“There was always something slightly magical about Brian. Initially simple musical forms would grow almost imperceptibly until they were solid blocks of emotion, often bringing a lump to the throat. These songs, though clothed in the rags of early 90s indie poverty, are beautiful things that Ken should be forever proud of.”
Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy
(taken from the sleevenotes to Understood, Needle Mythology’s reissue of Understand)

Last November Needle Mythology, the London-based indie record label run by music journalist Pete Paphides, posted on social media about their up-and-coming releases for 2025:

“6 years ago Needle Mythology was born when we spent a lovely day with Ian Broudie at Electric mastering NMY002 [his album Tales Told].”

The post continued:

“Coming full circle we are back at Electric with Guy Davie cutting a beautiful record made by a one name Irish artist who was originally signed to Setanta. It will be out next year… alongside our first ever compilation.”

True to their word, last February Needle Mythology released that compilation. It’s called Sensitive (An Indie Pop Anthology). It’s absolutely brilliant, a comprehensive document of the 1980s indie pop movement.

But who was the one name Irish artist on Setanta?

Well, if you’re a regular listener to this podcast, and if you had you seen that post, I’ve no doubt that you, like me, immediately thought of Brian.

Because that was the one name moniker that Ken Sweeney recorded under, and Understand the debut album by Brian was released by Setanta in 1992 to huge acclaim.

Writing in Vox magazine in 1992 the late Leo Findlay, the London-based Irish journalist, wrote:

“This mini-album makes a virtue of under-production and under-statement, and its musical bent derives from the Byrds inspired indie school. The inherent sensitivity of the songs, however, is unique to their young Dublin author’s tender ear, but although fragile, lovelorn numbers like ‘You Don’t Want a Boyfriend’ and ‘Don’t Leave Me Behind’ seem monumentally personal, Brian’s little pills of misery are coated with a scrumptious, synthesised wash.”

Another journalist who heaped praise on Undertand was the late George Byrne. In his Irish Independent review in April 1992 he wrote:

“Brian’s eight-song debut Understand is a triumph of warm, emotive songwriting. Understand understates its case quite beautifully, coating fragile melodies with protective layers of jangling guitars and applying orchestral sweeps of keyboard to magnificent effect on ‘Big Green Eyes’ and last year’s outstanding single ‘You Don’t Want a Boyfriend’. The sheer quality of songwriting is exemplary.”

Brian was started in Dublin in the late-80s by Ken and his old friend Niall Austin, they released a 7” single ‘A Million Miles’ before moving to London. Niall didn’t stay long and moved home. Ken took out a loan to fund another 7” single, ‘You Don’t Want a Boyfriend’.

Encouraged by some good reviews he continued alone recording beautiful love songs - or love-lost songs - cheaply on an eight-track machine.

These songs came to the attention of Setanta’s Keith Cullen.

Listeners to this podcast will be well aware of the Setanta Records.

The label was formed by Keith Cullen in 1989 with the release of Beethoven’s Him Goolie Goolie Man Dem EP. This was followed with records by Into Paradise, Power of Dreams, A House, The Frank & Walters and Catchers - we’ve devoted episodes to all of these bands.

In November 1991, Cullen explained the thinking behind Setanta Records to Keith Cameron in the NME: “My whole philosophy with the label is taking Irish bands the fuck out of Ireland and get the music known elsewhere.”

Cullen continued, “It’s like, do they want to be a real band or do they wanna be a big band in Dublin? There’s still a stigma attached to Irish bands that dates back to U2. I’d like to think I’ve made Irish bands a bit cooler.”

For Ken, being asked by Cullen to join the roster of Setanta was a dream come true, or as he puts it succinctly in this episode, “it was like being asked to join Manchester United.”

In a 1992 interview about the label Cullen told Dave Simpson in Melody Maker that, “to be honest with you, we do have the monopoly on quality Irish bands.”

When asked by Simpson if there was a label sound, Cullen replied, “all of the acts on the label are very strong songwriters.”

In Ken Sweeney, Keith had found another strong songwriter for Setanta.

In his review for Select magazine Nick Griffiths wrote: “Understand hints at a fledgling American Music Club.”

He continued, “and we thought the art of real songwriting was dying.”

Brian’s Understand (SET LP4) was Setanta’s fourth album release, following records by Into Paradise (Under the Water, SET LP1), The Divine Comedy (Fanfare For the Comic Muse, SET LP2) and A House (I Am the Greatest, SET LP3).

This is a long episode, it’s a real music fan’s episode, we chat about Dublin music in the 70s and 80s - the Max Quad Band, Rocky De Valera and the Gravediggers, The Vipers and The Blades all get a mention - the full history of Brian, Setanta Records, being Irish in London in the 90s, 1999’s Bring Trouble (the second Brian album), Ken’s 25+ years working as an entertainment journalist and his great music documentaries.

We also talk at length about Needle Mythology’s reissue which they’ve titled Understood, it complies Understand, the Planes EP and more.

For Further Listening:

Understand is available on Spotify.

Undersood released on Needle Mythology Records is available from all good indie record shops.

The Trashcan Sinatras, Ken’s most recent music documentary, is available below:

For Further Reading:
Various Brian reviews and features (click on each image to enlarge).

And finally…

For the artwork of Bring Trouble and ‘Turn Your Lights On, its accompanying single, Setanta used a number of photographs by Michael Kenna. His photographs are both mysterious and eerie, a result of shooting late at night and at dawn. Below is the inside insert photograph of Bring Trouble.