On The Record

• The Ticket’s 50 best Irish music acts right now

  April 3, 2009 @ 7:25 am | by Jim Carroll

  In this week’s edition of The Ticket, we count down the 50 best Irish music acts right now.

  The list was compiled from the votes of Ticket writers Tony Clayton-Lea, Lauren Murphy, Sinead Gleeson and myself. Each of us submitted our Top 50 lists, the votes were counted (each number 1 was awarded 50 points, number 2 was awarded 49 points and so on) and collated by Ticket editor Conor Goodman and, voila, we had a list which went all the way from 50 to 1.

  There were three qualifying conditions. (1) Solo acts had to have been born on the island of Ireland or to hold an Irish passport. (2) In the case of bands, half or more of the members had to have been born on the island of Ireland or to hold an Irish passport. (3) Bands had to have recorded or released music since January 2008, or to have played a gig since January 2008.

  While I can’t speak for the others, my Top 50 list was compiled solely on the basis of acts I liked. If I thought what an act was doing was really good, be it on record or live and regardless of how successful or well-known the act were, they made my list. I know this sounds like common sense, but previous experiences with this list lark shows that some people always seem to think there are ulterior motives behind who makes the cut. The reason why I’m saying all this here is that inevitably someone below is going to ask the question so I’m providing the answer in advance.

  The real fun began when I started to rate the acts from 1 to 50 - again, it depended on how much I liked one act over another. As simple as that. And no, I have no intention of revealing my Top 50 - it’s a collective decision and this is the only list which counts.

  Now, over to you. As we know only too well, On The Record readers are a vocal - and sometimes funny - bunch. What acts did we overlook? What acts should not be in this list? Does this prove that The Ticket has an anti-Enya bias? Let the fuming begin.
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206 Comments
1.
April 3, 2009
8:11 am
no Gemma Hayes?
08’s “The Hollow of Morning” was a cracking album….
Comment by Ciaran L
2.
April 3, 2009
8:14 am
This is poor poor journalism Jim. Surely to God you have something more relevent to discuss than your fav list. Shame
Comment by cd
3.
April 3, 2009
8:20 am
Hmm. Interesting!
Hey Jim, I know you were expecting a fair whack of head butting over the list but I think that yourself and the team have produced a very well considered and well-argued list.
While I might have initially plumed for a different top ten (well maybe in a different order!), I think that this piece more than justifies the selection and their placing.
I think that your top 5 have acquitted themselves impeccably to date and have shown that their best work is not yet over.
Pats on the back all round. I’ll now pass the soapbox over to the disgruntled U2 fans….
PS Where is Sinead O’Connor on the list….?
Comment by James D
4.
April 3, 2009
8:26 am
The fuming shall begin then….how Monaghan based band The Flaws didn’t make it into your ‘Top 50′ list is unbelievable. And then you see the likes of ‘Ash’ and ‘The Blizzards’ in there? Extremely average bands that inexplicably caught a lucky break.
The Flaws have easily been one of the best and most active bands on the Irish live circuit for the last 3 years and their debut album Achieveing Vagueness deservedly received 4 stars from both yourselves and the Indo back in Sept 07 when it was released. They’ve been quiet so far in 2009 in order to do a bit of recording but they played a series of great gigs in 2008 including a set at Electric Picnic and supports to Black Rebel, The Fratellis and Dirty Pretty Things. They also played a headline set to a packed out Whelans in October last, which was one the best gigs I was at in 2008. To add to all that, they represented the Irish over at Glasto, I don’t remember many other Irish acts doing that last year?
The likes of ‘Ash’ and ‘The Blizzards may have been lucky enough to catch a break but they don’t deserve a place in your list just because they are more well known. The Flaws are a far superior band.
Comment by Dermot Kinane
5.
April 3, 2009
8:33 am
Interesting that your man cd above is in like Flynn to have a pop straight away - obviously writes for some other paper who’re pissed that they didnt have the same brilliant idea to get attention. As the expression goes on this forum cd, play the ball not the man.
David Holmes at Number One - what an excellent outcome. Makes up for his brilliant album not getting the Choice Music Prize.
As for the absent names, no Laura Izibor? Ye might regret that one in 12 months time, lads.
Comment by Smoothie
6.
April 3, 2009
8:37 am
“To add to all that, they represented the Irish over at Glasto, I don’t remember many other Irish acts doing that last year?”
The Swell Season and Lisa Hannigan also “represented” the Irish over at “Glasto”, but what has that go to do with the price of fish anyway? The Flaws are over-rated muckers whose only good song was a cover version of a Jay-Z track.
Good list - shame the Republic of Loose aren’t higher up.
Comment by Jack Jones
7.
April 3, 2009
8:43 am
Jim, you know you are going to get it in the neck on this one. What is it with you and the Script? No problem though, we all have our guilty pleasures.
What I find most head scratching is the absence of Mumblin’ Deaf Ro. Hard to fathom really.
Comment by hugger
8.
April 3, 2009
8:44 am
“pissed that they didnt have the same brilliant idea to get attention”
Yes, a top 50 list is journalistic genius. Tune in next week for a top 50 hot celebrity list.
Comment by cd
9.
April 3, 2009
8:51 am
Holmes at number one is ridico, rest of the list is great though - good read!
Comment by unarocks
10.
April 3, 2009
8:56 am
Humm… Super Extra Bonus Party win the Choice in 08 and yet can’t make it onto this list.
And Snow Patrol higher than MBV? JFC on a cross.
Comment by Q
11.
April 3, 2009
8:59 am
i thought ‘aphex twin’ & and ’so i watch you from afar’ should have been in there . poor old jimmy behan didn’t make it either, i have loved everything he has done over the last couple of years
the whole thing is a sham SACK THE MANAGER AND THE BOARD
Comment by petee
12.
April 3, 2009
9:01 am
Saville?!
what, really?! I must be missing something when it comes to them….
Comment by caroline
13.
April 3, 2009
9:03 am
No Declan Nerney? It’s a disgrace.
Comment by Matt Vinyl/The Golden Maverick
14.
April 3, 2009
9:05 am
Jim, you know you are going to get it in the neck on this one. What is it with you and the Script? No problem though, we all have our guilty pleasures.
MP3Hugger - I’m just so annoyed, upset and furious that the rest of the judges didn’t follow my lead and have them at number One……. given how literal people take these things, I had better put one of these fellas here to indicate that I am making A Joke
Comment by Jim Carroll
15.
April 3, 2009
9:07 am
No Mumblin Deaf Ro? Come on…
Comment by Eoin
16.
April 3, 2009
9:09 am
Who the fuck is Mumblin Deaf Ro? Why does his name always come up when these lists are discussed and especially when his name is not on it? I have never heard of him - is he some best kept secret amongst Dublin indie heads or something? Maybe he never makes these lists for a reason - ie he’s not terribly good or well-known.
And U2 not in the Top 5? For shame, lads, for shame.
Comment by Paddy
17.
April 3, 2009
9:12 am
@paddy
http://www.myspace.com/mumblindeafro
easy enough to rectify
Comment by dudley
18.
April 3, 2009
9:14 am
Interesting list and good work folks.
I will say this though I think Mjex are far better than Halfset live and on record.
Comment by Dani
19.
April 3, 2009
9:14 am
I think it was Nialler who was saying during the week that blogs don’t get as many comments as before, but I think this blog today will prove that one wrong.
What a great idea! Of course, it’s going to generate loads of heat and discussion, but that’s what lists do. The acts who are not on it will be angry, their fans (or wives/girlfriends) will be hopping mad and we’ll have a great day’s sport altogether.
Some of the acts who made this are hugely questionable in my mind - Evil Harrisons, Saville, Michael Knight WTF? That said, the Top 10 - with the exception of the hugely over-rated and rubbish Halfset who are only there because most of the judges must know them - is excellent. David Holmes at Number One is a brilliant, brilliant choice.
I await the reaction of the Enya fans with interest
Comment by Rasputin
20.
April 3, 2009
9:15 am
(10) A date for your diaries: Friday April 3, 10am, this blog. I shall say no more other than you’d be an eejit to miss it. Bring coffee and popcorn. Tell your friends. Pull a sickie. Trust me, it will be worth it.
Is this it?
Comment by Ivor
21.
April 3, 2009
9:15 am
Ivor - welcome!
Comment by Jim Carroll
22.
April 3, 2009
9:23 am
Good list, would liked to have seen Giveamanakick/Adebisi Shank/So Cow getting some love ahead of Delorentos though, the only thing exciting about them is their announcement of splitting up imho
Comment by Aisling
23.
April 3, 2009
9:26 am
I’ll back up what Rasputin says above - what are Halfset doing in the Top 10? One of the most dreary, boring and over-rated Irish bands of the moment who are only getting attention because they are so well-connected. Rubbish band.
But the rest of the list is great. Kudos for giving me something to do other than last month’s accounts for the morning.
Comment by Shakey
24.
April 3, 2009
9:28 am
terrible i just don’t get it.
How is it that MSJ, Snow Patrol are better than My Bloody Valentine? MBV are better live than most of the list and while they haven’t released anything the music they’re playing is worth more than most of that list combined.
U2 in 18th? the last tour they did apart from gigs this year apear to have been in 2006 and their album ” contains some of the most mediocre music U2 have created”.
So basically their merit in the list is previous work since they began.
In this case MBV should be a lot higher, sure why not include Thin Lizzy they’re playing soon enough, Ash’s debut was fantastic, Heartworm was fantastic (are they still going?), Van Morrison is still knocking about. I’m sure there’s more
Comment by Stampy
25.
April 3, 2009
9:30 am
By and large I have no bones with the list, but I am very surprised not to see Gemma Hayes there.
Just wondering if those who compiled the list will have any ‘oh crap, can’t believe I forgot….’ moments.
Comment by Joe
26.
April 3, 2009
9:31 am
Just wondering if those who compiled the list will have any ‘oh crap, can’t believe I forgot….’ moments.
If they do, it’s too late to change that now!
Comment by Jim Carroll
27.
April 3, 2009
9:35 am
To avoid the negative spin that a lot of disgruntled folks are gonna take, I think this list is a great reminder of how much talent there is in this country.
I know that every few years, there is a romantic sense among Irish music lovers that this country is in musical renaissance, a vibrant bohemian Mecca of inspiration and artistic genius. It might actually ring true at this time.
The fact that we can easily fill a list with 50 acts, with probably as many queuing to join them on the list, is a great tribute to the scene.
