Archive for December, 2014

New Year Baby

Sunday, December 28th, 2014

My left, my right.

My up, my down.

My speech, my sight,

My smell, my sound.

 

My heaven, my hell,

My sunshine, my rain,

My whisper, my yell,

My laughter, my pain.

 

My stars, my moon,

My sail, my flight,

My midnight, my noon,

My joys, my plight.

 

My letters, my words

My thoughts, my acts,

My fish, my birds,

My rumors, my facts.

 

My right, my wrong,

My music, my song,

My water, my air,

My blink, my stare.

 

My heart, my soul,

My two, my one,

My hot, my cold,

My life, my son.

 

 

‘The Spirit of Old Dublin’, A poem by Liam Fitzpatrick.

Friday, December 19th, 2014

The Spirit of Old Dublinhap

 

Cathedral shadow, from

moonlight’s gleam, casts

a shape on world serene.

This ghost of Swift

through gardens green

walks the park at midnight.

 

My spirit moves, on paths

now bare.

With dormant life and inner stare

at world now changed

but yet the same,

with troubles still,

of war and pain

 

As in my time, long

now gone.

The poor still weak,

the rich still strong.

What might it take,

myself I ask

for men to know,

that life will pass.

 

Not like a flower to

bloom and please,

and then to die, with

Sweet unease.

 

But man perverse, will

not adjust,

to God’s request

or Nature’s thrust.

 

He will persist, with

lack of thought,

to exploit still

the lives he’s bought.

 

His wealth exceeds

his earthly want,

he yet submits

to earthly greed.

 

Life has not changed,

this ghost concedes.

Man’s still the same

with wants and needs.

Maybe with time, and God’s will,

He may improve, and may still win.

 

But for now to rest,

in silent tomb,

in Patrick’s church,

near Dublin’s Coombe.

Perhaps to walk some night again,

And ponder on the fates of men.

swifty

Lad Shunned for Keeping ‘Buyback’ Round Quiet

Friday, December 19th, 2014

IMG_0972A young Irish emigrant has been shunned by friends and disowned by neighbors, after it was revealed that he had failed to admit that the round he claimed to have purchased was actually a buyback from the bartender. Deco ‘Vincent’ Denner (28), from Castlepollard (a town nestled between Kildare and Mayo), was the final member of his group to go to the bar, where he ordered three Coors Lites and a Pina Colada, at Ned Gibson’s Saloon in Woodlawn, County Bronx.  Denner and his pals, Mike Mulligan (25), Dermot Hurley (26) and Hector Garcia Rodriguez (71), were out celebrating the completion of a wallpapering job, when the unfortunate incident occurred. Says Mulligan: ‘There were I, blaming the staff for not buyin’ us nothin’. All the wages I sunk inteh that place. Sure I must have shares in it, or at least own a ball in the pool table in anyway, and no buybacks or nothin’. Sure our former pal were claimin’ responsibility for the bar’s goodness and kindness’.

A buyback is a gesture of thanks often given by bartenders and waitstaff in bars in New York, to show appreciation for one’s business. Usually, one will receive a ‘buyback’ ie a free drink, or round of drinks, at the fourth purchase, so in effect, every fourth drink or round, is on the house. Not, however, where Mr. Denner is concerned. Said his (former) friend Dermot Hurley; ‘I went out for pints last Tuesday morning before mass with him. Nineteen pints each we had, and someone must’ve slipped something in one of me pints, sure I was plastered goin’ home and ended up sleepin’ on the train, and wound up in Massachusetts. I wouldn’t mind, but I only live upstairs from the pub, and have no use for a train. Anyway, all them oul’ pints and not a buyback offered or received, sure Deco must’ve claimed them for himself. The bollocks’.

We asked Gibsons’ senior bartender, Mary O’Rourke (20), about their policy on buybacks, to which she replied; ‘What?’.  It is another embarrassing chapter for the popular venue. In February 1978, at the annual Circus Workers Christmas party, one ashtray was slightly damaged and a bottle of cranberry was spilled, while in the summer of 2005, disgraced NFL star OJ Simpson is reported to have Skyped the owner for a debate about the Superbowl vs the All-Ireland. The owner of the tavern, Pedro Sanchez (19), who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that buybacks were up to the bartender working the shift, but that if one of his pals pulled such a stunt, he’d ‘batter’ him. Local newspapers in County Westmeath had initially ignored the story, until it was claimed that Mr. Denner once described his home county as; ‘Little more than a poor-man’s Leitrim’.

