New Wicklow act A Boy in Cords has released his new single, Stupid Like That. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
The song has already featured on UK reality show Made In Chelsea and A Boy in Cords cites Aztec Camera and Prefab Sprout, Glass Animals, and The 1975 among his influences.
"I've always thought of myself as a happy-go-lucky sort of guy, happy doing my own thing and comfortable enough in my own skin," he says.
"But at the same time, I’ve struggled with an ever-present undercurrent of negativity and bleakness that gnaws away at me and that I have to work really hard to keep at bay.
"I think this part of me really excelled during the second lockdown and I ended up in hospital after a series of horrific panic attacks.
"The realisation that I didn’t have anywhere near the level of control I thought I had really knocked me, so I turned to transcendental meditation and a renewed passion for writing and producing music as ways to distract my mind and regain some sort of control. And that’s where a boy in cords started.
A former guitarist playing with many different bands over the years including The Devlins, A Boy in Cords played guitar on the recently released War Machine by Irish punk-funk outfit Def Nettle, collaborating with Andy Rourke of The Smiths.
He comes from good musical stock - his uncle was the founder of the renowned Irish showband The Royal Showband, who enjoyed great success in Ireland and abroad and shared the stage with legends like The Beatles and Elvis.
Tell us three things about yourself?
I am a fully self-contained musical unit in that I write, sing, play all the instruments, produce, mix and master all of my songs myself…. I guess I’m a control freak. I’m very self-critical when it comes to my own music and take a totally ruthless approach to song writing. Since the age of 16 my main ambition in life was to be a dad. I now have three daughters. Everything else in life is icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned.
How would you describe your music?
I think it’s best described as melodic indie pop. I try to write catchy radio friendly tunes with a bit of an edge.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I’m big on melodic hooks so my formative years were spent listening to The Velvet Underground, The Smiths, XTC, Stina Nordenstam, Aztec Camera, The Blue Nile and Prefab Sprout. Then I added a lot of Rap into the mix like N.W.A., KRS-One and Public Enemy, and later acts like Kendrick Lamar, SZA, guap and Lil Tjay. I’m definitely inspired by artists who blend interesting production with catchy pop sensibilities so these days I listen a lot to acts like The Japanese House, Sad Night Dynamite, Glass Animals, Eryn Martin, and even Ariana Grande.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
My oldest brother Colin took me to see Aztec Camera in McGonagles on South Anne Street. I was just a kid but had been listening to the High Land Hard Rain album through his bedroom wall and demanded he take me. I later stole the record off him and used to sit for hours listening to it with guitar in hand trying to figure out all the crazy chords Roddy Frame was using. Once I had mastered how to play Oblivious it was time for me to start writing my own songs.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Animal Magic by The Blow Monkeys. I was obsessed with the single Digging Your Scene and Dr. Robert’s voice.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Frank by Easy Life. It’s a couple of years old, but I can run for miles listening to that track.
Favourite lyric of all time?
My favourite lyricist by a country mile is Paddy McAloon from Prefab Sprout, so it’s got to be one of his. This is the opening verse of Technique from their first album Swoon:
Her husband works in Jodrell Bank, he’s home late in the morning
Had he been a lawyer, he wouldn’t work for pennies
In the morning I go walking, it helps the hurtin’ soften
I’ve seen a lot of places, 'cos I miss her very often
But I could never work there, what a shame that I’m not clever
It’s for men with horn-rimmed glasses, and four distinguished A Level passes
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Roscoe by Midlake. I even named by Bearded Collie puppy after the song!
Where can people find your music/more information?
Apple Music, Spotify, Instagram, YouTube.
