I echo those sentiments mate!!!!!! It's a wonder though why the irish music industry is being so slow to show support with there being some really good bands making waves of a different colour in Ireland these days....i.e not just strumming acoustic guitars singing sweet little melodies...are you all not tired of that yet?

Yep I totally agree. There are a few kick ass bands (Listo and Jhonny Pyro are really amazing and deserve to be massive) going unnoticed in favour of the safe, unimaginitive, sulky, depresing s**te, that certain magizines and "important" people seem to be telling us is good. C'omon people we must rise up against this and reclaim the beats!!

Who exactly are these mystery s**te artists that are preventing you from fulfilling your destiny? I find the whole thing most intriquing.

I agree - I can't see for the love of singer-songwriters and back-slapping in the press - i.e.hotpress etc. Give something else a chance and then people outside of Ireland can actually see that we have talent and just as importantly...variety. I should state at this point that I saw the Clouded Mouse/Listo gig on Sunday and it was prob one of the biggest pleasures I've had in the last few months.

There is no way the mystery s**te artists will stop any of the mentioned bands fulfilling their destiny . We just want to highlight the fact that there is alot of interesting and amazing things going on here musicly at the moment but not alot of support

I agree too. I reckon there are some great bands out there doing somthing different to the typical Irish rock thing that should be supported better. I was also at the Clouded/Mouse listo gig on sunday. The energy from both bands was amazing as was the music. It's great to see orignality. I bet if there was someone there from a record company they would both be snapped up.

The unfortunate thing is, however, that record companies don't seem to bother going to see gigs/new bands etc as far as I can see they actually don't give a sh*te about anything not mass marketable...in other words girl band/boy brand poo or ...wait for it.....melancholic singer-songwriter poo....is it because we are Irish that we are drawn to depression-inducing "can't take my mind off you...oh my poor heart could burst...strum...strum....strum while gazing at my shoes, that have holes in them, by the way (lol)"......For once there are some bands actually making energetic, uplifting music and it's great to see that it's emerging out from under the weight of the rest of the crap that is being supported by the record companies here (I guess they do because the world is full of depressed dummies, dummy)....ok I'm just ranting and thinking out loud - but let me say one more thing........ .....it's the easiest thing in the world to write a sad song - oppression and tragedy are perhaps the writers greatest inspiration...it is NOT an easy thing to write a good uplifting positive song that's not straight forward rawk crap.......applause to those that make the effort to rise above it...the record companies will have to notice eventually and even if they don't we can all just keep on enjoying ourselves listening to the kind of tunes that make you giddy when you're getting ready to go out on a friday night...put it this way..i know what I'll be listening to tonight on the way out...and there won't be an acoustic guitar in sight!!!!!! ahemmmm...I'm finished now

Clouded Mouse are gonna come and funk you up......you have been warned!!! Clouded Mouse and Listo at Whelan's last Sun the 12th.......amazing!!! RESPECT!

Dromed i take your point but have to say that to write a sad song is not the easiest thing in the world you obviously dont write music because if you did you would realise your talking bulls**t.There is a lot of s**t music in ireland that gives the irish a bad reputation but in saying that at the moment Dublin city has so many good bands at the moment and i wish they could represeant us irish. But What's wrong with shoe gazing once in a while, it seems to me all you do is big up one style and dis another. music is music anyone with any sence will understand that no matter what type of music it is whether it be sad or happy if it touches ya deep down or gets ya up and ready to go out on a friday night , you cant deny it

Here, here! It doesn't have to be full on Cock 'n' Roll, 90mph 'gotta be a loose fit...' swaggering noise to get you going.

here here Dromed you are so right all irish people who are ''into music'' ever talk about is oh that amazing song by gemma hayes or the frames or paddy casey blah blah blah ive had enough these bands arent the bee all and end all of irish music what about the funk people what about crazy bass lines and mad drums!

I would like to announce that I have no love for the Frames, Paddy Casey nor Gemma Hayes... except in a touch her bits kinda way. *coughs*

Sorry Badboy but I've been writing songs for the last five years so I do actually know a thing or two about how hard it can be or not as the case may be. I am, quite obviously, stating my opinion which 1) you don't have to like and 2) is the point of posting on this forum. As it happens I was referring to 'self-indulgent' shoe gazing music which is exactly how I view it. Of course there are moments when all you want to do is put on something precious and sentimental to you and cry your heart out - but those records are few and far between - and not something that I want to hear evry Saturday night or necessarily pay €15 to hear. As far as song writing goes I'm sticking with my point that it's alot easier to write a 'sad' song then a 'happy' one and i, of course, say that from my own personal experience. I could sit and write self-indulgent 'oh my heart is heavy and life is so tough' crap all day, it'd be sh*t too and I wouldn't be proud to base my career on it sorry. There is plenty of uplifting music that can be as touching and sentimental or precious too. I wasn't just referring to mad for it tunes when I spoke about that kind of music. Take Air for example. To me the most incredible band going. They have an ability to be uplifting yet touching, music that is heartbreakingly beautiful and sad yet positive in some strange way. There is a world of difference between shoe-gazing self-pitying crap and music like that/. Again it's my opinion and I don't really care if you agree or not. I began that thread cos I was making a point about a new breed of bands coming out or Ireland trying to do something a bit different to the norm, and stating that there is an inherant lack of support for anything 'not the norm' by the Irish Music Industry. You failed to pick up on the main point. Perhaps you're busy picking up a monthly cheque from Louis Walsh. I don't know. I already apologised for my rant.I'm not doing it again.

MMmmmmeeeeeeoooowwwwwwwwwww!

Ah yiz are all mad............

Yes we iz. Incidentally which part of Aruba are you from? I grew up there you know.

The middle bit.......

Ah yes, I remember many a fine summer spent pony trekking across the middle bit. Never did care much for the end bit though, too many ugly children don't you know.

Dromed and badboy...... This is a difference of opinion that will not easily be resolved. I like a lot of songs and have written many from both sides of the medium. Whether a song is a meloncholy self-indulgence or an inspirational kicker is irrelevant.It's what you take from it is what matters. Good luck to both of you....... Q2

Àhh Q2 it's all in the name of a good auld banter and wasn't some one on the other day saying that we all talk about the same crap all the time...well at least this is a bit of entertainment!!! Bit too much sitting on the fence I think though - at the end of the day it's just a forum and they are only views and opinions and topics of no massive proportions so why not state your views people and have a good exchange of opinions instead of 'ah kids lets not argue'....we don't have to get all agro and start calling names - hopefully we are mature enough to have a disussion without people taking things personally....just a thought.

I stand humbly corrected. Cheers! Q2