Denner has since offered to bring his pals out for a pint during happy hour on Sunday morning after mass, because; ‘Mary’s working, and she does wear fairly tight jumpers during GAA season’. Mr. Mulligan and Mr. Garcia-Rodriguez have not yet decided whether to accept the offer, although Cavan man Mr. O’Herlihy might, but he thinks he’s being paid time and a half for it.

Words by Bosco Coppell. Picture by Fidelma’s Antique Leatherwear.

 

At The Mike Stand with Noreen Ryan

Sunday, December 14th, 2014

By Mike Fitzpatrick

You know, we could write a book on the musical adventures that Tipperary native Noreen Ryan’s experienced during her time in New York and Ireland, but sure, she wouldn’t read it, she’d be too busy gigging, laughing, touring and watching Father Ted.

The multi-instrumentalist Noreen, a renowned whistle and bodhran player from the famous musical Ryan family of County Tipp, is one of those characters you’ll not forget in a hurry.

Seriously, we tried once. Having shared a stage with the likes of Black ’47 and Davy Spillane, during her time as a member of traditional Irish acts such as The Tain and the eclectic Avenging Disco Godfathers (with former ‘At The Mike Standees’ Dave Barckow and Sue Wendelken), and sitting in for countless sessions with Kenny Mannion, her brothers Donie and Pio Ryan, Tony de Marco, Bernie Fay, John Redmond, Dave Fahy and many others, Noreen left her beloved New York three years ago.

She’s now back in Tipperary, where she’s a founding member of Tradstone, a band which plays trad and Celtic rock, with some of their material relating to Ireland’s current troubled economic climate, and the ongoing plight of immigrants to and from the Emerald Isle.

When the documentary about traditional Irish music in America is eventually produced, be certain that Noreen Ryan will feature prominently.

Naturally, you’ll hear her infectious laugh, but also, her wonderful talents for haunting melodies, majestic trad anthems and raucous reels which would leave a centipede with itchy feet delirious on a dancefloor. Noreen, welcome to At The Mike Stand.

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?
‘The Noreen Ryan Experience!’

When’s the last time you laughed out loud?
Ah sure I’m always laughing I even wake myself up laughing. How bad is that?

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
The Man In Black himself, Johnny Cash.

What team(s) do you support?
The All-Ireland Champions Tipperary!

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
I’d like to have had a stint in most of them except the gory medieval times although the garb looked cool.

What song would you most like to have written?
‘I hope that I don’t fall in love with you’, by Tom Waits. So beautiful.

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
A politician and/or banker because they stink of greed and more greed.

What decade rules (and why)?
The ’60s for breaking away from the ’50s first of all, and for music, fashion, freedom to be who you want to be, and just all-round coolness.

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?
I’m a trad-head so it’s tunes most of the time.

What movie role would you like to have played/play?
Anything opposite Robert De Niro.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
Yes, my mother.

What’s the first album you remember buying?
‘Black Rose’ by Thin Lizzy.

Who’s your favorite Beatle?
I’m not a fan, I know that’s not something I should admit to but they don’t turn me on, what can I say?

What’s your favorite Christmas song?
‘Fairytale of New York’.

Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Shane MacGowan.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
I love heavy rock and that stiff neck feeling the next morning!

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
Again, Johnny Cash, he rocked.

What book can you read again and again?
Pass ask me a sports question!

What’s the greatest album ever recorded?
There’s so many I’ll go with The Band by The Band though, goosebumps all the way.

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams (supergroup)?
This is my Trad supergroup, Well I’d have to have Shane MacGowan anyways just for the craic alone, then John Joe Kelly on the bodhran, Andy Irvine on mandolin/bazouki and vocals, Declan Sinnott on guitar, Andy M. Stewart (vocals, banjo, whistle)… and Trevor Hutchinson (stand-up bass) wow I wonder could that happen?

What do few people know about you?
I sleep with my eyes open!!!

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Mrs. Doyle (you know making tea and all that).

What movie can you watch over and over again?
‘Withnail & I’.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Peter Griffin from ‘Family Guy’.

What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?
New York, I miss it big-time.

What’s mankind’s most wonderful invention?
Music of course.

What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?
Damn alarm clocks.

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
Fr. Ted.

