The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast

Episode 049 - Top 10 Irish Musical Acts

• ALEX GADD • Season 2 • Episode 49

Share episode

Send us a text

This week, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, your host Alex Gadd shares his top 10 favorite Irish rock-n-roll artists. From the sweeping musical influences of traditional Irish music on American folk and country to modern rock, Alex dives into the history, cultural significance, and personal anecdotes of the artists that made the list. Join us to find out who made the cut, and be sure to check out the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast Playlist on Spotify for all the featured songs. Tune in and celebrate the musical heritage of Ireland with us, this week on The Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast!

00:00 Introduction

01:02 The Influence of Irish Music on Rock-N-Roll

02:26 Creating the Top 10 List

03:14 Honorable Mentions and Criteria

07:18 Top 10 Irish Rock-N-Roll Acts

29:50 Conclusion

===========================

Connect with us on social media!
YouTube
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook

Alex Gadd (2):

Welcome to the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast. I'm your host, Alex Gadd, and this week I've got another top 10 list for you. Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, it's a list of my favorite Irish rock-n-roll artists. Ireland has produced more than its fair share of rock-n-roll musicians over the years, which only seems right given the powerful influence traditional Irish music has had influencing both American folk and country music. Which in turn were significant influences on rock-n-roll. Who made the list and who didn't? It was a fun project to undertake, and I came up with what I think is a pretty solid list. So please join me for a St. Patrick's Day inspired list of my 10 favorite Irish rock-n-roll acts coming up right now. In preparing for this episode, I did some research into the history of the country of Ireland to find out why such a small country has been so influential to popular western music in the 19th and 20th century. I found an interesting paper by a woman named Judith Coe from the University of Colorado who wrote that"music has played a deeply significant role in the history and culture of Ireland since ancient times, and it continues to symbolize one of the most important cultural means of expression and exploration of contemporary Irish identity." Now, that aligns with what I felt going into this episode, that Ireland is just a musical country, and the Irish culture is musical at its core. I was always aware that Irish folk music was a direct influence on early American music. Irish immigrants brought their musical traditions with them to the United States where their influence played a crucial role in shaping genres such as country, bluegrass folk, and eventually rock-n-roll. The fiddle and banjo driven melodies of early Appalachian music owe a lot to Irish reels and jigs blending with African American rhythms to create what would become a cornerstone of American music. The storytelling tradition in Irish ballads also heavily influenced American folk and blues with themes of love, loss, and hardship resonating across cultures. Without Irish music as a foundation, many of the most beloved American musical traditions might not have evolved in the same way. And so with St. Patrick's Day coming up, I set out to do a top 10 favorites list inspired by the holiday, which in the US allows all Americans to be a little bit Irish, at least for a day. At first I tried to do a list of my favorite songs about, or inspired by St. Patrick's Day, but there aren't that many of them really. You know, it's just not the thing, especially in popular music. So I pivoted to Irish rock-n-roll artists and that opened up a lot of interesting options. Of course I'm gonna include U2 on the list. That's an obvious choice they're an act that I've appreciated for most of my life, after first seeing them on MTV in 1983, singing Sunday, Bloody Sunday at Red Rocks Amphitheater with Bono, waving that white flag in the rain, and then going to see them play live at Madison Square Garden in early 1985 for the first time. But after that, I had to do a lot of research because some of the acts that I really assumed would be on this list aren't. Take the Pogues for example. They're not really an Irish band. Now, they're as Irish as any band in the way they're perceived and received by the public. But almost all the members of the Pogues are English, and the band was formed in London. Chris deBurgh was someone I had just assumed was Irish, but nope, he was born in Argentina to English parents and moved to Ireland after years of living in other countries while his father served in the British Foreign Service. Now Enya is in fact Irish, from County Donegal, and is the second bestselling Irish musical act of all time behind U2. But I don't feel like this would be authentic if I put Orinico Flow(Sail Away) on my list, despite the fact that I do have it on my mellow music playlist that I put on when I'm trying to take a nap. So no Enya, despite her incredible success. I considered the band Horslips who were formed in Dublin or considered the founding fathers of Celtic music, at least according to the website, Irish Music Daily. I checked out their top songs on Spotify and found that their music to me at least, sounds either like they're playing Greensleeves over