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Róisín O had just formed a new duo with her long-term band member and co-songwriter John Broe when they attended a gig in Vicar Street, Dublin, together. When asked at the venue by a DJ what the name of their new group was, the pair were at a loss. But thankfully inspiration was just around the corner.
“We were standing there and Peter Dinklage who plays Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones started walking towards us. We are huge Game of Thrones fans. This was before the last season ended, so he was working up in Belfast and had come down to the gig,” explains Róisín.
“I was shouting at John, ‘Peter Dinklage is walking towards us, Peter Dinklage is walking towards us’. Eventually, just as he was walking by, John put out his hand and said, ‘Oh man, Peter we absolutely love the show, you’re our favourite character, we think you’re amazing’.
“He shook his hand, said, ‘Thanks brother’ and walked on. We had just been talking about what the name of the band was going to be, so John was like, ‘That has to be the name of our band’. We just love Peter Dinklage so much and thought it was a pretty positive phrase.”
Thanks Brother are just recently on the scene. They describe their music as “grit-pop”, but Róisín notes that from her end there will always be elements of folk creeping in and with John’s pop and dance background, they have many different influences.
This new arrangement is sitting well with Róisín, who for many years was accustomed to being a solo artist.
“I’m absolutely loving it now, it’s such a different experience being the front woman of a band rather than a solo female act. It’s a lot more relaxing, you have those people to fall back on in the good times and the bad, to share everything with. Not to have all the spotlight on you is good sometimes as well,” she muses.
I’m absolutely loving it now, it’s such a different experience being the front woman of a band rather than a solo female act. It’s a lot more relaxing
Writing the right way
Song writing is a big part of what Thanks Brother do, after all, penning songs together was one of the ways Róisín and John gelled musically. They wrote The Coronas’ (fronted by Róisín’s brother Danny O’Reilly) new song Find the Water, as well as doing some touring with the band also.
Interestingly, Róisín reflects that song writing didn’t always come easy to her, singing was her first love, but Danny gave her a leg-up in this area. “There were a lot of lyrics growing up as an angsty teenager of course, I think most people were like that. For me, it was singing that came a lot more naturally,” says the singer-songwriter.
“I sort of struggled with writing for a long time, it was actually Danny who got me into it more. I remember writing my first few songs with him when I was about 15 and loving that. It really took me a while to get into it, my main passion is really just singing on stage. I don’t think there’ll be anything more exciting for me than just singing to an audience.
“But, there’s something special about going on stage and singing your own songs, more so than someone else’s. You’re really putting yourself on the line in that sense. It’s very rewarding, it’s something that I’m still working on to this day.”
There’s something special about going on stage and singing your own songs, more so than someone else’s. You’re really putting yourself on the line in that sense. It’s very rewarding
When they were young, Róisín’s family had a holiday home in the Dingle Gaeltacht (her mother is the legendary Mary Black – just in case you didn’t know). These trips had a profound effect on both herself and Danny, who still return with their respective music groups to this day when looking for song writing inspiration.
Also, listening to the traditional tunes in the Gaeltacht must have planted a seed in Róisín, as this summer she will join Hector Ó hEochagáin and Doireann Glackin presenting the IFTA-winning
FleadhTV.
Although she doesn’t speak Gaeilge fluently, Róisín says that from exposure to the others she is understanding it better and picking up more of the language. In addition, at this year’s Fleadh in Drogheda, taking place 11-18 August, Róisín hasn’t ruled out singing a few songs herself either.
“I think the Fleadh is the type of thing that if you can sing a song, you’ll be made sing a song. So I don’t think I’ll be getting away without singing one or two,” she laughs.
To have them both in my corner and to know they will always have my back and have the best of intentions for me is an invaluable thing when you’re in the music industry
A family affair
With Róisín’s musical lineage, of course, Irish Country Living can’t help but ask before the interview ends, does family conversation centre on music or everyday things? The reply: a bit of both.
“Obviously most of the time it’s just normal family stuff, but always when either me, Danny or Mam have a new song, especially me or Danny, we always go over to my Mam’s house. She’s got a lovely upright piano there and we play the song, see who’s around and see what the reaction is.
“I think that’s always our first port of call if there’s a new song in the house. It’s an amazing thing to have them both, to have such different experiences in terms of music.
“My Mam has this wealth of experience that spans over 30 years and Danny’s much more in the modern and present end of things in pop music. To have them both in my corner and to know they will always have my back and have the best of intentions for me is an invaluable thing when you’re in the music industry.”
FleadhTV airs on TG4 and on the FleadhTV social media channels from 15-18 August. For more information see www.tg4.ie/en/programmes/fleadhtv/ or check out FleadhTV on Facebook.
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