Blog

The Chariot Race
Ephemera Paul McDermott Ephemera Paul McDermott

The Chariot Race

A few words on The Chariot Race by Alexander von Wagner taking in: Ben-Hur, Gladiator, MacMillan’s Class Pictures from 1932, Victorian-era paintings, The Lady of Shallot, the Empire Marketing Board, Margaret Clarke, how memory plays tricks on us and why “the pig is the great friend of the Irish peasant.”

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Peel Sessions
CD Collection, Vinyl Collection, Archive Interviews, Ephemera, Tapes Paul McDermott CD Collection, Vinyl Collection, Archive Interviews, Ephemera, Tapes Paul McDermott

Peel Sessions

On the 20th anniversary of Peel’s passing, a few words on John Peel Sessions taking in: Irish bands recording Peel Sessions, Irish Trad and Folk, Punk and beyond, Strange Fruit Records, The Smiths, The Go-Betweens, New Order, Joy Division, Microdisney, Jubilee Allstars, Billy Bragg, Stump, The Would Be’s, Finbar & Eddie Furey, LMNO Pelican, Na Filí, The Fall, Five Go Down to the Sea? and more.

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SKiN and BONE
Tapes, Ephemera Paul McDermott Tapes, Ephemera Paul McDermott

SKiN and BONE

A few words on Skin and Bone taking in: John Robb’s Death to Trad Rock, the post-punk mid-80s fanzine scene, Five Go Down to the Sea?, The Mekons, The Membranes, The Fall’s Brix Smith and Craig Scanlon, A Witness, Big Flame, and more.

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Oasis - Knebworth setlist
Ephemera, Vinyl Collection Paul McDermott Ephemera, Vinyl Collection Paul McDermott

Oasis - Knebworth setlist

An Instagram post by Alan McGee mentioned that today was the 28th anniversary of Oasis’ gig at Knebworth. Oasis played two shows at the famed venue on the 10 and 11 of August 1996 to a combined audience of 250,000, a weekend that is often described as the climax of the Britpop movement. After Knebworth the band flew to Cork for two gigs at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 14 and 15 August.

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Steve Albini - An Appreciation
CD Collection, Vinyl Collection, Ephemera Paul McDermott CD Collection, Vinyl Collection, Ephemera Paul McDermott

Steve Albini - An Appreciation

Steve Albini - An Appreciation, taking in: Big Black, Shellac, The Wedding Present, Pixies, Nirvana, Palace, Slint, Low, Connolly’s of Leap, Nancy Spains, Sir Henry’s, Bandicoot Promotions, Zeitgeist magazine, Adrian Crowley, Nina Nastasia, Palace Music, Magnolia Electric Co, Bikini Kill, Dirty Three and The Auteurs.

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Morrissey - Bootlegs
Vinyl Collection, Tapes, Ephemera Paul McDermott Vinyl Collection, Tapes, Ephemera Paul McDermott

Morrissey - Bootlegs

A few words on Morrissey bootlegs taking in: The Smiths, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Dublin’s National Stadium, The Stone Roses at Spike Island, FM broadcasts, cassette bootlegs, New Order, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Lollapalooza 1992, vinyl bootlegs, DVDs, and “art vs. the artist”. Today is the 33rd anniversary of Morrissey’s second solo gig. His 27 April 1991 National Stadium show was his first solo outing since the December 1988 Wolverhampton Civic gig and the opening night of the European leg of his Kill Uncle tour.

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Colin Blunstone and The Zombies
Archive Interviews, Ephemera, CD Collection, Vinyl Collection Paul McDermott Archive Interviews, Ephemera, CD Collection, Vinyl Collection Paul McDermott

Colin Blunstone and The Zombies

Colin Blunstone: “The Zombies were a school band really.” An archive interview with Colin Blunstone taking in: The Zombies; recording Odessey and Oracle in Abbey Road; 40th Anniversary celebrations of the album; recording his first solo singles in 1969 under the name Neil MacArthur; his first three solo albums (One Year, Ennismore and Journey); working on 1972’s ‘I Don't Believe in Miracles’ with arranger Christopher Gunning; good song-writing; taking care of his voice; the rights to The Zombies’ recordings and much more.

