For over half a decade, the Limerick rock trio Raging Sons have persisted through line-up changes, near break-ups, a pandemic, and their members currently living in different cities. In March, they released their latest single, โBlack Room.โ Back then, their guitarist and vocalist, Fint Tynan, talked to Post-Burnout about the single, the Limerick music scene, how and why the band persisted, how theyโve changed in that time, some of the big-name acts theyโve played with, their upcoming EP, and much more.
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The first question I wanted to ask was simply a bit about the background of the band, because I know you guys have been going for a while – in fact, there were a couple of times where it seemed like the band were on the precipice of breaking up and stuff – and, obviously, you guys persisted; thereโs been line-up changes. Yeah, I was wondering if you could just talk a bit about the background of Raging Sons and where itโs come from?
Yeah, [โฆ] Colum [Kelly] and myself are the only original members of the band โ so, Colum plays lead guitar and I am the singer, obviously โ but Adam [Reeves]โฆ โ itโs funny, actually โ Adam was playing with another band โ Adamโs the drummer โ so, he was playing with another band that we were doing a bit of a tour with around Ireland, and it just happened that, eh, [Laughs] that we really liked him as a drummer! So, we actually kind ofโฆI donโt like to say we stole him, but something came up where our drummer couldnโt make a gig or something, and he ended up filling in and that was kind of the start of it. But, like you said, weโve gone through a few different members โ I think weโve had four or five different members from day one when we first started playing together โ but I think it was 2018 when we really solidified where we are at the moment, and then we kind of decided at that time that we were going to takeโฆ[Tuts] Dโya know, weโd kind of said.. โ going back to old interviews and stuff โ weโd say, like, โOh, we decided to take it a little bit more seriouslyโ or whatever, but I donโt know what that means, really. But we decided that we were just going to get into the studio and start recording some stuff, and I think that wasโฆfor me, thatโs kind of where it all began, really, because everything leading up to that point was just a few young lads just meeting up, jamming in my parentsโ shed, back in Limerick, which you have to do as well, you know? โEarn your stripes,โ as they say. But that was the beginning, 2018. And then we decided we were going to start recording. We went into the studio with the idea that we were going to record a couple of singles, and that turned into an EP, and that turned into an album. I think COVID kind of maybe made that decision for us, as well, because we couldnโt really put music out there, we couldnโt really get a recording finished for the singles at the time, so we ended up going the long haul and doing an album, which we released right bang [Laughs] in the middle of COVID, as well, you know?
Yeah, itโs an interesting point you were mentioning there, about the album. The album was called 20:20, and it came out in 2021. Obviously, everyoneโs plans were affected by COVID and stuff, but I think thatโs interesting because you were mentioning that the project still persisted during the pandemic. What do you think it was about Raging Sons that kind ofโฆI donโt know, that you found that there was something there to go, โNo, this is still worth persisting withโ?
Yeah, I think it boils down to us being friends, maybe, first of all, but then the material; I think the one thing that kept us going was that we felt that there was something there that was worth putting out there. And we always kind of felt that when things started to go well, we never capitalised on it. So, like, we wouldโve had a few big gigs when we first started, almost to the point where we were spoilt a little bit. Like, we played the Olympia in Dublin and we played a few big gigs in and around Limerick, and it just seemed to happen overnight and it kind of came easy, but then I suppose what happened then was, we didnโt really capitalise on any of the big things. Like, we were played on national radio a couple of times and [started] getting a bit of traction – like the new kids on the block, nearly โ and then we didnโt really capitalise on that. So, we ended up taking these longwinded breaks where weโd spent six months doing nothing, and then weโd be like, โOh, we have to go back and do something,โ and that always seemed to be the way. But I think it was the material; we all seemed to have a belief in it that kind of kept us coming back. And like you said there, earlier on, we actually did call it a day at one point, and then I think it was one night in Limerick, I met Adam โ whoโs the drummer now โ and over a few pints, he convinced the both of us to give it another lash, and thatโs when it really kicked off for us, like I said, in 2018. Soโฆ
Actually, you were mentioning there, yourself and Colum. You guys are both from Limerick. I think, if Iโm correct, Adam is from Galway, is that right?
