1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: The podcast playground. I'm busnight and welcome to Taking a 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Walk Music History on Foot. Follow Taking a Walk at 3 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. It'd 4 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,159 Speaker 1: also be great if you share this podcast with a 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: friend if you like it and leaving us a review 6 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: is great for us as well. You know, we like 7 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: talking about two of my favorite topics, taking a Walk 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: music certainly and radio and folks involved with both sides 9 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: of those businesses. And today we go across the pond 10 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,879 Speaker 1: to Lovely, Ireland to talk with a man responsible for 11 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: branded content partnerships at RTE, Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster. 12 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: He's also the author of a music book, From the 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: Cradle to the Stage. Welcome Alan Swan to Taking a Walk. Well, 14 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: hello Allan, and thanks for being on Taking a Walk 15 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: All the way way across the park. My pleasure was 16 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: it's a long walk from Dublin to Boston. It's a 17 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: great one though, that's for sure certainly is Thanks for 18 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: having me on the podcast. Thanks for being on. So 19 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: Irish music is so wonderful and your book From the 20 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: Cradle to the Stage focuses on a pretty vast variety 21 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: of artists when where you first moved to write about 22 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: so many of these great musicians. And it came during 23 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: a period of my life where I had started in 24 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: radio in Ireland for a radio station. This is years ago. 25 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: It's the twentieth anniversary this year actually of the book, 26 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: and I was presenting the breakfast show, the morning show 27 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: on a station called c KOR, which is a kind 28 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: of a local radio station and kind of Carlo Killed 29 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: air way back when it's two thousand and three. And 30 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: when I was doing the morning show, you know, I 31 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 1: was always mad into my kind of music and bands, 32 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: and all these bands used to visit us in studio 33 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: all the time. And I'd finished the show at nine am, 34 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: and then I used to have this kind of really 35 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: long day where I do my prep for the following 36 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 1: morning and I do want to work from bits and 37 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: bobs and voiceovers and stuff, and I was left with 38 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: this kind of huge gap in the day and I thought, God, 39 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: you know, I'd love to write more about these kind 40 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: of amazing people that a meeting on a daily basis. 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: And I've always been fascinated about people and how they 42 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: get their beginnings and how they start and where they 43 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: come from and how they do the things they do, 44 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: and I thought, God, you know, no one's written a 45 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: book about kind of their beginnings and what was that 46 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: spark that inspired these artists to become who they are. 47 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: So I used my time wisely and I just basically 48 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: started doing interviews with these artists one after another. It's 49 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: snowballed and then I was offered a publishing deal to 50 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,959 Speaker 1: publish the book and it came out and did really 51 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: really well, and since then it's been it's been My 52 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: career has been kind of a lifelong journey in and 53 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: out of the Irish music business, from TV shows to 54 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: live events, to radio programs to podcasts, and it's been 55 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: an absolute honor to meet these people and kind of 56 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: share their stories and just sit in rooms and listen 57 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 1: to these amazing people. I love it. There's so many 58 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: that are integral in the book. I'm going to focus 59 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: on three of my favorites here and it's going to 60 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: be the Three C's and the Cores, Cranberry's and Chieftains. 61 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: Maybe some recollection on those three ce's from your perspective. Yeah, look, 62 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: I think that those three are you know, incredible institution 63 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: of Irish music from from different genres. Be it the 64 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: Course with pop, be at the Cranberries with rock, and 65 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: be at Paddy Maloney's in the book God Rest his 66 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: soul from the Chieftains in traditional Irish music, which is 67 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: you know, so close to everyone's heart here in Ireland, 68 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: and all three crossing over from their domestic successes in 69 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 1: Ireland to be kind of heard worldwide. In some cases 70 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 1: with Padi Maloney and the Chieftains, his music was sent 71 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: off into space. I think I think they took one 72 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: of his instruments and sent it off to NASA, off 73 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: into space as a kind of a recognition of his 74 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: amazing music. I think, sadly, you know, of course the 75 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: Lower has passed away, and what an amazing leader of 76 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: a band and a unique voice, a Celtic kind of 77 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: you know, haunting voice that she had and sadly missed. 