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Courtesy of the fine people at Domino Records . Thank you 2Unlimited for being such an inspiration

…my entire life’s work up on Spotify and all the other streaming-platform-type-things. I’ll still be selling physical copies at live shows, which you will obviously buy too, and also from Lost Map website…only places you’ll get/hear deluxe double CD album version of God Damn You Mountain featuring special magic bonus CD. In the meantime, here’s an almost summery set of songs released on Lost Map in 2015…listen and share and roll around in it…AND DON’T FORGET YOUR LOCAL RECORD SHOP

…..but stuff is happening, I SWEAR IT IS

A quick run down on the last few weeks.  WE’VE BEEN RECORDING A NEW ALBUM..finally…under the watchful ears of Leo Abrahams.  Actually, before I begin, massive thanks to everyone who came along to see us in Ireland the weekend before last, and to Mossy Nolan for supporting – a rare privilege to be able to take this band on tour.  On the subject of tours, I’m hitting the road (solo) with the mighty Slow Club in May/June…feast your eyes on these dates, more info to come in my gig listings:

Mon 2 May            Tynemouth, Surf Cafe
Wed 4 May            Preston, The Continental Preston 
Thu 5 May             Stockton-on-Tees, The Green Room
Thu 26 May           Poole, Mr Kyps 
Fri 27 May             Southampton, Joiners Arms 
Sat 28 May            Bristol, The Lantern @ Colston Hall 
Tue 31 May            Nottingham, Bodega Social Club 
Wed 1 June           Ashford, Revelation St Mary’s 
Thu 2 June            Brighton, Komedia 
Fri 3 June              Margate, Tom Thumb Theatre

…and two upcoming London shows for good measure

April 26th              Servants Jazz Quarters in Dalston
May 8th                 Vince Siprell Memorial show in The Lexington

So back to recording the next album (in pictures).  It all happened in Big Jelly Studios, a converted Church in Ramsgate and a truly inspiring place to record a few songs (thank you AL and Mike).  Here’s the aforementioned Leo Abrahams ordering a takeaway for everyone.  I can’t really say enough about how amazing it was to work with this man

…and similarly these special people who play my songs

And what of Aram, one of THE great drummers…well he took all of these lovely photograph so I’ll leave you with a photo of us (minus myself) in Ireland last week.  Here’s Emma, Aram & John in Kilalloe before we set off for Waterford (via Obama Plaza).

See you all soon,
S

….not quite but nearly.  The short film ‘Islanders Rest’, which I composed and performed much of the music for, is nominated in the Best Animation Film category at the Swiss Film Awards.  Its directed by Claudius Gentinetta and Incidentally it did win the award for Best Soundtrack (Swiss category) at the 2015 International Animated Film Festival in Geneva.…just throwing that in there.  Check out the wonderful trailer, coming to film festival near you…

‘The smell of woodsmoke and a woman dancing in the window’….

So begins Laura Barton’s description of a show myself and my buddy Rozi Plain put on in 33 Chatsworth Road (also known in these parts as ‘The Dentist‘) back in December.  I saw Laura speak about music at last year’s Port Elliott Festival and she’s as passionate about it as anyone I’ve ever heard so very honoured that she chose to write about this show – that it appears as part of The Guardian’s Gigs of 2015 is a definite bonus, oh yes

Here’s a link to the article in full….scroll down to the bottom for our bit

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2015/dec/29/best-music-gigs-2015-guardian-writers?CMP=share_btn_fb

And for those that couldn’t be arsed, here’s the last paragraph….

‘Music at such proximity has a kind of warmth, and that night Fogarty and Plain’s songs – already beautiful and supple things, took on for me a new depth and tenderness. And as I watched I thought of how the inside of this little venue seemed an echo of its backyard: that here we stood, gathered together around this musical bonfire, feeling its glow.’

Now where are my gigs for 2016?