No, itโs Colum thatโs actually from Galwayโฆ
Oh, sorry! I got it reversed, by mistake! [Laughs]
โฆand Adamโs from Limerick, yeah.
So, are youse all based in Limerick now?
Well, no. [Laughs] Iโm the only one in Limerick now. So, Colum was in college in Limerick when we first met, and Adam โ who was a couple of years younger than us, or a few years younger than us โ was, like I said, playing with a different band. So, we were all just sort of in the same circle in Limerick, really. But nowadays, Adam is actually living in London, Colum is in Galway, and Iโm in Limerick. So, yeah, itโs hard, but, yโknow, in some ways itโs actually kind of good because we were deadly forโฆLike, weโd organise a rehearsal or a studio session or something, and someone would always pull out, and thatโs when we were all living in Limerick. But since weโre scattered around, whenever thereโs something planned and in the diary, everyone has to make it, because thereโs a man flying in from London and thereโs another one coming down from Galway! So, it kind of gives it a bit more structure, like, which is kind of crazy to think, you know?
Actually, thereโs a good point there. You were mentioning once you get formed as a band, thereโs โ I donโt know if you find this โ but thereโs a sense of confidence then, where itโs like, โEven if we mightnโt see each other for a couple of months, when we get back together it will be tight and it will still be good.โ Do you find, say if you were to do a gig, do you guys meet up earlier than that to try and get some practice in, or are you guys just good to go on the night?
I think, back in the day, we used to maybe put too much pressure on ourselves and weโd end up rehearsing every day leading up to a gig, and youโd nearly burn yourself out, you know? Whereas now, I think once you have the bones of a set nailed down – and over the years of jamming together, we have a fairly decent repertoire that we can pull from – so once you have that base, itโs very easy to get back into a room and things kind of come together very fast, but I find when you donโt have that kind of repertoire, you donโt have the set in place previously, you can be banging your head against a wall because youโre thinking, โOh, what songs do we know?โ or โCan we do this song or can we do that song?โ You just need that consistency of playing together, and thatโs what weโve gotten now. I think, over the years, that was probably a little bit more difficult, but because of playing together over time, itโs like riding a bike, as they say. You know, you kind of get in and you start going and it doesnโt take long for it to come together, you know?
![](https://postburnout.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ragingsons2-1024x683.png)
Courtesy of Jawdropper Music
One thing I want to ask, actually, just while I have you, is about the Limerick music scene, in general. One thing that I think is interesting as an outsider, looking in โ Iโm not from Limerick, I donโt live in Limerick โ but Iโm noticing that Limerick is becoming a really, really big hotspot for bands. Because it used to be, when I was a teenager, if bands came to Ireland at all, theyโd play Dublin and Belfast and that was it, and if they played an extra city, it would either be Cork or Galway.
Yeah.
But now Iโm looking at Limerick, through places like Dolanโs, through places like the Milk Market, The Big Top, so on, the Castle and stuff โ and smaller places, like the Kasbah, and the Record Room, and places like that. The Lime Tree Theatre, and places like that โ it seems to be a hotspot now for a lot of touring artists. It was, obviously, always a big city for domestic artists to play; if there was a tour of Ireland, Limerick would always be on it – but, as an outsider, Iโm looking at a lot of tours, and Limerick seems to be on it a lot when [international acts] come to Ireland.
Yeah, I think a lot of it comes down to โ you said it, there โ is the Dolan family, because they run most of those venues that you listed there. Like, with Dolanโs Warehouse, thereโs three venues on the Dock Road itself. So, youโve got Dolanโs Warehouse, youโve got the Kasbah, and youโve got Upstairs at Dolanโs, which is all under that one roof, kind of. And then the Castle gigs are put on by Dolanโs as well, and they put on the gigs at the Milk Market. So, itโs kind of all through them. And I know that they put on gigs in the University Concert Hall, as well. Like, in fairness, they have the place hopping when it comes to live music. Like you said, there is some other venues since. So, you have the Record Room, youโve got Pharmacia, youโve gotโฆLike, youโve named most of them there. But, yeah, I think thereโs always been a lot of talent in Limerick, you know? And I think that it is a musical city; when you think of The Cranberries, and you think of other big bands that have come out of Limerick. Like, youโve got Hermitage Green now, as well, which are doing big things.
