The Castanedas
From Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, The Castanedas were Eric Cole (guitar/ lead vocals), Jim Jordan (guitar), Colm Walsh (bass) and Eric Murray (drums). Championed by Bill Graham of Hot Press, local legend had it that David Geffen travelled to Bagenalstown to see them play. This track was taken from a dodgy completely legit copy of ‘Legendary Basement Tapes 91-93’. Once managed by John Collins, now an Irish Times business editor.
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- (c) Neil C
Mind The Gap
Happy Bus
Thanks to Neil for the photos and music.
The Fanning Sessions Archive 
June 22, 2011 at 1:02 pm
I remember Bill Graham (RIP) pumping sweat, bopping to this at a gig in the Rock Garden one night. Whatever happened to the album they recorded? Must be a bootleg somewhere?
June 22, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Shimmy – Bill Graham was a huge fan of the band and gave me a lot of good advice before his untimely passing. The Castenedas nearly signed a development deal with Geffen, but it wasn’t Tom Geffen who came to see them in Bagenalstown. My Little Funhouse were signed to Geffen at the time and it was their A&R guy – Tom Zutaut if memory serves.
An album was never recorded – not in my time but Dessie Fahey (a former Irish Times journo and now Belfast barrister) took over management after me so maybe I’m wrong. Sony paid for demos which formed the basis of the Basement Tapes along with some live recordings. The A&R in Sony at the time was Olan McGowen – now an RTE producer.
The lads played some legendary gigs at the Baggot – had seven UK record companies there one night. Lead singer Eric also introduced me to Jim Carroll who was always very supportive and proved to be a huge help to my journalism career. It was a great year of my life just after I left college. Kind of put me off the music business though!
June 22, 2011 at 9:34 pm
The Castanedas
Eric Cole (guitar/ lead vocals) (Tinryland/Carlow now Brisbane,Australia)
Jim Jordan (Guitar) (Bagenalstown/Carlow)
Colm Walsh (Bass) (Bagenalstown/Carlow)
Eric Murray (Drums) (Fenagh/Carlow now Brooklyn, New York)
June 23, 2011 at 5:03 pm
That photo is from bushy’s in Douglas , Isle of Man. 1992
June 23, 2011 at 9:18 pm
the album was never completed.but it is in the bag,release date october 2012, once i square it with the subliminal man, and imro,thanks neil
eric sing
June 25, 2011 at 5:11 am
Eric the Viking Cole was last seen singing to rocket ships dressed as an astronaut. As legend will have it his finest moments are yet to come! He played my basement one night and I’ve never been the same since. He will always play the romantic lead….
June 25, 2011 at 12:50 pm
I used to hang-out/crash in Eric’s and Garry McHugh’s infamous Rathmines pad and I think I was there the day that Garry went to the garage to get hula hoops and Tayto Snax, prompting Eric to write “Garry’s gone, (to the shop of life)”.
Later on I remember seeing the Castanedas in the Baggot and the Rock Garden back in whenever it was, they were the real deal, no doubt bout that. Eric is my favorite Carlow songwriter forever-ever, and is still writing amazing songs, while kicking back in Oz, so roll on 2012.
Any chance of a Castanedas reunion one day lads?
I know Jim is still picking on that strat in the countryside, and I think Eric M stlll drums in NYC, so it would be an international event.
June 25, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Great band. Great live. Great song.
June 25, 2011 at 8:21 pm
paul. nice words&memories. been plundering my archive and can’t find a copy of gary’s gone :-). I do remember it as a crowd pleaser.
one more ?
@fanningsessions stick on ‘happy bus’ my good man.
June 26, 2011 at 11:16 am
Thanks everyone,yes John,we had fun.Tom Zutaut actually offered us $15,000 for 3 sets of demos with David Briggs,not sure DB rip,knew anything about it though!But maybe we could have got to Neil’s ranch to see all his Trains,cars and barns full of guitars-it was Brendan from MY L. F. that brought him up from Kilkenny after he had read about us in the Irish Times.When we met him again he’d had a few too many Cokes as we listened to” I want some of that”, at 11 on continuous play at Lillies one funny Monday night-and the deal though someone printed it in Hot Press never got done.
Actually the best A&R man we ever met was Dave Robinson,but that’s another story.
Yes Neil C. I’ve got all the old recordings except the Fanning Session ,the best ones were with Louise McCormick,Dave Slevin,Pat Dunne,Aiden Foley and Liam Mulvaney,and I’ll get them to you down the line.
See you all soon
Eric
June 27, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Thanks Shimmy for kicking this all off via a twitter and to all who have taken the time to comment. As a thank you I have added ‘Happy Bus’ as requested by Neil. One day we’ll track down that Fanning session..
June 30, 2011 at 7:09 am
Many’s a great gig at the Rock Garden and the Baggot Inn jumping round to the Castanedas. I had the pleasure of living with Eric for a while at the beginning of his songwriting which became part of the Castanedas sound. He even managed to write the song Garry’s Gone about my trip to the local shop for munchies!! Ah, those were the days. Good times, great music, and some very bad behaviour!
July 2, 2011 at 11:27 pm
has anybody here seen hank…?
July 9, 2011 at 1:22 am
Adding some more artwork. Thanks Neil.
July 13, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Ah, the Castanedas. We have video of both nights they played at Bushy’s in the Isle of Man. Crazy, crazy weekend. Although not, possibly, as crazy as the weekend in Carlow. Happy Bus, Mind the Gap – all fantastic stuff!
July 13, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Phil, they were a couple of wild weekends alright .
drop me a line via Neil. A,t, Costigan dot com or ping me on Facebook . Got a pressie for ya
November 21, 2011 at 4:22 pm
The Castandedas played at my 21st in what was then Charlies Bar on Aungier St. Those were good ol’ days…
November 2, 2012 at 10:28 am
Any update on the tracks to be released?? would be great to hear them! I remember the guys well…great craic….and whatever happened to Reuben also?? Eric the drummers brother and girlfriend ere cool too…all great people! great times!
May 21, 2014 at 3:25 pm
hello fanning sessions how can I send you a cd