‘New people are finding the old music all the time’

By David Flynn

While he has happy memories of the past which consists of dozens of best-selling albums and more than 50 years of concerts, locally and internationally, Athlone singing star, Brendan Shine still embraces new music technology and sees younger audiences discovering Irish music.

“I’m working on a couple of new songs, and I’ll probably be doing a single and an album,” said Brendan, to the Westmeath Independent. “One interesting song I’m doing is called ‘I’m The One Who Stayed At Home’, and it’s about everyone going away from home, but there was always one who stayed at home to look after the parents and the farm and always regretted that they never saw what was on the other side of the hill, whether it be America or England.”

Another of the songs is called ‘It Costs Nothing to Be Nice’ and it too will be on his album.

Brendan duets in concerts with his daughter, Emily, on a song called ‘My Father’. Emily is musical director of The Brendan Shine Band.

“‘My Father’ will probably be the first track on the new album and I’ve about five done, and about seven to go,” he said.

Brendan said there are a lot of problems with modern technology that some older people find difficult, like the fact that CDs don’t play in modern cars.

“I don’t know where the merchandising of music is going,” he said. “I do a lot of Spotify, and I like it, but 50 percent of audiences that come to concerts are not into techno or streaming. There must be an avenue for people like that.”

He also said that some DJs on radio stations he deals with like to have a hard copy of a CD in their hands.

Brendan loves American country music, and listens to all other kinds of music like classical jazz and folk.

“I listen on Spotify and on CDs and you can get a lot of it on your phone now, but it’s not ideal and the sound is not always great,” he said.

Several decades have passed since Brendan played in his father’s country dancehall in Kielty, while he was still in national school.

“Kielty was open on Christmas night and was the only place around that was open and it used to be packed,” said Brendan. “But I haven’t worked at Christmas for a very long time, and I start back in January with Mike Denver, playing at a lot of his concerts, and some with Philomena Begley.”

Brendan is also appearing at a Paul Claffey concert tour in Killarney in February and he will be working on the cruise ship music circuit in the summer as well as going back to Killarney in July.

“There is a mixture of Irish, English, Scottish and Welsh people going on cruises for entertainment and music,” he said.

Brendan had huge record success in the 70s, 80s and 90s and had a Christmas hit, ‘Christmastime in Ireland’, which has been getting regular airplay this month.

“I’m very lucky that all them songs were good songs, and a good song will stand the test of time,” he said. “But my daughter, Emily, has added a new concept to the band and brought my music into a different era, which you have to do. Music has changed and there is no point in trying to do what I did 30 years ago.”

Brendan and his band has just finished a successful ten days of Christmas afternoon concerts, where he was supported by RTÉ Liveline’s Funny Friday comedian, Frank Forde and local musicians, Joe Flynn and Frankie and Keith McDonald.

“I always find though that people that want to find their music, will find it,” said Brendan. “Look at the Shamrock Lodge Hotel. We had ten days of music, and people came from all over the country. Irish people like their own artists like Foster & Allen and The Fureys. I see my grandchildren go to The Whistlin’ Donkeys and they are amazed to think that is new music. New people are finding the old music all the time. The music has stood the test of time.”

Brendan knew the late Shane MacGowan of The Pogues, and fondly remembers conversations with the ‘Fairytale of New York’ writer and performer.

“Shane told me he came to see me in London when he was only 23 years old, when he heard me singing ‘Catch Me If You Can’, said Brendan. “He had a great love of Irish culture and trad. He was a punk and he wondered if could marry the different music together. I liked his song ‘The Broad Majestic Shannon’. Shane was an unbelievable loss, he hammered it and he lived the rock and roll life and left a great legacy. I liked that song, ‘Haunted’ that Shane and Sinead O’Connor recorded.”

Despite his great stories and his own music legacy, Brendan says that he won’t write an autobiography.

“I won’t write a book because to sit down and listen to an album is pleasure but to read a book is hard work,” he said