1. Thank you very much for your time! Before we introduce your new release to our readers – what kind of drink would you recommend to sip on while they listen to your new music?
A: Oh, I’d have to say a nice glass of Black Barrel Jameson Whiskey! Not just because it’s made here in Cork where I’m from, but it’s also my favourite drink 🙂
2. Please give us an update about – new single, new album, tour dates, new videos?!
Our brand new single In the Dark has been out for a few days now. I can honestly say this is the most positive reaction we’ve ever had to a release, so we’re delighted with the response. While we were on tour in the US, we shot the music video in Nashville — which is out now too! If I do say so myself, the video is hilarious and well worth a watch. We’re heading back to the studio in a couple of weeks in Texas and currently planning some tour dates for later in the year.
3. We live in times of many conspiracy theories. Which harmless theory would you wish were true? (For example, dinos living inside Earth or E.T. living in a home in California.)
A: I gotta go with Elvis still being alive. Come on — how cool would that be? I love the conspiracy that he’s a pastor of a church in the US, just doing sermons and singing songs as if nobody would ever notice, haha.
4. What fashion style or brand would best describe your music?
A: My fashion style is pretty simple — I like cowboy boots, big belt buckles, ripped jeans, a vest, and a shirt. It’s unintentionally been my stage look for years, and I just kinda went with it without much thought. In recent years I’ve gotten more into vintage clothes and cool jackets, so as I get older my interest in fashion is definitely on the rise.
5. Tell us more about your songs! Topics! Message!?
A: I’m very lucky to have a lot of music out there right now. Just in the last couple of years, we’ve recorded so many new songs, so we’ll be releasing tracks every 6–8 weeks — which I think is really cool. I like to write from the heart, so there’s music to suit every mood — from deep, dark emotional writing like Brighter Days to a fun, hard-hitting rock ’n’ roll tune like Superhero. There’s a good variety, and every song carries meaning.
6. Besides music, do you have any special talents?
A: I try to play football when I’m home and off tour! I play for a team in Cork called Dripsey Celtic, but the problem is with so much touring I usually miss half the season. When I get back, I’m full of pizza and beer, haha! It’s hard to stay in shape, but I really love playing football.
7. Name 5 things we all should know about you as an artist!
1. I collaborated with Emily Armstrong (now with Linkin Park) on a song I wrote called Pieces. We hit the studio together in LA right before she was announced as the new singer for the band.
2. I’ve toured with some amazing artists over the last few years, including Geoff Tate, Mr. Big (on their farewell tour), Richie Kotzen, and most recently The Darkness.
3. All of our touring and recording is done in the US, which is unusual for a band from Cork, Ireland. We’ve been lucky enough to tour across the pond every year — and that’s where our fanbase has really grown.
4. Our last two albums were recorded at the famous Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, Texas, where many great albums have been made. Our producer was Brian Virtue, who has worked with the likes of Thirty Seconds to Mars, Audioslave, Jane’s Addiction, and more.
5. I signed with US label One Opportunity Records, a new label featuring fantastic artists like The Lonely Ones and Jason Charles Miller. I’ve enjoyed every minute of working with them and I’m super excited for the plans we have for this year and beyond.
8. The road so far… who or what has been your biggest support?
Besides the support from the record label, I’ve got to say a massive reason I’m lucky enough to be a touring artist is the early support I received from Geoff Tate (Queensrÿche) and his wife Susan. They discovered my music, brought me on the road in the early stages of my career, and helped establish my music in the US — which fortunately led to more opportunities in the industry. It’s people like them, who believe in you, that make all the difference in your career.
9. A question you’d like to answer, but have never been asked in an interview before?! + Answer please.
I would pick: What’s something about your creative process that might surprise people?
Answer: Most people expect loud amps and late nights (which do happen, haha) but a lot of my best lyric ideas come from total silence. It could be a walk in the woods, fishing by the river, or just sitting with an acoustic guitar — that’s where all my inspiration for songs and lyrics really comes to me.
Instagram: @markdalymusic