If I was to put a sour note on this whole thing, it would be that it’s a pity that there isn’t the infrastructure or medium in place to get these acts out to a bigger audience…
Comment by James D
28.
April 3, 2009
9:39 am
A top ten finish for The Villagers seems generous considering they have merely one ep under their belt, non? Even if this is “best bands right now” they’re more ones to watch out for then top of the heap.
Jim — not your department, I know, but whoever pasted the article into/ onto the Irish Times webpage only bothered to add hyperlinks for the first half a dozen acts. I’m a wizard with the auld copy and paste myself but it does look kinda slack
Comment by Teddy
29.
April 3, 2009
9:40 am
@ 4
“To add to all that, they represented the Irish over at Glasto, I don’t remember many other Irish acts doing that last year?”
Wakey wakey eggs and bakey: Sinead O’Connor, Jape, Ham Sandwich, and Fight Like Apes all played Glasto last year.
Comment by unarocks
30.
April 3, 2009
9:41 am
Are you not contradicting yourself a bit there Stampy?
MBV are better live than most of the list and while they haven’t released anything the music they’re playing is worth more than most of that list combined.
But then you argue that U2 are placed too high
So basically their merit in the list is previous work since they began.
Comment by Joe
31.
April 3, 2009
9:43 am
James D - very good points all round. Let’s be positive here, people
Teddy - I’ve passed your comments onto the appropriate department
Una - thanks. And I’m sure there’s more - Liam O’Maonlai and Kila also played “Glasto” last year
Comment by Jim Carroll
32.
April 3, 2009
9:44 am
I’m not going to dispute having Villagers on there, even though they are only one EP young, but considering that is enough to qualify you for entry, how about Limerick’s Tenaka? A glorious addition to the Irish music scene, whose EPonymous has been the best Irish release so far this year.
Comment by Ronan
33.
April 3, 2009
10:03 am
Great points James D. I think we could easily make a list of one hundred acts if we collated our efforts. How many acts were nominated in total from all the lists Jim?
Comment by Ronan
34.
April 3, 2009
10:05 am
Ronan - I think there were another 60 acts who got votes but who didn’t make the cut.
Comment by Jim Carroll
35.
April 3, 2009
10:07 am
“I think there were another 60 acts who got votes but who didn’t make the cut.”
awesome - viva Irish music right now!
Comment by unarocks
36.
April 3, 2009
10:11 am
Excellent genre hopping list with a bit of everything, a rarity in Irish top 50 lists. Thank **** we got over the singer-song writer buzz of a few years ago.
Comment by nerraw
37.
April 3, 2009
10:11 am
No Therapy?, Mexican Pets, Kila or Dudley Corporation? Gimme a break.
Comment by Niall Kitson
38.
April 3, 2009
10:12 am
Actually I have to withdraw Mexican Pets. But my other suggestions stand.
Comment by Niall Kitson
39.
April 3, 2009
10:13 am
“I think there were another 60 acts who got votes but who didn’t make the cut.”
just out of curiosity who were those acts?!
Comment by caroline
40.
April 3, 2009
10:15 am
Missing So Cow and Grand Pocket Orchestra = actually a criminal offence.
Comment by bobby
41.
April 3, 2009
10:16 am
“No Therapy?, Mexican Pets, Kila or Dudley Corporation? Gimme a break.”
They’ll be on the Thumped.com Top 50 Irish acts Right Now
Comment by Shakey
42.
April 3, 2009
10:17 am
A fantastic list - I’m looking forward to checking out the acts on it which I don’t know like The Evil Harrisons, Halfset and RSAG
Comment by Caroline
43.
April 3, 2009
10:25 am
Even if I wouldn’t necessarily agree with everything on the list, which is the point of these things anyway, I think it’s a really positive reflection on the Irish music scene. What’s really reassuring is the possibilities afforded by a good record and hard work- there’s no way the likes of RSAG and Katie Kim would even have been near this list a year ago and now they’re up there in the top 25. Just goes to show. As for the bizarrely hostile comments towards Halfset, those conspiracy theories are hilarious. By all means you can dislike the music (I think it’s a great album myself) but to put their high ranking down to some sort of media bias is nonsense. That said, the idea of them being shadowy overlords of melodic post-rock pulling strings darkly in the background to manipulate public perception is very amusing.
Comment by Chris
44.
April 3, 2009
10:28 am
That said, the idea of them being shadowy overlords of melodic post-rock pulling strings darkly in the background to manipulate public perception is very amusing.
That will be their next album
Comment by Jim Carroll
45.
April 3, 2009
10:30 am
The fact that I can think of 20 bands off the top of my head that could easily have made that list makes me very excited about Irish music at the moment.
Personally, I think it’s a shame Groom or HERM didn’t make it in there, and Dark Room Notes could have been higher (certainly higher than the awful Cap pas Cap). Also, agree with other comments that it’s too earlier for Villagers to be in a list like this. I’d have had a similar top 10 though, but with a different #1, would have been Jape or Roisin Murphy for me, depending on my mood at the time.
Comment by Key Notes
46.
April 3, 2009
10:33 am
“Sinéad Gleeson is personally acquainted with Adrian Crowley and David Turpin is married to a member of Halfset.”
I don’t get this - David Turpin didn’t get a vote?!
Comment by Tt
47.
April 3, 2009
10:34 am
Sorry. Up to my knockers this morning so sorry for the multiple comments….
One other point I wanted to make about this list is that it’s a great advertisement for a lot of these acts. I’d mentioned it before but there is very few outputs for music that produce genuine results - coverage in the national press can make a massive difference.
With so many of these bands being regional or the darlings of a select social clique, there is a fair few who would be simply just ‘names’ to me.
This piece has shed some well deserved light. I hope they can raised their profiles and capitalise on this nod. Personally I will be heading down to Tower at lunch with a wee shopping list….
One final point…it would be nice to see this list becoming an annual event in the Irish Times Ticket calendar. As a benchmark of our scene, I think with time it could bring a lot of gravitas to all featured on the domestic and international front….
Comment by James D
48.
April 3, 2009
10:35 am
Please stop making lists, as David Ives said ‘Lists are anti-democratic, discriminatory, elitist, and sometimes the print is too small.’ Really. Stop. It’s reductive, and to think you have Snow Patrol coming before My Bloody Valentine makes it more so, and Fight Like Apes at number four - what a joke, but that’s my point, the whole thing is a waste of time, so stop and write about something else.
Comment by Ciaran
49.
April 3, 2009
10:37 am
“Who the fuck is Mumblin Deaf Ro? Maybe he never makes these lists for a reason - ie he’s not terribly good or well-known”
In my confrontational moments, and this can be considered one of them, I like to tell people that “The Herring and the Brine” is the best Irish album since Astral Weeks. Usually this is greeted by pre-deluxe versions of “Loveless” being thrown in the general direction of my head in a fit of pique and appropriateness. But I’ll stand by it anyway. If anything, it sounds better in the recession; maybe we’ll get a new triple cd deluxe version with all the bonus cut trimmings and rare interviews?
Comment by brian
50.
April 3, 2009
10:37 am
Why aren’t these guys on it?
http://www.wimp.com/bunnysong
Comment by unarocks
51.
April 3, 2009
10:37 am
You really should have left the token trad act off the list Jim - having Hayes/Cahill one notch lower than Spook of the 13th Lock is just, well, daft (and I’m sure the Spook guys agree)
Comment by Cormac-out-of-Stoat
52.
April 3, 2009
10:40 am
Tt @ 46 - that’s a typo in the online edition - it should read “Sinéad Gleeson is personally acquainted with Adrian Crowley and David Turpin, and is married to a member of Halfset.” Correction will be made on the website in the next while.
Ciaran @ 48 - well, what David Ives didn’t say is that lists also get people talking and people like yourself commenting so mission accomplished
Una @ 50 - I voted for them. They’re like the Jimmy Cake on acid
Cormac-out-of-Stoat @ 51 - see paragraph 2 above. It was a collective decision and not down to one person. And to call Hayes/Cahill a “token” act is bizarre.
Comment by Jim Carroll
53.
April 3, 2009
10:40 am
10am bla bla bla nothing happened boooo
Comment by petee
54.
April 3, 2009
10:42 am
regardless of who you might think should or shouldn’t be there (cork bands?? ;)) what an amazing endorsement of the current state of Irish music. Well done all four.
Comment by angela d
55.
April 3, 2009
10:47 am
lol, what a typo
Comment by Tt
56.
April 3, 2009
10:48 am
ay, as expected pretty much, wasn’t surprised to see anyone on the list, nor was I surprised by what I’d see as glaring omissions..
for the sake of it, here’s my top 10 right now….
bats
the pulpit
realistic train
hoovers + sledgehammers
simon & the ghost
adebisi shank
estel
lynched
janey mac
vinny club
Comment by Liam
57.
April 3, 2009
10:56 am
ay, as expected pretty much, wasn’t surprised to see anyone on the list, nor was I surprised by what I’d see as glaring omissions..
for the sake of it, here’s my top 10 right now….
bats
the pulpit
realistic train
hoovers + sledgehammers
simon & the ghost
adebisi shank
estel
lynched
janey mac
vinny club
I think there’s an obvious reason why none of them made the list
Comment by Caroline
58.
April 3, 2009
11:09 am
@ 57 - go on?? it may be obvious, but i don’t see it. please enlighten me with your depth of understanding regarding the 4 minds who put the IT list together..
I was merely hoping to point out that you can have an entirely different top 10 of acts, which, in my opinion anyway, speaks volumes for the level of quality and diversity within Irish music at the moment..
Comment by Liam
59.
April 3, 2009
11:09 am
Yet again you’ve missed the point Jim. It’s about the content of the comment not the actual fact someone has commented, but as usual you don’t really take things on board that others say. Ives is right, and imagine all the interesting articles that could have been written in space of the ‘Top 50′? It’s just another reason not to read The Ticket, something I have been thinking about for some time, it’s way too dominant. There have always been several other voices out there, and you have to search a little more, but it’s always worth it in the end, and they rarely make lists.
Comment by Ciaran
60.
April 3, 2009
11:17 am
I thought this was a good list, couldn’t really argue with the top 30. Would have liked to see Ham Sandwich and So Cow in there though.
I liked seeing U2 in between Chequerboard and Cap Pas Cap (if even on the wrong side of the former). Might encourage some broadening of tastes.
Comment by gabbagabbahey
61.
April 3, 2009
11:17 am
Who does anybody care about what a cabal of self-appointed egomaniacs think about anything? These lists are about as relevant as the Meteors and their only purpose is to stir a little controversey, sell a few more papers and generate some web traffic. Getting hot under the collar about why X finished higher than Y and why Z didnt make the list is a complete waste of emotion better spent enjoying an ice cream in the park on a delightful Friday afternoon.
