside track
on everything and has been a great mentor through the
years. |
Maya: What
music magazines do you subscribe to in Dublin?
Barry: Mojo
magazine. Uncut magazine. Performing Songwriter magazine. Amplifier magazine. Hot Press
magazine. NME magazine. Maya: What biogs (biography)
books have you read and loved?!
Barry: I love reading about
music monthly magazines, biog books, etc... also the
Internet is a great way of being able to research about
bands/artists or just music in general. I gave up
classes long ago but I still go to the odd seminar. But
the biogs I love are:
- Jeff and Tim Buckley of
Dream Brother
- John Barry
- Kurt Cobain
-
Sting
- Jimi Hendrix
- Joni Mitchell
- Beatles,
Revolution in the Head
- ETC Maya: Getting your music heard and getting
gigs is always in a performer's "To-Do" list. List all
the local places you have played.
Barry: I've played a lot of
singer/songwriter clubs around Dublin:
- The
International Bar on Wicklow
Street
...a very small
intimate room with no PA great place
- The Pale
on High Street
...again, just a
small room but with a PA fits maybe 40 people
-
The Mezz on Eustace Street
...quite a big place in Temple+++ bar with
just late night drinkers... very noisy but
challenging
- The Ruby Sessions on College
Street
...simply the best songwriter
night in town very intimate and very well
organized!!!
- The Bankers on Trinity
Street
...small and intimate with a
PA
- Slatterys Bar on Chapel Street
...always fairly packed with students... very noisy but
great crack to play at
Or supporting other acts
in bigger venues like:
- Whelan's of Wexford
St.
...This is one of Dublin's
finest venues for both local and international acts.
It's said to be
Ryan
Adams
favorite venue in the World among many others.
- The
Village on Wexford Street
...Just
next door to Whelan's... like a bigger version of it,
too.
- The Sugar Club on Leeson
Street
...This place is like a
theatre... very lounge-e. Great vibe in it though.
-
Eamon Doran on Crown Ally
...a great venue for most bands to begin but
after playing it a couple of dozen times you want
to
graduate to a
better one
- etc...
I also did a performance
for a film shoot in a bar with just me playing in the
corner. Maya:
Have have your live shows worked out?
Barry: I play mostly on my
own but lately I've had the band with me... to help
promote my "Spark" EP. It's great getting out there with
a band behind you. You feel armed to the teeth. But I
like the best of both worlds. Maya: Do Irish bands aspire to break
America? What is your
impression of the music scene/music business in America?
What is the Dublin music scene like?
Barry: America is way ahead
of most other countries but, especially, Ireland. The
Irish music scene is a bit up it's own arse just because
we have a hand-full of successful bands. There is very
little real opportunities for independent artists or
bands here... yet, most of the best talents are indie!
There are a couple of record shops that stock indie but
most people here don't know of CDBaby.com or
GarageBand.com or all these other wonderful sites for
bands/artists.
The singer/songwriter clubs
are a great place to start but unless you have proper
representation your going to hit a brick wall. There is
a "click" here and unless you are "in" on a certain
scene, then your an outsider. At most venues here, you
have to pay to play. So, unless you have a good
following you certainly won't make much, it's a real
catch 22 situation. There is a lot of real talent here
in Ireland. I just wish there was a stronger body here
to help and guide young bands and
artists. Maya:
Do you care (long-term)
about getting signed by a major record label?
Barry: I will put an album
out, but I doubt very much any major label will pick it
up because most of them don't know where they stand
anymore. They are too afraid of anything that's a little
different and so their a dying
breed. Maya:
What has been the most successful method in getting
your music distributed? How do you spread the word about
your music?
Barry: The radio, the
Internet, giggin' and word of
mouth Maya:
What's your favorite links on music in the U.K.?
Barry: Mojo
magazine. NME magazine. Edhardcourt.com.
RadioHead.com. Maya:
What are the Local radio stations you listen to?
Barry:
- Today FM
(pet sounds).
- 2FM (Dan Hegarty, Cormac Battle, Dave
Fanning).
- Phantom
FM Maya: What
is your favorite song in your current album?
Barry: "Cut me out" simply
because it came together so quick ... the chords and
melody, and for the first time I came up with a chorus
melody and lyrics together. Then the verse lyrics came
quiet easy, too! It was just a pleasure to write...
simply because no other song came as quick as that one
that I remained happy with. I always take a long time to
finish lyrics. Lyrics are hardest part of the process
for me. Maya:
What mistakes have you made that were the biggest
learner, and eye-opener for you in the past?
Barry: Not to get friends to request my music on the
radio before the DJ gets a chance to listen to it. It's
a sure way of getting them not to ever play
it. Maya: Every
indie artist has suffered and are challenged by the big
bucks - the challenge is that they don't have big
bucks... When you've encountered financial obstacles,
how did you overcome them?
Barry: Friends and
opportunities are the only way to beat this obstacle,
Sometimes you have to just sit down and rack your brain
to think of an other way. Make calls. Be brazing... but
start small and make your way up. Maya: What bands have been successful as an
independent - we can learn from their success? What have
you learned from them?
Barry: Everything! From the
way they fight tooth and nail for success. How they
carry on regardless of what ever happens -- be it that
they get dropped by their label or loose a member simply
because there is a belief in their
music. Maya: We are always growing and learning
something new in the music industry... What are your
current obstacles? If someone could wave a magic want of
knowledge, what would you like to know about the music
industry or change about your music career?
Barry: I'd like to be able to
find a strong fan base... from just putting my music out
there on the internet and I'd like to know just how to
go about doing it without having to
toured. Maya:
In everything you've
done with your music career... what aspects were "pure
luck"? what aspects were sweat and passion?
Barry: Pure luck from when the right person gets to
see you perform and gives you an opportunity - like
playing on radio or a great support slot. Just being out
there performing is the best way of finding luck like
that! Sending your CD to radio stations and magazines
for review or to labels are the hardest because most of
the time it will end up in the bin when people don't
know who you are they don't give you the time of
day.
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