"An excellent exponent of Irish songs"..
"A performer of considerable power and ability"..
"His voice a melifluous instrument" ..
"Powerful and engaging"..
Influences
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, Christy Moore, Mitch Mitchell, Bothy Band, Planxty, Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, The Who. Plus most of the people I've ever played music with.
I started as a kit drummer from the age of fifteen, gigging and recording til I was around twenty two years of age. At that time the singing side of things started taking over. I'd began playing guitar at nineteen and started putting more work into that instrument in order to gain an independence from other guitarists as to how I wanted my songs to be performed.
I formed the group "Afterhours" in 1986 and performed throughout Europe, America and Canada with them for the following 10 years. Also recording three albums: "Afterhours" 1988, "Hung Up and Dry" 1990 and "Up to Here" 1992.
Disbanding in 1996, I set off on my own and up to this point have 2 solo CD's to my credit. "On the Other Hand" 1997 and "Tip of the Tongue" 2000.
In 2002 I made a library recording for the BMG label with amongst others, Cathal Hayden, Maurice Lennon, Jim McGrath and James Blennerhasset.
Since then I've continued playing and performing solo as well as in collaboration with other musicians. In 2003 producing and performing on a CD with the Donegal singer Bríd Ní Mhaoileoin, "Ar Mhuin na Muice" and the follwing year, 2004, recorded "The Eagles Whistle" with the group "Airla" featuring the Derry piper, Joe McHugh. I collaborated with Kane O'Rourke on his 2007 recording "The Jolly Tinker", and also the same year appeared on Geraldine Bradleys CD "From the Rising Spring;Cloch Fhuráin".
Alongside my solo performances I've played in various duos and trios with musicians such as, Gerry "fiddle" O'Connor, Maurice Lennon, Joe McHugh, Alan Doherty, Kane O'Rourke, Barry Kerr, Paul Bradley, Pádraig Rynne, Angelina Carberry, Martin Quinn and many others.
I'm playing now with the band "At First Light" featuring John McSherry, uilleann pipes and whistles. Francis McIlduff, uilleann pipes, whistles and bodhrán. Dónal O'Connor, fiddle, keyboards, and Michael McCague on bouzouki. I'm also hoping to start work on another solo CD for myself soon.
So hopefully catch some of you at a gig one of these days....
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Just noticed your comment! Thanks Alan. In fact, I'm just back from Vaasa where we had a little kitchen session with Noora and Maiju. I may be coming to Ireland for Frankie Kennedy winter school and then Celtic Connections in Glasgow. So may see you there.
Hi Alan you're welcome behind my friends!! and thank you for the request :-)) God bless you :-)) Venceslao.. Why I have on profile the name "Venceslao" Because I study Spanish language :-))
Hey Alan, still enjoying your stuff, hope you are well. Any tips on starting with the guitar. I am a singer/songwriter but I struggle to play my own stuff. I am desperate to perform my own songs but my lack of ability on the guitar and piano is holding me back. Please have a listen to Perfect Humans or Tears tonight on my page if you have a min, this is the height of my guitar playing at the mo and it is v frusrating because I have a book full of lyrics that are limited by what I can play. hope you dont mind me asking but I love your sound and I am interested in how you got started. Any pointers would be appreciated, cheers mate, Paul.
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Living Under the Shadow of the Nuclear Umbrella
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Though source materials are quite aged, much remains relevant today.
I encourage all to visit the YouTube page to learn more (Show support! Rate! Comment!) and responsibly circulate as widely as possible, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaIim3Rj7L4
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