78 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: And the Coors who became this kind of international pop sensation. 79 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: And recently I was talking about the Esta actually with 80 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: an amazing Irish music manager called Brian Whitehead and met 81 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: him yesterday and he was saying, God, you see how 82 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: well the Course did in Australia last week they did 83 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: a kind of a big kind of reunion type concert 84 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: a couple of a couple of weeks ago in Australia 85 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: and it went to a really really well And of 86 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: all the people that I interviewed in the in the 87 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: book for all those stories, again you know, a lot 88 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: of of the of the you know, where their inspiration 89 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: came from. A lot of it came from their parents, 90 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 1: and a lot of it came from hearing music in 91 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: the house for the first time and hearing kind of 92 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: family and friends pick up instruments and and and that 93 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 1: love and sharing of music is what got them started. 94 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: But again, you know, like I always say, Buzz, you 95 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: look at the size of Ireland. Their population is only 96 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: close to five million people, and the amount of artists 97 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: this small island, you know, on the on the on 98 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,599 Speaker 1: the western seaboard of Europe, has has given birth to 99 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: is slightly astounding, really per head capital of the country. 100 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: It's it's a the amount of artists and different genres 101 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: that the country's produced that have been sent all around 102 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 1: the world. And although it's only five million of us 103 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 1: on the island, there's probably fifty five million around the 104 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: world of Irish kind of you know ancestry, and it's 105 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,239 Speaker 1: it's amazing the way our stories and our music spreads, 106 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: the stories of you two, how do they spread through Ireland? Yeah, 107 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: I think you two is interesting. I think you two 108 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: there's various camps in Ireland of of whether you love 109 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 1: Bono or you don't love them. And I would be 110 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 1: a massive fan of Bono and a massive fan of 111 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: a fan of the group. You two. They really are 112 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: the pinnacle in the rock world alongside Look you look 113 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: at the Cranberries and the Chieftains, you know, and you know, 114 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 1: I was thinking about the book earlier on and you know, 115 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: bands like the Dubliners, you know, like you know, like 116 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: Bono would would have would have mentioned them before Ronnie drew. 117 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: What a lead man he was. But Bono is this 118 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: amazing charismatic, brilliant songwriter, brilliant voice and and and an 119 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: amazing human being for all the work that he does 120 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 1: around the world and his latest show, his one man 121 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: show that he's doing about the book he just released. 122 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: I haven't seen it yet, but by all accounts just 123 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: its absolute gold. And there's a bit of a love 124 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: hate in the in the population of Ireland with you 125 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: two back and forth. Some people might go, oh, they're 126 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: a big kind of Irish people don't like people that that. 127 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: Some Irish people don't like people who show off a 128 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: bit or are a little bit successful. I think there's 129 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: the old adage that if you in America, if you 130 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: see a guy on the hill with a big house, 131 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: you'll say, Wow, what a success that guy. I want 132 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: to be like him, Whereas there's some Irish people there's 133 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: a bit of progrudgery and they look up with that 134 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: big house on the hill and they go, I'm going 135 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: to get that guy. I don't like that guy. So 136 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: there's you know, but I'd be in the camp of 137 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: a massive fan of you two and all that they've 138 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: achieved and what they've done for this country in the 139 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: sense of, you know, selling our country to tourism and 140 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: being ambassadors for for for our country. Favorite Morrison's story 141 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: involving you, whether it be a good outcome or a 142 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: bad outcome. Yeah, Look, I suppose Van is legendary in 143 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: his interviews, whether you get Van on a good day 144 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: or a bad day. Look, I think sometimes the reason 145 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: we love these artists is not because they're brilliant at 146 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: doing interviews, would be always my view, you know, it's 147 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: just because he's a little bit kind of cold in interviews. 