In a music industry filled with manufactured pop acts, The Revs from Donegal are proof hard working rock bands performing their own music can succeed.
Formed in 2000, Donegal indie rock band The Revs are Rory Gallagher on bass and vocals, John MacIntyre on guitar and vocals and Michael O'Donnell on Drums. Rory Gallagher explains the band formed purely for the enjoyment of playing music and,
I think people picked up on that vibe.
The band write their own music a process that John MacIntyre’ finds therapeutic. In 2001 The Revs played a record number of fresher’s gigs and released two singles 'Wired to the Moon’ and ‘Alone With You’. So far in 2002 they have released ‘Sonictonic’ a live album recorded at Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin.
The Revs dedication is paying off, winning the Meteor/Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) Best Newcomer award for 2002, the only category where the public vote decided the winners.
There is no love lost between the Revs and manufactured pop bands such as Six and Bellefire. In an open letter to the Irish music industry they slated the inclusion of both bands in the Best Newcomer category of the Meteor Ireland Music Awards. Michael O’Donnell points out,
They weren’t really bands, they weren’t really writing their own songs.
Such bands start out at the pinnacle of their career and have nowhere to go. Rory Gallagher prefers the more gradual development of bands like REM and U2,
U2 spiralled into legends in their own time.
The Revs are about to embark on a seven week tour playing dates in the United States of America and Australia.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 12 March 2002. The reporter is Anthony Murnane.
