Damien Dempsey
Encyclopedia
Damien Dempsey is an Irish
singer and songwriter
who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social comment on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger
society.
, a Northside
suburb of Dublin, his earliest musical influences came from the post-pub musical sessions that were held in his parents house when he was a toddler.
Upon completing secondary school at Mount Temple Comprehensive School
, he attended the Ballyfermot
"Rock School" for 2 years. There he studied musical performance and management and his first EP
, "The Contender" was released in 1995 on the school's record label
.
"Dublin Town" was released in 1997, and reached number 18 in the Irish music charts. The Irish music magazine "Hot Press
" praised the single, remarking that it was "..an underground anthem for disaffected youth and closet balladeer alike". His first full length album, titled "They Don't Teach This Shit In School" was released in 2000 and contained a re-recorded version of this song.
His next release, in 2002, the "Negative Vibes EP" featured Sinéad O'Connor on the title track and led to an invitation to support Sinéad on her 2002/2003 Irish, UK, and European tour.
Damien's second full-length album, "Seize the Day", was released in May 2003 in Ireland on Clear Records via Sony
and entered the charts in its first week of release at No. 5. It has since achieved double-platinum sales.
In 2004 Dempsey toured extensively headlining his own shows as well as supporting Bob Dylan during the Irish leg of his European tour and making his debut appearances at The Fleadh and Womad.
He has earned the support of his peers, particularly Morrissey
, who invited Damien to support him on various UK and Irish dates as well as his autumn 2004 US tour. Morrissey went on to sign Damien to his label (Attack), and "Seize the Day" had its U.S. release in October 2004.
His third album, "Shots", simultaneously released in Ireland and the UK in March 2005 entered the Irish album charts at #19.
At Oxegen 2006
, on the main stage on Saturday afternoon, the Dempsey said that Patrick Pearse
would be "turning in his grave" at the state of modern Ireland
. This sparked off controversy.
He supported British folk-rock band The Levellers on their UK tour in the spring of 2006 as well as playing at The Levellers' music festival Beautiful Days in August 2006.
Damien's first live album,"Live at The Olympia" was released June 2006 in Ireland and the UK. The album was recorded at Dublin's Olympia Theatre on 15 December 2005.
"Shots" was released in the U.S. on the United For Opportunity label in June 2006 and Damien undertook a coast to coast tour.
On the Fleadh 2007 tour Damien, along with Sharon Shannon's Big Band, toured Ireland and the UK with Willie Nelson.
His fourth studio album, "To Hell or Barbados" released in June 2007, entered the Irish album chart at No. 2. An extended version of the album, which included a bonus CD featuring previously unreleased and rare tracks, was released in Ireland via Sony BMG in November 2007.
Dempsey's fifth studio album, a covers album entitled The Rocky Road, was released on 6 June 2008 in Ireland via Sony BMG, with a UK release via IRL on 9 June 2008 and on August 26 via United For Opportity. The lead single "A Rainy Night In Soho", a cover of the Pogues
' original, was released on 30 May 2008.
was Dempsey's debut performance as an actor. He played the fictional Dublin crime boss Paul Chambers. The film has been well received by critics. The Irish Times
stated that the film "has all the raw, angry energy of the great man’s roaring songs." The film is due to be released in cinemas in March 2011.
, It's All Good: The Damien Dempsey Story, by independent
filmmaker Dara McCluskey, that followed Damien's career progression up to the release of "Seize the Day", was broadcast on Ireland's national television
station RTÉ
and shown at film festivals in Ireland and New York. It shows how far Damien Dempsey has come in becoming a Platinum selling artist ("It's All Good: The Damien Dempsey Story" 52 Minute Documentary online).
, Damien walked away with two, the only 2004 double winner. In 2006 and 2007, Damien added to his collection of Meteor Awards when he won Best Irish Male. Nominated in 2 categories in the Irish Meteor Awards 2008 and won “Best Folk/Traditional”.
| rowspan="4"| 2004
| rowspan="3"| Damien Dempsey
| Best Folk/Traditional Act
|
|-
| Best Irish Country/Roots Artist
|
|-
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| Seize the Day
| Best Irish Album
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2006
| Damien Dempsey
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| Shots
| Best Irish Album
|
|-
| 2007
| Damien Dempsey
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2008
| rowspan="2"| Damien Dempsey
| Best Folk/Traditional Act
|
|-
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2009
| rowspan="2"| Damien Dempsey
| Best Folk/Traditional Act
|
|-
| Best Irish Male
|
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
who mixes traditional Irish folk with contemporary lyrics to deliver social comment on the positive and negative aspects arising from Ireland's Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger is a term used to describe the economy of Ireland during a period of rapid economic growth between 1995 and 2007. The expansion underwent a dramatic reversal from 2008, with GDP contracting by 14% and unemployment levels rising to 14% by 2010...
society.
