Joe Doyle is the bassist

Bassist

A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...

 and backing singer for Irish

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...

 rock band The Frames

The Frames

The Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...

 and the Swell Season. He has been a member of The Frames since 1996, appearing on six albums to date. In addition to appearing on Frames albums, he has also plays bass and contributes backing vocals to two Swell Season albums: the soundtrack to "Once" and "Strict Joy." He is currently touring as a member of the Swell Season, which also includes Glen Hansard (vocals/guitar), Marketa Irglova (vocals/piano), Graham Hopkins (drums/backing vocals), Rob Botchnik (lead guitar/backing vocals) and Colm Mac Con Iomaire (violin/backing vocals). Doyle originates from Allenwood

Allenwood

Allenwood is a small Irish village in County Kildare situated on the Grand Canal. Allenwood is located about from Dublin and half way between Rathangan and Clane in North County Kildare....

, County Kildare

County Kildare

County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Ireland.

He left school in 1994, aged 16, to join Kilkenny

Kilkenny

Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...

 band My Little Funhouse

My Little Funhouse

My Little Funhouse were a rock band from Kilkenny, Ireland in the early 1990s.After winning the Carling Hot Press band competition, they got signed to Island Publishing and went on, in late 1991, to sign what was Geffen Records' largest deal to that date: $2 million...

 in 1993, alongside school friend Graham Hopkins

Graham Hopkins

Graham Hopkins is an Irish drummer. He is the drummer in The Swell Season, The Frames, and former drummer for the hard rock/punk rock band Therapy?.- Early years :...

. After signing a recording deal with Geffen Records

Geffen Records

Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...

, the band toured their debut album Standunder for about a year, mainly in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Tours included support to Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...

 and The Ramones amongst others. The band then lived in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 and recorded a second album for Geffen before imploding.
Doyle then went on to join The Frames

The Frames

The Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...

 after bassist Graham Downey left the band.