148 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: Shouldn't read the termine what type of an artist he is. 149 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: And like you know, when I hear say a song 150 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: like TV Sheets or like just some of the tracks 151 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: that he's done, be a gloria with them or whatever 152 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: it was, he's an amazing artist and I wouldn't hold 153 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: it against him that he's quite a difficult Interviewee. I'd 154 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: be very much about like him as a performer, but 155 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: I think his reputation precedes himself absolutely. It wasn't a 156 00:08:54,760 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: trick question. By the way. I was wondering. He's van 157 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: so he can kind of do what he wants to do, 158 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: is how I look at it. Yeah, I think he's 159 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: built enough credibles to get away with it. I'd say so. 160 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: The late John Prime spent a lot of time in Ireland, 161 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 1: I know as a result of being married to Fiona 162 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 1: and her heritage. Did you ever have any encounters with 163 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: him as he sort of became one of yours? I didn't. 164 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: I know that the radio group that I work for, 165 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: ORTI Radio and Orty Radio one would have a lot 166 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: of specials around John and I think there's an interesting 167 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: there's a lot of artists from the States who came 168 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: to Ireland, be it folk music or country music. You 169 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 1: look at Johnny Cash and some of the tracksy some 170 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: Irish artists here, Nancy Griffith who came to Ireland and 171 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: really found Ireland. I know that these artists found kind 172 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: of common brethren with Irish songwriters. There's you know, I 173 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: think it's I don't know, as it's kind of a soulful, 174 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: earthy kind of sounds that we have here in Ireland 175 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: that people like John the empathy of the of of 176 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: our landscape and heritage of music. There seems to be 177 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: a common bond there. And there's a lot of artists 178 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: from the States who who came over here and we 179 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,719 Speaker 1: welcome them with open arms, and there's a lot of 180 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: come over here and we'll look after you, will mind you, 181 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: we understand you. And I think that happened with John 182 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: and and artists like Nancy Griffin, people like that. So 183 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: I don't know what it is. I think that's what 184 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: it's probably worth the documentary, But was I think there's 185 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: something Have you ever have you been over here? Buss? 186 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: Have you been earned? I have and I want to 187 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: be back, Yeah, because I think you know, there might 188 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: be an interesting documentary there for you was to come 189 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: over and take a walk over here and maybe talk 190 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: to some of the songwriters over here, you know, because 191 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: there is there's something there between those type of artists 192 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: and that type of music. I'm looking at flights right now, 193 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: so I would be a love it to death. So 194 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: as far as like concert experiences, there's obviously so much 195 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: music everywhere. There's big shows, there's medium shows, there's small shows, 196 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: there's you know, just the local pubs. Now, what are 197 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: some of your favorite experiences in terms of seeing live music. 198 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: It's a really interesting question. I always remember one of 199 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,599 Speaker 1: my there was a performer years ago in Ireland. He 200 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: said he passed away, a gentleman called Joe Dolan, and 201 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: Joe Dolan sang kind of you know, early school rock 202 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: and roll music was part of the show band scene 203 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 1: back in the kind of the sixties and seventies, and 204 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: everyone in Ireland knew who Joe Dolan was. And I 205 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: remember one of the first concerts I ever went to 206 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: as a child was in the Glen Eagle Hotel, which 207 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: is a famous hotel in Killarney and Kerry, and Joe 208 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: Dolan almost had like you could say a residency in 209 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: It was like an Irish Las Vegas, very small with 210 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: not much lights, as the same as Las Vegas. But 211 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: Joe used to do gigs in the Glen Eagle and 212 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: I always remember as a as a he kind of 213 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: had this Elvis vibe, kind of you know, show man. 214 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: He had these famous songs called make Me an Island, 215 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: such a good looking woman and britaant performer. And I'll 216 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: always remember one of the first ever concerts ever went 217 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: to as a as a as a child was and 218 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: like Irish parents back in the eighties used to drag 219 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: their kids along to these late night shows. Probably not legal, 220 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: but we were all there together. So there'd be points 221 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: flowing and getting out. None of the children obviously drinking points, 222 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,559 Speaker 1: but we'd all be there. And the big the big, 223 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: like the room should only take about four under people, 224 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: there was probably nine hundred people in the room. There's 225 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: points flying everywhere, there's packets of crisps, kids running around. 