When Chordblossom came into existence, it was always our aim to shine a spotlight on the artists and bands that make up the music scene in Northern Ireland. We’ve been doing it for over ten years now and one of our favourite methods is our Introducing feature.
Put the kettle on, curl up on your sofa and and join us for a quickfire Q&A with some of our favourite new musicians. Who knows, maybe you’ll even discover your new favourite artists.
This iteration of Introducing features the musical talents of Beat Up Car who just released her new single ‘you need help (but you have to want it)’.
What was the inspiration behind your artist name?
Oisin: We has been searching for band names for quite a while and we were previously called ‘The Ghost Tapes’, but because there were other bands out there with similar names, we decided to come up with something else.
Matt: Oisín drives an old car from the 2000’s and one of my favourite songs is called Calm E by culture abuse and they have a lyric in that song that says, “driving in my beat up car, to go really far”, and it felt applicable because after both of us having taken a break from making music during the pandemic, it felt like we were starting up an old car and giving it another go!
You’ve just released a new single. How did it come about and what does it mean to you?
Matt: We’re fully DIY. Everything is recorded in the world famous music studio – Matts Sparebedroom. Oisin produces everything you hear. However the starting point for most of our tunes come from me coming up with a basic tune on acoustic guitar and then Oisin comes to the studio (lol) and records/produces the track into what the final version sounds like. The song doesn’t turn into what it is without Oisin’s music production wizardry.
Oisin: This song is about watching people close to you struggle with their mental health, something a lot of people can relate to. Matt had come up a draft of the tune before the pandemic, and had sent it to me ages ago but we weren’t quite sure what direction to go in with it for quite some time. It was stuck in my head for ages! I was in New Zealand for a year and was feeling quite homesick at one point so I decided to pull out my laptop and start messing around with arrangements for the tune. I think I was listening to the Vaccines a lot then and it sparked something in me for this tune.
Have you any more releases or studio time lined up for later in the year?
We have a slew of releases recorded that are due for release over the next year. A big bonus in being completely DIY and being able to produce our own music means we can record a high volume of stuff and experiment with it all over time and try unlimited approaches to finishing a song.
Each song that’s coming out has a different niche in our sound explored but all still connected to the beat up car banner. The next one coming out is a tune called “True Love” and we’re so excited to get it out.
Tell us about your song writing process.
Matt: In the simplest terms – Matt picks up the acoustic guitar and a sad tune falls out. Oisin then records and produces It into a sad class sounding tune and makes it what it is. Our songwriting themes are often laid around mental health and real life experiences. I’m not the most vocal in talking about my problems and writing tunes is a cathartic way to help keep me sane and get some of my struggles off my chest.
Oisin: I love Matts song writing and we probably became close friends because I was able to relate to his lyrics. They sparked a lot of deep, late night life chats between us. We generally will record a verse and a chorus of a song acoustically and use the computer to arrange the rest of the song. Because of this we get to try out many different possibilities and genres that we wouldn’t be able to in a room with a band and our songs can take on a totally different form from what they started as.
Who were your favourite artists/bands growing up? Have your influences changed over time?
Matt – Green Day have and always will be be my all time favourite band. I heard them aged 10 and wanted nothing else other than to be Billie Joe Armstrong. My influences vary from anything from 1975, Slipknot, Car Seat Hearest, Bruce Springsteen to Lionel Richie too. If something sounds great I’ll blast it in the car without shame.
Oisin: Growing up I was obsessed with Blink 182, The Beatles, Queen and AC/DC. I would have also have been listening to a lot of traditional music around the house like Michael McGoldrick, Paul Brady and Planxty. As soon as I got onto the internet, I would listen to everything I could get my hands on. Nowadays, it really depends on the mood I’m in! Right now I’m listening to a lot of Fat Freddy’s Drop, Beabadoobee, 1975 and IDLES. I’m still obsessed with Blink, their last album is unreal!
What’s been your favourite local release from the last twelve months?
Matt: One of the greatest Northern Irish songs ever put out in my opinion is Be Unknown by Birches. It’s the most wholesome and catchy tune. Those guys are just the best too. Big love for Birches. Have to also shout out our Scratch Buddies; HY:LY, Martha Greer and Garrett Laurie.
Oisin: There’s so much great Music coming out of NI lately, so it can be hard to narrow it down but Cherym’s latest Album is fantastic! Taking up sports has been stuck in my head for months. Talk it out by Brand New Friend is a beautiful song and one of my favourite tunes from the last year.
If you weren’t a musician, what line of work would we find you in?
Matt: We both hold down full time jobs! It’s difficult to be a full time musician and get a living out of it! However other than a musician, I’ve always wanted to be a fireman! It’s a really honourable and great job!
Oisin: I’ve always been interested in Psychology, so in another life I’d have loved to be a Psychotherapist.
If you could collaborate with one artist or band from NI, who would it be and why?
Matt: I’d want to play a show with General Fiasco and stage invade them when they play I’m Not Made Of Eyes. Be like that guy dancing on stage at Nirvanas reading show in 1992.
It is intensely difficult to be successful in the music industry. What does NI need to do to invest in/develop to boost your chances?
Have more people like Charlene Hegarty. Somebody that will encourage you and make you believe it’s a viable career option. Educating musicians on possible ways to make money, to make connections and not to just write off a music career as something that’s a hobby. I feel most people in NI don’t take musicians seriously. Public opinion needs to be changed somehow.
What does success look like for you?
Matt: Well my other love in life is TV/Film. I always had a dream of getting a song in a film or tv show I loved. Well we just achieved that! Our song barely holding on got a SYNC in BBC ’s Blue lIghts and it made my life. It feels like it can’t get much better so maybe it’s safer to quit now and end on a high… haha
However genuinely just making music with my best mate and putting out songs we are proud of is all I need now. We do this because we love to do it. No pressure. Whatever happens, happens and that’s helped me appreciate making g music more.
Oisín: Success for me is simply making lots of music and playing lots of gigs… We’ve made it and everything else is a massive bonus!
You’re going out on tour and can have anything you want on your rider, what would we find on yours?
Matt: Guinness, Hummous and an Aha CD. Blast Take On Me before we go on so that I can channel my high notes from Morten.
Oisín: If they have any XLR leads I’d be happy with that. And probably some carrots slices so Matt doesn’t do that thing where he eats Hummus with his fingers.
Where and when can we next catch you live?
Our debut show is to be announced. We’ve been holding off doing a live show because we want it to be planned out and a proper good experience. But expect to see more on that very soon.
If you enjoyed this feature and fancy discovering some more new artists, we suggest you jump on over to our archive of Introducing pieces.
If you are a band or musician based in Northern Ireland interested in taking part in our Introducing feature, we recommend submitting new music to us via our Contact page and if we enjoy it, you’ll no doubt hear from us.
