Dirty Power, a dynamic fusion of RATM and Nirvana influences, crafts a distinctive sound shaped by diverse musical landscapes. Rooted in a DIY ethos, the band's raw energy and intricate songwriting promise a cathartic mosh-pit-rock experience. Explore their evolving journey, cosmic inspirations, and upcoming projects in this interview.
1. Dirty Power has a unique blend of influences, from
Rage Against The Machine to Nirvana. How do you navigate the diverse musical
landscape, and how have these influences shaped the distinctive sound of the
band?
They’ve shaped our sound by my being obsessively observant of
their output and trusting my instincts about which combination of approaches,
from which influences, would be most suitable to draw on at any particular
time. I had originally thought Dirty Power was going to be a high-energy rock
‘one-trick[1]pony’, like some of my
favourite bands. But the diversity of influences left a window open for a wider
mix of things to sneak in sometimes. We’re still mostly heavy rocking, but like
Metallica, Nirvana and even Rammstein have their acoustic side, so does Dirty
Power.
2. The band started for a gig, bringing together musicians who hadn't met
before. How did this initial collaboration shape Dirty Power, and how has the
chemistry evolved among the band members over the years?
It meant the band was founded on a ‘just get on with it’ DIY
approach. No lengthy auditions and foreplay, no time wasting, just based on my
experience of what would work and what wouldn’t. No years of rehearsing and
never touring. No endless talk without action. No bums who haven’t honed their skills
either.
There’s something electric about ‘first contact’ between
musicians who love the same kind of music and have put the work in, to be able
to rip it on first try. It’s got a real vibe of potential to it and is
unbelievably exciting and satisfying. You can immediately feel how they’ve
nurtured complimentary instincts to yours, inspired by similar or maybe even
some different influences, and they’re ready to muck in and go for the same
goal. When that doesn’t align, it’s really bad and you feel that too - that can
be funny in other genres I dabble in, like jams or fooling around with friends,
just not this one.
The chemistry has evolved, in that each version of the
lineup (who’s on drums and bass) changes, and has its own mini shared history,
stories and feel. So the band itself has become this overriding idea that we’ve
all been in service to at different times - it’s an invitation to contribute
the best parts we can, to this heavy rock music. That’s become the root of the
chemistry and driving force in the band, across the different lineups.
3. The punk and D.I.Y. ethos is integral to Dirty Power's approach. How does
this mindset influence your songwriting, recording, and performance, and how do
you see it contributing to the band's identity?
By not waiting around to be helped, discovered or carried
along in any way. The band is a straight-forward trio, to keep things simple,
punky and powerful - drums, bass, one guitar with vocals. The sound is dirty,
rather than squeaky clean (like some punk or even metal can be) and the imagery
is DIY-looking.
I booked all our own
tours, sorted out all our recording and video sessions and ideas, designed all
our own merch, set up all our online stuff, I wrote, demoed and sang all the
songs, drove to all the gigs, sorted all the equipment and accommodation, made
sure there was always some whiskey and brought everyone together. It doesn’t
get more DIY.
In terms of songwriting, it’s to do with things like making
choices in the character and timbres of each instrument, the simplicity vs
complexity of their lines, the vocabulary of the lyrics, the melodies and the
defiant character of it all.
In recording, it’s to do with how we record drums, bass and
guitar together live, as a band, instead of on laptops, to capture that energy.
Although, we might have found a way to do so in another way for our next
chapter, so wait and see how that evolves…
And for performance, it means that no gig is too big or too small and never blaming the tools. If the venue has shit gear, we still get on with it and play hard. If it’s great, we get on and play hard.
4. Dirty Power describes its music as 'iambic pentameter rhythmic derivatives' combined
with 'psycho-mythological multi-entendre lyrics.' Can you delve into the
creative process behind crafting these intricate and layered elements in your
songs?
Obviously, that was kind of a joke, to take the piss out of
myself for sometimes being too pretentious. The thing is, it’s also kinda true…
Dirty Power is supposed to be a balance of things being so punky and simple
they become profound, and things so high-falutin they become ridiculous.