Comment by Jeremy
62.
April 3, 2009
11:18 am
@56 - You should add Discarded Retard to that list, surely a glaring ommission
@57 - Whats the obvious reason???
Lists are great at generating debate as this list shows. There will always be disagreements but overall this list highlights the strength of the current irish scene.
On the other hand i’m sure that if this list is done again next year then maybe 20 of those acts wouldnt make the list again
Comment by Jae
63.
April 3, 2009
11:21 am
Ciaran - please don’t go. Please. I’m crying writing this
Jeremy - well, it has obviously worked if you’re here getting hot under the collar. And you can always bring your mobile device to the park with you to ensure you have ice-cream AND all the fun of this fair
Jae - Discarded Retard do not qualify due to the fact that two-thirds of the band were born on the Isle of Man.
On the other hand i’m sure that if this list is done again next year then maybe 20 of those acts wouldnt make the list again
Very good point. As Chris mentioned above, would RSAG and Katie Kim (and Villagers, for that matter) have made this list a year ago?
Comment by Jim Carroll
64.
April 3, 2009
11:25 am
Brian @49
I’m with you on the MDR!
Comment by Joss
65.
April 3, 2009
11:25 am
“a cabal of self-appointed egomaniacs”
I love this.
Comment by Conor Furlong
66.
April 3, 2009
11:26 am
I always wanted to belong to a cabal. Maybe I should start wearing a beret?
Comment by Jim Carroll
67.
April 3, 2009
11:29 am
I can’t believe someone has quoted David Ives in a discussion about Irish music! The shark jumps
Comment by Roger
68.
April 3, 2009
11:30 am
Aw,shit! I was gonna pick David Holmes! That ridiculous-looking Ladybug thingy could have been mine! I’ll admit my comment yesterday ‘that I could only think of 5 great acts at the moment’ was overly-cynical as, seeing the list laid out like that, there is a lot more homegrown talent out there than I realised. I forgot about the likes of David Kitt, Jinx, Julie Feeney, Adrian Crowley and the great, great Cathal Coughlan but there is still many on the list I have no time for.
The 5 acts I came up with (MBV, God Is an Astronaut, David Holmes, Ann Scott & Katie Kim) are all on the list which is brilliant to see. Nice one. Holmes at No.1 is an excellent decision, he should have won the Choice Prize also.
Gripes?
MBV at 24, Lower than Fight Like Apes, is utterly ludicrous. I’ll leave it at that as it’s too stressful getting worked up about it!
Surprised Gemma Hayes is not on the list. Her star has taken a dramatic plunge in recent years. Build ‘em up, knock ‘em down and all that…
Una @ 9 - why do you think giving Holmes the top spot is ridiculous?
Jim - maybe you could publish the 60 that didn’t make the cut on the blog sometime?
Comment by Quint
69.
April 3, 2009
11:32 am
nice list.
i’d take this as a bit of fun, and something for discussion nothing more. Who’s to say if Jape is better than U2?
anyway my two cents - fight like apes are the most irritating, annoying, cynical band in years. i don’t “get” it. David Holmes? not really. Villagers - here comes the backlash - for me its too early to say. shocking.
anyway - goofy fun.
ps - i bet half these comments are from band members of acts related to the list.
Comment by Caroline O
70.
April 3, 2009
11:35 am
Delightful.
Comment by kDamo
71.
April 3, 2009
11:35 am
@63 - The Isle of Man IS Irish soil. It was plucked up and thrown into the sea by the giant Finn McCool - he that once walked the Giant’s Causeway..
Comment by Liam
72.
April 3, 2009
11:36 am
Ah this is bringing me back to the glorious days of the Choice Prize nominations. Lads getting angry about the sheer nerve of publishing a list, lads getting angry about thier mates not being on it and other lads’ mates being on it. Terrific, all human life in its ridiculous glory. For those of us stuck indoors on a quietish Friday and unable to get out for an icecream this is a pretty good alternative. To declare an interest: I am two-thirds of Discarded Retard. Up the Manx!
Comment by Chris
73.
April 3, 2009
11:36 am
ps - i bet half these comments are from band members of acts related to the list
Caroline O - or more likely band members of acts who didn’t make the list.
As you say, it is goofy fun. It always amazes me to see people get so angry and het-up about these lists - they’re perfectly entitled to go off and do their own lists, you know because The Ticket doesn’t have the monopoly on these things. As it stands, I think the Top 50 paints a very good picture of the current state of the Irish rock and pop nation.
Comment by Jim Carroll
74.
April 3, 2009
11:45 am
i think the essential problem with this lists involving bands is that people can support them like a football team, ie, my fav band are great, your band are crap etc.
so people jump to the “defence” of bands while attacking others - ie - why isn’t Mumbly wumbly woo on this list? he’s way better than Strumpton’s Peanuts! etc
anyway, Where’s Declan Nerney?
Comment by Caroline O
75.
April 3, 2009
11:45 am
Hey Jim, put the hour forward on your blog comments will you?? You’re making me think I’ve an hour extra to do in work…
Comment by Liam
76.
April 3, 2009
11:49 am
Caroline O - Declan is preparing for his show in the Lavey Inn in Cavan tomorrow night
Liam - tell me about it! Our technical supermen are working on that one
Comment by Jim Carroll
77.
April 3, 2009
11:51 am
“Caroline O - or more likely band members of acts who didn’t make the list”
Of course. Only people in bands could possibly think the list is silly and doubles down on it’s own silliness by ignoring entire genes because the music writers in question dont know anything about jazz, trad, classical, blues etc. Using these journalistic techniques to devalue peoples sincere opinions are the last refuge of the critically bankrupt Mr Carroll.
Comment by Jeremy
78.
April 3, 2009
11:53 am
Jim I was wondering if any of the top 10 or top 5 have been contacted regarding their ascendancy to the higher echelons?
Might be a nice follow-up piece to get some reactions and perhaps even hear who they might have put as their top act or their top 5….
Just a thought.
Incidentally which ones are playing Oxegen? Which ones are playing the Picnic? Tee hee…just joking.
Comment by James D
79.
April 3, 2009
11:55 am
Jeremy - you seem to have a huge personal problem with me and have seem to have spent a lot of time on this blog in the last few days fuming and glaring at me. If I had a problem with someone as bad as the one you obviously have with me, I’d tend to just go away and ignore them. I’m intrigued - what did I do to you? Give you a bad review? Take your last Rolo? Try to chat you up? Mistake you for your brother?
If it’s not too much trouble, let’s keep the discussion on the list please
Comment by Jim Carroll
80.
April 3, 2009
12:06 pm
Quint says: “MBV at 24, Lower than Fight Like Apes, is utterly ludicrous. I’ll leave it at that as it’s too stressful getting worked up about it!”
Yeah but MBV haven’t released material in 18 years.
And I think the U2 ranking is a bit mean. I haven’t listened to many of the preceding acts, but even on an album as overrated and flawed as their latest, there’s still enough quality there to move them upwards.
Comment by Steve K
81.
April 3, 2009
12:08 pm
@79 You just did it again! Every time somebody has a sincere disagreement with you, instead of engaging them you just ask them if you gave them a bad review. It’s so childish! And by doing so you’re using your profession for the excact opposite purpose to which it’s intended. There are many many other reasons in this world for people to disagree with you - you’re a f*cking journalist for gods sake!
Comment by Jeremy
82.
April 3, 2009
12:12 pm
“cirically bankrupt”, “cabal of self-appointed egomaniacs” ? i am on the floor laughing at the seriousness with which this is being taken. Jim - admit it, ye just chucked a list of musicians up in the air last night when ye realised you had all missed your deadlines…
Comment by Waxy
83.
April 3, 2009
12:13 pm
Jeremy - “a sincere disagreement”? Give me a break, fella. I don’t see calling someone “critiically bankrupt” or “meaningless” as a “sincere disagreement”. You’re using the list to have another pop at me - after all, you have not expressed ANY opinion on the acts on the list good, bad or indifferent. And I would tend to think that using a list to which I was only one of four contributers to have a pop at me is, on the face of it, rather childish.
Waxy - that’s exactly what happened, dude.
Comment by Jim Carroll
84.
April 3, 2009
12:17 pm
Rah rah, this is awesome reading, keep the ranting going! I think the list is pretty great overall, and for the lesser known acts it’s a chance to get some attention.
And outside of that, after listening to Julie Feeney’s new album last night at the JK Ensemble she’ll be much higher up that list this time next year i reckon.
Comment by Bernie
85.
April 3, 2009
12:19 pm
I could go on and on and on about things wrong with this list but seriously no rednecks????
the only band who kept things interesting in the god awful days when people were so starved for worthwhile music that the frames sounded worthwhile?? And they can’t even get in a list that thought fit to include snow patrol, U2 and damien rice?
Comment by Tycho
86.
April 3, 2009
12:21 pm
@ Waxy - sssshhhh, if anyone finds out that music journalists just toss a coin to see if a band is any use or not the entire fabric of the universe will come undone..
also, can we have a Top 50 most deluded/deranged posters on OTR list??
and furthermore, I sincerely disagree with Jeremy. I find his rambling redundant, petulant and of little relevance to this discussion of who’s favourite Irish band is better than who’s.. Mine is, btw.
Comment by Liam
87.
April 3, 2009
12:22 pm
Just one point - how can anyone take people like Jeremy seriously when they make a personl attack anonymously? If you really have the bravery of their convictions, use your real name. Jim Carroll uses his name (I assume it’s your real name) yet the people who take shots at him always stay anonymous.
Comment by Peter Dwyer
88.
April 3, 2009
12:24 pm
also, can we have a Top 50 most deluded/deranged posters on OTR list??
Is there 50? Or is 50 enough?
Comment by Jim Carroll
89.
April 3, 2009
12:24 pm
Jim, I already pointed out that as an even-handed overview of Irish music it falls flat on its face because it completely exludes entire genres. I think that’s a perfectly reasonable criticism.
Comment by Jeremy
90.
April 3, 2009
12:36 pm
Jim @52
Hayes/Cahill are so outstanding in their own field that they come to the attention of people who have little knowledge of or interest in trad (myself included). Anyone who knows their stuff compiling a list of good Irish acts would understandably feel compelled to put them in SOMEWHERE because they’re so intimidatingly good. So if the list was “50 Irish acts you need to listen to” that’d be fair enough, but to throw them in the middle of a list of practitioners of a totally different artform, and, what’s more, to then rate them relative to the other acts on the list - that, dude, is bizarre
Comment by Cormac-out-of-Stoat
91.
