Image : Tommy Concannon [Used with permission]
Joseph from Bannered Mare on the soundtrack to his life
What was the first album/single that you ever bought?
The first album i ever bought myself was Limp Bizkit – Chocolate starfish & the hot dog flavoured water. I was clearly trying to rebel but it didn’t work as my parents were into punk and thought some of it was great. That album is incredible though, massive sound, huge riffs & Fred Dursts nonsense rap, whats not to like?
What is your earliest musical memory?
My earliest memory was getting a cassette walkman when i was 6, i didn’t have any tapes though so i listened to my grandmothers Roger Whittaker tape (the song was called Durham town) on repeat until got home and got my hands on my dads old 70s punk tapes he had recorded from the radio. good times,
Is there a particular song/band/singer that made you want to be a musician?
The band is The Damned and the performer was Captain Sensible. i was first introduced to The Damned when i was 7 via an old VHS of them playing live at their 10th anniversary tea party show.
It’s the first bit of live music i had seen and me and my dad used to stay up late and sing along and dance around our living room playing air guitar. That where it all started, Captain Sensible wasn’t in that line up but i was introduced to him shortly after and his playing really resonated with me.
What song instantly reminds you of a particular person?
The Damned – I just cant be happy today. It will always remind my dad as there is a large organ solo in it and if it came on while we were driving he would make me hold my arm out so he could play the keys on my arm. That memory will always stay with me.
Is there a song whose lyrics resonate with you and why so?
Time by Pink Floyd will always hit me right in the feelings. especially the lines below. The desperation in those lyrics is really beautiful and was my go to track for when the clouds were rolling in.
Tired of lying in the sunshine
Staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long
And there is time to kill today
And then the one day you find
Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun
The band/musician that you grew up listening to?
And again it’s The Damned, these boys are a massive part of my life, there’s a song for every occasion and nearly all of them have some lovely memory attached with my parents.
I also listened to a lot of other stuff like The Carpenters, The Pretenders, The Who to name a few but the Damned are my guys.
What song do you wish that you had written and why?
Holy hell that’s a tough question but i think it would be either Shes Gone by Hall & Oates or Bridge over troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel. Both of these tracks slam me directly in the heart and in my opinion are two of the finest choruses ever written.
What song transports you back in time and why?
Don’t waste time doing things you hate by And so i watch you from Afar. That was when i first discovered post rock in all of its glory. I still remember coming across it on Myspace and thinking holy shit!! how are they so powerful?
Which song makes you happy when you hear it?
What a fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers. This song is a complete jam, i cant help but sing along in my best Michael McDonald impression every single time, also from a songwriting perspective it’s genius.
Which song makes you sad when you hear it?
Goodbye to love – The Carpenters. When i hear karen sing i cant help but think about the tragic life she had so it always adds to the sadness of the songs, this track also has one of my favourite guitar solos as well.
What was the first gig you went to?
my first gig was The Stranglers when i was 8. Me and my dad went on a school night and ended up seeing my bloody school teacher there at the show, she was dating one of the roadies.
We were both as suprised to see one another as you can imagine. she just told me i had better be in school in the morning, which i was as i couldnt wait to ask her what she thought of the gig. It was great by the way.
What was the first song that you ever performed?
The First song I ever performed Parrallel Universe by Red Hot Chilli Peppers at the Claremorris Battle of the bands, it was really really terrible but we learned a lot and quickly got ourselves in order. The band was called Turbulence and i went on to play with the same drummer for over 10 years in a group called Race the Flux. We well and truely cut our teeth together,
Joseph – Bannered Mare– Spotify Playlist
Bannered Mare – Social Media
Spotify