‘Iambic pentameter’ is a heartbeat-like rhythm of verse that
was used and abused by Shakespeare to breathe life into text. After hearing so
many theories about why and how that would work, it gave me the notion to use
heartbeat rhythms at certain points in tracks (like the bass guitar pattern
during the drum break in ‘Could You Be’ and the chugging guitars in the verses
of ‘I Did My Time’), as well as dictating the tempo of any section or entire
song, according to how fast your heart would be going when experiencing the
relevant emotion etc.
As for the intentionally ridiculous-sounding
‘psycho-mythological multi-entendre lyrics’… After reading Joseph Campbell’s
‘The Hero With a Thousand Faces’, I understood that myths were an old
historical way of describing and conveying psychological experiences or
phenomena - like feelings. So then, any lyric about a feeling can be called
‘psycho-mythological’. As I’m a sucker for multiple meanings, I do like to open
up lyrics that way, or to half-mispronounce words to allow them to be heard
both ways, when the point is that both meanings are relevant or in conflict.
For example, in the chorus of ‘Oh God’, I sing:
Oh God don’t gimme a reason to go along with a lie…
Meaning 1: Please, don’t successfully convince me, to fall
for something that isn’t real… (“lead us not into temptation” etc)
Meaning 2: Let me tell you, God doesn’t give reasons (or
resort to reason at all, for that matter), to lead you astray… (reason is not
the language he’d use; misleading is not the motive he’d have)
Meaning 3: Oh for God’s sake please don’t. Just stop
already. Give me a decent reason to go along with this bullshit… I need it.
Of course, it’s not expected that anyone would get all or
even half of that, without an explanation, on first listen (or ever). But that
wasn’t the point. The point was for me to sum up the conflicting thoughts in my
mind succinctly for my own sake, so I could deliver that line with the energy
that conveys the exasperated mood underneath the words, given the conflict it
represented. I didn’t have the answers; I had the conflicting thoughts and
questions, so multiple meanings in the lyric were what I used to make a musical
expression out of that.
5. The band's sound is often described as 'Fist-pumping, cathartic,
mosh-pit-rock.' How do you balance the raw energy of your live performances
with the complexities of your songwriting, and what kind of experience do you
aim to create for your audience?
The intention is that you can get Dirty Power on at least
two levels: if you’re in a contemplative mood, you can delve into the deep
side. If you’re in a simple[1]pleasures mood, you can
just rock out. Or both. Whatever. Either way, I’m simply participating in the
cathartic tradition of heavy rock. Some days I prefer one, some days I prefer
the other, sometimes both. Nirvana had that going on too - meaningful and
sophisticated parts, layered on simplicity and mosh pits.
The approach I’ve landed on, is to give some songs a mini explanation intro live, and to leave the longer chats for the interviews and behind-the-scenes stuff for anyone interested in going there with us.
6. Dirty Power is known for being an evolving collective of musicians. How does
this flexibility impact the creative dynamics within the band, and what
advantages does it bring to the songwriting and recording process?
It certainly means we can keep the momentum going, when one
or other person isn’t available for legitimate reasons, as long as I’m around…
I remember Rammstein talking about the secret for keeping their band going for
so long, is that they take each other’s need for a break very seriously. That
means they stop touring and recording if any one member says they’re not up to
it. My version of that is to give people a break and welcome them back into the
fold, when the other needs a break. I guess I don’t get a break.
Like I said before, I write all the songs and then look to
put together a lineup that can deliver the goods, in a certain place, at a
certain time. I wish it was a fairytale story of how my first musician friends
all stuck together forever and we rocked for decades, but that’s not how it
went down. So we mix it up.
Back when I first
heard the term ‘progressive music’, it blew my mind because I (wrongly) thought
it meant a band constantly evolved its music and approach with the leading
genre of the times… apparently that’s not what it means… but I still like the
idea of evolving in this other way.
