John Joyce interview 18th Oct 2010
I have interviewed many musicians in my day but this interview was different for many reasons. John Joyce, a grand nephew to the famous James Joyce. who is living in Waterford came to Youghal to chat with me last week and to play some of the tracks he has recorded and written over the last few years. John, who from time to time plays in nearby Cloyne where his brother Philip lives, bears an uncanny resemblance to his famous ancestor James Joyce.
We started the interview by talking about writing music and how did John himself approach writing. John replied that writing was easy for him and an enjoyable pastime, he would write the music and go into the studio with another friend of his from Castlecomer John Travis where they would record the songs. John was always surrounded by artist’s musician’s actors as he grew up, His mother was an actress who was also a fantastic singer, the house was always full of Irish stars that would pop in for tea or a chat and to John growing up they were all just friends of the family.
When John was living in London he was a member of a band called the PhsycoPats which also had other famous musicians, drummer Donny Bongos who was with Brush Shields, Dave Lennox on keyboards who was a member of Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull & Ginger Baker and Steve Travis one of the Miami Showband and Johnny Fean from Horselips. At this time he wrote many songs. Up until then he had been writing poetry rather then songs. I always liked music, I loved listening to American rock, country blues and country music, I loved the Grateful Dead, The Eagles. Kris Kristofferson is my favorite songwriter, so I would have based my writing style on that genre. I like writing from the heart.
John is currently working on finishing his first play. When I asked John was it hard being the relation of James Joyce, were people comparing his writing to his famous relation or was the expectancy high because of this relationship he replied, I find it helps at times and other times it can be a little difficult because I have my own writing style and I write from my own life experience, its something I enjoy. For this play I am writing songs that will be included in the overall play its still a work in progress but its getting there. Its all based around James Joyce’s three books Ulysses, Finnegan’s wake and Portrait of an Artist.
You can hear John playing in Hartys in Cloyne from time to time so keep an eye out for this entertaining, musical storyteller.
We started the interview by talking about writing music and how did John himself approach writing. John replied that writing was easy for him and an enjoyable pastime, he would write the music and go into the studio with another friend of his from Castlecomer John Travis where they would record the songs. John was always surrounded by artist’s musician’s actors as he grew up, His mother was an actress who was also a fantastic singer, the house was always full of Irish stars that would pop in for tea or a chat and to John growing up they were all just friends of the family.
When John was living in London he was a member of a band called the PhsycoPats which also had other famous musicians, drummer Donny Bongos who was with Brush Shields, Dave Lennox on keyboards who was a member of Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull & Ginger Baker and Steve Travis one of the Miami Showband and Johnny Fean from Horselips. At this time he wrote many songs. Up until then he had been writing poetry rather then songs. I always liked music, I loved listening to American rock, country blues and country music, I loved the Grateful Dead, The Eagles. Kris Kristofferson is my favorite songwriter, so I would have based my writing style on that genre. I like writing from the heart.
John is currently working on finishing his first play. When I asked John was it hard being the relation of James Joyce, were people comparing his writing to his famous relation or was the expectancy high because of this relationship he replied, I find it helps at times and other times it can be a little difficult because I have my own writing style and I write from my own life experience, its something I enjoy. For this play I am writing songs that will be included in the overall play its still a work in progress but its getting there. Its all based around James Joyce’s three books Ulysses, Finnegan’s wake and Portrait of an Artist.
You can hear John playing in Hartys in Cloyne from time to time so keep an eye out for this entertaining, musical storyteller.
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