INTERVIEW: Raglans

Raglans are an Irish indie rock band from Dublin, formed in 2010. Their self-titled debut album was released in March 2014 and reached no.5 in the Irish Album Chart. They have toured around Ireland, the UK and Europe, as well as supporting  bands such as The Strypes, Haim, The Courteeners and The Libertines. We caught up with them on the eve of their support slot on a world tour with The Script.

Afternoon, Raglans. Where are you and what have you been up to this week? 

We are currently in Zurich about to play our first headline European show inbetween supporting The Fray on their European tour. We woke up yesterday in Dublin, played Glasgow last night, flew out of London this morning and are flying back to play in a Manchester tomorrow! Crazy stuff but we are loving it.

You’re releasing a new single next month, ‘White Lightning’. Do you think it will match the success of Digging Holes?

We haven’t really thought about it. We wanted to just put out a good single and video and get on the road and play shows, so hopefully people would buy our album and get a hit off all our songs. We’d like to think our profiles much bigger since we released Digging Holes and a lot more know who we are.

How does the new single compare to ‘Digging Holes’ in terms of its sound and style?

It’s different, it’s more guitar based than mandolin-driven like ‘Digging Holes’. It’s a pop song but we have given it the same energy and drive as ‘Digging Holes’ and it’s great fun to play.

How has it been supporting the likes of The Courteeners, HAIM and The Strypes?

Supporting good bands is always fun, you learn a lot and you get a chance to test yourself infront of proper audiences. We feel like that’s our comfort zone, big crowds who want to have a good time. Haim were way more of a rock band then their polished recordings suggest, The Strypes are a great band and great people!
What did you think about U2’s new album being dumped on anyone with an iTunes account?

People complaining over getting a free album in their music library as if it’s some sort of invasion of their privacy is pretty petty and shite, but having said that if it was a better album I’m not sure they’d have released it like that and people wouldn’t have cared so much.

The Mercury Music Prize nominees were announced last month. What was your take on this year’s list?

It’s been a very busy year for us so looking at the list, I obviously have some catching up to do. I was really disappointed with Damon Albarn’s album, a bit self-indulgent for me and the songs just weren’t there. Anything I’ve heard by Jungle is awesome and Royal Blood haven’t set my world on fire like they have everyone else, maybe I need to listen to it louder…

What was the first album you bought, when and where did you buy it, and do you still listen to it?

I got the train to Dublin City Centre when I was 12 to buy 2001 by Dr Dre in HMV. And of course, I still listen to it!

What have you been listening to recently?

The Felice Brothers, Said The Whale, Manchester Orchestra, Paolo Nutini, Glass Animals, Temples.

Other than music, who or what inspires you to write songs?

The usual I suppose: experiences with people in new places, hunger to become more than the sum of your parts, travelling, girls. Same old same old, but I never really consciously do it, I just absorb that shit like a sponge.

What is your take on the music scene around Dublin currently?

It’s really vibrant at the moment, lots of bands trying to make something happen for themselves. After the success of a few Irish bands it definitely feels like there are eyes on the place which is nice and definitely creates a productive environment.
Who’s the most underrated band to have come out of Dublin over the years?

Our manager Mick was in a band called Power of Dreams, who were kicking down doors all over the world in the early 90s. It didn’t work out as well as it should have for them, but they were a great band with great songs. They were all about 17 when their first album came out.

What’s next for Raglans? Any plans to tour the new material?

We are currently so locked into our touring schedule that we are just having fun taking these songs on the road and as far as possible. When our European tour with The Fray ends we go straight to Canada and the USA to do our first run of shows there, and we have plans to go to Australia and Asia in 2015. We are always writing and coming up with stuff, there are songs in the pipeline we know we will work into something finite but until things settle down we kinda just plug away on them quietly, we have put aside some time in January to start getting it together.

What was it like playing your material at festivals, such as Latitude, over the Summer?

Playing festivals is great, in both the UK and Ireland, now our albums out and people are starting to know the songs it’s really improved the entire experience and getting to see bands you love for free and hang with them is something to cherish, I suppose.

Oliver Hope
@Hope72420

Oliver Hope
Oliver. Twenty Two year old gigaholic. Currently living in Manchester. Master's qualified journalist.
Oliver Hope

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