Yeah. And yourselves!
And ourselves, hopefully, yeah! [Both laugh] Weโve another step or two to go! But, yeah, what I found surprising was that when we first started playing, the amount of talented people, the amount of bands, the amount of really talented bands that are playing in Limerick, you know? And a lot of them love to just play in Limerick, and you donโt really see them moving too far out of that, like, you know? Which is kind of a testament, in a way, to the scene, you know? But, yeah, I think that over the yearsโฆlike, I said, with the Dolanโs thing as well, like Dolanโs is such a prestigious venue, and then when theyโve added in the Castle and stuff like that, you see bandsโฆlike even this summer alone, youโve got big international bands coming to Limerick; Snow Patrol are playing, Liam Gallagherโs playing, Paolo Nutini, youโve got Paul Weller whoโs playing, Johnny Marr, dโya know? There seems to be a bit of a shift, and I donโt know if itโs peopleโs taste or what, because I wouldโve always said that Limerick is more of a like R&B, dance kind ofโฆLike, the students, dโya know? Youโve got the big colleges and stuff like that. Whereas I think guitar-based music is making a bit of a comeback, and all for the better, in my opinion. [Laughs]
[Laughs] Well, speaking of guitar-based music, obviously last week [at the time of the interview] you released your latest single, โBlack Room.โ
Um-hum.
This is following โTalkโ and โFeel Love,โ which are kind of the three post-album singles that have been released thus far. What I think is interesting is that each single is very [โฆ] distinctive in its sound, but I think thereโs a continuity between them through the imagery. Each album hasโฆsorry, each single[โs artwork], I mean, has an old-timey photograph with a white frame around it.
Yeah.
I was wondering [โฆ] is this leading up to a bigger, collective project, or are these three singles just linked in this way to you guys? How do you feel?
The idea would be an EP is whatโs coming in the summer. But it was more, with the album, it was written over such a long period of time that it was very hard for it to be a conceptual project; it was kind of a bit of a mixed bag. And I think one thing that was a challenge for us with the album was that we were still in the process of developing our sound and trying to put that stamp on songs that hadnโt been written in the same block of songs. You know, you could have a song that would be three or four years old, you could have a song thatโs three or four months old, and just trying to get some continuity in that. So, when it came to getting the album out, it was like, โLovely, thatโs done now and we can focus on whatโs next.โ So, these singles, these batch of songs, have all kind of been written in and around the same few months, or year, or twelve months, whatever; the same period of time. For me, as the lead songwriter, Iโd say I had a concept in mind, that it was going to be revolving more back to our roots. Like, thatโs why โTalkโ kind of seems a little bit more stripped-back, maybe, than some of the other stuff on the album thatโs synth-driven and electronic nearly in some parts. So, โTalkโ was kind of like stripping everything back and baring the soul nearly a little bit, and thereโs references in the lyrics to going back to your roots and that kind of thing. And โFeel Love,โ then, was in a similar vein, you know? It was more of a youthful love song, in a way, you know? And then โBlack Roomโ was, I suppose, the culmination of the albumโs sound and our stripped-back sound, and kind of getting back to what we feel like our sound is. So, โBlack Roomโ is more what we would say we are, you know? And then, with the EP coming, the whole picture will be clearer, you know, when we release the EP. And weโre hoping to maybe put a couple of stripped-back acoustic tracks on it as well, where it all began really, because every song you hear was written on an acoustic guitar or written on a shitty feckinโ keyboard or something, dโya know what I mean, like? It’s all veryโฆThat was where it all started. So, weโre trying to get a little bit of that across on the EP, you know?
Like you were mentioning earlier, there were line-up changes throughout the bandโs lifetime, and now it seems to be the mostโฆcorrect me if Iโm wrong, but it seems to be the most kind of core trio that itโs been for a while; the three of you guys have been working together consistently. Do you find that makes it easier, as a songwriter then, to be able to play to the other membersโ strengths or kind of knowโฆI donโt know, kind of know what their sound is? Itโs kind of hard to explain to people who werenโt musicians themselves, but you can have two people play the exact same song, but it always just has a little difference. I canโt really explain it.