Early life
Born and raised in DonaghmedeDonaghmede
Donaghmede is a residential suburb of Dublin, in the province of Leinster, Ireland.-Location:Donaghmede is situated approximately to the north east of the Dublin city centre, and is in the constituency of Dublin North East...
, a Northside
Northside
Northside or North Side may refer to:Music:* Northside , a musical group from Manchester, England* NorthSide, an American record labelPlaces:* North Side, California, former name of Oildale, California, United States...
suburb of Dublin, his earliest musical influences came from the post-pub musical sessions that were held in his parents house when he was a toddler.
Upon completing secondary school at Mount Temple Comprehensive School
Mount Temple Comprehensive School
Mount Temple Comprehensive School is a secondary school located in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland, originally notable as the first multi-denominational public school under Protestant management to open in Dublin....
, he attended the Ballyfermot
Ballyfermot
Ballyfermot is a suburb in the city of Dublin.Celebrities such as the famous Furey Brothers and the brilliant Keenan family have all resided in Ballyfermot.Ireland, located 7 kilometres due west from the city centre, and to the south of the Phoenix Park...
"Rock School" for 2 years. There he studied musical performance and management and his first EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, "The Contender" was released in 1995 on the school's record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
Musical career
His first commercial singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Dublin Town" was released in 1997, and reached number 18 in the Irish music charts. The Irish music magazine "Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
" praised the single, remarking that it was "..an underground anthem for disaffected youth and closet balladeer alike". His first full length album, titled "They Don't Teach This Shit In School" was released in 2000 and contained a re-recorded version of this song.
His next release, in 2002, the "Negative Vibes EP" featured Sinéad O'Connor on the title track and led to an invitation to support Sinéad on her 2002/2003 Irish, UK, and European tour.
Damien's second full-length album, "Seize the Day", was released in May 2003 in Ireland on Clear Records via Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
and entered the charts in its first week of release at No. 5. It has since achieved double-platinum sales.
In 2004 Dempsey toured extensively headlining his own shows as well as supporting Bob Dylan during the Irish leg of his European tour and making his debut appearances at The Fleadh and Womad.
He has earned the support of his peers, particularly Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
, who invited Damien to support him on various UK and Irish dates as well as his autumn 2004 US tour. Morrissey went on to sign Damien to his label (Attack), and "Seize the Day" had its U.S. release in October 2004.
His third album, "Shots", simultaneously released in Ireland and the UK in March 2005 entered the Irish album charts at #19.
At Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006 was the third Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 8 July and Sunday, 9 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
, on the main stage on Saturday afternoon, the Dempsey said that Patrick Pearse
Patrick Pearse
Patrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916...
would be "turning in his grave" at the state of modern Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. This sparked off controversy.
He supported British folk-rock band The Levellers on their UK tour in the spring of 2006 as well as playing at The Levellers' music festival Beautiful Days in August 2006.
Damien's first live album,"Live at The Olympia" was released June 2006 in Ireland and the UK. The album was recorded at Dublin's Olympia Theatre on 15 December 2005.
"Shots" was released in the U.S. on the United For Opportunity label in June 2006 and Damien undertook a coast to coast tour.
On the Fleadh 2007 tour Damien, along with Sharon Shannon's Big Band, toured Ireland and the UK with Willie Nelson.
His fourth studio album, "To Hell or Barbados" released in June 2007, entered the Irish album chart at No. 2. An extended version of the album, which included a bonus CD featuring previously unreleased and rare tracks, was released in Ireland via Sony BMG in November 2007.
Dempsey's fifth studio album, a covers album entitled The Rocky Road, was released on 6 June 2008 in Ireland via Sony BMG, with a UK release via IRL on 9 June 2008 and on August 26 via United For Opportity. The lead single "A Rainy Night In Soho", a cover of the Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
' original, was released on 30 May 2008.