Some reviews of Ducks & Drakes

Thank you Mojo Magazine, a mention of Richard Dawson ain’t no bad thing either…

…and while I’m at it, this is not a review but I think it should be noted….a few months ago in the same publication, words by guru of blips & bleeps Jon Hopkins….WHAT A GUY

AND ANOTHER 4 STAR REVIEW IN THE SKINNY….

‘Each track is beguiling in its own right, but the ten-minute long A Mile Beneath the Broken Heart of London Town warrants special mention for the way it draws together all of Fogarty’s best qualities: lyrics that spin stories from the smallest of details, song structures that freely meander without getting lost, and production that balances the rough with the smooth beautifully’ ****

full review here

Now go an buy it, please, and I’ll have some gigs too, cheers, S

Limited edition vinyl – not a huge amount left. On the other hand there are plenty of downloads left – Go on, go on, go on

Finally some new material – a four-track EP/mini-album called Ducks & Drakes, coming out on Lost Map . I’ve been working on these tunes on and off since 2011 and its great to be setting them free.  We started sending out promos this week and already its been played by Gideon Coe & Tom Ravenscroft on 6Music and Max Rheinhardt on BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction  – its already my most successful release EVER.  To mark the occasion I commissioned Drew Dir of Manual Cinema (who I worked with this year on a project for The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) to make a video for the title track and here it is – it’ll blow your socks off.  Big shout out to Nialler9 for premiering the video here

I haven’t posted anything on here for nearly a year, why now?  Well a lot of stuff has happened and a lot of stuff is happening, just lots of stuff really.  To help pay for all this stuff (new release, video, flying multiple instruments and their players across the Irish Sea and around the UK, cat food etc) I’ve unearthed a rather splendid live recording of myself and my brother John playing a set together in Zurich back in November 2013, opening for one James Yorkston.  It was towards the end of a tour, show number 14 of 15 as I recall, and the brother was on fire, unleashing torrents of accordion on the unsuspecting Swiss public…marvelous.  As if that wasn’t enough, each cover is individually hand-painted – very collectable, ohhhh yessss.  The design is a homage to the national monument of Switzerland, the humble Toblerone.

Limited to approx. 25, looking for £10 a pop (excluding postage), via paypal –  just send an email to info@seamusfogarty.com with your name and your address and we’ll go from there…click on the bottom image to see full tracklisting

Yay, two festivals coming up…in July there’s Howlin Fling alongside the likes of Beth Orton  Sam Amidon, Jens Lekman, Alexis Taylor, Luke Abbot and my Lost Map chums.  Its  on the Isle Of Eigg – a strange and mystical place, shaped more like an inverted kidney, somewhere in the middle of the Hebrides, up yonder Scotland way.

And then on Sunday 4th August I’m playing at Cambridge Folk Festival on The Den Stage – thats the Festival’s Emerging Talent Stage….OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Proof

Here’s a photo of some ducks

My album was officially re-released yesterday on Lost Map Records!  As is the custom these days, this edition includes a bonus disc of remixes and the likes, which I really like (and you can buy separately here) .  Follow the magic link (magic link) to find out a bit more about where it all came from and how it can enhance your life…every house should have one.  So why did I not announce this yesterday?  Well I was making my way back to London after a monumental session in Clonakilty to mark the last show of my tour with Lisa O’Neill and from there I had to make my way to a rehearsal studio to practice with the gang for next week’s shows.  And then I went to bed.  Huge thanks to Lisa O’Neill and all the crew for a wonderful tour, must say I’m really excited about London and Reading  shows next week, so cool to hear what a few amazing musicians can bring to these songs of mine.  Here’s some pics concerning all the above topics (and a video that I’m making, several weeks too late, about my album)

Quick announcement to say that I am heading around Ireland in less than two weeks to open for my good friend Lisa O’Neill on no less than 7 different occasions…I fly to Derry on the 12th of february, then its on to Dundalk & Dublin and then westwards to Limerick, Galway, Cork & Clonakilty. Then its back to London for to prepare for my own UK tour in March and some rehearsals with Geese

All the dates are listed below but you can find more info about the shows, tickets etc here.  Regarding the UK tour, all these shows are going to be slightly different, some solo, some with the marvelous Geese as my backing band (London & Reading), a double header with Adam from Randolph’s Leap in Glasgow, a super intimate unplugged show inside a washing emporium in Durham, a show with my pals James Yorkston & The Pictish Trail in Edinburgh…go and buy some tickets or they’ll never have me back.