Who’s your favorite namesake?
Noreen Bawn is all I can think of not too many Noreens out there.

Who’s your favorite character from literature?
I haven’t done a whole pile of reading in my life but Huckleberry Finn hit a chord it was colorful and profound.

At The Mike Stand with Colin Smith

Friday, December 12th, 2014

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You know, it’s not easy pinning down these singer/songwriter types. One doesn’t just wander into an East Village coffeehouse like the old days, and bump into the likes of Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens and Tim Buckley discussing the works of Byron over a steamy latte or two. Good Lord no, those days are long gone. Take this edition’s entrant to the ‘At The Mike Stand’ hall of fame, Colin Smith for example. Colin, or, The Smithmaster General, as perhaps nobody has ever referred to him, has been writing, performing and recording in New York City for over a decade. As the lead vocalist, principal songwriter and guitarist with transplanted Dubliners MrNorth, Colin, along with his bandmates, Oisin, Emmett and Aido, are currently riding high on the success of the release of their recent CD, ‘MrNorth Live in New York’. With a solo album also in the pipeline, as well as a number of gigs, both as a member of MrNorth (July 28th at downtown Manhattan venue Ulysses) and as a one-man act, Colin’s been quite a busy chap. Lucky for us however, he did take a few minutes out, to join us ‘At The Mike Stand’. Colin, welcome to the pages of The Irish Examiner.

By Mike Fitzpatrick
Picture by Teresa Brink

Who’d be in your fantasy supergroup?
That’s a good one, let’s see. I’d love to have Paul McCartney on bass, Bill Bruford of Genesis/Yes on drums, that’d be interesting. No, make it Dave Grohl on drums and Jeff Buckley on guitar.

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
The three-legged woman from the circus.

What would a Colin Smith tribute act be called?
His Baldness.

What song would you like to have written?
‘Happy Birthday’, I’d be worth billions.

What team(s) do you support?
Manchester United and the New York Mets.

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
(Conservative political commentator) Sean Hannity.

What decade rules?
The 1930s.

What movie role would you like to have played?
The child-catcher in ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
Yes! Through my life it’s been different, but most recently it was the bad vampire from ‘Twilight’.

What’s the first album you remember buying?
The soundtrack to ‘Oliver’, the musical. I bought that, I was obsessed, I thought I was Oliver. That was the first song I learned to sing, ‘Where Is Love’, and on my solo record, I incorporated that phrase into the end of one of my favorite songs from the album.

Who’s your favorite Beatle?
Paul.

What’s your favorite Christmas song?
‘The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot’

Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Iggy Pop.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
I don’t really feel ashamed for any music that I like. If I think something will piss people off, I’ll like it even more.

What book can you read again and again?
‘Anthem’ by Ayn Rand.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
‘Lawrence of Arabia’.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
What’s the dog with the long face? Droopy!

What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?
The Grand Canyon.

What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?
The 24-hour news channel.

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
Aido (Mr North’s drummer) is up there. Maybe one of the writers from ‘Will & Grace’ or some show like that. (There followed a lengthy debate between Aido, Colin and the interviewer about the merits of The Marx Brothers, Ricky Gervais and about 812 other ’funny people’). To be funny without doing anything is amazing. For lack of a better example, I’ll go for Jim Carrey.

Who’d you most like to have met?
Richard Harris.

At The Mike Stand with Hazel Larkin

Friday, December 12th, 2014

By Mike Fitzpatrick

You know, it’s not easy attempting to describe this week’s ‘Standee’.

You see, Hazel Larkin, the Irish writer, and proud mom of two, has been a tad busy of late. She’s currently lauded in Ireland, the UK and beyond for her association with ‘The Big Book of Hope’, a wonderful project that she and Vanessa O’Loughlin worked on.

‘The Big Book of Hope’ contains over forty stories (fact and fiction) written by Myles Dungan, Maeve Binchy, Denis O’Brien, Joe O’Connor, Brian Crowley (MEP), Brian Keenan and a host of other influential individuals, with all proceeds going towards the HOPE Foundation, and its efforts at providing shelter, education, food, healthcare, love and moral support for children born on the troubled streets of Kolkata, India.

Having lived in Asia for ten years, where she wrote for stage, screen and various publications, Hazel witnessed much of the poverty that HOPE strives towards combating.

In the coming year, she’s looking forward to the publication of the first volume of her memoirs, before relocating back to Asia at the end of 2011.