April 3, 2009
12:39 pm
what would be really fun post is a ” What do you think of OTR regualr X” thread , like a juvenile messageboard…
As for the top 50, I wouldn’t personally be bothered getting worked up about it - what would be interesting is though is if a poll could be arranged for the readers to vote for the acts they think should be in the list, and see if there is much difference between the journo v reader list.
Comment by Sean D
92.
April 3, 2009
12:47 pm
“At a critical point in the lifeline of a blog, a consensus will be reached on who to castigate and who to accept. When consensus is reached, the blog dies.” Discuss using references to Animal Farm.
Comment by brian
93.
April 3, 2009
12:49 pm
arrrgh, i really need to stop reading lists. they end up infuriating me, or more to the point, what they leave out. ah well….
Comment by Ciarán
94.
April 3, 2009
12:52 pm
My take on these lists:
Always nice to be included
Always a little disappointing not to be included
Always nice when people think your music would be worth including (thanks to various posters above).
Comment by Mumblin Deaf Ro
95.
April 3, 2009
12:59 pm
Caroline O - ‘Strumpton’s Peanuts’!…LOL!
I prefer their earlier stuff.
Very odd that the quite awful Super Extra Bonus Party, a band that won the most prestigious music prize in the country as recently as 2008, are now not on the list ‘of best Irish acts right now’. Is it now generally agreed that the judges made the wrong decision on the night?
Comment by Quint
96.
April 3, 2009
1:03 pm
The list is a fair enough list I think. There will always be some glaring omissions according to opinion and some entries that are slightly bewildering.
For example - I don’t know what Iain Archer is doing on the list. I think he’s awful. My opinion.
On the flipside (and this is where the personal acquaintances thing comes in) having heard SEBP’s new album I know they deserve a place on this list though I think their Choice win may have come too soon and that people have already formed unjust opinions about a then fledgling band.
General lack of electronic music also such as Prince Kong who is making some The Bug like moves with digital dancehall and what not that’s bloody exciting.
So, I’ve taken the bait and posted my own list:
http://www.nialler9.com/2009/04/03/my-50-best-irish-music-acts-right-now/
Comment by Niall
97.
April 3, 2009
1:04 pm
Hah! Good one people!
Still and all, some perspective, perhaps?
Seeing as you insist…
If there were 110 acts nominated and 200 (50 x 4) selections made, then each act was nominated, on average, by 1.8 judges.
Given this wide pool of nominations and also noting that it was a weighted system of nominating (1st = 50 pts, 2nd = 49 pts, etc.), my guess is that the standard deviation of the results was very high (i.e. a small group of artists will have scored very highly and many will have scored quite lowly).
Given this, some unusual outcomes could quite easily occur. For example, here are three possibilities (there are many more):
1. It is quite possible that the judges could have all ranked an act between 20 and 40 and, in doing so, pushed that act into a top 20 finish overall.
2. It is also quite possible there are acts in the top 50 that only one judge voted for, while other acts who received nominations from more than one judge did not make this arbitrary cut.
3. As an extension of #2, for all of those why-is-so-and-so-not-on-the-list?s out there, the difference between coming 30th and 90th is probably quite small in points terms.
What might all of this mean?
Quite simply that having just four judges is likely to have produced results that bear a relatively low level of confidence and, therefore, a relatively high margin of error.
In short, they are quite likely to be pants… from a statistical perspective!
Accordingly, to read too much into them is really quite a foolish thing to do.
Not that I mind a good squabble of a Friday…
MDR WOZ ROBBED. ROBBED, I TELLZ YA!
Comment by JD
98.
April 3, 2009
1:13 pm
terrible list.
david kitt, totally overrated and moaning about it.
villagers, hyped don’t know why, safe as houses. boring.
cap pas cap released a record 3 years ago, nothing since.
no-one has heard of most of these acts ouside of ireland.
Comment by jed
99.
April 3, 2009
1:13 pm
Information re 61: The so-called “egomaniacs” were not self-appointed. They were selected by me. And to be even more pedantic, they’re not a cabal either. Cabals conspire and confer. In this case, each writer created their own list independently without talking to the others.
Also, a note on genres (@77). While The Ticket has specialist writers on jazz, trad and classical, this particular list was created only by writers specialising in rock/pop. That was deliberate, and it’s completely intentional that the list concentrates on those genres.
A cross-genre poll would be a very different beast, and actually I think it would quickly become meaningless. Can you really compare Finghin Collins with Fight Like Apes? It just wouldn’t make sense.
Having said that, each writer had complete freedom, and if they chose a trad or jazz act, that’s fine. Some did. But given the nature of these journalists’ expertise, it was unlikely that many jazz/trad/classical acts would make it to the top of the list.
So this is basically a rock/pop list, and that was the idea all along.
Conor Goodman, Ticket Editor
Comment by Conor Goodman
100.
April 3, 2009
1:13 pm
No Somadrone,
I got goosebumbs when He/they headlined in Whelan a few months back.
But good to see a reminder of Ann Scott.
For some reason I exepted more from the list, maybe I should have hold out for the “25 best of Irish Underground” List.
Comment by cletus_buckley
101.
April 3, 2009
1:14 pm
Joe - I’ve no problem with U2, my problem is there seems to be no consistency in why bands are on the list.
With respect to the artists on the list, i find it hard to believe that all the judges prefer say The Blizzards albums to Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.
Comment by Stampy
102.
April 3, 2009
1:28 pm
Oh man, only thing worse than a ranked list is the shit storm afterwards, but then a list of “50 Irish bands the Ticket likes” isn’t going to publicise the Ticket nearly as much.
Personally i find the best way to look at these things is to check out a few acts from the bottom of the list. The top rankers (by committee and consensus) are usually no where near as interesting or already painfully familiar.
Look at it as something to hopefully enlighten you rather than something that should justify your own opinion.
Finally, arguments that somebody shouldn’t have been overlooked are infinitly more worthwhile than arguments that band X shouldn’t be higher than band Y.
Comment by Void
103.
April 3, 2009
1:38 pm
it’s not that bad of a list really, a few omissions like Adebisi and And So I Watch You From Afar,
good to see God Is and Astronaut there,
but where’s Super Extra Bonus Party? Mumblin Deaf Ro? i thought he was friends with this blog?
I suppose you have to put in the Script/Blizzards etc coz their record companies pay a good bit of money for advertisement space in the Times, fair enough, you gotta pay the bills,
Look at it this way it’s a decent list for the target audience that it’s aimed at, so good job Jim et all, you’ve done your research on your readership and at least you give a toss about your readers unlike many others.
MBV are pretty low, but then again good job on putting U2 way down, naw it;s a decent list and woulda taken a long time to compile so fair play
Comment by paddy m
104.
April 3, 2009
1:40 pm
What about Mundy & Sharon Shannon et al……
Comment by Shiv
105.
April 3, 2009
1:45 pm
@85 Yeah, what’s with the lack of Redneck love? You even acknowledge their brilliance when giving Jape a (desrvedly) high ranking! Sheesh
Comment by Tony
106.
April 3, 2009
1:58 pm
I suppose this gives away my age more than anything - but there’s only a handful of names on that list that I recognise. There’s much too much of an emphasis in this list on bands and musicians in the contemporary/youth bracket while tradtional musicians appear to have been left in the cold. Two names - possibly three - out of 50 are recogniseable as musicians from the traditional stable - but that isn’t accurate or fair reflection on the music being played in Ireland at present. Comparisons are odious - and I am in no position to make a judgement as to those you have included. But I submit that this list shows the limit of your own musical tastes. I add hastily that a list I would compile would probably be criticised on the same basis but from a different perspective. We need all to listen to more and different music…
Comment by Concubhar O Liatháin
107.
April 3, 2009
2:10 pm
** Yeah, what’s with the lack of Redneck love? You even acknowledge their brilliance when giving Jape a (desrvedly) high ranking! Sheesh**
Have the Rednecks released music or played a gig since the Jan 2008? Isn’t that criteria to be accepted onto the list? They would surely be on it otherwise.
Comment by Quint
108.
April 3, 2009
2:11 pm
nialler 9 has his own ‘list’ over here;
http://www.nialler9.com/2009/04/03/my-50-best-irish-music-acts-right-now/
less ‘middle-aged’ more ear to the street, including sunken foal, patrick kelleher, halves, bats etc..
Comment by jed
109.
April 3, 2009
2:19 pm
Jim et al, good list, but no Ham Sandwich/Little Palace/FionaMelady/Ollie (Oliver?) Cole? You won’t be welcome in Kells for a while - thats a good thing.
Comment by Peter
110.
April 3, 2009
2:21 pm
Sunken Foal, One Day International, Somadrone are all playing outstanding stuff at the moment, particularly live.
Comment by Pandemic
111.
April 3, 2009
2:23 pm
Quint :
Did one of lads piss in your cornflakes or something because time and time again on this blog you’ve taken a shot at SEBP. Hard to understand how come your so pissed they won the Choice without something personal being involved.
Comment by Sean D
112.
April 3, 2009
2:28 pm
@27
“If I was to put a sour note on this whole thing, it would be that it’s a pity that there isn’t the infrastructure or medium in place to get these acts out to a bigger audience…
Comment by James D”
the times should/could either have put together an mp3 cd featuring a track from each act (easily done on an mp3 cd) or (even cheaper) put the same tracklist up on line for a week for folk to download if they want and then load into their ipods/zens/toasters/waffle makers OR as a podcast.
with so many folk here and elsewhere saying they don;t know half the acts mentioned then the i.t. should have beacked it up with some tunage available somewhere
just my two cents
Comment by jim Comic
113.
April 3, 2009
2:29 pm
I think it was Nialler who was saying during the week that blogs don’t get as many comments as before, but I think this blog today will prove that one wrong.
Slagging Animal Collective drove a massive amount of incredulous traffic to my neck of the woods this week.
Can you really compare Finghin Collins with Fight Like Apes? It just wouldn’t make sense.
Funny, I thought they both made music.
Comment by Ian
114.
April 3, 2009
2:42 pm
I am really amazed by how personally people are taking this list. Jeez lads it’s only a list. If bands are better than the placing they’ve received on this list, their time will come.
Why does this all remind me of that poll Q Magazine did a few years ago of the ‘Best Album Of All Time’? While the outsome (OK Computer) was a total reflection of their readership, I couldn’t understand the offense people took at a differing of opinion.
