Backwards Into Paradise – the cassette that landed the Setanta deal

We recently posted a number of tracks from David Long, but today we have the contents of a cassette David had a hand in namely Backwards Into Paradise. Said cassette gets a mention in a recent interview David did with Nick Kelly of the Irish Independent:

“We did so many things wrong. We were naive,” he said. “We’d been in different bands since the age of 17 until we got signed, when I was 26. We were a long time doing rehearsals and playing small gigs and getting nowhere, so when the chance did come we were more shocked that anyone had an interest.”

That interest came from a London-based Dubliner who was looking for Irish bands to sign to his new independent record label.

David says: “Keith Cullen from Setanta went into Comet Records in Dublin and bought a DIY cassette of our music. The cover had a photo of a girl and a building. He rang me up to say he was interested in signing us to this new label called Setanta. Then he rang back two weeks later to say he was going to get Adrian Borland from The Sound to produce it. I couldn’t believe it.

“We were so lucky. I don’t think we would have got anywhere if Keith hadn’t bought that cassette. At that time we were called Backwards Into Paradise – I think it was Keith who suggested we shorten the name.”

David has fond memories of the period in Dublin in the late 1980s when so many good new bands emerged.

“When I was 17 or 18, me and Shane O’Neill from Blue In Heaven used to go to a place called The Magnet Bar on Pearse Street,” he said. “They used to have The Bodice Gigs where The Blades, Microdisney, Nun Attax, Chant Chant Chant all played. It was a brilliant scene.

“You had Rollerskate Skinny, Power Of Dreams, A House, Something Happens. The Stars Of Heaven were another great band. Nobody had any money. There was nothing happening in Dublin. It was simpler. No one was into music as a career; it was just a bit of fun.”

David’s album ‘Water Has Memory’ is available on iTunes or at Tower Records. Keep up to date with his activities via the Into Paradise facebook page.

01. Everything

02. Low

03. Out Of Here

04. Hope

05. Peace Of Paradise

06. I Want You

07. These Days

08. Winter

A House (1991 Interview)

http://irishmusicdb.com/a/ahouse/

Came across this snippet when working on the recently posted 1990 interview, this is a short segment from 1991 with A House prior to the release of their third album ‘I Am the Greatest’. Up for discussion are: getting dropped by Blanco Y Negro, the vocals for ‘Heart Happy’. signing to Setanta Records, Keith Cullen, not getting on the BBC playlist. If the remainder turns up I shall update the post.

Interview Excerpt (1991)

Rare

Derry is 2013 UK City of Culture and to celebrate we’re going to dig out a few unsung bands from that neck of the woods. Today’s featured act Rare were Mary Gallagher (vocals), Locky Morris (bass), Seán Ó’Néill (guitar) and David Whiteside (drums). Seán or John O’Neill was of course a former member of The Undertones and That Petrol Emotion. The band’s first release ‘Set Me On Fire’ appeared on Setanta Records and also featured Paul PJ McCartney of Bam Bam & The Calling. This particular recording is from a performance at the Derry Centre for Contemporary Art on 12th January 2013 and comes courtesy Jim Cunningham who has been documenting live music in Derry for the last 25 years.

‘Something Wild‘ (2013)

‘Trains, Boats & Planes’ 20th Anniversary Show

Twenty years after the release of their debut album ‘Trains, Boats And Planes’ Cork’s finest the Frank and Walters have announced a special show at the city’s newly renovated Savoy Theatre on Saturday 29th of December. Joining them on the night for their only Irish show this year will be Power of Dreams. Also on the bill are Jim Bob of Carter USM, The Naildrivers and The Hard Ground. Ashley Keating of the Frank & Walters has a weekly radio show ‘Green On Red‘ on Cork’s RedFM and last week he interviewed Craig Walker of Power Of Dreams followed by Cian Corbett (keyboards) and Rory Murphy (guitar) of the Frank & Walters. Thanks to the kind exertions of a gentleman in an outsized red suit yours truly will be making a trip to the gig so if you would like to avail of the ongoing cassette amnesty I’ll be in a raincoat down the back with my trusty walkman.

Craig Walker – Green On Red interview

Cian and Rory – Green On Red interview

Setanta – There Go The Good Times

Avril Hoare and the team on the RTE Radio 1 ‘This Week‘ show did a nice segment on Setanta Records this Sunday. The piece features interviews with Keith Cullen himself, Eamon Sweeney, Ashley Keating and John Mulvey. Thanks to Colm O’Callaghan for the tip off.

RTE Radio 1 – This Week (22nd July 2012)

Setanta Records R.I.P. – a C60 tribute

Keith Cullen the man behind Setanta Records the London based label that launched a thousand Irish bands has announced that the latest album ‘Orchestral Variations V.01‘ by The Separate will be the last by the iconic label. Setanta has been home to bands including A House, Beethoven, Brian, Cane 141, Catchers, Chalets, Deadly Engines, Divine Comedy, Frank & Walters, Glee Club, Harvest Ministers, Into Paradise, Pony Club, Power Of Dreams, Prayer Boat, Rare, They Do It With Mirrors, Turn.

I’ve long been a fan of the RTE 2XM show C60 hosted by Pat McGrath and his look at the label is a suitable showcase for both show and label so I’ve taken the liberty of posting it here. Check out the show on facebook and listen back to recent shows via the excellent RTE radio player.

Catchers – Call Her Name
Divine Comedy – Lucy
Divine Comedy – Jerusalem
The Frank & Walters –
A House – I Am The Greatest
Cane 141 – The Grand Looner
Brian – We Close
Stars – The Life ?
The Separate – Video Killed The Radio Star
Into Paradise – Tomorrow
Evan Dando – You Thought Hard About
The Harvest Ministers – That Won’t Wash
Richard Hawley – Baby Your My Life
A House – Without Dreams

C60 Setanta special (11 July 2012)

Further reading:

‘God Save The Village Green‘ a novel by Keith Cullen

‘Underdogs are the best‘ Keith Cullen interviewed by Niall Crumlish for State Magazine (16th July 2012)

‘One last spin for Setanta Records‘ Tony Clayton Lea in The Irish Times (16th July 2012)

‘When the music’s over . . .‘ Irish Independent (14th July 2012)

The Divine Comedy – Hot Press 20th Sep 1990

The latest episode of ‘Pimp my iPod‘ looks at labels one of whom, Setanta released the debut album from The Divine Comedy in 1990. Neil Hannon has I believe since distanced himself from the album but I just came across this review in an old issue of Hot Press and I know of at least one reader who will be interested.