226 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: I'm there, I'm think of eight at the time, and 227 00:12:57,960 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: I see Joe Dolan on the stage and he had 228 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: this and it still sticks with me. Now he's on 229 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: stage performing, all the kids are up the front, everyone's 230 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: having a great time. And he used to do this 231 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: thing where he'll be sweating profusely while performing, and he 232 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: used to get his finger and he flicked the sweat 233 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: of the front of his brow and all the women 234 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: will go, oh, Joe, oh, that's fantastic. And I still 235 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: remember that been like literally scarred as a child, going 236 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: what is that man doing spraying his for the front 237 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: row of the audience. But you know what, they're great 238 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: memories and we're very lucky to be brought to these 239 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: type of gigs at that age and then kind of 240 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: gigs throughout the years. We're very lucky to have some 241 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: beautiful venues in Ireland. One of my first concerts as 242 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: a teenager, we have this beautiful theater called the Olympia 243 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: Theater in Dublin. It's in the city center of Dublin, 244 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: and I always remember as a fifteen year old going 245 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: to see Ocean Color Scene on Valentine's Night. I still 246 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: remember it. There was this kind of four piece kind 247 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 1: of Paul Weller, kind of sixties the Who type band, 248 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: and they had a huge hit in Ireland years ago 249 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: called the Riverboat Song, and I remember going to see 250 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: them at the Olympia later and then over the year 251 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: has been very, very lucky to go to various different 252 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: concerts in you know, all over the place. But those 253 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: kind of I suppose those formulative years of growing up. 254 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's the same with you, Buzz, when you're 255 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: at that age of kind of you know, fifteen, sixteen, 256 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: seventy eighty nineteen, you remember those moments where you've got 257 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: to hear an album for the first time, be it 258 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: like Dave Grows and Dublin during the week and even 259 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: hearing his name instantly brought me back to hearing Nevermind 260 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: for the first time and getting it on a tape 261 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 1: on a school tour and had been passed around the 262 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: bus and people going, have you heard this? Like never 263 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: Mind by Nirvana? It's unbelievable, and you know, just those 264 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: just memories, just they're just fantastic to have and get 265 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: that been on a school tour, come from the burn 266 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: which is down and Claire and people's literally passing a 267 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: walkman around the bus to hear Lithium or you know, 268 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: smells like teen Spirit or all those songs and they're 269 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: just you know, just lovely, lovely memories. So describe the 270 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: sound of radio in Ireland someone from the US. Irish 271 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: radio is really unique buzz in the sense that it 272 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: has a huge daily listenership. I can't remember at the 273 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: top of my head, but it's something along the lines 274 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: of like eighty two percent of all Irish adult population 275 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: population listen to an Irish radio station every single day. 276 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: We absolutely adore live radio in Ireland. And the way 277 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: it breaks down is you have local radio stations, so 278 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: every county has its own local radio station. We have 279 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: regional radio stations for the youth, and then we have 280 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: national radio stations. There's about kind of commercially and publicly 281 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: about i'd say forty something radio stations, maybe fifty, and 282 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: then lots of community radio stations around it. And it's 283 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: a mix. With the local radio stations, it's a mix 284 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: mix of local talk and kind of you know, kind 285 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: of AC adult contemporary types of music. And then you've 286 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: got your kind of national radio stations where you have 287 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: your usual mix of a h R and an AC 288 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: and and EVE a rock station, and you have kind 289 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: of that. But one of the big things that we 290 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: have in Ireland is that we love, as you can 291 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: probably guess from our conversation, we love talking and there's 292 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: a lot of mid morning programs that are all talk 293 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: based and they do really, really well, and there's a 294 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: there's a particular anonymy a lot amomally amomally, I can't 295 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: even say that word. Probably in Ireland there's a presenter 296 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: called Joe Duffy and as you know, Buzz been a 297 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: radio man. Usually the peak of a radio stations that 298 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: starts off Morning Breakfast goes up and then kind of 299 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 1: just goes down and then a small little spike on Drive. 