Limerick indie act Anna's Anchor have released their fourth album, The Merries, and tour Ireland from 12 to 15 July. We asked Marty Ryan of the band the BIG questions . . .
Once a solo affair, this ever-evolving musical project now resembles a collaborative community with frontman Marty Ryan as the band's linchpin.
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They play the Róisín Dubh in Galway on 12 July, The Workman’s Cellar in Dublin on 13 July, DeBarras in Clonakilty on 14 July, and Dolan’s Warehouse in their hometown of Limerick on 15 July. Tickets are on sale here.
The Merries features more individuals than previous Anna Anchor’s previous releases, with Brian Scally on drums, Clare O’Brien on backing vocals (as well as lead vocals for the album’s closing song), and a guest appearance from Hermitage Green’s Dermot Sheedy on bodhrán.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
My name's Marty, I have a musical project called Anna's Anchor and we're releasing our new album on Strange Brew Records. I'm from Limerick City (Limerick for Liam 2023!). I'm currently doing a Ph.D. in Music Education in America at Kent State University.
How would you describe your music?
Indie rock with bits of folk thrown in here and there.
Who are your musical inspirations?
My musical inspirations really came from other local Limerick bands when I was a teenager. Seeing other Limerick bands play at Bakers Place (RIP), release albums, and tour around the country made me feel like that was something I could one day achieve. Bands like Windings, Last Days of Death Country, Walter Mitty and The Realists, and We Should Be Dead.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
The first gig I ever went to was when I was 14 and my mother took my friend Wes and I up to Marlay Park to see Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails and Silversun Pickups. We managed to convince her to leave us off on our own too which I'm not quite sure how we managed that. I remember loving SSPU despite not knowing who they were and still listen to them today. NIN completely flew over our heads and Foo Fighters were as you expected. Not a bad first gig all things considered!
What was the first record you ever bought?
When I was 21, My Dad pulled an old record player belonging to my grandmother (who passed away before I was born) out of the attic and gave it to me. It's an old tube driven unit and sounds so cool. At that same time, I was really struggling to cope with alcohol abuse that was happening within my family. I started going to Al Anon meetings (which I would highly recommend someone trying if they feel that way). The thought of going did scare me at the time, but Moviedrome was across the road, and they had an independent Irish music stand there filled with cheap vinyl. To convince myself to go to the meetings, I'd allow myself to go across the street and buy a record from Moviedrome afterwards. I'm pretty sure the first record I bought was the Windings/Berkeley split 7". While that all sounds cool, if we're talking about the first bit of music media I ever bought, it would have been a Vengaboys cassette tape.....
What’s your favourite song right now?
Right now, I'm not listening to much of my usual stuff in the indie, folk, punk world at all. I've been listening to pretty much only 90s hip hop lately. '93 'til Infinity by Souls of Mischief is on heavy rotation at the minute.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"The ceiling above us, has denied its existence" - on Camp Adventure by Delta Sleep.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Blood Bank by Bon Iver.
Where can people find your music/more information?
The best place is on our website and the usual social media outlets!