‘The Big Book of Hope’ is available for purchase at Amazon.com, the publishers’ official website, Poolbeg.com, and many bookstores.

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?
Hmmm, I don’t know. ‘May Contain Nuts’ maybe?

When’s the last time you laughed out loud?
I’m always laughing out loud. I think the last time was about half an hour ago when my daughter, in her sleep, said ‘Mind the kangaroo!’

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
Marlene Dietrich.

What team(s) do you support?
I cannot abide any sport so the only team that I support is the team of chefs at my local pizza place.

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
I think I already have visited most periods of history. I think any period was fascinating and wonderful as long as one had money. If I had to choose one era to revisit, I think it would be the 1900s-1930s in India. As a Rani, (Queen) of course.

What song would you most like to have written?
‘Happy Birthday’ – think of the royalties!!

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
Bigotry. You can’t argue with a bigot because they refuse to accept that there is any side other than their own. And hitting them gets you into trouble.

What decade rules (and why)?
The 1920s. So much was possible in so many places – Africa, India, Europe and the US. I’m afraid I haven’t the foggiest what they were up to in the Antipodes at the time.

What song do you most enjoy singing?
“Love is Teasin'” A wonderful song about how love doesn’t last.

What movie role would you like to have played?
Ilsa in ‘Casablanca’. Clichéd, I know, but there you go.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
In India, I am often told I look like Sonia Ghandi, but I think that’s just because I’m a white woman in a sari.

What’s the first album you remember buying?
I honestly can’t remember the first album I bought.

Who’s your favorite Beatle?
Paul McCartney.

What’s your favorite Christmas song?
I hate Christmas. I hate Christmas songs. ‘Band Aid’, however, still brings a lump to my throat.

Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
It has to be Mick Jagger. Whether you like him or his music or not – he is Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
Boyzone. Shhhhhh.

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
The children I’m yet to have.

What book can you read again and again?
‘The Big Book of Hope’.

What’s the greatest album ever recorded?
I haven’t a clue.

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams (supergroup)?
Johnny Marr (Guitar), Larry Mullen (Drums), Flea (Bass), Rick Wakeman (Keyboard) and Yo Yo Ma (Cello)

What do few people know about you?
There’s not much that people don’t know about me. Or that I have an honors degree in psychology.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Fr. Dougal in ‘Father Ted’.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
In English – ‘Monsoon Wedding’. In Hindi – ‘Salaam -e-Ishq’.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
I hate cartoons. I always have. But if I had to choose, I’d say Bugs Bunny. He’s nobody’s fool.

What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?
I’ve been very lucky to visit a number of wonderful places. If I had to choose one, though, it would probably be Kasauli in the foothills of the Himalayas.

What’s mankind’s most wonderful invention?
The wheel.

What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?
The house alarm.

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
Tommy Tiernan.

Who’s your favorite namesake ?
Some nut or other (Took a while, but now we get it! – Editor).

Who’s your favorite character from literature?
Scheherazade. Beautiful, intelligent and a great spinner of yarns.

At The Mike Stand with Neil Eurelle

Friday, December 12th, 2014

eurelleFollowing in the footsteps of Paul McCartney, Sting and, ahem, Kajagoogoo’s Nick Beggs, this week’s ‘At The Mike Stand’ subject is one of those rare species of artistes, the bass-playing lead vocalist.

Dublin-born and reared Neil Eurelle has been singing and playing with renowned four-piece rock act Stand, since the mid ’90s.

A major draw in their native Ireland, the band relocated to New York in the early 2000s, where they’ve proved to be a big hit on the college circuit, also playing scores of sold-out shows throughout the US.

With four studio albums already under their belts, the guys are currently preparing for the release of their fifth effort, with a major show scheduled for Tuesday, October 20th, at New York’s Bowery Ballroom venue.

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?
“SIT”. We’ve been pushed a million times to change our name. B******s to that.

When’s the last time you laughed out loud?
Yesterday. A friend played me a Kajagoogoo Record!! (Look them up. You’ll see what I mean)

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
Led Zeppelin

What team do you support?
Man U. Doesn’t everyone?

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
My surname is Eurelle. It’s French. Apparently the Eurelles arrived in Ireland when the Normans invaded in the 11th Century. I’d like to go back to just before they set sail and tell them to stay put! Did they not realize the weather in Ireland is what it is??!

