The Wexicans

Wexford has always had an abundance of pure musical talent.....Check out some of our featured artists below

Corner Boy

For over a decade late night driving, couch surfing and service station dinners fuelled Corner Boy’s evolving ramble through the many pubs, clubs, rooms and ruins of every shape and size up and down and across Ireland/World.

 

As a result a collection of songs bullishly willed their way into existence representative of this experience living and learning on the road crafted by the associated peaks and troughs that come with the territory.

 

And then? March 2020. With the band’s 2002 Ford Transit van (Sheila) now indisposed a moment finally arrived for Corner Boy to record their debut album. Under the tutelage of producer Gavin Glass the band sought refuge in Orphan Studios and some 18 months later emerged out the other side with debut album in hand.

 

Very much the sonic amalgam, Corner Boy explores in varying degrees combinations of folk, rock, traditional, bluegrass and alternative. Accompanied by heartfelt lyrics as earnest as they are resonant.  


Corner Boy's self titled debut album is due for release Friday 28th October, 2022.

Cursed Murphy 
Versus The Resistance



Cursed Murphy Versus the Resistance emerged in 2018 as a mashup of post-punk, German electronic music, spoken word, industrial music, big beats, sci-fi film soundtracks, Brazilian rhythms and Brechtian punk. The band released their eponymous debut album, which contained the singles ‘Foxhole Prayer’, ‘The Bells of Hell’ and ‘Climb’, in July 2020. It received stunning reviews from the Irish Times, RTE, Hot Press and the Sunday Times among other publications, as well as national airplay from Paul McLoone, Dan Hegarty, The John Creedon Show, Late Date and Arena.

The album also generated huge acclaim internationally, featuring on the Global Garage radio show, the Big Slice (UK) and in the French mag Muzzart, with fan testimonials coming from Sweden, Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong and the US. It was voted No. 2 album of the year by readers of The Last Mixed Tape, and No. 1 album of the year by Mike’s Music Express on Dundalk FM.

 In September 2021 the collective embarked on a German mini-tour, playing Wuppertal and Berlin as part of the travelling Here/There exhibition, supported by Culture Ireland. Earlier this year they played a sold-out show in Wexford Opera House with guests Basciville and poet Stephen James Smith, with whom Peter recorded a collaborative EP, Tell It to A Tree, released last December.

Make sure you see these live - they're Immense!

 

Rachel Grace


She is a proudly homegrown independent artist and has been self-funded since she first started writing music. She burst onto the scene at the tender age of 13 with the release of her first album, ‘Song For You’, displaying a level of songwriting that is often described as being well beyond her years.

In 2018 she released a five-track EP, ‘Routes’, with it’s single ‘You Don’t Know’ quickly reaching number three in the iTunes Charts and receiving airplay  across national stations.

The Pure M Award nominated artist has had an extremely busy few years playing some of Ireland’s favourite festivals and venues and supporting internationally renowned artists such as Wallis Bird, Brian Deady, Don Mescal and Paddy Casey.

In 2018, she was a festival favourite of Free Fringe Fest and made her debut on one of Electric Picnic’s many stages. In 2019, she played the beautiful Glass House stage of Vantastival and had a headline performance with her band at Wexford Speigeltent Festival.

The young singer has most recently been crowned the winner of Four Star Nation Pizza’s Star Nation Competition in which she has won a slot to play the coveted Ruby Sessions and also a day of recording in the infamous Windmill Lane Recording Studios.


Cry Me An Ocean

Her latest single ‘Cry Me An Ocean’ was released on the 30th of October and was an instant hit with fans. It was featured on RTE’s Recommends List for two weeks in a row and received rave reviews.

Recorded live in Orphan Recording Studios, Cry Me An Ocean is a lighthearted pop/soul track about the person in your life that only ever takes instead of gives.

“With ripples of jazz and R&B seeping into a soul backdrop, ‘Cry Me An Ocean’ is a mature, well crafted example of Rachel Grace’s magnificent songwriting.” - Danu, Indie Buddie.