So it’s always fascinating to me how each individual will
bring a different touch or vocabulary to each instrument. When I hear how each
person plays each part, I really enjoy looking for the subtle ways to explore
nudging them either in the direction of the strictly demoed part, or the
direction of the individual’s nuances - it depends completely on what works for
the intended purpose.
It keeps everything fresh and evolving. Maybe we’ll land on
a permanent lineup someday. Apparently not today.
7. The band's core remains a Drums, Bass, Guitar-and-Vocals trio. How does this
classic lineup contribute to the band's sonic identity, and what role does each
member play in shaping the overall sound of Dirty Power?
As you say, it’s classic. And for very good reasons. A rock
trio is the perfect balance of audio frequencies, to allow for the most sonic
space to be taken up by each instrument. It doesn’t matter if someone on guitar
is doing vocals as well or not, so I count Rage Against The Machine and
Audioslave in that same sonic bracket, because they have the same number of
instruments. Doubling up or layering instruments just means each one has to
sound smaller to leave room for the others. It’s also so much tighter-sounding,
because you simply have fewer instruments to get aligned on any beat. Fewer
schedules to combine too.
Even with different drummers and bassists, the starting
instructions are always the same:
Drummer: groove hard, with caveman fills and no double kick.
Bassist: groove hard, with low end ostinatos and no tapping.
Me: play hard, with harmony and no diva nonsense.
8. Dirty Power is based in both Dublin and London. How do these cities
influence the band's music, and what aspects of each city's music scene do you
draw inspiration from?
Dublin and Ireland remind us it’ll be grand and to have the
craic, while London tells us to get on with it and do it properly. It’s a
contradictory balance of useful opposites.
To be honest, saying we’re based anywhere is weird, as we’re
from all over Europe, and I’m in West Cork a lot of the time too, which is a
place that reminds us to keep grounded roots, heart and soul in what we’re
doing… so we’ve been helped by quite a few places along the way.
Whenever possible, I also like to tip the cap to the local
musical traditions, in each country we play in. In England it’s our detuned
version of ‘Immigrant Song’ by Led Zeppelin, in Ireland it’s our heavy version
of Rory Gallagher’s ‘A Million Miles Away’ or ‘Foggy Dew’, in Germany it’s
Rammstein’s ‘Los’… All influences, so tributes are due.
9. Your music is often described as having a cosmic promise and profundity. How
do you see the redemptive healing powers of music manifesting in your work, and
what messages or emotions do you hope to convey to your audience?
Again, “cosmic promise and profundity” was a stab at myself
for being oh so deep, maaaan.
After all the Joseph Campbell psychology stuff, I think I
had just seen Tenacious D perform live and they played ‘The Cosmic Shame’. I
love how mixing rock with funny opens another valve and loosens the delivery.
That reminded me of when I met Barry Devlin (of The
Horslips). He told me they had a hidden side of the band that was just taking the
piss - singing about saving the world, while striking a pose for the camera in
fancy dress, swinging a bass guitar around… Maybe you can’t go deep unless
you’re prepared to go silly… so that’s a part of DP too. Not clowning around
too overtly, begging for laughs all the time… but not trying to be tough guys
or revering your own farts too much either.
That, and the truth of the matter that navigating life’s ups
and downs with something like music as a companion or diary of sorts, helps to
process, express and share the healing or hurting that you know, to the benefit
of others. I only know so because that’s one of things music did and does for
me.
10. Tours, videos, and recordings are in the works for Dirty Power. Can you
share any insights into what fans can expect in terms of upcoming releases,
live shows, or other exciting projects?
Our first EP ‘Notions’ is a wall-to-wall rocker and has been
out for a while, with a remastered version going out just before Covid.
Then, during all the lockdowns, I plotted to record a more
mellow, acoustic EP called ‘Gravitas’ in my Pirate ancestor’s castle on the
Southwest coast of Ireland, with anime cartoons added to the videos. We’ve just
finished the 2023 launch gig dates for that, so those songs are starting to
release now and will be continuing to come out over the next while.