What song would you most like to have written?
“Billie Jean” – everyone knows that tune from the first drum beat. Amazing!!

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
When politics and drink are mixed, it’s time to leave.

What decade rules?
2000 – 2009. I’ve seriously had the best years of my life so far during this decade.

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?
‘Under Pressure’ – great musicianship and great vocals.

What movie role would you like to have played?
Col. Slade (Al Pacino) in ‘Scent of a Woman’ – WHOOOO AHHH!!!

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
No, but Chris Martin gets told all the time if he shaved his head he would look just like me!

What’s the first album you remember buying?
“Hunting High & Low” – A-HA. Still a great pop record.

Who’s your favorite Beatle?
Paul – What a bass player.

What’s your favorite Christmas song?
“White Christmas”.

Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Bill Graham – to a manager at the Fillmore door: “If you ain’t playin’, you are payin’.”

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
Still a big A-HA fan. Sad I know.

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
Ahmet Etegun (founder of Atlantic Records and former president of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) in 1978. We’d be famous.

What book can you read again and again?
‘The Shadow of the Wind” – Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

What”s the greatest album ever recorded?
‘What’s Going On?’ – Marvin Gaye. He made a whole record with 4 chords and 1 groove!

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams?
Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr – It does not get any better!

What do few people know about you?
I was the guy singing on those Milli Vanilli records.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Felix from ‘The Odd Couple’.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
Any of the ‘Bourne’ movies. Very cool.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Tom – I hate cats, but that guy got a raw deal.

What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?
NYC. Rocks like no other.

What’s mankind’s most wonderful invention?
The audio speaker.

What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?
Appears that retrospectively it’s the gasoline powered engine.

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
Billy Connolly – I can safely say he is the person I have laughed most at.

Who’s your favorite namesake?
Neil Young.

At The Mike Stand with Dominic Cromie.

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Armagh-born,and reared Dominic Cromie, is no stranger to the music scene. The singer, songwriter and guitarist first picked up a guitar at the age of ten, and within months had written his first song.

Just a few years later, he was performing live in concert with his sister Aine, who has since become a well-respected singer/songwriter herself.

Having relocated to the United States from Ireland in the early 1990s, Dominic went on to form Raglan Road, a Celtic rock band, with whom he went on to successfully tour the US, Europe, Ireland and the UK to much acclaim.

A regular on the live music circuit in the tri-state area, Dominic’s latest venture is an act he formed with Donie Ryan, Peter Rufli, Alicia Rau and George Rigney, called Clear The Battle Field, a band which regularly performs in the New York area, and whom you just might be hearing of in future issues of The Irish Examiner.

In between gigs, Dominic was good enough to sit down and answer a few exceedingly relevant questions for us. Mr. Cromie, welcome to ‘At The Mike Stand’.

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?
The Battle Field Has Been Cleared.

When’s the last time you laughed out loud?
I laugh out loud almost every day.

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
The Beatles or Led Zeppelin

What team do you support?
Armagh of course.

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
Cowboy days, although sometimes I think we’re still in them.

What song would you most like to have written?
“Happy Birthday”.

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
The sound of the ice cream van coming.

What decade rules?
The 2000s have been pretty good, I finally got an interview!

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?
“59th Street Bridge Song” by Simon and Garfunkel.

What movie role would you like to have played?
Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz”, Just kidding I’d have to say Mel Gibson’s role in “Lethal Weapon”.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
I’ve been told I looked like a real w***er the first time I wore a pink shirt. The cowardly lion from “The Wizard of Oz” and Shane MacGowan when I’m slightly under the weather.

What’s the first album you remember buying?
I don’t think I have ever bought an album. I got all hand me downs (mum and dad’s Beatles and Elvis, brothers Madness, Thin Lizzy, U2, Big Country and my sister’s Fleetwood Mac, Steve Earle etc.

Who’s your favorite Beatle?
The long horn Beatle… just kidding! John Lennon.

What’s your favorite Christmas song?
“White Christmas”

Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Me.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
No secrets here, I have to say Hindu music.

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
The Bo***cks who wrote all these questions. For a drink that is Mike!

What book can you read again and again?
Three little pigs because I have to and The Bible of course.

What’s the greatest album ever recorded?
The one I just completed!

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams (supergroup)?
The members of Led Zeppelin.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Bart Simpson.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
Braveheart.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Tom or Jerry.