You would think Jim & the crew were paedophiles or war criminals the way some people are going on…
Comment by James D
115.
April 3, 2009
2:49 pm
Jeremy says: Jim, I already pointed out that as an even-handed overview of Irish music it falls flat on its face because it completely exludes entire genres. I think that’s a perfectly reasonable criticism.
I understand your point. But every music critic/publication is expected to view music with genre bias. Pitchfork with indie, Rolling Stone with mainstream rock, the Observer with generic British pap.
For better or worse, the genres you mention above (Modern Jazz etc.) is the expected realm of specialist magazines.
We’ve seen the Ticket move towards a more indie slant in the last few years. That’s the view this list comes from for better or worse. I think it is slightly misled to criticise them for their musical slant, when that could be a criticism of the entire music media.
Comment by Steve K
116.
April 3, 2009
3:00 pm
To be honest I really hate most of the bands on the list (The Blizzards, the script, fight like apes) but the inclusion of jape over the rednecks and god is an astronaut over halves is just weak,
nice to see katie kim, si, rsag in there all the same
Comment by Paul
117.
April 3, 2009
3:09 pm
**Quint :
Did one of lads piss in your cornflakes or something because time and time again on this blog you’ve taken a shot at SEBP. Hard to understand how come your so pissed they won the Choice without something personal being involved**
No, there’s nothing personal, no conspiracies, nothing - and I’m sure they’re decent bunch of lads. It’s just the music they make is of a shockingly poor quality. That’s all.
Comment by Quint
118.
April 3, 2009
3:33 pm
‘Have the Rednecks released music or played a gig since the Jan 2008?’
They played Vicar Street in May 08; albeit a support slot to Battles! We’ll forgive this oversight this time round though and hope for a TRM/Jape one-two in 2010… (with Somadrone coming in 3rd [& Son Green 4th])
Comment by Tony
119.
April 3, 2009
4:13 pm
Stevie K said - I understand your point. But every music critic/publication is expected to view music with genre bias. Pitchfork with indie, Rolling Stone with mainstream rock, the Observer with generic British pap.
But hould on a sec. The Ticket is not supposed to be a magazine with genre bias. Other people write on music for it too. Oh and before saying this is what the list is not supposed to me, unless my comprehension of English is slipping, it does say (on the blog and internet anyway)…
The Ticket’s 50 Best Irish Music Acts Right Now.
I saw it and thought immediately - ah, Hayes and Cahill again in the midst of various mainstream and indie-centric acts - and nothing else remotely interesting from jazz, trad etc.
If it’s going to be a rock list, then why the f*** not leave it like that? Jesus, surely it’s not that hard for someone to come up with an accurate title for these things.
If not, then do some proper work on it and poll across genres. Why not? It might be a damn sight more interesting than another journo list.
Comment by Tokenista
120.
April 3, 2009
4:26 pm
This is a pretty funny read all round everyone. Well done
Just to clarify my comment about blog comments, the original point was that blog readers are now interacting in a fractured way via facebook, twitter, emails, comments, gchat etc etc so for blog posts which aren’t confrontational or seeking opinion the effect is that you get a lot less incidental thank yous and positive comments day by the day, unless you stir up some shit or have a polarising opinion.
Comment by Niall
121.
April 3, 2009
4:28 pm
So Cow and Mumblin’ Deaf Ro being omitted is madness to me. I would have them 1 and 2, never mind not on the list at all.
Other obvious omissions would be SEBP, Grand Pocket Orchestra… there are more, but you have to admit defear at some point I suppose.
Comment by Karl
122.
April 3, 2009
5:03 pm
No Jack L on the list? Ridiculous. He’s been around for years, fulfilled the criteria having released a new album on 2009 and gigs non stop all year round. How many of those on the list filled the point depot a few years back and more recently the Olympia. What were you all thinking?? For shame
Comment by Michael Cunningham
123.
April 3, 2009
5:14 pm
I was going to come on here fuming about my favourite bands being left out, but then I realised I’d have to sacrifice most of my self-respect…
I think the list is a bit narrow in some places (chilled poppy electronica is obviously in, but anything punk or metal-related seems to have been overlooked), but that’s bound to happen when you have 4 people with diverse tastes: the edges get trimmed off, to put it another way.
I don’t think the list under-represents trad or other non-pop genres. The Ticket is a pop (in its broadest form) magazine, so it makes sense that the list would only include those trad acts that had a lot of crossover appeal (e.g. Mac Con Iomaire)
Comment by Dave
124.
April 3, 2009
6:39 pm
I see Nialler9 has made his own list - typically, though, he did not declare his interest when he listed Super Extra Bonus Party
Comment by Shaun
125.
April 3, 2009
8:19 pm
Eoghan Quigg should definitely be on this list!! We met him in HMV in Dundrum today and bought his cd! its amazing and definitely worth a listen!!!!
Comment by Lorna and Lily
126.
April 3, 2009
8:38 pm
Jaysus, I go out for the afternoon for an ice-cream in the park with Jeremy (dude did not show - and it started raining) and the comments keep coming in
Thanks to EVERYONE for their comments on the list so far. As always, it’s fascinating to read them all and get a viewpoint on what people are thinking.
Kudos to Nialler for doing his own list (though he did chicken out by not ranking them - boo!) and I call on everyone else who feels slighted/up to the challenge to do likewise on their own blog/MySpace or here in the Comments field. It ain’t as easy as you think - but it’s great fun.
Just a few replies to comments above while I wait for my baked potato to finish baking…….
Sean D @ 91 – readers poll is a good idea (provided it can be done in a way to ensure no block voting) – leave it with us
Brian @ 92 – what, there are some bands with members with four legs? Call the ISPCA!
Quint @ 95 – two completely different things. None of the judges who voted for SEBP at Choice were involved in this poll
JD @ 97 – maths was never my strong suit so I will take your word for it
Jed @ 98 – cap pas cap released an amazing single last Dec. Take the chip off your shoulder and check it out, mate
Concubhar @ 106 – see explanation from Conor Goodman, Ticket editor, @ 99
Jed – “Middle-aged”?????
Jim Comic @ 112 – there is a MySpace or web link with every single act in the Top 50. People can check out the music if they wish
Michael @ 122 – In my humble opinion, Jack L is shite
Comment by Jim Carroll
127.
April 3, 2009
10:47 pm
What a treat to come home after 2 long days of nixers and read all the above in one sitting. It’s a box set of bile and brilliance. And overall, the list it debates is great, reflective of a lot of things - not all of them musical - and, as James D (I think) said, a class indicator of the strength and depth of rock and pop (and token traditional) talent out there.
And sure, seeing as everyone else is pitching in with X vs Y and ‘golly gosh where are so-and-so’ talk, I may as well have my farthing’s worth.
I’m flabberghasted as to why The Aftermath, Pugwash, The Answer and Kíla didn’t make the top 50. Each to their own I suppose, and no doubt there are a few on the panel who have not seen any of said ‘missing’ acts live in recent years, but The Aftermath are one of the smartest bands out there, with a couple of great singles and a decent debut lp to their credit and they’re a genuine live thrill, as is Kíla, the band that seem to divide city and country like no other Irish act. The Answer are bringing a slightly lighter version of their earlier selves around the world with AC/DC, and the old metaller in me would have liked to have seen them up there. They’ll be a hell of a lot bigger than most of the ‘big names’ on the hot 50 in a year’s time i reckon.
I suppose disappointment at not being included in the party is a familiar emotion round these parts when it comes to the mighty Pugwash and critics polls. Surely the genius that is Thomas Walsh is one of the most over-looked figures in Irish rock and pop music. It’s just not cricket… Mundy too seems to be a forgotten man. Was it the stetson? Also surprised that the evergreen Liam O’Maonlaoi failed to crop up, as he so often tends to in real life. Whilst the Flowers are often best left to European festivals (where they are often brilliant to stumble upon by accident - as has happened at Glastonbury on several occasions over the years) Liam solo is truly something to behold. I was lucky enough to squeeze into a few gigs of his earlier this year and they were really something else, certainly more sweeping and moving than the playground poetry of Ash and the mind-numbing awfulness of U2 over the course of their last few albums. Hippy hippy yeah yeah, but damn good. Oh, and nice to see Ann Scott get some kudos, even if it is three years too late.
Two things baffle me though Jim, as usual on an utterly pedantic level. Technically speaking, should Colm Mac-fiddle-player-in-the-Frames not have been grouped in with The Frames ‘grouping’ seeing as Glen and Swell Season are all flying under the same banner, which they probably are, but aren’t really, er, are they? And David Kitt’s ‘down’ of “Square One” - is that in relation to major label motherfuckery that surrounded/followed its release, or is it the music contained on it? Personally speaking, I cannot think of a more beautifully wistful and romantic album made by any artist, Irish or otherwise. It always seems to get knocked but it’s a beautiful curveball in a rich and varied career, as is his new album, ‘The Nightsaver’ a contender round this part of the farm for ‘album of the year’ if ever there was one.
Anyway, looking forward to the next list, whatever it’ll be about… Record shops from back in the day? Irish films? Crisps?
Comment by Hot Lunch
128.
April 3, 2009
10:53 pm
really poor journalism. its so lazy and a bit depressing that this is the accepted in a national newspaper. conor goodman unintentionally said it all - “So this is basically a rock/pop list, and that was the idea all along” then why didn’t you say that in the title for god’s sake? its so utterly lazy and disingenuous to say this is the list of the best 50 irish acts right now - its not, its the 50 best irish indie/rock or whatever. just say it for what it is please, why be so arrogant as to say that any other genre isnt really relevant? which is is certainly the undertone here, though you’ll probably deny it. and i dont mean to moan on, this is meant to be constructive criticism and i think it’s needed - the IT music writers (when it comes to indie/rock) tend to be slightly focused on the unheard of, niche music, rather than more popular acts. i know you will say you like these acts more but you have to remember the responsibility that comes with writing in the national newspaper - im sure its very easy to forget, being in there so long, but could you try and put your ‘public’ hat on now and then, rather than ‘private’? for instance, mick flannery won best irish male this year at the meteors, an award voted for publically, and yet he is down in the low 40s. keep going like this lads and your lazy journalism will only alienate readers not draw them in
Comment by conor
129.
April 3, 2009
11:07 pm
What do they say about the Prophet in his Homeland?!! I saw Van in NYC in February doing “Astral Weeks Live”, and with the greatest respect to all the artists featured, would wager, that none, in their most inspired performance would come anywhere close!!! Who,in popular culture,can match Van’s achievements…Dylan,Stones,Beatles…..Maybe,but that’s the level this guy is at!!!! Tony any comment??!!