Definitely. I think when you first start playing with musicians โ because, no matter what people say, every musician has an ego. Like, everyone has their own way of doing things โ and I think when you first start playing with someone, youโre feeling out their little nuances, and youโre feeling out what makes them tick, and what not to say, and what to say, kind of thingโฆ
It’s like a game of Operation. [Laughs]
Yeah, exactly! Yeah! [Laughs] So, I think now that weโveโฆLike, weโre best mates, like โ me, Colum, and Adam โ weโre best mates; like we go out for pints together if weโre around in the same town or whatever, and we talk to each other daily, you know? Itโs not just like a lot of bands here, where they meet up and play and then they donโt talk to each other for six months; we talk every day. So, I feel like we really know each other, as well. So, we could go into the studio and no oneโs afraid to make suggestions. So, like, Adam would say to me, โOh, you should do this,โ orโฆI think when you first meet someone and they say, โOh, you should do this,โ you kind of nearly take it as an insult, but weโre kind of past that now, where we can make suggestions to each other. To the point where Colum Kelly, evenโฆ[Laughs] Colum, the guitarist โ who cannot sing, by the way! โ did some vocal stuff on a couple of the songs, you know? Or weโve all done group vocals on some of the songs, or someone might have an idea for a specific drum part or a guitar part, like. Maybe less so drums, because Adam is the drummer, whereas I play guitar and maybe the lads would have a suggestion for me or vice versa. So, I think itโs a very healthy relationship we have now, you know? And I think it stems from being mates, like, and being friends, and trusting each other in that way, you know?
Totally. Actually, could I add on to that a little bit? I think on top of being mates and being familiar with each other and things like that, I think thereโs also a maturity that grows, just naturally, for everyone. Obviously, as you grow older, a lot of your ego is stripped away, and you do kind of becomeโฆ – at least this is my perspective โ but you do kind of become more receptive to other peopleโs ideas and other peopleโs thoughts, where, I think when youโre young and kind of green, thereโs that kind of attitude ofโฆI donโt know, defensiveness, perhapsโฆ
Yes!
โฆthat I think just kind of mellows out over time. Do you think thatโs a factor, as well?
No, I think in every walk of life, youโll encounter that; ย not just in music, like. But, no, definitely. I know that in the past, even with myself maybe starting out, itโs like you have this kind ofโฆitโs almost like an insecurity, rather than an ego. Itโs like, โOh, I should know,โ ย โI should have all the answers,โ or โI should know what Iโm doing here,โ but, likeโฆItโs like starting a new job โ forget about music for a minute โ and you go in and someone says, โOh, you should do this.โ Like, you can take the constructive criticism on board and better yourself or you can hide away and take it as an insult, you know? And I think thatโsโฆYouโre dead right in that respect; like, I think weโre past that. And thatโs why they say, I suppose, a bit of wisdom goes a long way [Laughs] in any walk of life, you know?
Well, we talked already about the longevity of the band, and, obviously, I think itโs great that you guys are so persistent through the geographical changes, through line-up changes, through everything. It seems like itโs something thatโs going to continue growing for a while, and, obviously, you guys donโt even have to be in the same city anymore [Laughs] for it to persist. I was wondering, for you, what do you think the future of the band is, whether immediate or distant? Or are you thinking about that or are you just taking it day-by-day?