“It takes approximately eight seconds of Cry me an Ocean to realise that a special talent lies therein. From the moment you hear Rachel Grace's voice, her velvety smooth introduction, you know you're in safe hands, that she's going to expertly guide you through the next three minutes of your life, a three minutes which will most likely be among the most enjoyable of your day.” - Simon Bourke, Wexford People Paper.

Rough Patch

Rachels incredible new single & first in two years.

Released on 07/10/2022
Available across all platforms
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/rachelgrace/rough-patch?fbclid=IwAR3nD2Gi2Ov6S7vpHLwMh0FnXqecSpJqS...

Le Kala

Le Kala is a three piece rock band from Bunclody Co. Wexford. They write all their own material and have two songs released on Spotify, Deezer and Apple store to name a few. Currently working on new material during the lock down period and recording demos ready for when the recording studio’s open back up.


''The sentiment and words of the songs are about social issues and the power within all people to cope and pick themselves up and achieve anything they want in this short life of ours. Like all bands and artist’s we are missing the interaction of jamming and playing live''.




Le Kala


Paul Farrell Music Bio

A singer song writer and currently playing in the group Le Kala.

From his early teenage years Paul has been writing songs and performing in bands. Paul was always a singer and sang at mass (Weddings and Funerals) and school plays and shows. Paul also played in a traditional Irish group belting out the ballads and playing tunes. But his real passion was writing his own songs and performing on stage. Paul also plays guitar and in the last few year has started playing electric guitar having always played acoustic guitar. Paul loves all genre of music Rock, Indie, Jazz, blues and Classical.

The style of music Le Kala are playing is Indie Rock Pop (some might disagree). The sentiment and words of the songs are about social issues and the power within all people to cope and pick themselves up and achieve anything they want in this short life of ours.

Previous bands Paul played in (Natural High, The Last One and Wild Blue Yonder) have received some coverage in Hotpress magazine with some very positive reviews on Demo’s recorded.

We have three current songs recorded and are looking forward to having them on Spotify and all streaming platforms soon.

 

Steve Dobson Music Bio

 

Steve plays bass guitar in the band and is originally from Liverpool, now living in Ireland for the last 20 years.

He grew up listening to rock, punk and indie, so has many influences too his playing style, but stating Punk no nonsense bass players as his main influence.

He played bass in a Punk band in the 80's in Liverpool, writing several songs in the process and was lucky enough to see the likes of Iggy Pop, The Stranglers and The Clash amongst many others in the famous Eric's club in Liverpool.

Although the Punk band was a short-lived affair, as was usually the case in those days, it sparked in him a desire to perform in a band again one day.

He's currently loving the energy, drive and passion produced by Le Kala’s songs and live performances.

 

Colm J Hassett Music Bio

Originally the drummer for the influential Irish rock band Whipping Boy (1989-2000), Colm continues to collaborate with musicians and bands working in many musical genres, incorporating traditional and modern rhythms.

Colm studied tabla and classical Indian percussion for nearly ten years in Benares, India as well as in America, Switzerland and Ireland. He has explored teaching techniques for Indian tabla and classical percussion in order to share the instrument with others in Ireland.

Colm’s other passion is instrument making and has handcrafted snare drums, harp, guitar and bouzouki.



Under Satellites

"Under Satellites is a synthwave/alternative electric group from Enniscorthy, Wexford in Ireland.
The members met working in bands over the years and bonded over their shared love of 80's movies and music, neon lights, and the nostalgia for missed experience.
They write songs for driving at night, for sunsets, and they're not afraid to be cheesy about it.
'Flickers In The Dark' is their debut release but there is a back catalogue of unreleased arpeggio-d emotion and dance beats just waiting to be let out of the hard-drives.
Find Under Satellites on your social media of choice and Spotify and follow for future releases."

twitter - @undersatellites

instagram - @undersatellites  

facebook.com/undersatellitesband



 

 





Cry Before Dawn

Formed in 1982, Cry Before Dawn became one of Ireland's best loved bands, winning the prestigious IRMA award for 'Best Newcomer" 1987, and "Best Irish Group", in 1989. Their two albums 'Crimes Of Conscience" and "Witness For The World" went double platinum and they developed a reputation for being one of Ireland's most passionate live bands. Their music is enhanced with Uilleann Pipes, Irish flute and whistles, a sound that sets them apart from their contemporaries.