Comment by Pasch
130.
April 4, 2009
5:18 am
This list shows what makes life so difficult for non-indie Irish bands. Irish music journalism focuses almost solely on indie music. It seems like the only way you end up getting a job in Irish music journalism is if you like the same ‘respectable’ bands that those working in the area already love. The absence of Therapy and Kila is shocking, but not as shocking as the presence of many mediocre indie bands on the lsit. Where’s the country, punk, trad or metal bands? Where are the classical or oprea artists?
Comment by Niall
131.
April 4, 2009
11:24 am
I’m delighted that JD pointed out the stats behind a voted list. I’m no fan of quants and SPSS gives me an upset stomach but it really is meaningless to have to ranked them. It comes across as a pretty naked bid for controversy stirring. Can you not just show your love for the artists without judging them like Crufts? There are a lot of good to excellent music-making entities on the Island right now, no doubt, and your 50 and the others mentioned here all speak for that but making somone no.17 and someone else no.1 based on a ballot of four people seems like a bad way of communicating that. So I’m split between, yes, a good selection of 50 artists, nice to try and present a picture of what’s good to great, and yet I’m disappointed that they’re ranked, or were selected by ballot. You never make it easy Jim.
And now I really really must go and listen to Hooley in the Sun . Up Declan Nerney!
Comment by Major Alfonso
132.
April 4, 2009
1:40 pm
CORRECTION
It has just come to our attention that due to an error in the sub-editing department the wrong headline was attached to this article.
The correct headline should have read:
The 50 Most Insipid Irish Indie Acts Going Nowhere Fast.
We would like to apologise for any confusion caused.
Comment by IT Sub Dept
133.
April 4, 2009
2:01 pm
I was disappointed that there were no Limerick-based acts on the list and I elaborate on that here:
http://pathfinderpat.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/the-50-best-irish-music-acts-right-now-almost/
Comment by Pat Walsh
134.
April 4, 2009
2:08 pm
Great to see that The Ticket’s list has given so many people who write about and talk about music something to yak about in these recessionary times
Comment by Jim Carroll
135.
April 4, 2009
2:25 pm
Why are The Coronas not included - surely Heroes or Ghosts must compete for song of the year … or perhaps that’s a different list!
Comment by Robad
136.
April 4, 2009
3:53 pm
You’re right Jim, if the internet was to lose On The Record to a lower cost information highway you’d see a lot of related blogs closing down in its wake.
Comment by hugger
137.
April 4, 2009
4:27 pm
I fully appreciate the futility of saying “what no… (insert a band I like here)” as these things are specifically designed to cause endless, pointless debate - we all know what opinions are like - but I was surprised not to see One Day International make the list. “Blackbird” is a beautiful album and they’re also a captivating live act if last night’s gig in Whelans was anything to go by.
Comment by Jackson P
138.
April 4, 2009
5:34 pm
I agree that One Day International is a glaring omission but I do agree the list is great craic and the above discussion is brilliant. I have my own list at ….
http://2uibestow.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-top-50-best-irish-artist-list.html
Comment by Peter N
139.
April 4, 2009
5:56 pm
@130 - in defence of ‘mediocre indie bands’, none of the top 5 are traditional indie guitar bands. I wouldn’t mind seeing Bats or Adebisi Shank in place of some of the less stellar acts on this list, but I recognise that with four main music writers for a commercial magazine, they’re going to focus on bands that have a wide appeal outside the specific genres you mention.
Comment by gabbagabbahey
140.
April 5, 2009
12:32 am
I can’t believe where my bloody valentine are!! they should be in the top 5, but i suppose they haven’t done much in a while until they reformed.
Still delighted to see half-set in the top 10, they deserve it.
Comment by shine shine
141.
April 5, 2009
8:12 am
Gabbagabbahey, your argument holds for oprea and classical but not in the case of punk or metal. If we look back over the past decade, there have been many internatinal punk and metal acts that have reached the heights of the Irish charts and sold out Irish gigs. Staind, AC/DC, Lostprophets, Panic at the Disco, The Offspring, Green Day, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, Papa Roach, The Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails, AFI, Evanesence, Guns N’ Roses, The Darkness, My Chemical Romance, Tool and Slipknot have had no problems selling records or tickets in Ireland. If you live in Dublin, try passing the Academy or the Ambassador when an international punk/metal band are playing. These gigs attract the kind of numbers that the typical Whelan’s band can only dream of.
Clearly, a punk or metal band can have mainstream success in Ireland, but not, it would seem, if they are dependent on Irish media outlets for publicity. Irish punk and metal bands have no access to media coverage unless they travel abroad. You’ll never hear of them on Dave Fanning or Tom Dunne’s shows. They rarely get coverage in Hot Press or the Ticket, and if they do, their fate is to be reviewed by somebody who doesn’t particularly like punk/metal music. At least oprea, classical and trad artists have national radio stations that focus on their genres.
Irish music outlets may claim that they’re just covering what makes commercial sense for them, but they’re creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. If Irish punk/metal bands don’t receive attention from the music press of Ireland, then how are people supposed to hear about them? In the meantime, these bands can watch as equally talented (or talentless) bands playing similar music sell out gigs in the nation’s capital and mediocre, unoriginal bands ‘inspired’ by the gods of indie get national coverage that helps them to sell records and gigs.
The doyens of Irish music journalism tend to look at themselves as benevolent angels who spend their time promoting good bands in need of publicity. While that’s certainly not untrue, they exclude far more than they include and what they exclude reflects their genre bias as much as the quality of the act. If the editors of publications like Hot Press and The Ticket were just a little bit more open minded, they might find that they’d have a little more commercial success if they weren’t so hung up on the idea of covering what they imagine to be commerical music.
Comment by Niall
142.
April 5, 2009
11:16 am
as seen as you’re doing lists I just came across The Ticket review of the year from 2000.
JC’s top 10 Dance CDs:
1. Who Is Jill Scott?/Jill Scott
2. Nothing Changes Under The Sun/Blue States
3. Southern Fried/Various
4. Wookie/Wookie
5. A Little Bit Of Somethin’/Tommy Guerrero
6. The Keyboard King Of Studio One/Jackie Mittoo
7. Like Water For Chocolate/Common
8. Born To Do It/Craig David
9. Sakura/Susumu Yokota
10.Worldwide/Various
This is accompanied by a lovely smiling picture of Creey Deezy’s mug. lovely.
wonder where the albums stand now in your eyes?
Comment by trolley
143.
April 5, 2009
11:53 am
@ 126
what i meant was one place where you could hear or download them all in one go, rather than having to go to 50 different myspace sites, which would be a total pain in the arse i.m.o.
Comment by jim Comic
144.
April 5, 2009
12:12 pm
No John Daly ?
Comment by Cal
145.
April 5, 2009
5:16 pm
Niall @ 141, for what it’s worth (and sorry for the plug, Mr. Carroll), if you click through on my name you can see that I write a hardcore/punk/indie blog, and if you find the ‘Irish’ tab, you can see what I’ve written about Bats, Boxes, Fight Like Apes, etc.
anyway, as someone who grew up listening to international punk-type acts that weren’t represented in commercial media, I admit I almost had to change (broaden…) my own tastes to get into Irish music in the media. at the same time, it’s the crossover groups which excite the most now - punk-influenced groups like Fight Like Apes (on the list, undoubtedly for commercial reasons) or So Cow (not on the list, inexplicably). The spot-on description of FLApes in the piece itself I think shows that the Ticket writers have a more nuanced and broader taste than you give them credit for. that’s not to say I don’t agree with you that they could always be a little more adventurous…
Comment by gabbagabbahey
146.
April 5, 2009
5:41 pm
What a BRILLIANT idea, Jim and co. Really great list, full of good stuff to check out,thanks
Comment by Fonz
147.
April 5, 2009
8:23 pm
The most fun I’ve had all day - yeah, more fun than watching Kilkenny wallop Cork - has been reading this thread. Well done all!
Comment by Roger
148.
April 5, 2009
11:28 pm
Woah there! There’s a lot of people getting wound up here, proof, if it was needed that the internet is indeed, serious business.
Comment by Robert Hogan
149.
April 6, 2009
1:32 am
i kind of wish i had a list
i kind of wish i had a band
i kind of wish i knew who hayes and cahill were
@129 - Pasch
have to disagree with you on that one. Van Morrison is one of the most truly awful “things” that has ever been exported from Ireland.
As much as I love being bored to death by the arrogant plod, it turns out that I would rather watch my cat take a dump in the Thames; but then again that’s my opinion.
(p.s. - I don’t have a cat, but I used to)
Comment by Leigh O'Gorman
150.
April 6, 2009
7:40 am
seriously Jim? No Gemma Hayes? i saw this vid of hers a few weeks back and was quickly convinced that she was the brightest star that our country has to offer at the moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKvbnAjr6UU
Comment by Julie S
151.
April 6, 2009
8:14 am
Hugger @ 136 - this would have been no fun on Twitter
Niall @ 141 “The doyens of Irish music journalism tend to look at themselves as benevolent angels who spend their time promoting good bands in need of publicity”.
Obviously, you haven’t talked to the “doyens” lately.
Trolley @ 142 - believe it or not, I spent yesterday afternoon weeding the garden to the sound of those Jackie Mittoo and Jill Scott albums - they stand up very well, nearly 10 years on
Jim @ 143 - nah, no dice, We’d do that if we were a record label or one of those newspapers who gave away free CDs. We made the list and pointed people towards the appropriate sites - not our fault if people are too lazy or consider it to be “a total pain in the arse” to do some clicking
Cal @ 144 - no, no John Daly. What are you gonna do?
Comment by Jim Carroll
152.
April 6, 2009
8:58 am
when did Hugh Linehan stop being the Ticket editor?!
Comment by ciaran
153.
April 6, 2009
9:00 am
Ciaran @ 152 - round about December 2006 when he became the paper’s Features Editor
Comment by Jim Carroll
154.
April 6, 2009
9:17 am
From Nialler9: “Just to clarify my comment about blog comments, the original point was that blog readers are now interacting in a fractured way via facebook, twitter, emails, comments, gchat etc etc so for blog posts which aren’t confrontational or seeking opinion the effect is that you get a lot less incidental thank yous and positive comments day by the day, unless you stir up some shit or have a polarising opinion.”
Or, judging by the fact that his own Top 50 list has generated more interest in his site in ages, you pinch an idea from The Ticket!!
Comment by Sophie
155.
