Irish indie rock Von Venn act have released their new single, You Can Talk To Me, from their upcoming album, Forgetting the Fall. We asked front man Gary Cox the BIG questions . . .
Von Venn is the main project of songwriter and instrumentalist Gary, who also plays guitars, bass, and synths. He is joined by Terry Doyle (keyboards, synths, vocals), Ciara Henry (vocals), and Mark Wogan (drums).
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Speaking about Forgetting the Fall, Gary says, "I think that's the events of the last couple of years have led to a general loss of innocence with respect to world events and the bending of value systems to suit narratives. We live in a world where might equals right.
"I reflected upon my own experience from the naivety of youth (full of confidence that people would always do the right thing and people were true to their word).
"The experience of life both personally and with respect to world events taught me differently. The challenge is to be realistic but not cynical about how people operate."
He adds, "If I look at the tracks in the album Forgetting the Fall the tracks follow that arc, from the innocence of Still Falling through to the realism of Mainstream and Can Talk to Me, to the call for action of Be Free.
"Forgetting the Fall is about waking up and approaching the world with a healthy realism."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I once went down the Liffey on homemade raft with predictable results. Nothing more humbling than being dragged out of the Liffey by a rescue boat.
Most of my songs are composed on an old beat up Kay guitar from the 1970s.
My happy place is on top of a mountain.
How would you describe your music?
Unclassifiable, a jumbled mix of rock, folk, indie and alternative, melodic and lyrical with a hint of grit.
Who are your musical inspirations?
A diverse line-up, stretching from John Lennon and John Martyn through to Television, Queens of the Stone Age, Ryan Adams, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Paddy McAloon, Joan as Policewoman, Alt-J, Cannons. It’s a long list.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Tangerine Dream in the National Stadium in Dublin.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Back To Friends by Sombr.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Bonnie by Prefab Sprout. "Words don't hold you, broken soldiers."
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Amore by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Where can people find your music/more information?
The new single and upcoming album will be available on all streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and linktree.
Alan Corr