IRELAND

———————————————————————————————————-

WED, FEB 12
@ Sandino’s, Derry, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

FRI, FEB 14
@ Spirit Store, Dundalk, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

SAT, FEB 15
@ Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

THU, FEB 20
@ Bourke’s, Limerick, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

FRI, FEB 21
@ Roisin Dubh, Galway, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

SAT, FEB 22
@ Cypress Avenue, Cork, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

SUN, FEB 23
@ DeBarra’s, Clonakilty, Ireland (w/ Lisa O’Neill)

THU, MAR 6
@ South Street Arts, Reading, UK

WED, MAR 12
@ The Pleasance, Edinburgh, UK (w/ James Yorkston + The Pictish Trail)

FRI, MAR 14
@ The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, UK (w/ Randolph’s Leap, Adam solo)

SUN, MAR 16
@ Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham, UK

As if it wasn’t deluxe enough the first time it was released, follow this link to find out about the brand spanking new double cd reissue of my debut album, available now from Lost Map Records…

http://lostmap.com/products/god-damn-you-mountain-deluxe-edition

‘But I already own the album’…..

Yes, yes, thanks for buying it, follow the link below to buy the bonus material it postcard format below for £1, yes, £1
http://lostmap.com/products/postmap-006-16122013-seamus-fogarty

And see what the Irish Times thinks of it all…
http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/ontherecord/2013/12/11/seamus-fogartys-god-damn-you-mountain/

Hard to believe, but in less than two weeks I’ll be jumping on the Eurostar to Amsterdam for the first of 15 shows in Europe.  What began as an accidental show in a house in Vienna has ballooned into an epic tour of Europe’s smallest venues and nicest living rooms.  That the route traces out the exact shape of a mole’s head is entirely coincidental, but its welcome coincidence none the less.   Its a solo tour although I will hopefully be joined by my brother for a few shows and I’m delighted to be opening for my old pal James Yorkston in Zurich.  I’m going to list all the shows here but its probably best just to swing on over to the gigs section of this here website for more details…if any of the listings are looking a bit sketchy its because we’re just finalizing the details, and my 6 figure fee, but feel free to email me at info@seamusfogarty.com

In other news, I’ve just finished eating a horrible blueberry muffin on board a London-bound train from Cardiff where I played last night in a sweaty little basement as part of the Made In Roath festival.  If you find yourself in Cardiff, which isn’t such a bad thing, take a stroll around (follow this map) and marvel at how a few people can transform the drab urban landscape that forms the backdrop to the lives of the many.  Oh yes, I am converted and loading up on spray cans as soon as I arrive in London and my tag name will be The Mad Mole of Medjugorje.  Thursday was Edinburgh for a showcase with The Pictish Trail and everyone else residing on the mighty Lost Map label roster and Tuesday saw us opening for my friend Lisa O’Neill at the London launch of her brilliant new album…as I recall its been a good week and a pleasure to be in such fine musical company.  And the muffin, well it had no actual blueberries in it, just a core made out of horrible blue sticky shite.  But I ate it.  And the train manager has just announced that the signalman has been hit by lightning (he’s fine) and we’ll be delayed for at least a week.

And I spent a good chunk of September compiling a quite bizarre selection of God Damn You Mountain remixes, alternative versions, out takes and general weirdness to be released soon under the provisional title The Outhouse Takes…more news on this soon

* the squirrel was actually drawn by this guy

Its July now, the month of my birthday and the birthdays of Sylvester Stallone, Lindsay Lohan and Wesley Snipes.   The picture above is taken from an old stage plan I found for a show that never happened…anyways.  The first six months of the year have been almost consistently great, presenting me with the opportunity to play shows up and down (and up and down again) the length of the UK with people like James Yorkston, The Picitsh Trail and Malcolm Middleton.  I was invited to play for a nudist community off the coast of Holland (only half true) and I played my first gig in Cork back in February so truly a year of fresh experiences and new horizons.  There’s lots of incriminating pictures and stuff to see below but first I’ve a few shows coming up during the summer that i think everyone should go to.

