Quantcast
Channel: The Tidal Wave of Indifference » Aberfeldy
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 3

Bandcrush: Star Wheel Press

0
0

If you were listening to closely to Lauren Laverne’s excellent morning show on 6 Music a month or so ago you’ll have been treated to a rather lovely little tune by an utterly unknown band named Star Wheel Press.

Lauren’s prone to playing such bands on a regular basis – as are the rest of the team on 6 to be fair – but on digging a little deeper, there was clearly a wee tale to this one.

It turns out the band were from, of all places, Aberfeldy and fronted by yet another Northern Irish ex-pat, the grizzled-yet-dapper Ryan Hannigan, artist and owner of the town’s Temple Gallery by day.

And the music? Short bursts of classic indie-folk mixing the downbeat and the jaunty, best heard on their album Life Cycle of a Falling Bird (available now on Bandcamp, kids). Until the record established its own identity in our subconscious, every time we thought of Star Wheel Press, the tune that immediately sprang to mind was The Opening Taste by the Reindeer Section.

Maybe it was the layered melodies over lightly strummed guitar. Maybe it was the thought of a Northern Irish frontman. But it’s a beautiful piece of work, stuffed with poetic witty asides, and while it’s 15 tracks long, it never tests the patience. What holds it together is Hannigan’s warm baritone, a voice that has filled the homes of scruffy comedian Sean Hughes, author Ian Rankin and the (apparently) dozens of paying customers that have made off with a copy from Edinburgh’s Avalanche Records.

Ahead of a sunkissed appearance at the Grassmarket festival, we grabbed a word with the waistcoat-wearing, singer with the ginger beard.

So who the hell are you?

Ryan Hannigan, Craig Milton, Jimmy Gallagher and Chris Smith. Ryan – Singer lyricist and tune smith – failing neo-Classicist (sorry Sandy Stoddart); Craig – Guitarist, production wizard – Design Engineer (nobody quite knows what that is – rocket ships maybe???); Jimmy Gallagher – Bass walker – Paints bridges (not related to Jeff Bridges); Chris Smith – Classical Composer and HGV driver…

Describe your sound in ten words or less!

Heavy musical muscle without the weight or the conditioning.

Pics of the band are in short supply, but here's one from the Grassmarket Festival - aided by two members of the Gillyflowers

Precisely how does an Ulsterman end up in Aberfeldy running a gallery and playing in a folk band???

Me in a Folk band? Who started that rumour? I went to Dundee Art College (half of Northern Ireland is there*), my wife then got a job in Aberfeldy, started a gallery selling my wares. I met Craig at an Aberfeldy gig in Aberfeldy town hall talked about Clem Snide and Red House Painters and started a crochet club.
 
What’s influenced the music that the band play?

The world before this: Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Glen Campbell. Today’s sniffer: Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, Midlake.
 
For a wee band from a wee town you’ve picked up a fair bit of celebrity endorsement – a good feeling?

Yes, a bit funny really. I think its only celebrities that own it. Looks good, but rubbish for sales.
 
Are you planning any more live dates in the near future?

The Southern Fried Festival Perth 24th July, somebody’s Wee Red bedroom in Edinburgh 23rd July, Aberfeldy Festival. August 6th.
 
Tell us what a ‘star wheel press’ is then… and why that’s the name you’ve chosen for the band?

It’s an old etching press that I use in the gallery – It has a lot of limbs and is so handsome, a bit like an attractive squid. It represents maybe something lost but something renewed. Consider conceptual art – all froth no beer… pah no… I’ll stop there my rant o meter is about to go off.

*As a Dundee alumni I can confirm that this is 100% true.

Anyway, here’s brisk album track Write a Novel (Modern Loss) for your listening pleasure…



Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 3

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images