Lir (band)

Last updated

LiR
Origin Dublin, Ireland
Genres Rock, Alternative
Years activeEarly 90s to present
LabelsVelo, W.A.R.?, 1969
Members Ronan Byrne
Dave McGuinness
Colm Quearney
Robert Malone
John Boyle
Past membersCraig Hutchinson
David Hopkins

Lir, stylized on album covers as LiR, are a rock band formed in the late 1980s in Dublin, Ireland.

Contents

History

The band became known during the 1990s through their live performances in Dublin. [1] Attention from major labels in the early portion of their career led some critics to draw comparisons to U2. [2] The band signed with U.S. label What Are Records? in 1993, which pushed for the band's success in the US through an intensive touring schedule that had the band playing in North America nine months out of the year. [3] Lir continued on this schedule from 1993 to 1997, before conflicts with their management led to a long hiatus. [2]

It would be 13 years before the band's next full-length release, Nest, under the independent label 1969 Records. [3] Lir failed to secure a contract with an established record label.Their Art Teacher once said to them "Best of Music in The Luck Business" ... Sadly Luck never played its part....

A documentary on the band, directed by Shimmy Marcus and entitled "Good Cake Bad Cake: The Story of LIR" was released in 2011, but was pulled from the Dublin International Film Festival due to a legal dispute between the band and their former management. [2]

The band still reconvenes annually to play shows in and around Dublin. [4] [3]

Discography

Related Research Articles

The Pogues British punk band

The Pogues were an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others, founded in Kings Cross, London in 1982, as "Pogue Mahone" – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse". The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s, recording several hit albums and singles. MacGowan left the band in 1991 owing to drinking problems, but the band continued – first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals – before breaking up in 1996. The Pogues re-formed in late 2001, and played regularly across the UK and Ireland and on the US East Coast, until dissolving again in 2014. The group did not record any new material during this second incarnation.

Flogging Molly Celtic punk band

Flogging Molly is an Irish-American seven-piece Celtic punk band formed in Los Angeles in 1997, led by Irish vocalist Dave King, formerly of the hard rock band Fastway. They are signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.

Sleeper are an English rock band formed in London in 1992. The group had eight UK Top 40 hit singles and three UK Top 10 albums during the 1990s. Their music was also featured in the soundtrack of the pop cultural hit movie Trainspotting. The band split up in 1998, but reunited in 2017.

Glen Hansard Irish musician, songwriter

Glen Hansard is an Irish singer-songwriter. Since 1990, he has been the frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, with whom he has released six studios albums, four of which have charted in the top ten of the Irish Album Charts. In the 2000s, he was one half of folk rock duo The Swell Season before releasing his debut solo album, Rhythm and Repose, in 2012. His 2015 sophomore album Didn't He Ramble was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

Dreadzone British electronic music group

Dreadzone are a British electronic music group. They have released eight studio albums, two live albums, and two compilations.

Mary Timony Musical artist

Mary Bozana Timony is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She has been a member of the bands Helium, Autoclave and Wild Flag, and currently fronts Ex Hex.

Kerbdog were an alternative metal band from Kilkenny, Ireland, formed in 1991. Following two albums released on Mercury Records, the band split up in 1998. Since 2005, they have reformed for a series of occasional one-off performances. In 2012, a live album entitled Congregation was recorded and released in October 2014.

Aslan (band) Irish rock band formed in 1982

Aslan are an Irish rock band from Dublin who formed in 1982. Composed of Christy Dignam, Joe Jewell, Billy McGuinness, Alan Downey, the band has released six studio albums: Feel No Shame (1988), Goodbye Charlie Moonhead (1994), Here Comes Lucy Jones (1997), Waiting For This Madness To End (2001), For Some Strange Reason (2007) and Nudie Books and Frenchies (2012).

Damien Dempsey Irish singer and songwriter

Damien Dempsey is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social commentary. He sings in English, and to a lesser extent in Irish.