Upcoming Shows This Summer

First up is a double-header with my friend Mute Swimmer in The Servant Jazz Quarters  in London on the 17th July.  This is a tiny little downstairs venue in Dalston but it sounds amazing, as good as anywhere in London in fact and its only £5 in – a steal.  I’ll be joined by Emma and Vince on strings and an accordion player whose name is almost famous.  You can check out Mute Swimmer here – an amazing live performer. The week after that we’re off to Gisburn Forest on July 27th to play at Cloudspotting Festival in Lancashire, serious bang for your buck at this one.

And then I’m going back to Ireland and really looking forward to it.  First up is a show in Whelans on the 31st of July as part of Kinfolk Presents – will probably be bricking it a bit since its in the main room so all available moral support is essential/welcome and we haven’t played in Dublin since last year, and hopefully we have improved.  Then its off to Tullamore, the Timbuktu of Ireland, for Castlepolooza the following weekend.  My trip back to Ireland is set to conclude in the best possible way – a show with David Kitt as part of the 40th Anniversary Kilkenny Arts Festival in the beautiful Set Theatre in Kilkenny.  I’ll be joined by some amazing musicians for these shows and I might try and squeeze some new sounds out of my magic box, yes.  Oh and I’ll hopefully get back to Swinford at some stage for a tune and a pint in the majestic surrounds of O’Connors 

All the shows are listed here on the website but you should put them in your calender now…put them in your calender…NOW

And just before we get to the juicy bits….

What the hell is this? Its a mailing list, yes, but so much more – I’m going to send out the odd newsletter but they’ll generally be accompanied by a free tune or the likes. I’ve put up the original demo of God Damn You Mountain, recorded in my kitchen in Kerry in 2007, for everyone who takes the bait.

And now the juicy bits….

This is a photo of James, Johnny and myself recording a session for a radio station in Inverness….JY has just cracked a joke

Johnny considers making a run for it after being caught smuggling counterfeit food from Greggs into the van, immortalized here in video

The tour with Malcolm took in some of the UK’s lesser known beauty spots….does anyone know where this is?

….while Newcastle Zoo provided the backdrop for our 2nd show of the tour in The Cluny

….but it was nice to receive the recognition that I have long deserved

These last few shows in Scotland with James Yorkston and the Pictish Trail have been a blast, have a look on the ‘shows’ page for more info about remaining dates.  I’ve got a few recordings from some of the shows that I’ll post eventually and some pictures too (see below).  Also, another bunch of UK shows just added, supporting the great Malcolm Middleton…really really looking forward to these

….and I’m just adding the finishing touches to an EP of new songs, and they sound nice…big, but nice.  I’m aiming to have it ready for this upcoming tour with James Yorkston and The Pictish Trail.  And some t-shirts with sheep on them.  Also, a remix I did for James Yorkston is being released on Domino Records in April…read about that here

…and that’s it really.  Slowly slowly starting to out some festivals together for the summer…get in touch festivals.  See y’all soon

The end of the year is all but upon us and you’re thinking ‘I should download an album from iTunes’……well look no further, click here – vinyl and limited ed. CD still available from fencerecords.com

Alas, October is all but over and I’m a few hours away from my first London show in many months…here’s the poster I made for it.  Thanks to Queenie for being a sport.

October began with shows in Ireland where we were also lucky enough to bluff our way onto the national airwaves.  I had the pleasure of joining Dave Fanning in Studio for an hour or so on  2FM on the 26th September, and it really was a pleasure.  The same day we recorded a song for the John Kelly chaired RTE 1 arts show, The Works, which was broadcast the following evening.  That was also a pleasure, no doubt helped by the fact I was joined by my brother John on accordion and Graham Watson on Banjo…here’s us