Em, I think there was a time in our younger days or when we first started playing together, where we probably thought, โWeโre going to take over the world, and weโre going to be touring here, there, and everywhere,โ and I think that – going back to the amount of talent thatโs in the country and beyond – you start to think to yourself, โWow! These people are so talented and theyโreโฆโ โ it depends on what you consider โmaking itโ is, but – โโฆtheyโre just playing in their hometown, and theyโre happy doing that,โ you know? So, I think that we put an awful lot of pressure on ourselves [in the] early days to kind of be the next The Cranberries, or be the next U2, or whoever, you know? But I think that you kind of get to a point where you say, โYou know what? If I get to play music with my mates and play some venues, and people like it and people are into it, dโya know, weโre happy,โ you know? Like, last summer was probably the first time that we actually went out and tried to book a few festivals, and we played a few last year, which was great; we played with some big bands, as well. If I look back on the years that we have been playing, weโve played with some really great Irish bands. Like, weโve played with The Riptide Movement, we supported Hermitage Green there in December, in Limerick, in the Market, which is 2,000 people or whatever. [Laughs] We played with Basement Jaxx last year, [at] a couple of festivals. Like, Gavin James, [The] Academic, we played with The Stunning. Like, I could go on and on and on. Itโs not until you kind of step back and you realise that youโve done more than a lot of people and you should be happy with that. But, I suppose for the future, like this summer coming up now, I think it was a tactful thing to release the single at this time, because last year, when we released โTalkโ โ pretty much a year ago; it was, I think, the third of March last year, so we released this one on the first โ and, off the back of that, we seemed to book a lot of gigs and festivals and stuff, like. So, weโre hoping that this summer will be busy, and then we recordedโฆWe did a headline gig in Dolanโs Warehouse, last year, where we recorded the whole gig, so weโre planning on maybe putting out a live release – it will probably be an EP – but weโll say that kind of period between the end of summer and Christmas, weโre probably going to put out the live stuff and, after that, weโll see. We havenโt had a whole lot of time forโฆ- personally, myself, anyway – โฆfor writing too much in the last twelve months because weโve been so busy, you know? So, for me, Iโd like to take a little bit of time to sit down and start writing some new stuff and see where we go from there.
Perfect, man. I guess the final thing Iโll ask, you were mentioning that youโre planning on releasing an EP and youโve [โฆ] released three singles over the course of the last year. Do you guys find youโre more of an album band or are you content with singles? How do you feel about that? [โฆ] I find some bands are either one or the other. I donโt know how you feel about that.
I think, being old school, the dream was always to record an album, you know? I grew up listening to albums and it was always like, โThis is the new album.โ You didnโt even really hear about EPs, really โ like, EPs were kind of for up-and-coming bands, maybe, you know? โ and singles were nearly like EPs in themselves because you used to have the main song and then youโd have two or three B-sides on the single, you know? So, for me, it was always like recording an album, that was always my dream, personally, to record an album, and we did that. But I think the way things are gone now, with [โฆ] music being released digitally on Spotify or whatever else, I think you have to remain relevant, nearly. So, unless youโre Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire or one of theseโฆMuse or something, like, you kind of have to remain relevant, you know? So, I think thatโs why you see a lot of bands now releasing singles, singles, singles, and, at the end, itโs going to culminate [sic] in some sort of album, probably. But I think the days of recording an album, disappearing for two years, and then recording another album, I think theyโre kind of gone unless youโre one of the big boys, so itโs not so much what we prefer, I think itโs whatโs necessary for us, and I think at the moment whatโs necessary is to keep putting stuff out, so if that means singles, great. If it means an EP or it culminating in an album down the road, then thatโs the way we go with it. But itโs all about content, now. Sure, you know, yourself!
Yeah! [Both laugh] Well, actually, something I want to ask you, just based on that, is I sometimes worry that if youโre following a band who plan on putting out an album, obviously streaming culture dictates that you put out the singles beforehand.
Yeah.
I often wonder if that makes the release of an album less special because by the time it comes out, youโve have half the album, already. Youโve already heard it. [Laughs]
Well, I think that we kind of went a bit old-school with it because we put, I think itโs eleven tracks on the album, and I think we released fourโฆ – we released โTonight,โ โBreathe Easy,โ โSquare One,โ and โSomeone Elseโs Loveโ โ so, we released four of those. That was the thing that I was worried about, is that you put out all the singles and then thereโs no surprise, you know? Because thatโs what I used to love about buying albums back in the day, is youโd hear one or two singles and then youโd get the album, and youโd even release singles after the album had come out, you know?
Yeah, yeah.
But, yeah, I think that we were conscious of people getting their moneyโs worth, in a way; that we didnโt want to give them everything before the album came out, so you still had six songs which you hadnโt heard once the album came out, which I think isโฆYou know, itโs fair, like. Iโd be happy with that, so we were conscious of that.
Raging Sonsโ latest single, โBlack Room,โ is now available on all streaming platforms. You can find all of the bandโs music, social media accounts, and live dates here.
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Aaron Kavanagh is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Post-Burnout. His writing can also be found in the Irish Daily Star, Buzz.ie, Totally Dublin, The GOO,ย Headstuff, New Noise Magazine, XS Noize, DSCVRDย and more.