Mysterious Dublin folk act Tau have released All That Is, the fourth track from their EP, Seanóiri Naofa. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
The video and song are a touching collaboration between Seán Mulrooney of Tau and his sister, the artist Deirdre Mulrooney, plus additional instrumentation by Rory Mac Néill Aodha.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, Deirdre says: "All That Is is a call to my personal healing. Like all my songs, it came to me, I didn't look for it. Usually when I'm at my most busy or in transition these songs demand my attention and I make voice recordings on my phone and send them to Seán.
"I encourage people to go on a journey when watching this video. I imagine people hearing the song, setting an intention and healing some of their wounds, shedding light on the darker parts of us we often ignore.
"It is a call, a yawp, a prayer to `all that is', to help us transmute and transform our fear and pain into optimal possibilities. Anchored in the understanding that all personal healing is worthwhile for the whole tribe."
Tell us three things about yourself?
I'm a guy dreaming awake dressed in skins who has a huge amount of grá for life.
How would you describe your music?
Forward moving folk-tinged heart medicine music with the art pedal pushed firmly to the floor. Aho!
Who are your musical inspirations?
I love bands like Tinariwen and Huun Hur Tu. Acts who bring forth the music of their ancestors and their people's while doing something new with old roots. Planxty, Clannad and more recently Lankum would be doing that too. I'll always love early Roxy Music with Brian Eno, The Fall and Nick Cave, who keeps surprising us with great records. I adore krautrock and have played a number of times in Damo Suzuki's sound carriers. A very humble man and great inspiration. I love most sacred indigenous music from the Americas.
https://www.damosuzuki.com/
How did you occupy yourself during the coronavirus lockdown?
In March I decided to go be with my parents and stayed with them for about four months. It was challenging but I felt blessed at the same time. And that time there were less distractions and movements so I got to know myself better. The intimate parts of myself and the emotions I may have ignored or put on hold. I felt a deeper reverence for nature especially during my morning walks in Saint Anne’s Park in Dublin. With those quite moments of stillness I enjoyed the birdsong and I think they were happy too with less planes in the sky. I took up yoga and am still doing it every other day.
I did some live streaming out my back garden which went down well and had the odd swim in Howth, which definitely boosted my immune system.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Y Arriba Quemando El Sol by Violetta Para.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Remember the Mountain Bed by Woody Guthrie - "Do you still sing of the mountain bed we made of limbs and leaves? Do you still sigh there near the sky where the holly berry bleeds? You laughed as I covered you over with leaves, Face, breast, hips, and thighs, You smiled when I said the leaves were just the colour of your eyes."
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life what would it be?
Ghost Town by The Specials (joke).
Where can people find your music/more information?
It's all over interweb. Search Tau and The Drones of Praise and our first album Tau Tau Tau. In my opinion bandcamp is the best way to discover music. Thank you very much for listening.
