Blink (1992 Session)

Blink are Dermot Lambert (guitar, vocals), Robbie Sexton (keyboards), Brian McLoughlin (bass), Barry Campbell (drums). Blink were signed to major EMI and released three albums. In 2020 they released a 25 track compilation of demos and outtakes called ‘A Demo Of The Universe’. Dermot Lambert was previously in Empty Shell and then with Brian McLoughlin in Rex & Dino. Check out this excellent recent interview for Nessymon. Dermot is active as a solo artist and has a popular show ‘Garageland’ on RTE 2XM promoting new Irish music. Thanks to Dan Hegarty of RTE 2fm for airing as part of his Tuesday night archive session feature.

Cello (1992)

It’s Not My Fault (1992)

Ed’s Got A New Car (1992)

 

Engine Alley (1995 Session)

On January 16th 1995, shortly before the release of their second album ‘Shot In The Light’ Engine Alley recorded a session for Dave Fanning. We had never heard this session before so a big thank you to Dan Hegarty for airing it once more. Engine Alley are Canice Kenealy (guitar & vocals), Brian Kenealy (guitar), Eamonn Byrne (bass) and Kenneth Rice (violin & keyboards). Jerry Fehily played drums on the session. 

Be sure to check out Dan’s 2fm show not just the Tuesday edition when he visits the archives to feature two repeat sessions; one from Dave Fanning and a second from Dan’s show.

Surprise (1995)

Innocent (1995)

I Can’t Help You (1995)

The Last One (1995)

To celebrate 25 years since the release of ‘Shot In The Light’ as part of his ‘For The Record’ series Dan recently interviewed Canice Kenealy of Engine Alley and asked him about a possible vinyl release (unlikely).

Canice Kenealy Interview (2020)

The Atrix – retrospective album launch (2019)

The Irish Times byline sums it up perfectly: “Cult new wave national treasures The Atrix return with a gig, a CD and new material”. Dan Hegarty interviewed Hugh Friel (drums) and Dick Conroy (bass) on his show last Sunday and the two will appear on the Tom Dunne show tonight at 10pm. The remastered compilation album ‘Dublin 1979-1981’ will be launched on CD and vinyl this Thursday September 19th in the Sugar Club with special guests Kevin McAleer and Paula Meehan.

Dan Hegarty interview (2019)

Tom Dunne interview (2019)

For The Record: Catchers ‘Mute’

Our most recent post featured a Fanning session track from Portstewart’s Catchers and as luck would have it Dale Grundle of the band was just this week interviewed by Dan Hegarty as part of his excellent ‘For The Record’ series. Every week on his 2fm radio show Dan revisits a classic album, playing tracks throughout the week and featuring an interview with the artist on Wednesday. The collected interviews can be found on Dan’s soundcloud page. Artists to have featured include Engine Alley, Sultans of Ping, Simple Kid, Revenants, Ash, Blink, Republic of Loose, Hinterland, Humanzi, Wilt, Rollerskate Skinny, JJ72, Frank & Walters, The Pale, Favourite Sons, Pugwash, The Divine Comedy, Rare, An Emotional Fish, The 4 of Us, Junkster, Mundy and Jacknife Lee.

For The Record: Catchers

U2 (1980 Fanning Session)

We’ve been asked a number of times over the years about the first Fanning session and we are happy, thanks to an excellent interview with Dave Fanning Show producer Ian Wilson by Jim Carroll in yesterday’s Irish Times, to finally put the issue to bed. Thanks to some fact checking by u2wanderer the year has now been confirmed as 1980.

It is apparent that the only chance we have of ever hearing this recording is if U2 were to release it. There still remains the outside possibility that some listener recorded that show and still has a copy..

Ian Wilson holding the U2 session tape in the RTE archive and a closeup of the tracklisting. Thanks to Dan Hegarty for the photos. These were taken during the production of the recent ‘Cork Rock‘ documentary part 2 of which will go out on the June bank holiday. More detailed analysis of the recordings can be found on u2songs.com.