300 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: But what happens in Ireland is with this show with 301 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 1: Joe Duffie show is morning Time. The biggest radio show 302 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: in Ireland's called Morning Ireland, which is like a kind 303 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: of a talk current affairs program. It goes up with 304 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: peaks and then there's a giant peak at lunchtime where 305 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: this guy called Joe Duffie comes on and there's a 306 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: problem called Live Line where people phone in and just 307 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: talk about their problems of the day, be controversial problems 308 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: or something that's in the news. And he's a brilliant communicator, 309 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: absolutely fantastic, just brilliant listening to listeners and talking and 310 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 1: then it goes down and we have some really amazing 311 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: radio personalities and speakers and we're blessed to have them, 312 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 1: you know. So the radio scene is quite healthy in Ireland. 313 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: We love live radio and with podcasts. I think the 314 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: recent Reuters report that came out for Europe is like 315 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: the fastest growing listenership in Europe for podcasts is in Ireland. 316 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: So we've kind of we love our live radio and 317 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: we love getting up into podcasts as well. So and 318 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 1: what's the state of country music in Ireland in terms 319 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: of popularity and who would some of the artists that 320 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:17,919 Speaker 1: are popular there is a variety of country music is 321 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: massive in certain regions of Ireland, so you know, you've 322 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 1: you've artists like Mike Denver, Nathan Carter, people like that 323 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: who are just you know, massive performers and in pockets 324 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: around the country. So country music would be massive in 325 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: places like Monahan in Cavan, Kerry, Cork, Tipperary, that area 326 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,479 Speaker 1: not as big in And there's a weird thing actually, 327 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: like it wouldn't have massive local country artists in Dublin, 328 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: but whenever an American country artist comes to Ireland they 329 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: will sell out three Arena, which is our biggest kind 330 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: of you know arena that we have in Ireland was 331 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: fifteen thousand. Brooks came over in the summer and sold 332 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: out like five stadiums in five nights in a row. 333 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: So you have these kind of two tribes in Ireland. 334 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 1: You have people who just absolutely adore country music, and 335 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: then you've got kind of what I feel, kind of 336 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: snobbish kind of people go country music. It's not you know, 337 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: it's not real kind of music. And well in Israeli 338 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 1: music and it's really really popular and so I think 339 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 1: the scene is definitely growing in Ireland, but there's a 340 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: slight disconnect we're regarding the city audiences in Ireland as 341 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: opposed to the country kind of listeners in Ireland who 342 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,119 Speaker 1: love their country music. It's a weird kind of balance. 343 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 1: There's definitely two tribes of people. But again a local 344 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: country scene does does really really well in Ireland and 345 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: there's a lot of different artists. I must email you 346 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 1: a few and send them onto you, but but a 347 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: very healthy scene. I do want to acknowledge back to 348 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,760 Speaker 1: your book that you wrote the book in terms of 349 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: benefiting a charity called Fighting Blindness. Can you talk about 350 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 1: that charity. Yeah, there're a charity who have been going 351 00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: to long time, and it's twenty years since I did 352 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 1: the book, but they're still on the go. It was 353 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: for people who had degenerative eye disease where they were 354 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 1: slowly losing their eyesight, and this organization called Fighting Blindness 355 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: were at the time one of the leaders in research 356 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: and how to combat that. So all the funds from 357 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: the book that we raised went towards that. It was 358 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: a kind of a close charity to my heart at 359 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:30,359 Speaker 1: the time, and I was very proud to do that 360 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 1: for them. And I think the plan is, hopefully, maybe 361 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: you know, to do a kind of a new version 362 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 1: of the books twenty years on and see what'll be 363 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: updated with kind of some of the newer Irish artists 364 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: that have come to the fore, like Dermy Kennedy or 365 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: Hosier who probably were only babies when the first edition 366 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: of the book came out back in two thousand and three. 