Interview: Whistle
1. Who are you?
We are Whistle - not sure of the origin of the name, but rumour has it that it is the last band name in the world. We’ve been together since the fall of the Berlin Wall, or was it the Ballymun Towers? Definitely before the fall of the Anglo Irish Bank anyway. Des plays a mean guitar, slammed up against Carl’s bad, bad banjo. Jerome will try anything for a tune at the speed of a mandolin. The Reverend Andy walks that bass right through everything, and Enid whups it up good on that there fiddle where Southern Charlotte used to be. Soon, we’ll be adding Cuban beats from Fralan to replace the mighty Sean who has moved to Kilkenny and then we’ll be unstoppable.
2. Where are you based?
We’re based in a garage in the town they call Ash, in the badlands of the N3 Dublin North West Passage. The devil himself won’t go there, ‘cos you can’t get at the 2-bar heater.
There’s a lot of stuff we’d rather you didn’t know about, but we’ve spread the message far and wide this last three years or so. We are most proud of playing at the last two Electric Picnic weekends, especially as our invitations to play were based on word of mouth and people seeing us live. We’re also proud of not having any band fights for the last 3 years!
Now, now? Makin’ buns, man. Makin’ buns. We’re also touting for some gigs, and already have a number of dates lined up for the next few weeks. We are also planning to finally get some professional recording done this year as it’s the one thing we are really lacking right now. Also hoping to get more of our original music into our sets.
It’s that great mix of mix of originals, the newer folk/country stuff, the old bluegrass and country song and the vocal harmonies that really gets people’s attention when we play live and lets us stand out a little from other bands.
Jerome: Down With The Shine – them Avett Brothers, they’re cookin’ with gas.
Des: No idea – reluctant to hang my hat on any one song when there are so many brilliant ones out there. I don’t really do favourites, as the favourite would change every day.
Andy: Impossible question!
7. What's the best album ever made?
Jerome: Pale Green Ghosts – John Grant. Dayum.
Des: It hasn’t been made yet, but we’re getting there slowly - may even get it recorded this year!
Andy: Doubley impossible!
Short term - Get to the top of that queue – the quest for coffee is never over.
Medium Term – Play lots and lots of gigs this year and in between those get some decent recordings and videos done.
Long term – to release albums of original material, to bring as many amazing cover songs that people haven’t heard out of the wilderness as it’s possible to do, play for as many people as possible in the short time left to us on this green earth and the ultimate goal – to keep loving doing this as much as we are now.
Wait a while – we’ll get back to you on that. We have plans in the pot for video and recordings this year, seriously we want to get our originals down quick, and start giving them the life they deserve after they’ve served us so well up to now.
In the meantime just come out and see our shows – you can buy us a pint in any of the fine venues we play around the town – a Rebel Red would do nicely thanks!
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