and over again, or they're playing fairly generic rock-n-roll music. Again, in my limited exposure to them. No Horslips. The Coors are a family band from Dundalk consisting of three sisters and a brother. And they were all discovered when they tried out for roles in the 1991 movie. The Commitments. While one sister got a supporting role, the other three siblings were only cast as extras, but they were all signed as a musical group and as a result of their auditions, they've had an incredible career as a family band. But I don't love their original music. And the one song I really do like. Is a cover of a Ryan Adams song. That's When the Stars Go Blue, which they did an incredible version of. They also did a version live with Bono, and that's also, you should go watch that since that's the only song of theirs that I found so far that I really like. They didn't make my list. On the other end of the musical spectrum, Stiff Little Fingers are a classic punk band from Northern Ireland, and their songs like Alternative Ulster, Barbed Wire Love and Gotta Gettaway are fun tunes to rock out to. But they weren't good enough to get the band on the list. They were close though. That did force me to confront one other issue that I had to think about. Should bans from Northern Ireland be considered for this list, even though they're technically English, not Irish. After much consideration, I determined that, of course I would include Northern Irish bands because they're still from the island of Ireland, regardless of political borders. And there are a few acts that are just too good to exclude. Then there's actual Irish folk music. Let me just take a moment to recall a time at the end of college back in the very late eighties, early, early nineties when I was bartending up in Burlington, Vermont, and one of the highlights of each week was the Friday afternoon Irish happy hour at one of the most popular bars in town. The Last Chance. We would all go down there and listen to a small band play Irish pub songs, Irish folk songs from the Irish Rover to Rattlin' Bog, we all sang along, and that really helped to get the weekend off to a great start. Those Irish happy hours were a blast, but I'm not including any of those songs on this list because they're Irish folk music songs, not rock-n-roll, but that leads to the traditional Irish folk bands like The Chieftains, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and the Dubliners. All of which played an incredible role in reintroducing traditional Irish folk music to the masses at the same time that rock-n-roll's second generation was exploding across the Western world, especially with the British invasion, and Bob Dylan. An impressive feat, no doubt, but not the vibe I was going for either. So no Chieftans, no Dubliners. Sorry. With that, as a background for how I got here, let me restate what I've noted before. I'm sure I'll overlook at least a few acts that you think should be included. But we welcome other opinions here and I want to hear which you'd include on your list, Put'em in the comments, and now let's get into it. My top 10 favorite Irish rock-n-roll acts. Starting us off at number 10 is my bloody valentine. I don't even pretend to understand this band as well as I should, but I really like their big record, 1991's Loveless, and I do know how influential they have been over the years as one of the founding acts of the Shoegaze movement, but they're just a cool band. Loveless is generally considered one of the great alternative music albums of all time, and it's a master work in music production. The band is made up of leader, Kevin Shields, who was a kid from Queens, New York, whose family moved to Dublin when he was fairly young, and there he teamed up with three Irish musicians to form my bloody valentine in 1983. Their first record came out in 1988 and Loveless came out three years later, famous for being recorded in almost 20 different studios, which drove up the cost to over a quarter of a million dollars, which for a relatively unknown band was a lot of money even in the late eighties. It's a unique sound that influenced tons of other bands, and the album has stood the test of time. I chose When You Sleep as maybe the most accessible song on the album. Check it out. Coming in at number nine on our list is Andrew Hozier-Byrne or Hozier. Born on St. Patrick's Day in Bray, in county Wicklow. Hozier put out music that's a solid mixture of folk, soul, blues, and even a little gospel in there. And while he's a newer artist who's only been on the scene for a little more than a decade now, his talent is immense. He has a great voice and a skill for writing pop songs that shows an innate understanding of social issues without any preaching. Hozier skipped his college exams to go record his demo, which got him kicked outta Trinity College in Dublin. But those demo recordings included the song Take Me To Church, which quickly became his first big international hit, and probably the one you know him best for. He's one of my daughter's favorite artists and I really like some of his songs. She's exposed me to a lot of them. I chose Nina Cried Power here to share with you, which is my favorite of his songs, and incorporates a little bit of that gospel with the modern pop arrangement. It's a powerful song referencing Nina Simone's great song Sinnerman. And this clip features the amazing Mavis Staples singing with Hosier and his band.

It's not the, but what's behind it, Lord? The fear of. I.

