Page 17 - Zone Magazine Issue 020

LIAMdollard lard
__________________________________________________________ " When I got on the plane to come home from London, it was a very small scene in Dublin, and I didn't know what way it would go, and I came all the way back I didn't think it would really take off to be honest, I had no idea what way it would go. The Dublin house scene was small, Liam Fitzpatrick playing his legendary sets in Sides with Mick Walsh, Warren Kiernan on the periphery. ”
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Late 2017 saw the release of Notes on a Rave in Dublin, Dollard being one of Dublin’s primary figures, features predominantly, though its something he's very humble and gracious about and any minuscule smidgen of ego is certainly left at the door; what were his thoughts on the overdue recognition of those impelling days? "When I got on the plane to come home from London, it was a very small scene in Dublin, and I didn't know what way it would go, and I came all the way back I didn't think it would really take off to be honest, I had no idea what way it would go. The Dublin house scene was small, Liam Fitzpatrick playing his legendary sets in Sides with Mick Walsh, Warren Kiernan on the periphery” Perhaps there was something brewing at that time though, something that Dollard even in his youthful naivety understood as we bring Temple Bar itself into our discussion "I came back, I didn't think it would explode like it did. Dublin back then was a different place; there was a movie though, I can recall the name, Far and Away I think, and because the movie was made there, one of the pubs had set up their surroundings in bales of hay to cash in on the whole thing, and they ended up making a mint, so I think you could say this was the start of that whole Temple Bar thing", he looks me and winks that sparkling smile again as I double-check he isn't taking the mick; I think it's fair to say he's not. From there Dublin's growing alternative music scenes, guitar, turntable, or otherwise orientated, at least had some kind of solid (hay-free) ground to work with; Liam muses further on his experiences "Parliament St. at that time was considered the edge of Dublin city, even Dame St which I wouldn't consider Temple Bar, and at that time a lot of people weren't getting dance music, Dublin was primarily a rock city where everyone wanted to be in a band, it was a bit like a trade in its own sense being a DJ in Dublin back then (and of course it is today) but within a few months I was playing some marathon sets from 11 pm to 5am, learning on the job, serving the apprenticeship".
The thorny issue of sampling is something that has raised low-key controversy over the years, some lauding it, others regarding it as the work of Dr. Frankenstein. Liam remains open-minded and pragmatic about this, recognising its pros and cons "you would hear tunes - SLD's Getting Out for example, you couldn't believe that it was an old soul song, but at the time you thought it was the most original and uplifting tunes you ever heard, a hands in the air piano classic which epitomised the euphoric time that was 1991, and in my opinion Dublin’s summer of love", reflecting on his own affections for soul, and Gwen Guthrie's out of the blue 'appearance' with SLD; "getting back to the early days, it was a bit like the Ska thing with The Beat or The Specials, where most of it was current, but they also liked to record covers by older reggae bands, and a lot of that happened with house, where sometimes riffs and melodies were taken from old soul tunes, some of the writing was fresh, some was borrowed, but it’s the same with many genres", he respectfully adds, as the ambient noise descends and some boisterous Tuesday nighters leave the bar and that knowing smile returns to his face "now we can have some peace and quiet" he laughs; no nightclub back in 1993 could have been this loud, surely. One thing you can say for Liam Dollard is that he is a vivacious character, attacking life with gusto; even after 30 years there is a spark there, that lights and fuels new adventures; though being a family man now he has understandably had to slow things down somewhat; still, there's that 1990s glimmer in his eyes when he again goes back to those Ska, Reggae and soul names, those early days DJs - and one feels that Liam Dollard has a lot more fuel in his tank just yet. As he fastens his parka and bids me good night, embracing the chilled night air with a measured confidence, you know he has a vibrant 2018 ahead of him, tipping the DJ/House producer Glen Davies, and Breen, Sias, and Melly (repeater crews/techno DJs) as ones watch out for over the next 12 months.
We shall watch (and listen) with confidence.
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