367 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 1: It's awesome. So in closing, I know you follow radio 368 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: all over the place, besides adds your home country, so 369 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: I'm sure you follow it in this country. Could you 370 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:12,679 Speaker 1: give operators owners in this country a piece of advice 371 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: that would be meaningful to their future. Don't fight the future. 372 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,360 Speaker 1: I think there's a lot of radio groups worldwide who 373 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: seem to have forgotten why they were popular in the 374 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 1: first place. And I think that they're worrying too much 375 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,080 Speaker 1: about the competition and not worrying about the basics of 376 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: what made them successful in the first place, even simple 377 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: things like you know, automating your overnights. You know, put 378 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: people in there, put them in live, give them a chance, 379 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 1: let them do stuff, let them talk about things, discover 380 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,640 Speaker 1: your new talent. And I think that radio groups around 381 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: the world syndicated so many of their stations, networks so 382 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 1: much of their shows that they just took rip their 383 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: heart into them and they kind of took away what 384 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: made them special in the first place, which was one 385 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 1: to one medium in a live moment where you can 386 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: change someone's life literally. And I don't mean that in 387 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: a kind of a small sy Hollywood kind of way. 388 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: I think we've become too obsessed with with with data. 389 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: I think we've become too obsessed with you know, just 390 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: kind of cutting everything to the core and forgot about 391 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: you know, people always want to like, you know, who's 392 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: going to replace these amazing big names as they pass away, 393 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: And the answer is nobody, Because you're not sitting down 394 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 1: and developing talent. You're not making you're not using your 395 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 1: medium to discover these stars. And it's no surprise that, 396 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: you know. I remember doing a talk at the All 397 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: Access Radio conference in LA but three four years ago, 398 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: and I've sat in a room and I said, you 399 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: do know that kind of Amazon, Spotify, You know, all 400 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: these companies are doing radio. That's what they're doing. That's 401 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: what they're turning their platforms into their they're pumping money 402 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:56,199 Speaker 1: into discovering talent, and they're going to pump money into 403 00:22:56,240 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: podcasting and kind of kind of people sniggered in the 404 00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: room at the time. I was like, guys, you know, 405 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:05,159 Speaker 1: you have this wonderful opportunity, but not fighting them with technology, 406 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: fighting them with talent and keeping what's specially about live radio. 407 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,439 Speaker 1: So I'm very passionate about that. I'm very passionate about 408 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:14,959 Speaker 1: discovering talent, finding great storytellers. And I think that maybe 409 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: operators if they, you know, if they kind of took 410 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: back some of their day parts and put people in 411 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: there and let them make mistakes and take ownership of 412 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 1: and say, look, just go out there and do two 413 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: or three hours. See what happens and just find these 414 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: new starts, Like where are we going to find the 415 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: next generation of radio broadcasters. They're going to come from podcasting, 416 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,959 Speaker 1: because these people are going on podcasts and they're making mistakes, 417 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 1: they're putting stuff up in YouTube, they're taking a chance, 418 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: and they're finding their own tribes. And I think radio 419 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 1: stations need to spend a bit of time finding the 420 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: next generation of broadcasters. I feel like I'm doing some 421 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: sort of sermon. Well, I'm very passionate about it, and 422 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: I think that that's the only way radio is going 423 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: to just you know, save itself and stuff from eating itself, 424 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: you know. Bravo, Alan Swan, thanks for being on Taking 425 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 1: a Walk So it was my pleasure and thank you 426 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 1: so much for having me on. Taking a Walk with 427 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: Buzznight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 428 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:17,880 Speaker 1: get your podcasts.