Room Full of Music - Soundtrack

Dark pop act October Fires on the soundtrack to their lives 

 

What was the first album/single that you ever bought?

 

Eoghan – I know there was always music lying about our house from Metallica and Guns and Roses to Blur and Oasis but I believe the first single I bought was Breathe by The Prodigy. I remember seeing the video on MTV and I just couldn’t get enough of it so I had to go out and buy it. It was actually the first tune I ever learned on bass, well the intro bit anyway!

 

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

 

Eric – My earliest musical memories are the songs my parents played at home or in the car. For some reason the two that jump out are “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel & “I Wanna Rule the World” by 10cc. I would have been around 3 or 4 years old I think. A bit odd that those two stuck in my mind as they wouldn’t have been what my parents usually listened to, but for some reason it’s those two I remember!

 

 

Is there a particular song/band/singer that made you want to be a musician?  

 

Eric – Probably Nirvana’s “Unplugged in New York” album. My dad is a guitarist and he showed me a few chords when I was around 8 or 9 but for whatever reason I didn’t stick with it. Then when I was around 14 a friend of mine introduced me to that album. I don’t think I ever thought about being a “musician” at that point, but that was the album that sparked my interest in guitar again.

 

 

Is there a song/band that you love that was introduced to you by someone else?

 

Lisa – Carol actually went to see The Frames play a gig, way back when we were in our first year of College. She came home raving about the gig, insisted I just had to listen to them. That marked the beginning of a long lived ‘Frames’ obsession. We were totally and utterly consumed by them for a while, living only for their next gig or next album release. We’d pour over the lyrics that we loved and the chord progressions, revelling in Colm’s weaving fiddle melodies.

It wasn’t just that we liked the music, we had a total emotional connection with it. We belted out the tunes on the car journeys to and from Maynooth. We even flew to London to see them play in Shepherds Bush the weekend before our final thesis was due! Which probably explains why I did so badly!   But it was worth it, best introduction to a band. They completely inspired us I believe, to feel it all and sing about it!

 

 

Is there a song whose lyrics resonate with you and why so?

 

Carol – I can’t say there’s a particular song whose lyrics resonate with me! Its usually a line or phrase that will jump out at me, from a mix of songs or poems. I like a lot of Cold War Kids lyrics, Laurie Anderson is great too! I love lyrics that say a lot with a little! Not into descriptive, flowery lyrics. For me, less is more!

 

 

The band/musician that you grew up listening to?

 

Eric – The first band I really got into was Kula Shaker. I was around 9 or 10 at the time. I don’t know what it was that drew me to them. They didn’t sound like anyone else I’d heard so part of it might simply have been that. That interest gradually wained though as I began to spend more time playing football and video games than listening to music. Then, after I heard “Unplugged in New York” when I was 14, and started playing guitar seriously, I stumbled upon Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. I listened to dozens of bands/guitarists throughout my teenage years but those two were constants.

 

 

What song do you wish that you had written and why?

 

Carol – Where is my mind by Pixies is definitely one of them. Strange and Beautiful by Aqualung I’ve always loved but if I had to pick just one it would have to be Pyramid song by Radiohead. Those piano chords, the melody and when those drums kick in! – just perfection!

 

 

What song transports you back in time and why?

Lisa – There’s a lot of those to be honest, but the ones from summer holidays always stick out the most! Ghetto superstar (im not cringing:) simpler times, first loves and being allowed to stay out past 10!

 

 

Which song makes you dance when you hear it?

 

Lisa – Jackson 5 ‘Don’t stop till you get enough’ the ultimate dance tune.

 

 

Which song makes you sad when you hear it?

 

Carol – Elvis ‘You were always on my mind’. I think this is one of the saddest songs ever written because nothing is more painful than regret! To me this song could be about any relationship, a couple, a friendship or family members. It definitely tugs on the heart strings when I hear it!

 

What was the first gig you went to?

 

Eoghan – Officialy, the first gig I ever went to was George Martin and his 70 piece orchestra doing the Beatles songbook at the National Concert Hall. I remember I was listening over and over to the white album that year and my mam brought my brother and myself to the gig. Very hard to beat!

Unofficially when I was around 10 or 11, our family was on holidays in Rathmullan, Co. Donegal where our relations owned a pub called the Beachcomber. A few of us snook down to the bar one of the nights just before a band was about to come on. My older cousins let us stay up and when the lights went down these mad lads came running out, bodies covered in fluorescent paint, music blasting, jumping all around the stage.

The scene was something out of the True Men Don’t Kill Coyotes video by the RHCP. It was a total shock to all the senses, but I absolutely loved it! We didn’t get to see the end of the show. I wonder if they are still around today?! Ha!

 

 

 

What was the first song that you ever performed?

 

Eoghan – Hard to pinpoint the very first song I ever performed (its been a while!), I know Rebel Rebel by David Bowie was in the set list of my first ever gig, so I’ll give it the honour of first song!