What’s the greatest place you’ve visited?
America.

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
My brother Damian.

Who’s your favorite namesake
Dominic the Donkey. Happy New Year everyone!

At The Mike Stand with Glen Power (The Script).

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

glenpower

With four singles having reached the top twenty in the UK and Ireland, and an album that hit the top of the charts twice in Britain (showoffs) you’d think that Glen Power and his mates in The Script, Danny O’Donoghue and Mark Sheehan, would be a little too busy to be dealing with the likes of us at the Mike Stand. Not at all, sure between touring the United States with Adele as well as arranging their own first headlining string of dates for North America, being announced as the support act for U2’s third homecoming show at Croke Park on July 27th, Paul McCartney’s openers at Citifield next month (that’s July ’09 for those of you reading an old issue in the dentist‘s waiting room), a major feature article in rock bible Q Magazine devoted to the band and performing with Take That in Dublin later this month (June, no seriously), the trio have little to be doing to fill the time. We recently caught up with multi-instrumentalist Glen, one of the funkiest Dubliners around, and he was kind enough to put down the drumsticks, and join us ‘At The Mike Stand’.

By Mike Fitzpatrick.

Who would be in the band of your dreams?
I’d have Phil Collins on drums, The Edge on guitar, Freddie Mercury up front singing, and Sting on bass and backing vocals.
When was the last time you laughed out loud?
Two minutes ago with our tour manager.
What act would you like to have seen perform live?
Queen.
What period in history would you like to have hung out in?
The 50’s.
Who/what would make you want to leave a room?
Someone being rude, loud or insulting to people around them.
What decade rules (and why)?
This one, cos I’m in it!
What cover version do you enjoy performing?
‘Heroes’ by David Bowie.
What movie role would you like to have played?
Sylvester Stallone’s role in ‘Rocky‘.
What’s the first album you remember buying?
‘The Final Countdown’ by Europe.
Who’s your favorite Beatle?
John Lennon.
Who’s the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Jim Morrison.
What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
K.D. Lang.
What’s your tipple (favorite drink)?
Guinness.
What book can you read again and again?
The Bible.
What’s the greatest album ever recorded?
The Joshua Tree.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Doug from ‘The King Of Queens‘.

What movie have you seen most times?
‘The Matrix’.

Who’s your favorite cartoon character?
Bugs Bunny.

What’s mankind’s most wonderful invention?
The Internet.

What’s mankind’s most irritating invention?
Cellphones.

Who’s the funniest person who ever lived?
Richard Pryor

Interview with Ed Burns.

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

By Michael Fitzpatrick

It’s not easy to describe Edward Fitzgerald Burns without overdoing it with the forward slashes. For not only is the Woodside-born, Long Island-raised, Manhattan-residing quintessential New Yorker/Irish-American a renowned screenplay writer, but he’s starred in over a dozen movies, and directed nine of his own pictures.

The latest film he wrote/directed/starred in (see what we mean about those forward slashes?), ‘Nice Guy Johnny’, will be available everywhere (including iTunes, Netflix and Video on Demand) from October 26th.

It’s the (New York, naturally) story of a young man who decides to go against his dreams and take a dull job to satisfy his parents and girlfriend.

Before he does however, he meets up with his Uncle Terry (played by Burns), an ageing Lothario out for a good time, every time, and fully intent of bringing his cautious nephew along for the ride.

It’s a role seemingly far removed from the lifestyle of the man who plays him. The prolific Burns, a doting father to Grace and Finn, and husband of almost seven years to Christy Turlington, is a man very much focused on his family and his film career.

Having first arrived on the scene back in 1996 with the low-budget indie hit ‘The Brothers McMullen’, followed soon after by ‘She’s The One’ and ‘No Looking Back’, 42-year-old Burns the director has gone on to follow in the footsteps of his fellow Big Apple devotee, Woody Allen, by making other movies featuring the city, such as ‘Sidewalks of New York’, ‘Looking for Kitty’, ‘Ash Wednesday’, ‘Purple Violets’ and ‘The Groomsmen’.

In front of the camera he’s appeared in productions as diverse as ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘The Holiday’, ‘Entourage’, ’27 Dresses’ and ‘Will & Grace’. The Irish Examiner caught up with Edward prior to the release of ‘Nice Guy Eddie’.

