I don't think one other artist in the 2,000's struck a chord with me as much as Damien Rice did! There is music that is enjoyable and then there is music that cuts through you to the bones and gives you chills! There is music and then there is music that stops time, burrows itself into every fiber of your being, hits every nerve, gets your heart racing, gets your skin raised with goosebumps and makes your spirit feel like it's elevating to a greater beyond. That's not music, it's art! There is not a dud in Damien's catalog of music, not a live performance that hasn't moved me and so far both his studio releases have been 5 star albums to me! His collaborative period with Lisa Hannigan is the best chemistry and result of a male female pairing I've ever heard! I could make a whole thread on Lisa as well but I'll control myself and keep it all contained in here! I'm going to make this a long and detailed thread so I won't be giving a lot away at once! I hope you will follow me as I tell the story of the greatest thing to happen in folk rock in a very long time!
Here's a sample of this artist for people who don't have any idea of who this artist is and a promise that this is just the sprinkles on the icing of the cake! These are the opening singles off of Damiens two studio albums O and 9!
The Blowers Daughter (From debut "O")
(my first Damien song like most, background story will come later)
9 Crimes (Lead single from sophomore album "9")
(may be Damiens biggest mainstream success, haunting song that's had so many covers)
Well, hope in the end I'll be able to give the gift of Damien to at least one single person! Peace for now!
Yes Sooty, because of you I am a fan and have downloaded his music onto my mp3 player
Yep, me too. After you posted him in Musical Thirst way back when...I had to go and hunt down his music and promptly extract the audio from that performance of "I Remember".
Yep, me too. After you posted him in Musical Thirst way back when...I had to go and hunt down his music and promptly extract the audio from that performance of "I Remember".
Juniper Damien Rice-Vocals
Paul Noonan-Drums
Dominic Philips-Guitars
Brian Crosby-Guitars
Before becoming a solo artist Damien was part of a band called Juniper under the odd moniker "Dodima" Rice! The band was picking up quite the buzz with their Weatherman track but the band ended when the label was pushing them to be something they weren't. In fact, one of the songs that Damien was pushing for was a track called Eskimo which would end up on his solo album! Damien left the band and they never came out with an album despite the potential they had! The rest of the band formed Bell X1! Here are some tracks from this short lived band:
The following are studio demos which Damien did with Juniper which signify that he was changing direction! In fact, the label wanted the label wanted an angrier band but Damien was creating songs closer to what he would do as a folk artist! In fact, a few of these ended up on his solo albums!
Sex Change
Toffee Pop
Then Go
These next two would end up redone for a Damien B-Side EP:
The Professor
Woman Like A Man
The following would be recreated for Damiens debut O:
Amie
I Remember December
(shortened to I Remember, this is a very early version of Harkats vid)
From the videos you posted Sooty I think I can say that I much prefer Damien as a solo artist than with Juniper.
When I really like an artist Cosmic I tend to not focus on what part of their career I like the most because at that point I consume it all and love to see the insight of how they progress! Once a singer becomes an "artist" to me my whole perspective changes. I don't even like Gish the best from the Smashing Pumpkins by far but I look at it as "Awesome! This was their raw, psychedelic period!" That band was just a cool period in Damiens career that I keep wanting to hear because of the seed it planted. I especially love the raw early versions of songs he would later release solo!
When I really like an artist Cosmic I tend to not focus on what part of their career I like the most because at that point I consume it all and love to see the insight of how they progress! Once a singer becomes an "artist" to me my whole perspective changes. I don't even like Gish the best from the Smashing Pumpkins by far but I look at it as "Awesome! This was their raw, psychedelic period!" That band was just a cool period in Damiens career that I keep wanting to hear because of the seed it planted. I especially love the raw early versions of songs he would later release solo!
Well I usually try to look at it like that too but sometimes I just listen to stuff from some of my favorite artists and think "Ooo....um....well they can't all be winners.". For example, every album Meat Loaf put out between 1981 and 1993. I just can't look at the albums put out during those years and find anything all that good with them because they weren't honestly very good. Though trying to be the optimist that I am it just made Meat that much cooler when lightning struck again with "Bat II" since it came out of nowhere like the original.
Though back to Damien. I do like the early demos too. I always like to hear songs in their different incarnations. It really shows how the song grew into it's final form.
Damien did a lot of soul searching after the breakup of Juniper! He went to Tuscany and settled down for a bit to do some farming of all things. His passion to create though wouldn't let him settle for long though. He followed that urge and decided the best remedy would be to return to his roots and homeland of Ireland. It was there that he still found himself restless and so he became a journeyman and traversed much of Europe. He took in the beauty of the experience and the lessons in order to write what would become the best music he had written yet. He was a street performer collecting just enough to travel and perform.
When Damien returned home once again fate would work it's Magic. Damien's grandmother told him about a second cousin of Damiens who actually worked as a composer and producer!
This guys name was
David Arnold
The guys got credentials too!
He's composed for:
Stargate
Godzilla ('98)
Independence Day
The World Is Not Enough
Die Another Day
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace
(amongst many more but his Bond ones stand out considering what a huge fan he was to begin with and what a great gig it is to take John Barry's spot)
He's Produced:
KD Lang
Pulp
Chrissie Hynde
Iggy Pop
Garbage
David McAlmont
Martina Topley-Bird
Natasha Bedingfield
Aimee Mann
George Michael
So when Damien found out he simply called to get advise on how to get into the industry. Damien ended up scrounging all the money from his travels and creating a Demo to send to David! David was so impressed he funded for Damien to have a studio. Damien by the end of the recording process had done all the recording, mixing and production himself with the exception of "Amie" which was handled by David Arnold. The recording took place in 8 7 16 track recording studio in varuious locations spanning Cahirdaniel, Celbridge,Rathgar, Monkston, Paris, Killarney, Ranelagh and Chatlam St. College! These recordings would become:
One simply cannot talk about Damien Rice and especially the era that O came out in without mentioning Lisa Hannigan. The two are inseparable and have fused the most chilling, stunning chemistry I've EVER seen between artist! Lisa is just gorgeous aesthetically and spiritually. I can't lie! I have a major crush on her still!
Damien found Lisa in 2001! While attending the
Trinity College in Dublin
to study Art History Lisa met Damien in her first week. They met at a local pub called
Whelans
and had regularly run into each multiple times there and ended up conversing on a regular basis. Damien told her that he was looking for a female musician to add backing vocals to his music. Lisa who had a long history of passion for music as she grew up singing along to artist as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone and Micheal Jackson growing up. She was/does carry herself with a shy demeanor and told Damien modestly that she also sang. Damien's first experience hearing Lisa sing was a classical concert at her school. Damien was impressed and history was made!
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