Off the back of all that, we’ve had great reactions from some unbelievably exciting people in the music world - literally people who are probably in your top 10 Spotify list if you listen to rock. They’re certainly in ours. So with online stuff picking up going forward, it’s worth keeping an eye on our channels to see where it all goes next.
11. Dirty Power's early days saw support from audiences, venues, and
established acts. How have these experiences shaped the band's journey, and
what lessons have you learned along the way?
It basically meant we could operate as an underground band
for a long time, to find our feet and our sound, building the touring backbone
of the band in the old school way. While other new bands were getting rejected,
venues were really welcoming to us. I remember one venue owner in London
shouting down the street at us at 6am during and extended lock-in, to “come
back and finish what we started”.
Bands like Young Dubliners (a well established Celtic rock
band in the States) took us under their wing and shared all their gear and
audience with us. So it kept our costs down and we didn’t have to advertise
much or shout on social media about something that wasn’t really ready for that
yet.
I also worked on those tours in different countries as drum
tech, guitar tech, monitor engineer, merch seller, tour manager etc… between
playing live and partying and all the rest. So I got to learn every side of the
machine from the ground up.
Working the road with
real-deal, old school touring bands like that taught me so many lessons that
you just can’t get from talking about it or watching tutorial videos.
12. The band's website mentions joining the mailing list for the best way to
stay in the DP loop. How important is direct fan engagement to Dirty Power, and
how do you connect with your audience through various platforms?
With all the thought and care that goes into making things
for Dirty Power, it just seems stupid to direct people to the distraction-fest
tornado of self denial that is social media. So I do care about sending people
things directly and getting to chat to them, if they actually get what it’s
about and like it. There’s no better way I know of, than an infrequent email,
which just sums up what we’ve been up to and lists the best new things to check
out. But the ever-changing algorithms, which demand that we pay to reach even a
fraction of the people who have followed us are the people’s choice… so we’ll
put some stuff on there too.
13. Dirty Power's music is described as 'heavy rock riffs, big grooves, with
tricky solos and sing-along choruses.' Can you walk us through your songwriting
process, and how do you strike a balance between complexity and accessibility
in your compositions?
Ok…
An idea will come, either seemingly from nowhere, or from a
specific source of inspiration, in the form of a memory, concept, lyric,
feeling, rhythm, melody or chords. Then I’ll write it down or record it on the
voice memo app on my phone. From there, it goes into my scrapbook until a
writing session comes up (three per week). Then I’ll decide if it’s something
for Dirty Power or not and flesh out that seed into a demo of some sort - check
out our ‘Quick & Dirty Demo’ shorts on Youtube, to hear some of these. I
make them as quickly as possible, with little regard for production and high
regard for the vibe. Then I’ll listen to those ‘Q&DDs’ on headphones on
walks, flights or on drives and listen carefully for space, overcrowding, or
even just a vibe that’s calling out for something to come before, after or over
it. If it reminds me of any other bands or memories of any sort, I’ll revisit
those, to get a sense of what they consist of or how they arose and unfolded.
At this point I might jam the thing with some band members, to see how it
translates to real instruments. If it’s a non-musical concept or lyric, I’ll
talk about it with certain friends or write as much about it as I can with pen
on paper, to isolate the core elements and do some research. Then I’ll develop
it more, into the bare bones of a song structure, without any fancy solos or
anything added (unless the initial idea was actually a solo etc) and will go to
open mics or house parties to perform it live acoustically and get a feeling
for how it comes across there and how it lands (or not) with an audience. I
usually try to remember to record those performances on my phone and repeat the
process of listening on walks or drives, to feel out how it wants to evolve. By
then I’ve usually got some idea of the concepts, key, chords, structure, which
parts feel strong or weak, important or less so, which rules it should break
etc… Then I’ll develop the thing fully in my home studio and start approaching
mixing engineers, who’ll help decide where to record, unless I’ve decided on a
specific place, like the pirate ancestor’s castle for ‘Gravitas’. I like the
live studio band performances, to form some part of the videos as well, so I
start working with video people to plan that, as well as discussing which
approaches to use and which extra visual elements will be explored later, to
deliver something that lives up to how special the whole thing has become (or
always was). Next, I’ll link up with the drummer and bassist who are on board
for the session and get them dialled in to the existing demos, finally exploring
which elements of the songs (no matter how big or small) speak most to their
own technical and artistic sensibilities and get them to elaborate on those
musically in rehearsals. Maybe as an intro, a live version, a solo, or as a
complementary instrumental track, to act as a kind of prelude or bonus track.
