When Ro (Ronan Bell), Bee (Jonathan Byrne) and Teddy C (Ted Conway) met in highschool, their aim was to win a recreation. The three Tullamore boys had been put collectively by their music instructor for an area music competitors. They chuckle as they inform VIP Journal that they ultimately misplaced the factor.
Nevertheless, their love of music saved them collectively. Leaving the competitors behind, they selected to come back collectively as a trio to kind Chasing Abbey – an digital dance music band.
Chasing Abbey first entered the music scene in 2017 with their self-released single That Good Factor, which received the 2018 Irish Selection Music Award for Music of the 12 months. Their EP, The Odyssey Undertaking, hit primary on the Irish Charts when it got here out and so they even made waves in the US.
We caught up with the rising stars to speak dwell, play musical inspirations and make it within the Huge Smoke!
Hey guys! Let’s get proper into it! How did Chasing Abbey get began?
Teddy C: We began making music collectively in highschool and we began enjoying conventional music and folks music. All our households are concerned in that scene. That is how we began and through the years we have continued to play collectively. Myself and Bee had been in fifth 12 months and Ro in second 12 months. There was a contest on the native radio and our music instructor introduced us collectively. Me and Bee took Ro out of Spanish and raised it to apply.
We performed Gnarls Barkley Loopy and we did that recreation and we did not win. In order that was that. However we stayed collectively and we saved making music collectively. We went by means of a couple of totally different genres, we began enjoying folks after which we tried to do some extra digital music after which it became pop. It will definitely developed into digital dance music as a result of we determined to arrange the suitable software program and the entire studio. We discovered how you can use Ableton and we went from there.
You are in all probability simply as far faraway from conventional music now, do you continue to get inspiration from that in your present tracks?
Bee: Absolute. Considered one of our singles proper now has banjo in it. Our new single, Lie, the principle melody of the refrain is impressed by Irish melodies. It is going to work itself out, it is simply who we’re.
Ro: Even with all of our absolutely produced songs that we put out, we at all times have a stripped down acoustic model that we play after we go to radio stations. They sound so totally different in that kind, however it sounds so folky and Irish. It goes again to its roots.
In school you had been put collectively as a trio, however when did you understand that you would go in any course as a band?
Teddy C: All three of us had been at all times into music as our households grew up. However I do not suppose we actually thought we may do music as a job till we arrange the entire studio. I feel we noticed the potential there. We had a variety of time there to experiment with issues. We began to get good outcomes there and we thought possibly we may get a superb single and see the way it went. As soon as we received that going, we began to imagine in ourselves much more.
Bee: We come from a rural a part of Eire and never too many individuals heard our music. However when Ted went to music college in Dublin, which is clearly the large metropolis, he performed our songs for individuals up there. He got here again to us and mentioned, “Jesus, our music is definitely actually good.”
Inform us a bit extra about enjoying your music to individuals outdoors your circle, Teddy.
Teddy C: I used to be actually shocked! I used to be in BIMM for a 12 months. I used to be a bit intimidated going there as I used to be from Tullamore! I used to be nervous, I wasn’t ok to slot in between all of them. However after I began enjoying a few of our demos in school, I could not imagine the response. I used to be actually shocked. I’d come residence by prepare and meet the boys. I might say, “That is really actually good, guys!”
That should have helped your confidence rather a lot!
Ro: We had that mindset to start with, coming from a small city, that you simply weren’t nearly as good as the opposite individuals who got here from an enormous metropolis. That was an enormous eye opener. It gave us a variety of religion in ourselves.
very nicely that it’s not straightforward to make it within the music trade. So what did your dad and mom suppose if you mentioned you needed to pursue a profession in trade?
Teddy C: The three of us had been very, very fortunate. Our dad and mom supported us from the start. No query was ever raised after we determined to make music our profession.
Bee: They deserve a variety of credit score for believing in us 100%. They in all probability believed in us greater than we did to start with. They’ve been part of our journey from the start and all the way in which. Ted’s mother is the primary to inform us when our songs have been performed on the radio. They’re all so intently concerned, it is superb. It is type of loopy – three guys from Tullamore making dance music. Nobody had accomplished it earlier than. In order that they assist us says rather a lot about them.
Teddy C: There’s one factor about selecting a profession in music, there’s one thing fully totally different about selecting a model new factor that hasn’t been accomplished by individuals from right here. However that is how we do issues. We take issues to the intense.
Do you may have musical inspirations?
Bee: I feel longevity is essential to us and our legacy. We have now many alternative sources of inspiration, however not less than for myself, Skinny Lizzy. The legacy of Skinny Lizzy and its ambiance. The stamp they left behind.
Teddy C: The originality too. One factor we needed to do after we began Chasing Abbey was not be one other guitar band. That is not disrespect for guitar bands. What I imply by that’s we needed to be one thing fully totally different. Skinny Lizzy is an excellent instance of this, as a result of their music nonetheless resonates. They influenced among the greatest bands on this planet.
What would your ultimate five-year plan appear to be?
Teddy C: We actually need a world hit. That is what we centered on. We have had success in Eire, however we wish a type of songs that may be heard all around the world. If we may obtain that within the subsequent 5 years, that will be large. All the pieces else would fall into place after that.
We see it occurring! Going again now, what’s your biggest achievement?
Ro: Promoting out the Olympia of Longitude. It was a really surreal second when the Olympia bought out. I bear in mind seeing the poster with the stamp on it Out of inventory and suppose, “What?” I could not attain it with my head.
Bee: I feel an achievement that we could be pleased with is that we’re nonetheless right here. After the pandemic and every little thing that occurred to different artists, it was a bizarre time. The truth that we’re nonetheless right here, placing out singles is shifting in the suitable course. We’re very grateful.
Congratulations on each factors. What’s it like enjoying dwell and listening to a crowd sing again your lyrics?
Teddy C It is surreal. It is onerous to explain that second as a result of it is an out-of-body expertise. There’s a second in a efficiency when the power hits good and reaches the climax. It is like time goes in sluggish movement. It is alien. It is so totally different from every little thing else. It lingers in you for months.
Bee There’s a sound when the group all sing to you on the similar time. There may be actually no different sound like this. There’s one thing so highly effective about individuals singing in unison, however when it is your lyrics… it is one thing else.
You simply launched your new single Lie. However what’s subsequent for you?
Ro: We plan to launch a variety of unreleased stuff on Soundcloud. Usually we launch three songs a 12 months, however this 12 months we need to push 10 songs on Soundcloud. We have now all this music right here and we at all times attempt to decide a single. So we thought, why not simply give everybody, every little thing? Particularly for our dwell reveals.
Bee: The method of releasing a single by means of Spotify could be fairly sluggish. You may have a lead time of six to eight weeks and it’s important to get the music written, combined, mastered… it may be fairly time consuming. So the truth that we will do it ourselves by means of Soundcloud is nice. We’ll get much more out of it.
Ro: Many festivals and performances are arising. This 12 months appears like an actual 12 months. All the pieces is open and out. Gigs weren’t fairly again round this time final 12 months. The nice performances are again. It is accurately.
Chasing Abbey’s single Lie is out now
