Originally formed as a side project, NUA has taken on a life of its own. With vocalist/guitarist Tommy McCann originally hailing from Belfast, Ireland and vocalist/Bodhran player Jim McDermott from Southern New Jersey, this duo present their own take on Irish standards and originals.
All Access Magazine (AAM) Geoff Melton - With Tommy coming from Belfast and you being from New Jersey, can you tell me how the two of you ended up together and can you give me a little bit of background info on both of you?
Jim - Tommy grew up with the Rebel songs. He always said that he never heard his father sing an Irish song. It was always Perry Como and the like. He learned the Irish songs from his peers. He didn't start singing until he was about 40. I was also a bit of a late comer to Irish music. My father was a Rock n’ Roll drummer, but musical influences run all over. I got into playing Irish Traditional music about 12 years ago down in Baltimore/DC and Annapolis. Tommy got him on the singing and writing kick.
AAM - Being from New Jersey how did you end up playing the bodhran?
Jim - I already had a drummers background from my father. I got into Irish traditional music about a year or so earlier. I always heard percussion in it, but could never figure what it was. I was at an Irish Festival down in the DC area in 1999 and a Bodhran maker named Albert Alfonso had a tent there. He, and two members of the band Danu: Donnchadh Gough (bodhran) and Tom Doorley (flute) were messing about. At the time I had no idea who these people were, but the impromptu show they put on changed my life. I turned to my wife and said, “I want to learn how to do that!” About a month followed and I had found a Parks and Recreational program out of Howard County MD that taught how to play the Bodhran. My teacher was Deborah Colvin-Brower. It was frustrating at first. I couldn't get it. Then one day while I was home watching TV, I was messing about with my tipper (Bodhran drumstick) and a pizza box and something just clicked. I took about 2 months of lessons in a group setting then I kind of struck out on my own finding sessions wherever I could, often dragging my very supportive wife and three very patient small children along on weekends to small pubs.
AAM - Can you tell me a little about how the songwriting process usually works?
Jim - We rarely write together. We may ask opinions from one another on occasion, but actual choruses and verses comes from each of us on an individual basis. I think we get more done and can each bring more to the table when it comes time to lay songs down for recording.
Tommy - Songwriting for me comes from comes from a few different areas, it's never a structured thing, it usually comes from something I have heard someone say off the cuff, something I've daydreamed about or an image in my head or even from a memory from long ago. Once I have an idea I sit down with my guitar and mess around with chords and words till I hear something I like and take it from there. It can be a quick process or long I never know.
Jim – I generally pull from external sources. They are things that I've read or seen that invoke a strong emotional response. Then I finds a common thread that ties that emotion to something in my personal life. Sometimes I write in story format either relaying a story of a single event in sections or mini stories about several people or subjects. Then I string them together to form something they have in common. That commonality often becomes the chorus. I once wrote a song about our old bass player putting his ass in a cake. That one event yielded a pretty fun song and was good writing practice.
AAM - Is there one song for each of you that stands out and carries a special meaning and if so, why?
Tommy - All the songs I write do have a strong meaning for me in some way and I do get emotional, the one that I wrote about my father I think a lot of men can relate to. It's called "Match of the Day" and it's about a father and son watching a ball game together. When you get older it seems to mean more.
Jim – I have to say "United Ireland" just because people took to it so quickly but I like the songs that nearly make me cry when I am singing them. "Donegal to Baltimore" was one of them. I have others that still have to be recorded that are very personal to me. Those will take some time to arrange just right and record just right.
AAM - You did a two week tour of Ireland last year. How was that and were you pleased with the response?
Tommy - It turned out to be a lot of fun and we were happy with the response. People did appreciate our music although it was strange to hear that it was hard to find anyone playing Irish ballads anymore.
AAM - I heard that you're planning on doing another album this year. What can you tell me about that?
NUA - Yes, we are planning to do another CD this year. We have a lot of material and we're tapping the right people to get just the sound we want. The first CD was just us. Although we are very proud of our first efforts, we want to take our time with this next one and really craft each song. We hope to get it all together by Summer 2010.
AAM - Can you tell me about your other band Rossnareen and if you do any songwriting for that band can you tell me how the songwriting process differs?
NUA - Rossnareen started up several years ago from another band Tommy was in called "Maggies Leap" and has changed several times over the years. It typically plays the same music as NUA, but just has a bigger sound. It’s more of a Irish Rock show. It incorporates another guitarist, a fiddle player and Jim sits behind a small drum kit for some of the show.
AAM - Do you do any covers in your live show that listeners wouldn't expect you to do?
Tommy - Yes, we do covers from artists like David Gray, Paul Thorn, Bob Dylan The Pogues, Christy Moore and a lot more . We had an article written in Flip magazine saying that we do covers that people have never heard so that was cool. We play what we like, whatever catches our ear.
AAM - I saw Flogging Molly on The Warped Tour a few weeks ago and am curious what you think of bands like them who take Irish music and twist it up with a punk edge?
Tommy - Well, The Pogues have been punking up Irish music for more than twenty years or more and have been keeping Irish music alive which is brilliant. Flogging Molly are keep the tradition going may it never end!
Jim - We've heard Irish music as Punk, Jazz and Rock n’ Roll. The more the merrier.
AAM - What are your plans for the rest of 2009?
Tommy - To keep playing music, writing music, enjoying music and of course getting our next CD finished.
AAM - If you had one thing to say to your listeners what would it be?
Tommy - That’s a difficult one to answer but we hope it catches your ear, heart or soul in some way and just enjoy it for what it is, music!
AAM - Is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
Tommy - Support local music. Support local artists and Support a local business that does both!
Jim - Live music is personal and warm. It’s a lot different than an iPod or jukebox.
