Damien Rice (Official Thread)

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

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!

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

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.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Damien's Journey To An Perfect O-pus

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:

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

O
(The Recording, The Artist and The Songs of Damien's debut)

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Lisa Hannigan

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!

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Listening to some tunes here...The Professor is a cool tune...I Like That!!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Listening to some tunes here...The Professor is a cool tune...I Like That!!

Awesome Metal! Those tunes are truly setting the stage for some amazing work to come!

When Damien went to find a replacement for his drum machine he found this percussionist:

Tom Osander


Tom was by no means wet behind the ears as he was a member of this New York City band:

God Street Wine
(Tom is the fourth member from the left)


God Street Wine was a jam band who helped generate a scene for jam bands in the 90's and toured with many big bands as well as having multiple major label contracts. Artist such as Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow and Hootie and the Blowfish even opened up for them! Here's a sample of Osanda's band before joining up with Damien:

God Street Wine-R U For Real

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Wow a little different than Damien's stuff...maybe along the lines of tracks like Weatherman or Then Go. Cool how musicians can just bounce around.

Also I found 9 Crimes to be a fasinating video as well as another great song.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Wow a little different than Damien's stuff...maybe along the lines of tracks like Weatherman or Then Go. Cool how musicians can just bounce around.

Also I found 9 Crimes to be a fasinating video as well as another great song.

Definitely, in just two official studio albums worth of material I feel like I've known Damiens music all my life and his catalog seems just as big as The Smashing pumpkins to me! That's why he's only the third artist to get this detailed of a treatment thread wise from me!

 

[METALPRIEST]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Cool...I'm beginning to see why...it's good stuff. I liked I Remember when I first heard it.