Dave Couse (A House) on The Frank and Walters

Written By Paul McDermott

Dave Couse

My latest documentary, We’ll Always Be Shouting For You - the story of The Frank and Walters, gets its first broadcast on RTÉ Gold on St. Patrick’s Day at 8pm.

As is often the case with my audio projects, due to time constraints I end up with lots of great material that doesn’t necessarily fit my main narrative structure but is still worth documenting. So it is with this new interview with Dave Couse of A House (and more recently A House Is Dead).

Dave produced the Frank and Walter’s first EP in 1991. Dave also produced the band’s second album, an album that many believe is the band’s magnum opus, Grand Parade (1997). Dave returned to the producer’s chair once more for A Renewed Interest In Happiness (2006).

Fans of The Frank and Walters will know that I’ve named my documentary after a line from the band’s song ‘Michael’. While conducting interviews for the production several interviewees - including Dave - talked about their love of ‘Michael’. None of them knew what I had decided to call the documentary. The title was fated.

In Episode 17 of To Here Knows When - Great Irish Albums Revisited Dave recounted how when A House were dropped by Blance Y Negro they signed to Setanta Records. The band’s first release for Setanta was the Doodle EP in 1990 and some time after its release Keith Cullen of Setanta passed Dave a demo by his latest signings to the label, The Frank and Walters.

Next, Dave travelled to Cork to meet the band.

Dave Couse on producing ‘Michael’ and more:

“I got off the train in Cork and there were three lads waiting for me and not a pick on any of them. They were wearing the purple flares, I was impressed with their outfits and their haircuts. I remember thinking this should be interesting and it was.”

“I got the demo from Keith and I remember thinking this is great, I thought it was really lively. It was really vibrant and exciting and up tempo and I still to this day can’t really figure out Paul’s lyrics.”

“I mean, “re re rumble, he likes apple crumble.” I’ve had that conversation with Paul a few times but he’s never divulged what the lyrics actually mean, if anything. But I was always intrigued by his lyrics because they were so vague. My lyrics are not vague, they’re really self-explanatory, and I like the fact that Paul’s are so hard to figure out, they’re great. I’ve used that as inspiration every now and again in my own writing.

“I loved working with them. I was like them. I was just as enthusiastic as them. I was a musician just like them. For a little while I was like the fourth member of The Frank and Walters, nearly in a way. The hidden member of the band.”

“I remember doing the first EP with them. It was great craic altogether. It was their first time in a studio in London and it wasn’t long before I was due in the studio to begin recording I Am the Greatest. I wanted something to almost clear the palate, if you like, before I started recording my own album and working with The Franks did that certainly.”

“I remember being so excited by the song ‘Walter’s Trip’. I remember thinking this is really fantastic. I was so excited by ‘Michael’, which is still my favorite song of theirs, well that and ‘Tony Cochrane’.”

“I think ‘Michael’ could be their finest moment though, I was there when Paul sang it. The whole song is heading towards one moment where Paul really goes for the vocal and he goes really high up in the middle and it’s just fantastic. I love when he gets to that moment in the song. It’s a great moment and I was so lucky to be there to record it.”

“I think that ‘Michael’ just sums up the band, it’s just who they were and are. Paul is very supportive of somebody, really supportive. I just love it. Paul’s lyrics are great in that song. The belief and the hope and the love in that song, it’s just great. The love for a fellow Corkonian friend who they believe is just a free spirit, and they admire him so much and they love him so much for that.” 

“It’s brilliant, I love it.”

We’ll Always Be Shouting for You
the story of The Frank and Walters
RTÉ Gold, St. Patrick’s Day, 8pm

A House Is Dead - Dave Couse and Fergal Bunbury - are currently recording an album which they hope to release before the end of 2026. A House Is Dead play Whelan’s on 21 March, 2026 with support from The Prongs.

Paul McDermott
Next

Keith Cullen (Setanta Records) on The Frank and Walters