September 2006

Full page feature | AU Magazine | by Francis Jones

If you use MySpace (and who doesn't freakasaurus?) then chances are you've already clapped eyes on their 'Music MySpace' featured artist, and all-round tunage Casanova, Paddy McKeown. Perhaps you've decided to take things that bit further, been enticed into his cyber lair by those come-hither eyes, rendered helpless by McKeown's exhilarating minstrelsy and seduced by his spectral, Buckley-via-Belfast, vocal uluations. And having spent some quality time in the company of our Paddy you'll know that though commonly described as a 'singer-songwriter', McKeown's music transcends the folksy, limiting connotations of that term. Diverse, freeform and imbued with a skewed romanticism, this is music you can quietly lose your heart to.

"Singer-songwriter. I hate it. There's this idea that you have to pigeonhole music, to give it a description other people can relate to and understand. When people hear the therm 'singer-songwriter', they tend to think of artists like Damien Rice and that just isn't what I do. Having said that I can't think of a better description and I much prefer 'singer-songwriter' to solo-artist, which is just pretentious."

His music has been favourably compared to Jeff Buckley and Radiohead, and although he acknowledges the importance of these artists McKeown is quick to draw AU's attention to some lesser known influences.

"There's so much stuff in there, I mean, Metallica would be a massive influence. Also I've been compared to King Crimson and that was before I'd even listened to their material, but I can kinda see how that fits. In terms of touchstones, I love the whole grunge thing; My favourite album is 'Superunknown' by Soundgarden. Ultimately these various influences come together in what I would describe as Prog-Folk."

Given his broad musical education, (McKeown studied at Dartington College of Arts) and eclectic tastes, (everything from rock to contemporary classical) just how does he manage to weave such disparate strands into a cohesive whole?

"It's difficult and really I think I'm still developing. A lot of the time I just try to do something that's appealing to me and that's engaging. What's especially important is that the music is emotionally challenging and compelling. I don't like music that is overly intellectualised, nor do I like something that's too simplistic, so it's about getting the right balance, about making sure the music has the requisite depth."

And what of the hugely coveted, font-end MySpace action, how did he come to be beneficiary of that?

"I just started getting random messages fromall these people telling me I was on the MySpace homepage. Then I noticed I'm getting hundreds of plays of my stuff, that wasn't usually the case, so I kned something strange was happening. Just a few days ago some guy left a comment on my page saying that he'd been doing work experience at MySpace. His job was to scout about for artists that would be considered for feature. I don't know if it was actually him who selected me, but thankfully someone like my stuff!"

Given that he has not released any material in a couple of years, the EPs 'dca' and 'Passing By'appeared in 2003 and 2004 respectively, AU questions whether the recent flurry of interest in McKeown can be wholly attributed to his new-found MySpace fame.

"Of course it helps, but I think it's a combination of increased effort and natural progression. I've come across this new vocal technique that I have been really focusing on, that's had a big impact, enabling me to be freer, more musically liberated. Also I now feel I have a greater compositional maturity. I suppose ultimately it just comes down to a greater desire and focus and being afforded the time to devote to my music. For a while I was working as a supervisor in a coffee shop and eventually you just think, fuck this, I'm fed up taking grief off the public. I really wanted to do tunes and if it's gonna happen then you gotta make it happen. I may be living off baked beans but I can spend so much more time working on my music; promotion, getting together material, writing new songs and the band."

Constantly practising and promoting, financially bereft and surviving on the tastiest delights of the baked bean connoisseurs' cookbook, why would anyone dedicate themselves to such hardship? Whilst others play the music game for the Class A kickbacks of fame, groupies and drugs, McKeown seeks satisfaction in an altogether more elevated form.

"It's not necessarily about recognition; well only to the extent that you need a certain amount of recognition to be abe to keep doing this. It's about expression, and musicjust happens to be my particular creative outlet. for other people it might be joinery, painting or sculpture, what you all have in common is that you're engaged in the process of creation. for me it's all about gratifying the creative drive. That's why I'm doing this."