Having recently completed a hugely successful and critically acclaimed 2011 reunion tour of Ireland and UK, Cry Before Dawn are committed to continue the comeback. The 'Best of Cry Before Dawn" CD released to coincide with the tour reached no. 12 in the Irish album charts in 2012.

The reunion tour saw emotional, and rousing performances, in sold out venues throughout Ireland, including triumphant shows in Dublin's Vicar Street, and two nights at Wexfords Opera House. Appearances on the main stage at the London Feis, and a memorable show on the Crawdaddy stage at the Electric picnic, left the band and the fans wanting more.

Star Comedy Democrats

Star Comedy Democrats, made up of drummer Rory Cooper, Bassist Briain Casey and Guitarist Mark Bolger, first came together as a trio in late 2019. Drawn together by their shared love of classic rock styling and a willingness to experiment, the band released their debut EP Imitation Road in January of 2021. The four-track project blended powerful, layered vocals with traditional alt-rock riffs and hooks.

 

Following the EP’s success, the band released a follow-up single ‘Roll The Dice’ in May of 2021, alongside an accompanying music video shot in their native Kilkenny. It was a rawer affair to their debut, and highlighted a band in constant evolution, pushing new sounds and continually testing their own songwriting ability.

 

This sense of experimentation prevails in the band’s brand new single ‘Ulterior Motive’. Written during a bout of people watching in Edinburgh, the track is an examination of what it means to be human, what it means to belong, and how some are capable of conveying kindness for all the wrong reasons.

 

The beginning of 2022 has seen Star Comedy Democrats return to the studio to record a new EP, which will be followed by live dates in support of the new release.

 

“‘Imitation Road’ is a bright and raw collection of alternative rock from Star Comedy Democrats. The band create an EP of lush melodies and refined instrumentation that becomes more radiant and exciting with each subsequent listen.” –Indie Buddie


Copper Kelly

Copper Kelly is a country singer, guitarist, sound engineer, producer and podcaster from Wexford in Ireland.

Copper began playing guitar at 12 years old, joining different rock bands over the years, most notably the pub band Free Reign and the Indie rock band Kings in Disguise.

Copper got his first taste of the Irish country scene when, in 2009, her got a few weeks work experience as a sound engineer in Roseland Studios in Moate, Athlone with Seamo Cullinane where he sat in on recording sessions for Foster and Allen and Triona Moore.

Copper began producing his own country music in 2017 after he had just left a job in Loftus Hall, when he happened to meet songwriter Dympna Walsh, who handed him lyrics to the song that came to be Don’t Steal This Moment.

Copper produced the song himself in his bedroom and as soon as he handed the finished song to Dympna, she got it played on South East Radio the next day. This motivated Copper to write his own songs and over the course of the next year, Copper pieced together a home studio bit by bit and recorded his debut album “Worthwhile Waste of Time” which he self distributed in 2019.

Singles from the album included the songs “Worthwhile Waste of Time” and “Tennessee Whiskey” and were played on radio stations worldwide.

Since releasing the album, Copper has been busy developing his songwriting and production skills while also building a solid following on social media, frequently uploading covers of classic country songs and livestreaming gigs to followers worldwide.

Copper is hugely influenced by the legends of Outlaw country including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson, as well as modern country stars such as Chris Stapelton and Sturgill Simpson. Because of this, you can hear the American country influence in his playing but he also retains his Irish heritage, especially in songs like “Her Home” and “Worthwhile Waste of Time”

In Feb 2021, Copper became a podcast host by starting the Folkin’ Around Podcast with Jodie Lucas where, each week, the pair interview singers in the country music scene, from up and comers to well established names in the scene.

In May 2021, Copper started a second podcast called The Art Saddle with Dublin musician Kenan Flannery and the Old Soul Collective where both chat about life as a musician while also chatting to other artists, from poets to painters, about their experiences and hopes.