I’ll do the same for myself, deciding which vocal approach to take for each
section, which type of guitar solo would bring out another complementary side
of the music or concept etc. This is where the more obvious complexity comes
in, in the form of technical abilities, or the intentional camouflaging
thereof. Then we record and film, and everything changes, as we respond to the
room, setting and the environment that we’re in. Finally, it’s on to editing,
mixing and mastering, where all the processes of careful listening repeat, and
a similar but different push and pull of exploring sensibilities and instincts
happens with the engineers, as did with the band members previously. Meanwhile,
the same process takes place with the filmed band studio performances and any
additional visual elements that are called for.
I skipped over a few things like adding guitar and vocal
overdubs at home etc, or how to refine certain parts to be able to play them a
certain way, or coming up with the extra visual elements. But after all that,
if we’re lucky, someone will read our tweet about it. If we’re very lucky, they
will like the tweet.
We’re not on Twitter. Please join our email list.
14. As a band that has toured internationally, how does the experience of
performing for diverse audiences influence your music, and what cultural
elements do you find particularly inspiring during your travels?
It’s definitely shown us that different cultures absorb
music differently in some ways, and the same in others. Danish crowds will
stand absolutely still, and tell you afterwards that it was the hardest they’ve
ever been rocked in their lives, while asking you to sign their bodies.
Austrians will mosh like mad and then forget who you are as soon as you stop
playing. The Irish will sing and mosh like animals, the English like it’s a
riot and the French will just about half look over their shoulder at you.
But there’s a common heartbeat and appreciation for the
bands we’re influenced by, so people everywhere seem to really respond to our
having bothered to contribute our take on those sounds, that music and that
whole vibe.
15. Looking ahead, are there specific goals or directions you envision for
Dirty Power's musical evolution and growth? How do you see the band evolving in
the coming years?
Having opened with the ‘Notions’ EP and having only just
completed the ‘Gravitas’ EP, the next chapter feels like it might have a really
fun element and a return to heavy sound to it. It’ll definitely be created as
quickly as possible, because Covid meant that ‘Gravitas’ took absolutely ages.
Which was fine and suited the concept, but that was done and done to the best
of our abilities. So the next thing shouldn’t be the same. Maybe what comes
next will have more of an online element to it, maybe more improvised… all only
ideas at this stage. I’d also love to add more vocal harmonies, if the opportunity
presents itself. I also have some very exciting ideas for who to team up and
collab with down the line, so that’s all yet to happen. Then I love the idea of
bringing a small crowd with us, on a mini tour to visit come cool places for a
weekend - aka Dirty Weekends™.
For now, we’re
basking in the glory of releasing the tracks and videos on ‘Gravitas’.
16. In a few words, how would you describe the essence of Dirty Power's music
and the experience you aim to create for your listeners?
Dirty Power is an unstoppable, ever-evolving,
cross-border-collaborating, labour of love, for fans of alternative, metal and
punk. From the crossroads of the old- and new-school, this ‘modern alternative
hard-rock’ trio is doing the splits, with one foot in the past, one foot in the
future, and the rest straddling the present… RATM groove riffs, layered with
Nirvana choruses and tasty solos sprinkled on top, all combined to deliver a
satisfying burst of badly-needed, cathartic, rock adrenaline.
Dirty Power Band - Click on things we made and buy our stuff. (dirty-power.com)
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