GYPSIES ON THE AUTOBAHN are:
James Smith – Guitar, piano, vocals
Dan Smith – Drums, backing vocals
Gary Quinn – Bass, backing vocals
Niall Mooney – Guitars, backing vocals
Gypsies on the Autobahn are a guitar-based quartet from Cabra on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. The band comprises of brothers James and Dan Smith, playing alongside their old school pals, Gary Quinn and Niall Mooney.
The distinctive name Gypsies on the Autobahn was born out of an unusual brain-storming session. “It started in the communal shower of an all-boys school,” Niall reveals. We were talking about potential band names, and a friend of ours, who has a few screws loose, starting reeling off all these random names. “It was crazy stuff altogether – and Gypsies on the Autobahn was actually the least crazy one. We called the band that initially as a joke, but it stuck.”
‘Born Brief’ is produced by the highly distinguished Rob Kirwan, who has worked with numerous illustrious artists including PJ Harvey, Depeche Mode, Editors, Delorentos, Bell X1, The Horrors, 30 Seconds To Mars, Hozier, and U2.
Speaking about writing and recording the album the, Niall says “We spent four or five days choosing the songs from our catalogue and figuring out how to improve them and take out what we didn’t need… Rob is great at relaxing us and he is a very chilled dude. His way of telling us to do a take again was to delete it. In a joke way he’d let us know we’d have to do better. The minute it felt good we’d move on.”
Recorded in Westland Row and Exchequer Studios, ‘Born Brief’ is a beguiling and brilliant record, which is permeated by a palpable sense of loss. “The songs deal with human relationships, but most of the songs came from the death of my father, who committed suicide when I was quite young,” James reveals. “I wasn’t able to talk about it and I needed to talk about it, so writing music was the best way to do it.
“It is amazing how many songs you can write about the one person. They’re about reacting to certain situations and the fact that he wasn’t there. I realized I hadn’t written a song about my mother, so the last song on the album ‘Home’ is about her, and how much she has done for us.
“Niall and I have always had the idea that the songs had to bring some hope to people, although we never actually had to talk about it”
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Strictly over 18’s, I.D. may be required.
AFTER THE GIG
Whelan’s Indie Club w/ Late Bar from 10:30pm or check out the bands playing The Midnight Hour in the upstairs venue – Free Entry via front door until 10:30pm | Drinks Promos
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