Fin Furey, son of Finbar Furey of Irish folk band The Fureys, has released his new single, Glory Days, and plays the Grand Social on 10 November. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
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The sound of his music is a fusion of folk/blues and cinematic new-age traditional music. Born into a musical family, where the passion for music has been passed down through successive generations, Fin grew up on harmonies and anarchy describing how music "put food on the table and clothing on our backs".
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
You have got a taster of my music but who is the man behind it? As a proud Irish man I am verrry fond of pints (plural Guinness), but pretending that: "ah, I'm just going to go for "one" pint....", I also love cocktails, a fruit based, raspberry or strawberry cocktail! Doesn't even hit the sides going down.
Secondly: I wear a size 13 shoe.
Thirdly; I’ve worked as a strength & conditioning coach / functional anatomy specialist and physio for almost 11 years fixing bodies!
Only recently have I gone full time music and I’ll truly miss the craic and the people I worked with. It’s a great industry and it’s good for the head.
But for me... nothing comes close to music. The communal catharsis of a mass sing-along, bliss.
How would you describe your music?
A big smooth sound. Listening to most of the songs you'll hear hints of blues and soulful melodies, with Irish trad/rock n roll fusion driving the rhythm sections. Contemporary folk music with a pulse. Where storytelling meets sing-along ballads. On record, I try and sit my sound somewhere close to where contemporary folk meets 'movie soundtrack’ but live, myself and the band aim to blur the lines between a concert and a late-night bar lock-in raucous sing-along session, that kicks you in the chest, while smiling a gapped-toothed grin.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Ah jaysissss.... A big, BIG question which deserves an answer that takes a minimum 30 minutes+ to speak on . . . and a few pints to boot! But if we were to begin to unpack this and wedge it all into a squashed nutshell, it would look something like this: First and foremost, my own family have been enormously influential to my song writing and instrumental arrangements. We have a saying in my family: "music is to bring people together, not separate people". I believe music, and folk music in particular, is a narration of the times. A way of speaking about the world and society’s ebbs and flows as it moves and grows, through the means of melody. So, with that in mind... (I told you it’s a big question.....):
Instrumentally: The epic cinematic conductors such as James Horner and Howard Shore, they blow my mind. So many endless spiralling melodies, that would definitely be a strong inspiration behind the big string sections I’ve recorded in songs like Glory Days, Fire & Blood and Throne Of Bones.
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Lyrics and Melody: I’d have to first start with my upbringing. I was born and raised on ballads of freedom, tales of ancient battles and songs of love and heartbreak, and of course, of that beautiful little emerald sitting snug in the east Atlantic Ocean, Ireland.
The history and folklore in Ireland is unparalleled. The music lives and breathes in the songs and stories we were raised on. The great legacies about heroes of epic renown can meet face to face with the modern civil struggle. That’s folk music.
It’s not just storytelling songwriting, but it can be wielded as a voice for the people. I’m thinking of the epic image of Woody Guthrie in the 1940’s when he released the song Talking Hitler’s Head Off, and his guitar that had: "this machine kills fascists" written on it.
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Then as I began to explore other music I found blues, soul and rap music. The pain you can feel in the melodies as a listener and truth in their lyrics. The voice of Etta James on I’d Rather Go Blind, Ray Charles Georgia and Sam Cooke Change Is Gonna Come, in those old live recordings is genuine and this resonates deeply.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
My father’s. I would have only been maybe a couple of months old; my parents would have put me down to sleep in the guitar case. I was a great sleeper, apparently.... though, I’ve my suspicions you see.... The mind ponders on what would make a baby sleep so well backstage at a gig.... hmm. But yes, I’ve been on stages and in overly packed cars, vans and tour buses driving up and down the length and breadth of Ireland, UK, and into Europe, Australia and USA since nappies, all through childhood and my teenage years, and I loved every minute of it. There’s an old pic of me as an infant, and I’m wrapped in a small blanket in Ronnie Drew’s guitar case! It’s up in my parents’ house in fact! Gas. Poor fecker, I never stood a chance with that lot! And I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.
What was the first record you ever bought?
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I’ve been listening to a lot of Clapton lately; I find I lean towards blues in autumn. His version of Autumn Leaves has been my first song in the morning for the last four to five days. Beautiful piece of music.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"When the angel woos the clay he’d lose, his wings at the dawn of day".
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Grand Mother’s Eyes - Bohinta or What Makes You Dream - Bohinta
Where can people find more information about you and your music?
Fin Furey: Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Google.
Alan Corr