Mike Fitzpatrick (MF): ‘Nice Guy Johnny’ was screened at the Tribeca and Boston film festivals this year, were you satisfied with the response there?
Ed Burns (EB): Yeah, I mean, Tribeca has always been a great home for my films. Being a New York filmmaker, living in Tribeca, being involved with the festival for ten years, they always take very good care of me, and my films, but I think more so, as a New York filmmaker, and you premiere your film in your home town, a lot of enthusiastic fans show up, so it’s a fun way to screen your films. Boston has always been another great city for showing my films, so, we played great up there, they gave the film a Best Director award, so it’s always nice to get a little praise.

MF: You’ve become renowned for your use of New York as a setting for your pictures, how important is the city to your movies?
EB: You know, I’ve been living in Manhattan for over twenty years now, I grew up on the Island, so the two places have always been important. I love my home town, like most New Yorkers do. The city continually inspires me, whether it’s the architecture, or the atmosphere of the neighborhoods, but mostly, it’s the characters I meet and the friends that I have.

MF: You’re quite a fan of fellow actor/director-types, John Cassavettes and Woody Allen, both New York filmmakers, is that coincidental?
EB: Well you know, Cassavettes I came to later, when in film school, but Woody Allen has really been the primary influence in my career as far as, you know, not only the types of stories that he tells, but the smaller character-driven films, he really is the master of the smart comedy with drama, which is something I’ve always desired to try and do.
Then obviously, he’s a writer/director/actor, he makes a film a year, I haven’t been able to pull that off, but I’ve tried like hell! So, he’s a real filmmaker, or auteur, or as a friend of mine calls, a ‘proper’ filmmaker, that I was introduced to early, and that’s because my mom was such a huge Woody Allen fan. So, she turned me on to him when I was in high school.

MF: ‘Nice Guy Johnny’ tells the story of a young man forced to abandon his dreams in order to please others, was the plot influenced by personal events?
EB: Oh yeah, a major part of the influence was, who I was when I was twenty-four-years old, and I was trying to get ‘The Brothers McMullen’ made, and I was lucky in that my parents (and friends) supported me, and I assumed they knew that a number of naysayers thought I was crazy to try to attempt such a thing. You know, who did I think I was, trying to be a filmmaker?
The other influence was an experience I had a few years ago, where my agents came up with an opportunity for me to direct a studio romantic comedy.
It was something I’d resisted for years, but I walked up to the line and almost said yes, but in the end I realized, that to me that looked more like a job, whereas what I would do with my own writing and directing, was my dream. So, it was from that experience that the subject matter (for the movie) was born.

MF: Growing up as a lover of film, were you more influenced by directors or actors or was it a little of both?
EB: Probably a little of both, you know, I’ve mentioned Woody Allen, he would have been a primary influence, then at film school, Billy Wilder, and Francoise Truffaut became a big influence. But then before film school, I’d all these influences from my mom, Paul Newman definitely became a hero of mine and Robert De Niro became a hero of mine.

MF: When you’re writing, do you have actors in mind for the roles you’re creating?
EB: Sometimes yes, certainly when I was writing ‘She’s The One’, I was writing the part for Mike McGlone, whom I’d just worked with, and funnily enough I’m writing another part for him right now. Then, for ‘Nice Guy Johnny’, the three unknown kids in the film, Matt Bush, Kerry Bishe and Anne Wood are such terrific young actors, I’d such a great time working with them, that I’m actually writing parts for them in the new film as well.

MF: ‘Nice Guy Johnny’ is your ninth outing as a director, how do you think you’ve evolved since the days of ‘The Brother McMullen’?
EB: Well, I now know what the hell I’m doing, so that’s quite an evolution! As a filmmaker, maybe I tell a story much more cinematically than I did with ‘Brothers’ or ‘She’s The One’, you know, back then, I didn’t really know what I was doing with a camera, but, we’ve come full circle with ‘Nice Guy Johnny’ with our approach to production. Because you know, we made ‘McMullen’ for $25,000 in twelve days with a three-man crew, it gave ourselves an interesting challenge, and with ‘Nice Guy Johnny’ we tried to shoot the film the same way as an exercise to see if we could recapture some ‘McMullen’ magic.
We ended up making the film for $25,000, we’d a three-man crew, we shot for ten days, all the actors did their own hair and make-up and wore their own clothes, and it’s a different kind of experience when you make a film that way and I must admit, it’s a lot more fun than having the bigger budgets.