| Interview with Blizzard's Frontman Bresy. |
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Wednesday night saw the return of the Blizzards to Dolan’s Warehouse, and the return of Blizzards-fever to Mary I! The venue was packed to the rafters and song after song the Mullingar band kept students entertained, (and the female contingent screaming!) I caught up with front man, Niall Breslin, during dress rehearsal to find out how their superstar lifestyle is going…
Edel: So Niall “Trust I’m a Doctor” is turning out to be another classic college anthem! After the highs of Oxegen 08, what makes you come back to do the small college gigs?
Niall: These are by far the best gigs. Oxegen is too much of a nerve-ending gig where you can’t enjoy yourself until it’s over whereas theses gigs you can enjoy it even before you go on. They’re great, there’s a smell of energy from the crowd. Dolans would probably be up there with the best for that kind of energy.
E: So what can fans expect from the new album?
N: It’s very much the same in terms of its quirky and really up-lifting. It’s definitely matured a lot. As musicians we’ve done a thousand gigs since our last album, we know our way around studios now… I think overall the songs are stronger whereas in the last album we concentrated on getting a real catchy hook, we never really bothered about the songs but this time we did.
E: Great to hear! What then is influencing this album? What’s current that you’re listening to?
N: Lots! Well… I’m not really into bands really, just into good songs. If anyone comes out with a good song I like, I don’t care who it is, I’m not snobby… I suppose I don’t listen to as much music as I should! When I’m not playing and not in studio, I really couldn’t be arsed listening to music, your head needs a rest sometimes. This album, there’s so much in it: there’s funk, there’s punk, there’s ska, there’s reggae, there’s pop, it’s quite eclectic. We’re not an indie band who has to be left of centre ya know.
E: Ya, there’s quite a mix in it so! Do you ever get tired of the music industry?
N: The industry is actually one of the most enjoyable in the world! It’s very easy to be part of an industry that’s very regulated and simple when you know what’s coming the next day and the day after that. But in the music industry you have to be able to fight your corner and we’re more than able to fight our corner. So far nobody has s*** on us. I think we’re quite good with people. We’re quite diplomatic and the good guy always wins! That’s our mantra!
E: Good stuff! Changing it up a bit! How did you know you wanted to get into music? Was it something you always wanted to do when you were younger?
N: Well my mum’s a music teacher. My brother is a music teacher and a session musician, so we’ve always had instruments in our house when I was a kid. With music, it was the easiest thing in the world for me. I was able to sit behind a piano and pick up a song like that (clicks his fingers). Same with the guitar, or any instrument that was lying around. I just found music so simple. I found there’s only a certain amount of notes, only a certain number of ways they can be played. I was like this is a piece of cake, we do people think it’s so hard. So that’s why I got into it, I found it easy! If it was hard I wouldn’t have bothered my arse! E: Ha, can’t argue with that! So for up and coming bands, would you have any advice for them?
N: Eh… honestly you have to have a very big set of brass b***s on ya if you wana genuinely make it. You’re gona be hit from every angle by everybody. People are gona say good things about you. People are gona say really bad things about you, and your just gona have to accept that and take it. If you’re not 100% committed or there’s even an inkling someone else in the band isn’t get rid of them, don’t even waste your energy, they’ll break your heart a couple of years down the line when you’re really getting somewhere. You have to be 100% committed and prepared to take knocks. Basically if you’re sensitive don’t bother your arse!
E: Sound advice there! So, you’re kind of big stars now, any outrageous backstage requests or luxury buys?
N: (Laughs)…I’m afraid if we even tried to do that we’d be shot down! As five people we are totally totally the same people as we were three years ago. As a band we’re different, we won’t accept s***. If we arrive at a venue and it’s substandard, the PA is all over the place, we won’t accept that. It’s not because we’re too big for our boots, it’s because we spent hours upon hours upon days upon weeks in rehearsal getting our stuff together, and we’re not gona let some venue let us sound like crap, that’s one thing were very stringent on. We’re not this international group or anything, we’ve done really really well in Ireland and we’re happy with that. We don’t see ourselves as anything other than the Blizzards of three years ago. But things are moving for us and hopefully this time next year we’ll be somewhere else…
E: Ya? Any international plans yet?
N: Ah ya, the last record we weren’t ready for, and we are now. We know now, we’ve done Oxegen, we’ve played with the Kaiser Chiefs and the Kooks, we know were well able to play with those bands and take them on, so that’s the confidence we have. We’re going to America in October, so hopefully…
E: Brilliant, best of luck with that! So the future of the Blizzards is heading overseas!
N: Oh man America, both albums were actually made in America, by American producers, mixed and mastered in America. It doesn’t have an American sound, but I love American music, it’s my favourite type of music. The UK scene is a bit stale at the moment. It’s a bit cloney. Everyone sounds the same. And of course I love Irish bands! |