Alex Gadd (2):

At number eight is guitarist Gary Moore, the first artist on this list from Belfast in Northern Ireland, but not the last. Moore started out playing in an Irish, blues based rock band called Skid Row with Phil Lynott, and then started a solo career in 1973. He then followed Lynott to Thin Lizzy, filling in on guitar for two short stints before finally committing fully to his solo work In 1978 and through the 1980s and nineties, released some great blues based rock albums. The high points being 1990s, Still Got the Blues and'92'a After Hours, Moore continued making records up through the end of the first decade of this century. But he apparently developed a severe alcohol addiction, and unfortunately, he died in his sleep in 2011 with a blood alcohol level that was considered lethal. But his playing and his great songs define the Irish Blues rock sound, building on Moore's heroes. Eric Clapton and Peter Green, formerly of Fleetwood Mac. In fact, Moore bought Green's Les Paul and called it Greenie and played it throughout his career until he had to sell it in the mid two thousands, and then after a few more private sales, it ended up in the hands of Kirk Hammett of Metallica, who now plays it, records with it, and even had it modeled for a Greenie replica by Gibson, which you can buy today for a very reasonable price. Here's Gary Moore playing Cold Day in Hell from his 1992 album After Hours. And if you look, you can see that he seems to be playing Greeny in the video. Check it out

So many times you tried to get the best of so many times. Now you are.

Alex Gadd (2):

in the seven Spot. It's Rory Gallagher, another blues rock guitarist who left a band to start a solo career that ultimately defined who he was as a musician. Born in Ballyshannon and raised in Cork Gallagher was a self-taught prodigy who made a name for himself in the late 1960s with his power trio Taste. After they split up. He launched a solo career in 1971 and quickly became known for his fiery guitar work, passionate live performances and raw blues and infused songwriting. He was considered a road warrior playing more than 200 shows per year during his heyday, and his playing influenced a lot of your and my. Favorite guitar players from Brian May and Alex Lifeson to Slash in the Edge To Joe Bonamassa. He's been referred to as the greatest guitarist you've never heard of, and he's considered an Irish music. Treasure Gallagher kept recording and touring until the nineties when his fear of flying and his health problems started to catch up with him. He was found to have liver failure and while he was waiting for a liver transplant, he contracted MRSA and died in 1995. He never achieved the fame or fortune that other players of his stature did, but his legacy is one of Ireland's greatest musicians remains. There are no less than three full-sized statues of him around Ireland according to what I've found. Interestingly, like Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher also played a distinct guitar, a 1961 Stratocaster that he bought used in 1963. This guitar became his primary instrument, about which he once said, this is the best. It's my life. This is my best friend. He played it so much that most of the finish was worn off and it was just auctioned off last year by his brother, who was also his former manager, and his brother sold it to an Irish businessman for 700,000 pounds with the understanding that the guitar would be kept in Ireland and put on display at the National Museum of Ireland, and I believe it's gonna be put on display later this year. I chose the song Bad Penny, to share Rory Gallagher's music with you. The video's from 1982, so maybe you'll forgive the quality of the image. Rory Gallagher is just great. At number six is the BoomTown Rats. Formed in Dublin in 1975, the band fronted by Bob Geldoff. You know him from Bandaid and Live aid. The band became one of the defining acts of the late seventies and early eighties blending punk energy with a new wave style. They weren't just another punk band trying to ride the wave of rebellion. The BoomTown Rats had ambition, intelligence, and a keen sense of social awareness kind of set'em apart. Their breakthrough song came in 1978, the Single Rat Trap, which was the first ever UK number one single by an Irish rock band. But it was 1979's. I Don't Like Mondays that cemented their place in rock history. Inspired by a tragic school shooting, the song became a worldwide hit The band continued to evolve throughout that early eighties with albums like The Fine Art Are Surfacing and Mondo Bongo pushing their sound into more sophisticated and experimental territories. Beyond their music, the BoomTown Rats made a cultural impact that extended far beyond the charts. Geldof, of course, went on to star as Pink in Pink Floyd's The Wall movie, and then he organized Live Aid, the biggest charity concert in history, proving that rock musicians could use their platform for more than just entertainment. Just on the music alone, the BoomTown Rats left a legacy behind of bold, intelligent rock that challenged the status quo while they faded from the spotlight. By the mid eighties, amidst Geldof's efforts to combat global hunger, their excellent songwriting, infectious energy, and willingness to push musical boundaries put the BoomTown rats firmly on the list of the coolest Irish Rock acts. Here's my favorite track of theirs. 1981's Up All Night.

