Teenage Roscommon band The Flies have released their third EP, the four-track Back in The Garage EP. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
Hailing from Boyle, James Doherty (vocals), JJ Doherty (bass), Darragh Winters (lead guitar), Sean-Luke Doherty (drums) cook up a mighty racket of US alt rock and indie on their new release with an instinct for melody and abrasive guitars.
Tell us three things about yourself?
James: I'm 19, I’m scared of sharks, and my favourite colour is blue, but sometimes purple.
JJ: I have a Neanderthal skull, my favourite fabric is denim and I have asthma.
Sean-Luke: I am Autistic, I am scared of spiders, and I absolutely hate cheese. Yuck.
How would you describe your music?
James: Raw and energetic.
JJ: Catchy with some edge.
Sean-Luke: Definitely rocky but with a real melodic pop sensibility.
Who are your musical inspirations?
James: Kurt Cobain, Leonard Cohen, David Byrne.
JJ: Dinosaur Jr, Weezer, and Kanye West.
Sean-Luke: Arctic Monkeys, Idles, and The Sex Pistols.
What is the first gig you ever went to and the first record you ever bought/downloaded?
James: The first gig I can remember is going to see Hypnotic Brass Ensemble in the beer garden of my local pub. First record I ever bought was probably Now That’s What I Call Music 81.
JJ: The first gig I can remember was seeing Jinx Lennon with my parents. I recall running around like a maniac because I didn’t know how to process the raw music. It was a completely new experience. The first album that I went crazy for was DAMN by Kendrick Lamar, which I listened to on repeat when it came out.
Sean-Luke: The first gig I can remember going to was Damien Dempsey in Wexford. It was a very good gig and it opened me up to music as before that I wasn’t really listening to much music at all. The first record I ever bought was a CD by U2.
What’s your favourite song right now?
James: Let's Go Crazy by Prince.
JJ: Off The Grid by Kanye West, some of my favourite production ever.
Sean-Luke: Right now, my favourite song is Rottweiler by Idles. I love the powerful and energetic drumming in it - especially towards the end of the song.
Favourite lyric of all time?
James: 'How many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry?’ Blowing in the Wind by Bob Dylan.
JJ: ‘Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream’. Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles.
Sean-Luke: ‘It’s a beautiful day, sky falls, you feel like, it’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away’. Beautiful Day by U2.
If you could listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
James: Face to Face by Daft Punk.
JJ: Strawberry Fields Forever.
Sean-Luke: Probably Brianstorm by the Arctic Monkeys. Again, I love the drumming.
Where can people find your music/more information?
You can find our three EPs to date on all streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. We are @thefliesirl on Twitter and Instagram, and @thefliesband on Facebook. We are TheFliesBand on YouTube and you can see our three music videos to date on our channel there.
