Eden Isle: “We live to perform for an audience: to deliver emotions and see them mirrored on the crowd”

Cork rock band Eden Isle are a rising name in the city, but bring with them ample experience from various projects that preceded them.

Drawing in range of rock-tinged influences, the band pride themselves on their live show. I checked in with them as they launched new single ‘Four Leaf Clover’.

Congrats on the new single. Can you tell me a little about the story behind it?

Four Leaf Clover is reminiscing about old friends and scenarios, waking up after great nights together and how you’ve changed as people.

Your band name and some song titles have a distinctly ‘Irish trad’ feel to them. Is that a conscious thing or just a natural impact of your environment?

The band name is based on our happy place as in our band room and creative space.

How did you all meet and become a band?

Ame and Kev met originally (after Ame was looking for a singer) then Kev brought in a new bassist, Carl. After a while Ame brought in Ed and Carl brought in Shane, that is how we formed as a band. Blackpool rehearsal studios is where our band was born.

How do your tracks typically come together?

Being a pianist and guitar player, track ideas would usually start from me (Ame). Since we got Shane in, he has been in the same role as Ame: a music-ideas initiator.

Ed and Carl are precious in their structuring our ideas and not alien themselves in creating and sourcing them as well.

Usually, Kev comes last but definitely not least: he adds the lyrics, ideas and helps us structuring as well. This is rather a collective effort and we love the process of music creation!

Do you have a record on the horizon?

Absolutely we have material for an album and more.

You’ve mainly been involved in the Cork scene so far. How do you find that scene, and what have you learnt from it so far?

It is an exciting scene: we love our City, the scene is so vibrant and people seem to enjoy original acts. Every time we play live we engage with the audience in such a way that makes you love what you do.

Can you tell me a little bit about your various musical backgrounds?

Carl: after trying various instruments finally settled on bass in 2010 after seeing a Thin Lizzy tribute band in Killarney. Self-taught, hooked up with Kev in a party band called the Originals here in Cork up to 2019, now putting all efforts into Eden Isle. Musical influences are primarily the rock and metal genres.

Ed: been playing music since I was 16 when I first picked up the drums, got my first kit and a year to the day later played my first gig. Been gigging ever since domestically and internationally with cover and original acts.
Main influences would be the Melvins, Faith no more, CCR and many others.

Kevin: gigged for 18 years on the cover band scene, in between those years I’ve been writing and recording songs and ideas before deciding to look to form a bigger original act to perform and create with. My influences are Freddie Mercury and Queen, Kings of Leon, Nirvana, Cranberries, Bryan Adams, Audioslave, Tenacious D and Foo Fighters.

Ame: learnt to first play accordion and keyboards in a church contest in Rome where I grew up. Been in love with Queen and Freddie Mercury since the age of 7 and decided I would be a pianist and have my own band because of that. Partly schooled and partly self-taught pianist in love with the guitar as well. Influences would be: Classical music, Queen, Freddie Mercury, Black Sabbath, Doors, System of a Down, and many others.

Shane: gigging in the Irish Music Scene since 2005. The first band was the Anybodies alongside singer-songwriter Tiz McNamara and now comedian Richy Sheehy. Released an independent single, which peaked online charts and hit Irish top 20. Gigged all over Ireland, Roisin Dubh in Galway, Button factory in Dublin, Cyprus Ave in Cork. Played on 2fm tomorrow tour. Supported bands such as The Revs, Blizzards, Delorentos, David Geraghty. Played in various bands since. Influences are The Smith, Jeff Buckley, Interpol, Muse. Personally interested in music production and orchestration.

What’s been your favourite moment as a band so far?

The gigs are most definitely our favourite moment. We live to perform for an audience: to deliver emotions and see them mirrored on the crowd.

What are your hopes for the future?

We’d like to be able to create more music and perform live and grow as a bad to perform in bigger events so we can share our music with whoever wants to listen.

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