SoundTrack: Brian Shanley – Everyday People
Posted on 29th Jul 09 by Liam Tyrrell | 
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Joining the ever-swelling ranks of a burgeoning funk scene here in Dublin, Everyday People just caught their biggest break so far. The 6-piece ensemble have been given the honour of opening the show for the legendary George Clinton in Tripod this Friday night, July 31st. To find out a little more about these ordinary Joe’s, [...]
Joining the ever-swelling ranks of a burgeoning funk scene here in Dublin, Everyday People just caught their biggest break so far. The 6-piece ensemble have been given the honour of opening the show for the legendary George Clinton in Tripod this Friday night, July 31st. To find out a little more about these ordinary Joe’s, Drop-D put primo-bassist Brian Shanley in the locomotive and sent him off down the SoundTrack.
Drop-d: Can you pigeonhole your music tastes?
Brian: No, I’d need a large cattle ranch to hold all the flavours of music I listen to! I go through stages of delving deeply into a certain type of music, then back to my old favourites. I could be into Ska one week, change from Minimal Techno to Classic Rock to Afrobeat to Dub to Triphop but I’ll always go back to my deep down favourites of funk & soul.
Drop-d: What triggered your musical infatuation?
Brian: Being encouraged to play and learn from a very young age. Some of my earliest memories are coming home from playschool at about 4yrs old, not even taking off my duffle coat, but going straight for my little bon-tempi keyboard to bang out a few tunes. I started off on piano then took up trumpet when I was about 10. Played this through my teens in the Lucan Concert Band and in a number of school plays like Showboat, The Hot Mikado, Bugsy Malone. They really thought me how to read & interpret music. Then I took up the bass, played in a few rock/indie bands. Then got turned on to the funk by a few musicians around Lucan, which marked the point of no return, I was hooked on music.
Drop-d: Is there any music you’d like to hear more of?
Brian: Yeah well I like the way music progresses and new genres & styles are always developing. I’m still looking for some really good hard rock crossed with drum’n'bass!
Drop-d: What influenced your decision to choose a career in a band?
Brian: I suppose seeing live music was the main influence. Obviously listening to and playing it myself was, but some times I’d be at a gig and would be buzzing afterwards, really wanting to be part of the group that had made the music. I used to go out to a pub in Rathmines in the late 90s to see a group assembled by John Earle R.I.P. (The dude who played sax on thin lizzys “Dancin in the Moonlight”). Those sessions really stick out in my memory as being something I would absolutely love to be part of. They played their own versions of some great jazz-funk. I remember Herbie Hancock’s Chameleon in particular.
Drop-d: How much time do you spend listening to music now?
Brian: Close on every waking minute… I never get sick of having music playing around me. Working, driving, cooking, going to sleep. I don’t watch a whole lot of TV either, rather have music playing.
It’s not often you see the whole lot interacting, which is what I would like to achieve eventually!
Drop-d: Do you prefer live music or listening from home?
Brian: A little from column A, a little from column B. I enjoy both of them a lot. It’s lovely to get out and see people playing tunes you’ve listened to at home whether its the original artist or even covers.
Drop-d: How often would you spend at gigs that aren’t your own?
Brian: Plenty really. When I go out my main choice would be to see live music, rather than just tunes playing. There’s some great music out these days and enough of a variety where going to see a proper DJ can give the same satisfaction as seeing a live band. I loved going to the Gaiety as an alternative to a nite club, and was delighted to earn a regular slot there with Everyday People.
Drop-d: Would they be Irish or international bands?
Brian: Probably more international. In the last few years there’s been a few really impressive knowledgeable promoters who’ve put a lot of effort into getting some quality acts over here. Sometimes I’d say they’re not making a whole lot from it as they often have some pretty obscure acts over, but those they get are good performers.
Drop-d: Where does Irish music come on your playlists?
Brian: Well Irish music to me would be trad related stuff. I listen to alot of folk & traditional groups such as Planxty, The Bothy Band, Kila, Flook and the likes. Rory Gallagher gets a lot of plays from me, but I suppose I don’t really listen to much of the modern bands around. Seen a few great bands gigging in the same circuit as us, the likes of The Candidates, Mob Fandango, Grades of Shade, Que Pezon, Burning Effigies. It’s great when you catch acts like these, they kinda give you a kick in the hole make you want to up your game a little too!
Drop-d: What do you think of the Irish music scene? Is it a good place to be a musician right now?
Brian: I think it is. But there are a lot of different scenes within the Irish music scene. I’d feel pretty detached from the likes of the indie scene. Then there’s the jazz & blues scene which I’d like to be more involved in! Trad scene is way out on its own. Funk scene is hard to find. The electronic & dance scene seems to be doing very well thanks to a few well organised groups like Bodytonic. But it’s not often you see the whole lot interacting which is what I would like to achieve eventually!
Drop-d: If you could choose a musical era to experience, what would it be?
Brian: Woodstock 69. Need I say any more?
Drop-d: Name 3 albums you find timeless.
Brian:
Cymande – The Message (1973)
Jimi Hendrix – Band of Gypsys
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Drop-D: Now choose some modern tunes that you’ve really enjoyed.
Brian: I am really really loving the work of a talented producer/DJ called Simon Posford. He’s part of Shpongle which is pretty interesting music! I’m more keen on his involvement in Younger Brother, which is often classed as a Psychedlic Trance group, and the mere mention of this genre causes alot of muso’s to switch off immediatly! In reality I think he’s making to closest thing to the best prog rock from the 70s. Their album “The Last Days of Gravity” is probably my most listened to album of the last year.
Gotta mention the New Zealand scene, namely Fat Freddys Drop & The Black Seeds. They’re making the best soul music around these days.
Funk is seeing a nice revival too with the likes of the New Mastersounds, The Breakestra, The Daptones, Lack of Afro, The Bamboos, Sugarman 3 and Speedometer.
Others: Tommy Guerrero, Boards of Canada, Trentemøller, Zero 7, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher.
Drop-d: What do you find absolutely crap?
Brian: Hmmm, I’m pretty good at blocking out music that doesn’t appeal to me before it gets irritating. Or I imagine a nice bit of funk bass to spruce it up. I suppose I dislike the way vocal effects are used in some modern “RnB” pop songs. I also dislike the hijacking of the genre RnB aka Rhythm n Blues!
Drop-d: You’ve hijacked RTE at prime time and the DJ’s tied up in a corner. Choose five songs you think the nation HAS to hear.
Brian:
Everyday People play Tripod on Friday 31st July with George Clinton. Tickets start at €30 and are available from all usual ticket outlets.
Tags: Everyday People, Funk, george clinton, Tripod