April 6, 2009
10:15 am
ah. so i’m a bit behind the times then. many thanks Jim!
Comment by ciaran
156.
April 6, 2009
11:08 am
My site is very different to Jims in that his is about opinion and industry comment.
Mine is about music and MP3s. Naturally, the former has more commentary surrounding it.
That quote above is not really related to Jim’s work here just an observation on general blog feedback.
Re: 124 - While I do artwork and visuals for Super Extra Bonus Party I’m not involved musically. If I hate something they do I’ll tell them but luckily I like what they do so I don’t always explicitly state an interest as I see it as having no relevance to their music.
I will be sure to make that distinction clearer in future on my blog.
Comment by Niall
157.
April 6, 2009
4:25 pm
Thank you for this list. I have learnt alot from it. And from some of the feedback here.
I have one question for those who put the list together, perhaps to Mr. Carroll since he has been reading all these entries.
What prevented Giveamanakick from getting on the list?
Comment by Rory Phelan
158.
April 6, 2009
4:30 pm
What prevented Giveamanakick from getting on the list?
I’m not trying to be smart here but it’s the same thing which prevented Gemma Hayes, Flaws, Therapy, Laura Izibor, So Cow, Declan Nerney, Enya, Mumblin’ Deaf Ro, Ham Sandwich, Adebisi Shank, Bats, The Answer, The Aftermath, Super Extra Bonus Party and all the other omissions mentioned above from getting on the list - not enough votes. There’s only room for 50 acts in a Top 50 so some acts will naturally not make the cut.
Comment by Jim Carroll
159.
April 6, 2009
4:51 pm
Hot Lunch@127- **I’m flabberghasted as to why The Aftermath, Pugwash, The Answer and Kíla didn’t make the top 50**
Yeah, The Aftermath released a very accomplished debut album last year and poor old Thomas Walsh continues to be overlooked as one of Ireland’s best songwriters. Unfortunately, his brand of harmonious, XTC-flavoured classic pop has always been out of favour with the indier-than-thou tastemakers in this country, for whatever reason.
Kila? Can’t stand them.
Jim@126…**Quint @ 95 – two completely different things. None of the judges who voted for SEBP at Choice were involved in this poll**
Fair enough Jim, but my point really was that winning the Choice, even being nominated, raises your profile hugely (look what it has done for Julie Feeney and Jape) and gains you a large amount of credibility and respect among your peers in the industry as well as critics, bloggers and the like. Thusly I found it odd that a band that won it as recently as 2008 are not deemed worthy of a place in the top 50 of best Irish acts ‘right now’, regardless of the fact that there are completely judges involved. Maybe Tony CLayton Lea had the deciding vote? I remember him saying in the Ticket end of year round-up that his lowlight of 08 was ‘the complete joke’ of SEBP winning the Choice. Would have to agree!
Comment by Quint
160.
April 6, 2009
4:53 pm
Thank you for the reply.
I suppose what I am asking is,
why did you not vote for them?
Comment by Rory Phelan
161.
April 6, 2009
4:56 pm
I had a quick look at it and couldn’t see The Frank and Walters on the list, obviously a major typo. I’m sure a full page apology in next Fridays Ticket will rectify the mistake
Comment by Bobby
162.
April 6, 2009
5:05 pm
Quint - Again, as I said to Rory @ 158 - some acts didnt make the Top 50 because they didn’t get as many votes as the acts who did make the Top 50.
Rory - See the post at the top of the page especially the line “I have no intention of revealing my Top 50 - it’s a collective decision and this is the only list which counts.”
Bobby - There was supposed to be a different list in the issues of the paper which went to Cork
Comment by Jim Carroll
163.
April 6, 2009
5:29 pm
ok. Sorry I didn’t see that.
Can I ask what you generally think of Giveamanakick?
Yunno if like David Holmes you love them or like Jack L you think they’re pretty sh*t,
or somewhere in between?
Comment by Rory Phelan
164.
April 6, 2009
5:35 pm
Rory your persistent fellow - review of last album here http://www.irishtimes.com/theticket/articles/2008/0425/1208987702730.html
Comment by Jim Carroll
165.
April 6, 2009
7:03 pm
I absolutely love lists!!!
This list, while i disagree with some/most of it, is a massive advertisement for Irish music, and the vibrancy of the scene-I’m delighted you made this list. It’s put me in a good mood, thinking of the great gigs I’m missing because I’ve no money!recession and all!
Comment by dave
166.
April 6, 2009
9:30 pm
Leigh@142 u should add 1 more wish…………. I wish I had a clue
Comment by Pasch
167.
April 6, 2009
10:38 pm
Villagers @ 6?
WTF
This essentially encapsulates the folly of this list.
They have a mediocre at best ep and they are at 6. People will be disappointed in the long run and that’s a promise. These do not touch The Immediate’s songs
Give me a bleedin break
Comment by martin
168.
April 6, 2009
10:45 pm
@128 -
Mick Flannery winning the public vote at The Meteor Awards may have an enormous amount to do with the fact that he is on EMI and they, let’s say, have a sysytem. That is exactly why the big acts win public votes. It’s as silly to judge his rank on that as it is to judge off this silly list
Comment by martin
169.
April 7, 2009
8:12 am
martin - thanks for taking the time to go through the list in some detail, read all the comments above, post twice and validate “this silly list”
Comment by Jim Carroll
170.
April 7, 2009
8:51 am
166 @ Pasch
Cheers, but no thanks - it appears I already have a clue. Opinions are opinions and my opinion Master VM bores me to tears.
As for me not knowing who Hayes and Cahill are, I have stated many times that my knowledge of Irish trad is desert like
Comment by Leigh O'Gorman
171.
April 7, 2009
2:17 pm
No FRED or The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra? I saw them blow the crowd away last week in Whelan’s. Where were the compilers? What kind of list is this?
Comment by Kelly O
172.
April 7, 2009
2:18 pm
No FRED or The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra?
No, no FRED or The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra. God bless your eyesight
Where were the compilers?
At home probably, compiling this list
What kind of list is this?
A list of 50 Irish acts which we think are rather excellent. It starts at 50 and goes all the way to 1.
Comment by Jim Carroll
173.
April 7, 2009
2:27 pm
if there is a ticket “albums of the decade” blog in the offing for later in the year, can i book my fatwa now?
Comment by brian
174.
April 7, 2009
3:48 pm
I think the list is fair.
I mean does everyone that has commented KNOW every SINGLE artist that was listed….cause i reckon unless you know them all…you cant reallllly comment can you?
I mean theres plenty of acts on there that im like… hmm… i dont know them how’d they get on the list…
just because you dont ”know” a bands music… or know ”of them” doesnt mean they dont deserve a place….
Honestly though Dermot @ no.4
that post was the most moronic thing i have EVER read in my LIFE…and it doesn’t help the flaws negative public persona either… you did them no favours…
but… at the end of the day… ”lists” are not the end of the world… and this one is just 4 peoples opinion…so ask yourself would these 4 people go out and buy your bands record in a store… probably not… so it really shouldnt affect you thaaat much…..
ps… im all for the script being in there….. their music might not be for you… or most who comment on here… but at the end of the day.. look what they’ve achieved…and then possibly compare their bank balance to ours…
Comment by LDD
175.
April 7, 2009
3:54 pm
My 50…
Done…
http://swearimnotpaul.blogspot.com/2009/04/list-my-top-50-best-irish-musicacts.html
Comment by Ronan
176.
April 7, 2009
7:35 pm
@167 “People will be disappointed in the long run and that’s a promise”………..A very ominous & foreboding statement, I’m slightly perturbed!Do you have a crystal ball we don’t know about? Maybe you could help our struggling Government out with a few things!!!
@174 Sure Dermot was a bit overly passionate with his comments, but I don’t get the “and it doesn’t help The Flaws negative public persona either” comment. They have a negative public persona??? Oooh do tell!!
It’s fun reading how heated these list things get….after all it’s only personal taste & opinion people!!!
I am absolutely chuffed though Jinx made it on the list, truly as rare & unique a voice/talent this country has ever produced. Lots of acts I would have liked to have seen included but as Jim already stated they votes simply did’nt add up in their favour….thems the breaks!!
Comment by Sharon
177.
April 8, 2009
10:20 am
Surely there shoulda been a disclaimer before you posted this? ‘No egos were harmed in the making of this list.’
It’s just a list and quite a typical mirror of The Ticket. Greeeat to see Michael Knight make it but no Rebecca Collins? No Crayonsmith at all, that was a shock. And no nasty loud rock from unhairstyled bands? Curioser…
I made a list. Then I couldn’t stop. It’s deadly and it’s here:
http://wordpress.hotpress.com/offherrocker/2009/03/06/the-least-important-post-ever/#comment-5356
Comment by Naomi
178.
April 8, 2009
10:36 am
Naomi - Good to see Hot Press writers taking their cues from The Irish Times and On The Record But I thought you thought we were all “gayers” here?
Pity you chickened out of ranking the list, though - I think those who compiled lists and didn’t rank them obviously didn’t want to step on any toes or upset their friends.
As for “no nasty loud rock from unhairstyled bands”, you obviously need to check out God Is An Astronaut
Comment by Jim Carroll
179.
April 8, 2009
10:45 am
I took my cue from Nialler. And I don’t work for Hot Press, you silly willy.
It’s not about chickening, I’ve shown my guts planty times. Every single band on that list are my #1, in different capacities. Some nights all I want are Subplots for the rest of my days, then I go dance my popsocks off at one of Vinny’s gigs and feel my face burn red for hours after, or listen to asiwyfa and feel a curl of pride around my sides. Rank is irrelavant. It’s only ever gonna be about the music.
Comment by Naomi
180.
April 8, 2009
10:49 am
And just to clarify: I don’t have any musician friends. I lost all of those when I made a stink about Adebisi’s Choice omission.
Comment by Naomi
181.
April 8, 2009
10:56 am
Naomi - And I don’t work for Hot Press, you silly willy.
Your blog has a Hot Press URL. And I said “writer” not worker. I assume - and hope - Hot Press paid you for writing an excellent blog which attracted readers to their site.
As for rankings, it’s totally your perogative not to do that, but it’s also my perogative to say you’re chickening out!
Also, remember that our list, the one which, uhm, “inspired” everyone to scurry off to compile their own lists, is based on the votes of FOUR people. If we combined your list and Nialler’s list and my list and Ronan from Swear I’m Not Paul’s list and and Gabba Gabba from Hardcore for Nerds and Peter from 2 U I Bestow’s list, I’m sure we’d arise at a very different Top 50. It’s all about the collective decision, baby.