The Redneck Manifesto are an instrumental rock band from Dublin, Ireland. Its members are Richard Egan (bass), Niall Byrne (guitar) & Matthew Bolger (guitar). Past members include Mervyn Craig (drums), Neil O'Connor & Glenn Keating.

A House were an Irish rock band that was active in Dublin from the 1985 to 1997, and recognized for the clever, "often bitter or irony laden lyrics of frontman Dave Couse ... bolstered by the [band's] seemingly effortless musicality". The single "Endless Art" is one of their best known charting successes.

Trophy Scars American experimental rock band

Trophy Scars, is an American experimental rock band from Morristown, New Jersey, United States, with blues and psychedelic influences. Trophy Scars began as a post-hardcore group but has since embraced broader genres.

David Hopkins (musician) Musical artist

David Hopkins is an Irish singer-songwriter and producer, originally from Dublin, Ireland and currently residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. He was the original keyboardist for Irish alternative rock group LiR.

Bernie Tormé was an Irish rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, record label and recording studio owner. Tormé is best known for his work with Gillan, as well as his brief stints with Ozzy Osbourne's backing band and Atomic Rooster.

Scheer (band)

Scheer was an alternative metal band from County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It was first founded by PJ 'Doc' Doherty and Paddy Leyden. The composition of the band was Paddy Leyden, Audrey Gallagher (vocals), Neal Calderwood, Joe Bates (drummer) PJ Doherty left before the band signed to 4AD and recorded their first album and was replaced by Peter Fleming.

The Pale are an Irish band of varying genres including rock, and indie. They have recorded twelve albums and have toured extensively in Ireland and abroad.

Delorentos Irish alternative rock band

Delorentos are a Dublin-based Irish alternative rock band, formed in 2005. They consist of Rónan Yourell, Kieran McGuinness, Níal Conlan and Ross McCormick. The band's debut album In Love with Detail was critically acclaimed in Ireland, being nominated for the Choice Music Prize and in the Best Irish Album category at the 2007 Meteor Awards, at which Delorentos were also nominated for Best New Irish Band. Two extended plays have also been released; their debut release, titled Leave It On, in October 2005, and the follow-up EP, titled Do You Realise, came out in November 2007. The Delorentos discography consists of a selection of singles which impacted on the Irish Singles Chart, such as "The Rules" in May 2006 and "Stop" in July 2007.

The Script Irish band

The Script are an Irish rock band formed in 2007 in Dublin, Ireland. They first released music in 2008. The band consists of lead vocalist and keyboardist Danny O'Donoghue, lead guitarist Mark Sheehan, and drummer Glen Power. The band moved to London after signing to Sony Label Group imprint Phonogenic and released their eponymous debut album in August 2008, preceded by the successful singles "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" and "Breakeven". The album peaked at number one in both Ireland and the UK. Their next three albums, Science & Faith (2010), #3 (2012) and No Sound Without Silence (2014), all topped the album charts in Ireland and the UK, while Science & Faith reached number three in the US. Hit singles from the albums include "For the First Time", "Nothing", "Hall of Fame" and "Superheroes". The band's fifth studio album, Freedom Child, was released on 1 September 2017, and features the UK Top 20 single "Rain". Their sixth studio album, Sunsets & Full Moons, was released on 8 November 2019, and features the single "The Last Time".

Hudson Taylor (group)

Hudson Taylor is an Irish folk/Americana duo formed in 2011. The band comprises brothers Harry and Alfie Hudson-Taylor. They are currently signed to Rubyworks Records.

Martha (band)

Martha are a rock band from Pity Me, a village in County Durham in the North East of England. After singles on their own Discount Horse label and Odd Box Records, their debut album Courting Strong, was released on Fortuna Pop! and Salinas Records in 2014. As of 2019 they have released three full-length albums on cult UK and US based independent record labels.

References

  1. "Lir make a welcome return with Dublin gig this week". Dublin People. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Brady, Tara (15 March 2013). "Good Cake, Bad Cake: The downfall of the Dublin band once hailed as the next U2". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "No swansong planned for the boys of Lir". The Irish Times. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  4. "Lir return to play Dublin concert". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.