Discography
- They Don't Teach This Shit in SchoolThey Don't Teach This Shit in SchoolThey Don't Teach This Shit in School is the debut album by Damien Dempsey released in 2000 on the Zincfence label.The album contains a re-recorded version of one of his best known singles "Dublin Town"....
(2000) - Seize the DaySeize the Day (album)Seize the Day is an album by Damien Dempsey released in Ireland in 2003 on Clear Records via Sony. In the UK it was released via IRL and in the USA it was released on Attack Records a subsidiary of Sanctuary Records...
(2003) - Shots (2005)
- To Hell or BarbadosTo Hell or BarbadosTo Hell or Barbados is the fourth studio album by Damien Dempsey released in Ireland and the UK in June of 2007. An expanded edition was released on 2 November 2007, complete with a bonus CD of additional material.-Track listing:# "Maasai"...
(2007) - The Rocky RoadThe Rocky Road (album)-Background:The Rocky Road is a studio album released by Damien Dempsey it is his 5th studio album.In 'The Rocky Road' he endeavour's to pull together a fine collection of ballads, some well-known and others less-so , while enrolling Dubliners John Sheahan and Barney McKenna to ensure the...
(2008)
Between The Canals
The Irish crime film Between the CanalsBetween the Canals
-Plot:The film follows three small-time criminals as they pinball their way about Dublin on a boozy Saint Patrick's Day. Liam is plotting an escape from minor villainy...
was Dempsey's debut performance as an actor. He played the fictional Dublin crime boss Paul Chambers. The film has been well received by critics. The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
stated that the film "has all the raw, angry energy of the great man’s roaring songs." The film is due to be released in cinemas in March 2011.
Documentary
A documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, It's All Good: The Damien Dempsey Story, by independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
filmmaker Dara McCluskey, that followed Damien's career progression up to the release of "Seize the Day", was broadcast on Ireland's national television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
station RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
and shown at film festivals in Ireland and New York. It shows how far Damien Dempsey has come in becoming a Platinum selling artist ("It's All Good: The Damien Dempsey Story" 52 Minute Documentary online).
Awards and nominations
Nominated in 4 categories in the 2004 Irish Meteor Music AwardsMeteor Music Awards
The Meteor Ireland Music Awards are a group of music awards in Ireland...
, Damien walked away with two, the only 2004 double winner. In 2006 and 2007, Damien added to his collection of Meteor Awards when he won Best Irish Male. Nominated in 2 categories in the Irish Meteor Awards 2008 and won “Best Folk/Traditional”.
Meteor Music Awards
|-| rowspan="4"| 2004
2004 Meteor Awards
The 2004 Meteor Music Awards were held on Monday 1 March 2004, hosted by comedian Dara Ó Briain. It was the fourth edition of Ireland's national music awards. At the ceremony Damien Dempsey was presented with two awards, Best Folk/ Traditional Act and Best Irish Country/Roots Artist...
| rowspan="3"| Damien Dempsey
| Best Folk/Traditional Act
|
|-
| Best Irish Country/Roots Artist
|
|-
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| Seize the Day
Seize the Day (album)
Seize the Day is an album by Damien Dempsey released in Ireland in 2003 on Clear Records via Sony. In the UK it was released via IRL and in the USA it was released on Attack Records a subsidiary of Sanctuary Records...
| Best Irish Album
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2006
| Damien Dempsey
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| Shots
| Best Irish Album
|
|-
| 2007
2007 Meteor Awards
The 2007 Meteor Music Awards ceremony was held in the Point Theatre, Dublin on Thursday, 1 February 2007. It was the seventh edition of Ireland's national music awards and the last to be held at the Point before it shut for redevelopment...
| Damien Dempsey
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2008
2008 Meteor Awards
The 2008 Meteor Music Awards ceremony was held in the RDS, Dublin on Friday, 15 February 2008. Nineteen awards were presented. It was the eighth edition of Ireland's national music awards. The event was later broadcast on RTÉ Two on Saturday, 16 February at 21:00...
| rowspan="2"| Damien Dempsey
| Best Folk/Traditional Act
|
|-
| Best Irish Male
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2009
| rowspan="2"| Damien Dempsey
| Best Folk/Traditional Act
|
|-
| Best Irish Male
|
External links
- United for Opportunity (Record label's artist information page)
- Fleming Artists (U.S. Booking Agent's artist information page]
- cluas.com (Early career interview with Damien Dempsey)
- It's All Good: The Damien Dempsey Story (Documentary by Dara McCluskey)