Limerick brother duo The Guzzlers have released their debut single, 20 Pints To Cherbourg. We asked them the BIG questions . . .
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Tom and Cian O'Dowd moved to Liverpool from their native Limerick last year, and release their debut album, Drinking The Dream, later this year.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
Cian and Tom: We're both brothers. We never got along growing up until we started a rock band in our late teens.
We both moved to Liverpool right when they won the Premier League which was a mental experience. We had no connections, family or friends when we arrived and just started busking everyday on the streets to make a living. It was great craic. Some of our favourite memories of doing music come from them days now.
And the final thing which you might find hard to believe is that we both love a good aul pint.
How would you describe your music?
Cian: Our music is Irish folk with strong punk influences. We both come from a rock ’n’ roll background, similar to how Shane MacGowan blended punk energy with traditional Irish music in The Pogues. We love the raw energy that punk brings, but at the heart of it we’re telling Irish stories and like any great Irish song, sometimes that story involves a few pints.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Cian: The Pogues, The Dubliners and Pecker Dunne. It’s the rawness and honesty they captured in their music that’s so inspiring. Each one of them can make you laugh one second and cry the next. Kind of how life works. That’s the magic we try to capture in our songs.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Tom: Muse in Marlay Park in 2008, I was about eight years old and loved Muse at the time, My Dad brought me and my brother up, I’ll never forget hearing a kick drum that loud, I could feel it in my heart and it's one of my earliest memories, I was up on my Dad’s shoulders for the last couple of songs and it was mind-blowing watching the crowd, don’t think I’ll ever get that experience again. I’m too big to go on anyone's shoulders now!
What was the first record you ever bought?
Cian: My first choice was actually The Slim Shady LP by Eminem but the women behind the counter wouldn’t sell it because I was too young. I must have been around eight. So It was Gorillaz first record instead. Maybe it was for a reason so I wouldn’t turn out to be a rapper.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Tom: I Did it for Love by Ian Prowse. He’s a local music legend in Liverpool. He often plays it in The Monday Club open mic in the Cavern Pub in Liverpool. I’ve been lucky enough to hop on stage and play bass for it a couple of times. It’s a great tune with a powerful message!
Favourite lyric of all time?
Cian: "The road isn’t easy but it’s what I choose, I’m not always a winner but I’ll never lose" - Pecker Dunne. I feel this lyric is the backbone to our identity. For any artist, when you pursue music as a career it can be a very difficult and challenging road. It’s inevitable you will experience rejection and disappointment along the way but accepting it’s not supposed to be easy and using those experiences as fuel for your songwriting is the key to writing real music that connects with people. That’s what lyrics from the greats like this man taught us.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tom: The Limerick Rake. The Pogues do a great version of this. Up Limerick!
Where can people find your music/more information?
20 Pints To Cherbourg is out now. Before we moved to Liverpool, we also made a DIY documentary, which we put up our YouTube channel. It tells more of our story. All links can be found best on our Instagram - Theguzzlersband.
Alan Corr