With both these podcasts, Copper hopes to foster a community of talented and like-minded musicians and music lovers which will hopefully support each other in the aftermath of the global shutdown.

Copper is currently working on album no.2 from which he has already released 2 singles; the self penned “Get Gone” and a cover of the classic “Sixteen Tonnes” both release early 2021.

Stay tuned for bigger and better things from Copper!

Laminate

Laminate were a hard rock band formed in Wexford in 2003, initially as a side-project for singer/guitarist Derren Dempsey and singer/drummer Marc Hillis, both of whom were active members in other bands at the time. Having played around the local area a few times, Derren, Marc and then bassist Lee Byrne decided to leave their respective bands to concentrate purely on Laminate. They recorded a three track demo in Grouse Lodge (famed for having hosted Muse & The Manic Street Preachers among others) which was well received by Kerrang! Magazine, and received a 9 out of 10 in Rock Sound Magazine.

The band followed this with support shows with Kerbdog, Jetplane Landing and Hueman on some of their Irish dates. 

In early 2006, Johnny Fox was recruited for bass and vocal duties, which would complete the definitive line-up and start a new period for the band. Laminate’s ever evolving sound has been described in many ways, with some calling it punk rock, others saying it's too melodic to be punk, and some seeing it simply as an eclectic blend of heavy rock music.

Following a quiet last few months in 2007 and remaining inactive gig-wise for most of 2008, Laminate announced they were to split, but not without one final three song EP which was very well received. Laminate also played two final gigs in Kilkenny and Wexford.

Paula O'Reilly is a singer-songwriter based in County Wexford, Ireland. O'Reilly, whose influences range from Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan to Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, and Ashley McBryde, pens well-crafted songs that are reflective of a master songsmith who is passionate about what she does. Her songs are at times heart-breakingly sad, at other times uplifting and inspiring. O’Reilly has used the lockdown period to focus on her song writing and is very excited about the new album and the work producer, Dave Arkins did in bringing her songs to life. While the album itself will be released later in 2021, Paula will be releasing self-penned singles from the forthcoming album over the coming months. The first single “Speechless” was released in May 2021 and is now being followed up with Roller Coaster which was released 9 th July.


 Looking ahead, O'Reilly is itching to get back out on the road to promote the album doing what she does best, performing live gigs in the manner of a true star in the making.

Molly & Maisie O'Reilly

Dive into a world of old school Christmas vibes with Molly & Maisie’s White Wexford Christmas. Young sisters Molly & Maisie love living in the sunny south east of Ireland for most of the year, except for Christmas time when they wish the weather would dip a little bit below zero degrees! Aged just 10 & 13 when they recorded the track written by their Mum, Paula O’Reilly, the girls had great fun in the studio recording this heart warming up lifting Christmas song!


Produced by Mick Egan.
We Love original Wexican content here, but especially when it's a Christmas Song (arguably the hardest songs to write).Looking forward to more from the talented O'Reilly Clan.


Bladderack

Changing Tack is a live, alt-folk EP about semi-mythological domestic difficulties that sounds a bit like the Witcher 3 soundtrack but with powerful vocals, trad instruments, world percussion and modern production.

 

Bladderack, a name chosen for its guttural sound, are multi-instrumentalists Matthew O'Brien and James O'Sullivan, vocalist Doireann Waters and percussionist Chris Cullen. With haunting, sharp-smooth vocals, Afro-Celtic percussion and a melodic soundscape like a haunted spaghetti Western, Bladderack sound like when you fall asleep after playing the Witcher with drink taken. With a base sauce of Irish trad and rock, Bladderack manage to sound traditional but with the breakdowns of Led Zeppelin and cinematic feel of bands like The Gloaming.

Eoin Devereux

 My name is Eoin Devereux, I am a 19-year-old musician from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.

I write and produce most of my music from my bedroom, and some of my other songs, 'Going My Own Way' and 'Jigsaw' have been played on national radio

Pierce Turner

Turner grew up in the port town of  Wexford, where his mother ran a record shop and led her own band. A classically trained musician, by the age of seven he was a member of a traditional Irish tin-whistle group, and at eight, he was playing in a brass and reed orchestra. He also sang in his local church choir, and the influence of hymn and plain-chant singing has been evident throughout his later career.