Update: On Aug 1st 1979 Dave Fanning played three U2 tracks for listeners who were asked to pick the ‘A’ side on the band’s first single. Listen to an excerpt from that Bono interview on the RTE Archives site here.

Dan Hegarty – Buried Treasure Volume 2 (2016)

Hard to believe it’s been a year since 2fm’s Dan Hegarty published his first book ‘Buried Treasure‘. 12 months on Dan is back with Volume 2 and the standard is just as high. We won’t spoil the surprise but we thought you might like to know which Irish acts feature.

Dan chose albums by Lethal Dialect x JackKnifeJ, Something Happens!, Stano, Cuckoo, The Edge, Japanese Popstars, Nina Hynes, Kid Silver, Melodica Deathship, The Frank & Walters, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, The High Llamas, Dr Strangely Strange, Electric Penguins, The Immediate, Scheer, Interference, The Fat Lady Sings, Hinterland, Funeral Suits, Mark Geary, Cane141, Joe Chester, Jape, Jacknife Lee, Sultans Of Ping, The Thrills, Giveamanakick, Snow Patrol, The Hormones, Sleep Thieves, U2. In addition there are features on Setanta Records and God Is An Astronaut.

Dan’s guest contributors (who themselves make for an interesting list) chose; One Day International, Jinx Lennon, Declan O’Rourke, The Stunning, Perry Blake, The Divine Comedy, Paul Brady, The Plague Monkeys, Goodtime and David Holmes.

The book is out now on Liberties Press and will be in your local bookstore by the end of the month.

Dan Hegarty – Dave Fanning interview (2016)

Dan Hegarty – Buried Treasure (2015)

In 2015 RTE 2fm DJ Dan Hegarty published ‘Buried Treasure’ a book which shone some light on “overlooked, forgotten and uncrowned albums” as chosen by Dan and a host of guests. Dave Fanning recently let slip that Dan is working on a follow up so we thought it was time to have a look at what made the cut first time round and by a process of elimination what might make an appearance in part 2..

Here in order of their appearance are the Irish entries..

Dan Hegarty: (sic), Pugwash, And So I watch You From Afar, Sack, Nine Wassies From Bainne, Si Schroeder, The Frames, The Devlins, Blink, The Shades, Microdisney, God Is An Astronaut, Aslan, Compulsion, Cap Pas Cap, Power Of Dreams, The Walls, JJ72, Humanzi, Bantum, Lir, Mono Band, Super Extra Bonus Party, U2, Marxman, Gavin Friday, Engine Alley, Jeff Martin, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Will De Burca, Ash and Juno Falls.

The guest contributors: Van Morrison, The Mary Janes, Toasted Heretic, The Jimmy Cake, The Golden Horde, Whipping Boy, Rollerskate Skinny, The Redneck Manifesto, Johnny Gallagher & Friends, Woodstar, Autamata, Kerbdog, Noise Control, The Chapters, Simple Kid, Philip Lynott and Republic Of Loose.

 

 

David Long (Dan Hegarty 2fm Session 2/12/13)

On 2nd December 2013 Dan Hegarty broadcast an all new session from David Long of Into Paradise. David was accompanied in Studio 8 by Joe Fahey of Luggage. Here’s what the RTE 2fm website wrote:

It’s quite likely that David Long’s album ‘Water Has Memory’ won’t feature alongside names like Arcade Fire, Rudimental, and Foals in the numerous end of year album polls. Don’t let that put you off; Long’s debut ranks among the finest domestic albums of the year. After spending the late 1980s and early 1990s as vocalist with Into Paradise, David Long returned with new songs, and a new sound.

Dog Times (2013)

Since Yesterday (2013)

Antelope (2013)

On Waiting (2013)

The Danger Is (Studio 8 Video)

At the risk of becoming a Studio 8 fetishist, I thought this was interesting.. The Danger Is, project of Dublin based musician Niamh Farrell recently recorded a 2FM session for Dan Hegarty and Myles O’Reilly of Arbutus Yarns created a nice video which showcases both Ms Farrell and Studio 8 quite nicely.. Listen to the full session here.