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Julian Cope’s Postcards
Ephemera, Vinyl Collection, CD Collection Paul McDermott Ephemera, Vinyl Collection, CD Collection Paul McDermott

Julian Cope’s Postcards

Julian Cope’s Postcards taking in: Krautrocksampler, Cope’s Notes, Julian Cope and Donald Ross Skinner’s Rite, Faith magazine, 1993’s The Acoustic Tour, bootleg tapes, John Cooper Clarke, The Modern Antiquarian, Royal Kilmainham Hospital, Vinyl Dublin, stone circles, Gaulstown Dolmen and The Heavy Camel Corps of the Sudan campaign of 1885. There are only a handful of artists that I’ve stayed the course with; Julian Cope is one of them. I’ve been a fan for a long time - The Teardrop Explodes are one of my favourite bands.

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Sonic Youth and Nirvana - Sir Henrys 1991
Ephemera Paul McDermott Ephemera Paul McDermott

Sonic Youth and Nirvana - Sir Henrys 1991

A few words on Sonic Youth and Nivana taking in: Sir Henrys in Cork; disposable cameras, Traci Lords; Brendan Behan; Issac Bells on Patrick’s Quay; old-school printing techniques and Kathleen Hanna and The Punk Singer. Last Friday, 05 April 2024 was the 30th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death. I was lucky enough to see Nirvana play with Sonic Youth in 1991 at Sir Henrys in Cork, a legendary gig that has been mythologised over the last 33 years. I even contributed to that mythology when I was interviewed about the gig on its 30th anniversary by my old Cork Campus Radio colleague Justin McCarthy for RTÉ Radio 1’s This Week programme.

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Werner Herzog in Ireland
Film, Ephemera, Vinyl Collection Paul McDermott Film, Ephemera, Vinyl Collection Paul McDermott

Werner Herzog in Ireland

A few words on Werner Herzog, taking in: Skellig Michael and Skellig Bheag; Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry; Reek Sunday; Croagh Patrick; Popol Vuh; Joy Division; Ian Curtis; Factory Records; dead wax inscriptions; Fitzcarraldo; Aguirre; the Wrath of God; Heart of Glass; The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser; cinema lobby cards and secondhand records. I watched my first Werner Herzog film in 1990. I was enrolled on a Bachelor of Commerce in UCC but I spent more time in the Boole Library watching films than I did attending lectures. I watched Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972) over and over. It remains one of my favourite films. Herzog’s films led me to the music of Florian Fricke and his band Popol Vuh.

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Rollerskate Skinny – Interview
Archive Interviews, Ephemera Paul McDermott Archive Interviews, Ephemera Paul McDermott

Rollerskate Skinny – Interview

“We don’t need luck, we need hits” - Ken Griffin. Another archive interview. This one is with Rollerskate Skinny’s Ken Griffin and it was broadcast on Cork Campus Radio back in late 1996. Ken chats about the critical response to Horsedrawn Wishes and the band’s plans for a third album. In the interview Ken is quite frustrated by the business side of the industry and particularly the lack of promotion by Warner Bros. for the album.

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The Box Tops – The Letter
Vinyl Collection, Ephemera Paul McDermott Vinyl Collection, Ephemera Paul McDermott

The Box Tops – The Letter

‘The Letter’ by The Box Tops is one of my all-time favourite songs. It’s 1 minute and 53 seconds of greatness and still sounds absolutely amazing. I never tire of this track no matter how often I play it. My own copy of this 7'' is a 1974 French pressing of ‘The Letter’. But it’s not my only copy of the single.

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