His first professional job was as a musician with the pop showband -  The Arrows.

 He later moved to New York City and formed The Major Thinkers with fellow Wexfordian Larry Kirwan, (now the frontman of Black 47), and recorded several albums, also performing as Turner and Kirwan.

 Turner and Kirwan released two albums – Bootleg and Absolutely and Completely – the latter issued on the Cosmos label as well as a single "Neck and Neck"/"When Starlings Fly" recorded at Electric Lady Studios/New York and issued on the Audio-Fidelity subsidiary label Thimble in 1973. In 1978 Pierce and companion Larry Kirwan were asked to front a new version of The Ohio Express bubblegum band.

His first solo album, It's Only a Long Way Across (1987), was produced by American avant-garde composer Phillip Glass. It was nominated for 'Best Debut Issued by an Independent Record Company' at the New York Music Awards.  He went on to make two more albums for Beggars Banquet: Sky & the Ground (1989) and Now Is Heaven (1991). This album was produced by John Simon. In 1997 the Baltik imprint issued the album Angelic Language.

In 1998, Beggars Banquet released a Best of Pierce Turner compilation. In June 2001, 3 Minute World was released, Hot Press giving it a 12 out of 12 rating, while Tony Clayton-Lea of the Irish Times described Pierce as one of the most important Irish artists of the last twenty years. Meanwhile, Turner embarked on what he called his Parlour Tour, performing in over seventy private houses in Ireland, accompanied by London-based Wicklow film maker Colin Murnane who was making the documentary The Song for the Year (2007).

Other songs by Turner were featured in the film Snakes and Ladders and the HBO TV show The Wire (his version of "Dirty Old Town"). 

Christy Moore recorded Turner's songs "Wicklow Hills" and "Musha God Help Her". Moore's 2004 box set includes the track I Love the Way Pierce Turner Sings.

In 2005, "Wicklow Hills" was voted among the top twenty-five Irish songs of all time by Today FM in a nationwide poll. His album The Boy to Be With was released in 2006 and includes Turner's tribute to the late Irish bluesman Rory Gallagher.

Turner commented on his lack of commercial success in 1993:

I find that the American people really like what I do when I'm put in front of an audience of normal people, but when the recording industry gets my records, they tend to think the public won't understand or won't care about it. Maybe it's not happy enough or something. There's no use complaining about it. I'm choosing to go around that and go directly to the people.

In late 2011, work commenced on a new collection, Songs foR a veRRy small OrchestRa, recorded in Ireland and released in 2012. Turner described the sound of the record as "Baroque Pop". The song "Yogi with a Broken Heart" contains a synthesizer accompaniment from Philip Glass, with whom Turner had performed the song at Carnegie Hall in 2011.

Discography

  • It's Only a Long Way Across (1987), Beggars Banquet
  • Sky & the Ground (1989), Beggars Banquet
  • Now Is Heaven (1991), Beggars Banquet
  • Mañana in Manhattan ... Live (1994), Virtual
  • Snakes and Ladders 1995 soundtrack BMG
  • Angelic Language (1997), Baltik
  • 3 Minute World (2001)
  • Mr. Smith (2004), LoveCat
  • The Boy to Be With (2004), 5030
  • Catch a Wave mini-album (2008), Pierce Turner
  • Beyond The Blue (2010), LoveCat
  • SoNgs for a VeRRy SmaLL ORchesTRa (2012)
  • Love Can't Always Be Articulate (2016)
  • Vinegar Hill (2019)
  • Terrible Good (2022)

12 Gauge Outrage

12 Gauge Outrage are a Heavy Metal band from Wexford, Ireland.

Formed in 2013, they have since played extensively throughout Ireland progressively establishing themselves in the modern metal scene.

Taking influence from various metal genres, their music combines heavy riffs with melodic leads paired off with aggressive vocals that fans of thrash and modern metal will love

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