I don’t have any musician friends.
You’re just like me so. I firmly believe that the relationship between a music writer and a musician should be the same as that between a dog and a lamp-post. Something tells me, though, that you would disagree with that!
I note you also didn’t answer my point about why you called OTR readers “gayers”.
Comment by Jim Carroll
182.
April 8, 2009
11:35 am
You’re a git - just look at you inviting people to make a list and then when it’s done, get all cocky and bandy around such a big word as “inspire”. Tsk. Does you inspire you?
It may be your prerogative to rank, it was also Bobby’s prerogative to hit Whitney and do crack cocaine.
Ah, it’s not about who writes for whom, it’s about the music. It made sense to post my list there - the point is not for a few clickers to think ‘Hot Press!’…rather, ‘100 Irish Bands I may/not already know!’
And oh dear, such disrespect. What did musicians ever do to you to warrant such a bitchy metaphor? Ohhh yes! They neglected to send you a promo CD, right? Don’t worry. I’ll share mine with you - not just because it’s about outing the best new music but because I’m green and environmentally concious like that…
Comment by Naomi
183.
April 8, 2009
11:41 am
Naomi - (1) I didn’t “invite” anyone to compile a list - people went off and did their own lists on the back of our one appearing in the paper last Friday. The point I am making is that while bloggers go mad when mainstream papers lift and don’t credit their work, it’s always interesting to see when the transaction is the other way around
(2) It may be your prerogative to rank, it was also Bobby’s prerogative to hit Whitney and do crack cocaine.
Er, OK? Makes no sense to me
(3) Ah, it’s not about who writes for whom, it’s about the music
Nonsense - and you know it Naomi! And those who read this blog know it too
(4) What did musicians ever do to you to warrant such a bitchy metaphor?
Again, you miss the point - what I am refering to is that there should be a remove between the music writer and the musician. Otherwise, everyone gets too friendly and real reviews, where artists are taken to task for shite albums, do not appear because writers value their friendship with the musician over their relationship with their readers. There are many publications which are giant FAILS because of this.
(5) And yet again no explanation as to why you labeled this blog and its readers “gayers” on your Hot Press blog.
Maybe if you get off your high horse, you might come up with some “it was also Bobby’s prerogative to hit Whitney and do crack cocaine” style answer at the third time of asking
Comment by Jim Carroll
184.
April 8, 2009
11:49 am
Groan! I thought we’d seen the last of Naomi and her petulance.
Comment by Peter
185.
April 8, 2009
11:58 am
I like heate discussion when it’s about the music and not about the people talking about it (workers, writers, who cares?).
Let’s get back to the music.
Jim, I was too lazy to rank mine. But I could. As could Nialler, no doubt. And if someone actually wants to compile those lists together then I’d gladly rank mine. See what our blogger collective thinks.
Fight Like Apes #1? Jape?
Comment by Ronan
186.
April 8, 2009
12:11 pm
“Again, you miss the point - what I am refering to is that there should be a remove between the music writer and the musician”
Exactly. Just like the relationship between a dog and a lamp-post as you said. The delicious journalist urine is the remove, right?
Comment by Vinnie
187.
April 8, 2009
12:18 pm
@185 - Me too. I thought she gave up the internet to rear punk rockers outside the Central Bank or something..
Comment by Hot Lunch
188.
April 8, 2009
12:25 pm
LOL, high horse, I’m not the one pissing from a height. Jim, your comment @126 quite clearly invites lists from others.
Prerogatives - just as Bobby thought it was fine to hit women and do drugs, you think it’s fine to call people ‘chicken’ for not ranking.
As for writing for a publication - what does the paper or mag in question have to do with an individual’s opinion? I saw no mention of the Indo or State when Nialler ventured his. I didn’t slither into the world with ‘HP’ branded on my arse. Aren’t you the same JC who was a contributor to Hot Press at one point? Are you still a contributor? So what’s the difference?
I’m all for objectivity and distance…however there’s no need to lower yourself to rudeness or vulgarity (pissing on musicians) because you don’t like their music. It’s unnecessary.
I don’t recall being asked to explain my gayer comment. It’s pretty self-explanatory…but sure, if you want. Yourself and a sycophantic band of crony readers love nothing more than jumping on dissenting opinions for a good aul’ butt-fuck.
Peter - Thank you so much for aptly validating my last observation.
Comment by Naomi
189.
April 8, 2009
1:21 pm
mannnn… does it always kick off like this?
Im all over it.
Comment by LDD
190.
April 8, 2009
1:22 pm
Naomi - just 2 points because, I imagine like you, I have much better things to do.
Prerogatives - just as Bobby thought it was fine to hit women and do drugs, you think it’s fine to call people ‘chicken’ for not ranking.
I really can’t believe you are comparing domestic abuse to ranking 50 Irish bands. Wow, tell me I got this wrong. I didn’t? Jesus, Naomi, steady on.
It’s pretty self-explanatory…but sure, if you want. Yourself and a sycophantic band of crony readers love nothing more than jumping on dissenting opinions for a good aul’ butt-fuck.
Blimey, domestic abuse AND now a splash of homophobia. Naomi, I think you need to go away and cool down. Have an ice-cream.
Comment by Jim Carroll
191.
April 8, 2009
1:33 pm
Naomi sounds very unpleasant - she’s obviously anti-gay and she is now bringing domestic abuse into a discussion about Irish music. Hot Press are obviously hiring some very different people these days to write for them. What a shame, that magazine used to be one of the very few publications which was supportive of Irish gay and lesbian rights and domestic abuse victims. Very disappointing.
Comment by Tonie
192.
April 8, 2009
1:36 pm
Tonie - to be honest, I’d prefer if this discussion did not go down that road. Let’s stick to the list and Irish music as above and leave all other matters to one side.
Comment by Jim Carroll
193.
April 8, 2009
1:45 pm
OK, Jim, sorry.
Er, great list!
Comment by Tonie
194.
April 8, 2009
2:06 pm
Oh Jim, I love you. You’re just the dog’s bollocks, you really are. Chuck out a load of scandalous points and when you’re trumped, back away with hands aloft and eyes wide. Tsk tsk. At least I back up my arguments. What’s a little dysphemism between bloggers?
And I’m quite cool, cheers. It’s Easter midterms, so my punkrockers are out in the sun, I’ve finally got a day to myself to sift through all the promos I’ve been sent in recent weeks, catch up on some blogs, chat a bit of shit. It’s all just chat, it’s not going to change the world but who knows, someone might follow the links, might find a new band they like, might realise there’s more to Irish music than The Ticket. Oops!
Smell ya later, rater!
Comment by Naomi
195.
April 8, 2009
2:07 pm
Wow this is too much. Its getting Monty Python here now. Good list, discussion stimulated, now lets everyone (cabals, cronies & ego maniacs) move onwards and upwards!
Comment by barryb
196.
April 8, 2009
2:58 pm
What age is Jim Carroll? Some of your retorts are more suited to a 13 yr olds Bebo page! The list is fine and understandable, how David Holmes can be number one and giveamanakick don’t make it is amazing!!! They are top five material and I find it very strange and frankly unbelievable that they were omitted. I think the purpose of this list is merely to send people to your blog to argue and make that more successful. It really does all reek of self indulgence!
Comment by Luke
197.
April 8, 2009
4:19 pm
Holy jaysis, it’s all gone a bit mad in here.
On a lighter (though admittedly unrelated to the list) note - have you backed Dossena for fourth goalscorer tonight yet Jim?
Comment by RH
198.
April 8, 2009
4:26 pm
Interesting list, I was surprised Gemma Hayes wasn’t on it. I think if you do this again next year some of these bands will have fizzled out, but I reckon Gemma will probably produce another album. (though so will Daniel O’Donnel so I guess that proves nothing:)
Comment by sarah
199.
April 8, 2009
4:44 pm
luke - I think the purpose of this list is merely to send people to your blog to argue Must look for more money in that case (and thank certain outraged bands for contributing to that increase in traffic)
RH - I’m restricting my betting this year to greyhounds.
sarah - if we do this again next year, I’m leaving
Comment by Jim Carroll
200.
April 8, 2009
5:22 pm
I know this is hugely uncool in view of the verbal sewage above, but I’m going to stick to the list, if that’s OK
Yes, there are oversights - I cannot believe Laura Izibor is not in the Top 50 - but the list does a very important thing in that it gets people talking about and discussing Irish music. There are too few times when this happens. It happens every year with the Choice Music Prize, it happened to an extent with the Road Records fandango and now, this list is provoking comment and discussion. If it takes four esteemed and commendable journalists to compile a list of 50 acts to get people energised about homegrown music, so be it. Better to talk about Irish music and rate it than to ignore it.
That is all.
Comment by Seanie
201.
April 8, 2009
6:29 pm
If it takes four esteemed and commendable journalists to compile a list of 50 acts to get people energised about homegrown music, so be it.
Dude, this whole chain would look like the rabbit that wasn’t powered by Duracell if we ever got around to debating the 50 most overrated Irish acts right now.
Comment by JD
202.
April 8, 2009
8:46 pm
oh my dear Jebus… I’m loving this shit i really am.. round of applause for Naomi and Jim for pure entertainment alone.
To be honest the only time i ever wander over here is wen it gets hot n sticky…the word starts filtering through FB n the like that some naughty wee bloggers have been winding Jim Carroll up again… lads, would ya not leave poor Jim alone… enough is enough … loves n cuddles xxx R
Comment by Ruth Medjber
203.
April 9, 2009
7:54 am
JD - the 50 most overrated Irish acts right now.
Now, THERE’S an idea………
Ruth - Welcome! Good to see On The Record is providing an entertaining refuge for even more Hot Press contributors.
And let’s be honest, the winding-up goes both ways
Comment by Jim Carroll
204.
April 9, 2009
10:14 am
Oh indeed Jim! you give as good as you get by all means. And yis are all way too quick witted for my liking…. back behind the camera i go!
enjoy yourselves!
ps, can i offer up Gama Bomb as a suggestion for the 50?.. be interested to see what the feeling towards an Irish metal band being represented would be!
x
Comment by Ruth Medjber
205.
April 10, 2009
1:13 pm
What about the Frank & Walters. They put on a seriously good show everytime
Comment by Cathal Mc
206.
April 10, 2009
4:02 pm
Comments here are now closed, but the debate continues at http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/ontherecord/2009/04/10/the-ticket’s-50-best-irish-music-acts-right-now-part-two/
Comment by Jim Carroll

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