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BP: I was jamming with Gary Moore just before he went on stage. We were jamming
together in the VIP tent.
BiTS: Fabulous experience. Let's talk about the new record. If I look down the list
of tunes, it seems to me that every one is a memory for you. What sort of things are
outstanding? Tell me a couple of the tracks that really are the most provocative as
far as remembering things is concerned.
MS: What I will say is actually every track on the album means something to me. I
mean that very sincerely. We were very fortunate that we played with a very nice
guitar player who is from Catalina. And so some of the songs and again, I have to say
with generosity, the generosity that Brian has, he decided, okay, well, just voice and
guitar is clear, we go with this.
BP: We would start with just a
stripped back thing and build up
into you know quite a built-up
layered, textured sound. For me, I
think one of my favourites is ‘Bad
News For The Nation’, which is an
unfinished Phil Lynott song that we
heard just being jammed one night
and we asked permission after he
died, does anyone know? No one
had ever heard the song, so we
actually filled it out, more than
filled it out. There was only a
snippet that we built on. So for that,
in honour of a great Irish rocker, that song resonates for me because I knew Phil
personally, and I always remember walking down Grafton Street and going into the
Bailey, and I was like, oh, man, to see this rockstar available, to sit there and have a
pint with you, it blew my mind. And I'd say to other lads, friends of mine who'd be
drinking in the same boozer every night, lads, come on, we'll go up to the Bailey. Ah,
no, that pint is 5p dearer up there. But you can meet Phil Lynott, come on, or
whatever. There would always be a different scene there.
BiTS: I've listened to the album half a dozen times, and I do have one favourite track,
which I'm going to ask you about. Many, many years ago, a lot longer ago than I care
to think, I remember regularly going to watch Chris Barber with Ottilie Patterson,
and one of the songs Ottilie used to sing was ‘Mean Mistreater’. Tell me about ‘Mean
Mistreater’ for you.
MS: Well, ‘Mean Mistreater’ for me, and again, I don't say it’s necessarily about
myself and my relationship.
BP: [Chuckling] Oh, dodged that bullet there.