PlayRewind

Broadcasting Commission of Ireland Go Mental (No Other Way To Put It)

You know the way that everyone and their dog claims to be a little Irish around Paddies Day. The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland have decided to go one step further & let a whole bunch of Artists and Popstars (I cant bring myself to call Kyle an Artist) with not an Irish Granny to rub together between ‘em to claim to be part Irish. Well in the sense that their songs are their babies anyway. Any Song by any artist recorded in this green (and mad it seems) island will be counted as Irish Music. R.E.M.’s new album Accelerate is one case in point and as will of the afore mentioned nice bottomed pixie from OZ who recorded some of he new stuff in Dublin's Windmill Lane Studios.
Why do this I hear you wonder? The fact that most Irish Radio Stations have to make a percentage of their total airplay Irish music (about 30%) may offer some clue as to why. As you can imagine this has annoyed and not to say confused many actual Irish Artists. The rule on Irish airplay was meant to be a launching platform for home grown talent but it has now been side stepped in a very blatant way. Lazy assed radio  stations cant be bother to look beyond whatever press release gets posted to them or just want to ape the charts in the UK and US and now have found a nice loop hole to get out of having to look at the Irish music scene to ideas. In fairness it’s not like there is a shortage of Irish bands worth their salt, both contemporary and classic to make up the numbers.
I wonder what these fools make of an Irish Artist who records in another country, Will Gemma Hayes have to hand over her passport cos she records in the US?

The Choice Music Prize 2006

As the editor of this blog seams to have gotten lost in a pothole, or more likely a bog hole or watering hole, in Galway, here’s an overdue post on the Choice Music Prize...

The 10 who made it on the list are Director for “We Thrive On Big Cities”, The Divine Comedy for “Victory for the Comic Muse”, Duke Special for “Songs From the Deep Forest”, The Immediate for “In Towers & Clouds”, David Kitt for “Not Fade Away”, Messiah J & The Expert for “Now This I Have To Hear”, Fionn Regan for “The End Of History”, Republic Of Loose for “Aaagh!”, Si Schroeder for “Coping Mechanisms”, and for Snow Patrol “Eyes Open”.

Dublin's Phantom FM re-launched

The Dublin based rock radio station, Phantom FM, has re-launched.

This time the Phantom is joined by regulation, backers, and all the rest the goes with being a licensed radio station.

"We will continue to promote the Irish music scene and we place a particular emphasis on promoting unsigned Irish bands" commented Phantom boss Ger Roe.

You can tune in online here, or read more about the launch on our sister/mother/half-father/god father media blog Blurred Keys.