Big is in. It's needed. The.

Alex Gadd (2):

Fifth on our list is Hothouse Flowers, one of the most dynamic and soulful bands ever to emerge from Ireland. Formed in Dublin in 1985, the band blended rock, folk soul, and gospel into something that felt uniquely Irish, yet universally accessible. Their ability to fuse these genres with deep emotional intensity made them stand out in a crowded late eighties rock scene. They were starting out. They got some help from Bono to produce their first song which led them to getting a record deal signed with Polygram Records, their debut album, People from 1988 was a big hit becoming the bestselling debut album in Irish history at the time with high energy tracks like, Don't Go and I'm Sorry. They captured my attention with high energy tracks like, Don't Go, and I'm Sorry, they captured my attention. They followed it up with Home in 1990 and Songs from the Rain in 1993, further refining their sound and proving they weren't just a flash in the pan. One of the band's greatest strengths was their ability to take traditional Irish influences and blend them seamlessly with a more international soul driven sound. While other Irish bands leaned heavily into folk or punk, Hothouse Flowers brought something I think richer and more textured to the table. Their music had grit, heart, and almost a spiritual quality that resonated with me and with audiences around the world. Though their commercial peak was in the late eighties and early nineties, they've continued to release music and to tour proving that their sound has a timeless appeal. Few Irish bands have managed to blend that passion, melody, and raw energy as effortlessly as hothouse flowers. Here's a little bit of, I'm Sorry, from their debut album. After you listen to this, go listen to that whole record.

Uh, I'm sorry, because. I shoulda known. I shoulda known better. Yes, I.

Alex Gadd (2):

Number four is the Cranberries, one of the most iconic and internationally successful Irish rock bands of all time. Formed in Limerick in 1989, the band led by the unmistakable voice of Dolores O'Riordan created a sound that was dreamy, yet emotionally powerful. While many bands of the era leaned heavily into grunge or Brit pop, The Cranberries carved out a unique space for themselves, I think with a mix of alternative rock, dreamy pop and Irish folk influences. What really set The Cranberries apart was their emotional depth and their authenticity. Their 1993 debut album, Everyone Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? was an instant classic featuring hits like Linger and Dreams, but it was their second album. No Need to Argue in 1994 that truly cemented their status as a band to be reckoned with. The raw haunting Zombie written about"the Troubles" in Northern Ireland became an international anthem, showcasing o'Riordan's ability to combine deeply personal and politically charged lyrics with a big rock-n-roll sound, all while retaining a sound of Ireland in her vocal delivery. O'Riordan's soaring vocals mixed with the band's music, gave them a signature sound that was instantly recognizable. Unfortunately. o'Riordan passed away in 2018, unexpectedly at the age of 46, but the band's legacy remains strong. Here's a little bit of Zombie from a show in 1999. Coming in at number three is Thin Lizzy, one of the greatest and most influential rock bands ever to come outta Ireland. Founded in 1969 by Phil Lynott and drummer Brian Downey, the band quickly developed a reputation for their twin guitar harmonies, hard hitting rock sound, and Lynott's unmistakable voice. Their breakthrough, however, came in 1976 with the Jailbreak album featuring the band's two biggest hits, the title track and their signature song, The Boys Are Back In Town, a song that remains one of the most recognizable rock tracks of all time. But Thin Lizzy wasn't just about big hits. They were a band that pushed boundaries, blending hard rock, blues, and even Celtic influences to create something that felt uniquely Irish, yet Universal. Thin Lizzy was instrumental in shaping the future of Rock and of Metal. Their dual lead guitar style, pioneered by Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson became a blueprint of sorts for the new wave of British heavy metal bands, including Judas Priest, Def Leppard, and Iron Maiden. And at the heart of it all was Phil Lynott, one of the coolest, most charismatic front men in rock history, who brought a swagger that demanded your attention. Now, it's true that Phil was born in England, not in Ireland, but his mother was Irish and by the time he was eight years old, he had been sent back to live in Dublin with his grandparents while his parents stayed in England So he qualifies for this list, at least according to me, Sadly, his untimely death in 1986 cut the band story short, but their music lives on. Early in their career, they covered a traditional Irish folk song called Whiskey in the Jar, which Metallica later covered as a tribute to them. Number two on the list is Van Morrison, one of the most legendary and influential musicians to ever come out of Ireland. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1945, Morrison has spent more than half a century crafting some of the most soulful, poetic, and timeless music ever recording, blending rock, blues, folk, jazz, and r and b. He created a sound that was uniquely his own. His breakthrough came with his 1967 hit, Brown-eyed Girl, but it was the next year's Astral Weeks that truly cemented his legacy. That album, a mesmerizing mix of folk jazz and stream of consciousness poetry, is widely regarded as one of the greatest records of all time. And then he followed that up with Moondance in 1970, which leaned more into the blue-eyed soul vibe and gave us classics like Into The Mystic and the title track. Morrison's music is marked by his unmistakable voice, a powerful, expressive instrument of its own that can go from gritty blues growl to tender croon in the same song, even in the same line. Ability to channel deep emotion into a song set him apart, making tracks like Tupelo Honey, and Have I Told You Lately, timeless classics. Beyond his impressive discography. Morrison's influence is immeasurable. His fusion of Celtic soul and rhythm and blues laid the groundwork for countless artists from Bruce Springsteen to Bono. He's never been one to chase trends or compromise his work, which has made his career one of remarkable longevity and consistency Whether he is belting out a fiery blues or crafting a transcendent folk song. Van Morrison remains a singular force in music for his innovation and his sheer songwriting brilliance. He rightfully deserves a spot at the top of any list of great Irish musical acts. Here's a little bit of Into The Mystic, a classic Van Morrison song and one of my favorites. Before we get to the somewhat obvious number one band on our list, I wanted to note some of the other great acts that deserve a mention when talking about this subject. Many of the acts I mentioned in the introduction deserve your consideration as do Irish American acts like Dropkick Murphy's and Black 47, hell, even my guy Bruce Springsteen is half Irish, and his song. American Land sounds as Irish as any song mentioned here today. He joins Dropkick Murphy's for a cover of the traditional Irish song, Peg of My Heart, which is a good one. Check that out. Anyway, getting back on track. The number one band on our list of my top 10 favorite Irish rock-n-roll acts is Dublin's own U2. Formed in 1976 by four teenagers who could barely play their instruments at the time. U2 evolved into one of the biggest and most influential bands in music history. Bono The Edge. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. didn't just make great music. They proved that a band from Ireland could become a global phenomenon and stand toe to toe with any rock band in the world. Their rise was built on a foundation of passion and ambition. Quickly moving on from their start as a new wave band, and by their third album, 1983's War, they were a band eager to say something meaningful. They started to find that voice when they turned to America first with 1984's The Unforgettable Fire. And then they reached mega stardom with 1987's. The Joshua Tree. tracks like With or Without You and Where the Streets Have No Name weren't just hits. They were Anthems songs that captured the spirit of an era and still sound just as powerful decades later. U2's genius, I believe, lies in their ability to evolve from the stadium filling rock of Rattle and Hum in 1988 to the experimenting with EDM and industrial music on 1991's. Achtung Baby, they've never been afraid to push boundaries. They then move further into electronic music on Zooropa in 93 and Pop in 1997 before returning to their stadium rock roots in the two thousands, with All That You Can't Leave Behind and How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Beyond the music U2's influence extends far beyond the stage. Bono, especially has become one of the most recognized activist musicians in history using his platform to fight for human rights, aids relief, and global poverty. Whether you love or hate their politics, you can't deny that U2 is always aimed for something bigger than just rock-n-roll. No other Irish band has had the longevity, cultural impact, and sheer number of unforgettable songs that U2 has. U2 stands at the top of our list as one of the greatest Irish rock bands of all time. But which are your favorites? There's plenty of room for other opinions here at the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast, so please let me know what you think in the comments. And that's it for this week's episode. Thank you for joining us. We'll be back next Tuesday, and if you like what you heard today, we'd appreciate it if you would like and subscribe or follow to make sure you get notified about every new episode. And please tell your friends. Also a reminder that we release a playlist for every episode. So look for the Rock-N-Roll Show Podcast Playlist on Spotify every week. This week featuring the songs that I mentioned here today, so please check that out. Additionally, as I mentioned, we want to know what you think, so please leave us a comment. We'll try to respond to every one of them. The Rock-n-roll Show Podcast is a world highway media production. I'm your host, Alex Gadd, and until next time, have a fun and a safe St. Patrick's Day and remember that life is short, so get those concert tickets.