CATCHY GO GO RECORDS

Catchy Go Go Records [hereafter CGGR] was set up in 1998 to release the debut recordings of Dublin based band, the npb. It was one of those things just taken for granted. Set up a band. Write and record songs. Set up a label. Release those songs. Along the way the label expanded to release recordings by npb related project El Diablo, but also other Dublin based artists, such as Deputy Fuzz / Life After Modelling, Forty Six Long, Herm and Adrian Crowley. Though mostly released in Ireland only, some of these recordings were also released in the UK. After a period of relative hibernation, CGGR is returning to the world with new songs. Patrick Freyne and his Bad Intentions release their debut album ‘Nobody Ever Dies’ on the 3rd November. Further releases will follow. This page is a temporary one [set up in Nov 2006], with brief information about the label and artists.

NEWS NOVEMBER 2006

 

Patrick Freyne and his Bad Intentions:

The latest musical incarnation of Mr. P. Freyne sees him ruminating on life’s highs [life] and lows [death]. A member of npb and El Diablo, Patrick’s debut solo album ‘Nobody Ever Dies’ mines a purer, folk orientated vein of songwriting than hitherto. Solo though is perhaps inaccurate as the boy is inseparable from his Bad Intentions. They, in alphabetical order, are:

Jack Cawley
Miriam Ingram
Les Keye
Eoin Mac Ionmhain
Frances Mitchell
Kim Porcelli

‘Nobody Ever Dies’ is released on 3rd November 2006. The CGGR launch party is in Carnival, Wexford Street, on Friday 3rd. Tour dates and other information is available from the Bad Intentions website:

www.patrickfreyneandhisbadintentions.com/
www.myspace.com/patrickfreyneandhisbadintentions

A stalwart on Ireland's wired-up and weirded-out roots/ rock scene (with bands such as NPB and El Diablo…), Patrick Freyne clearly chooses to walk in the ditch and not the middle of the road. His debut album comes loaded with the experience of the outsider, the kind that values intimacy over insincerity and likes to spice (and spike) melodies up with shards of pointedly placed dissonance. The reference points are several but special and include the likes of Lee Hazlewood, Vashti Bunyan, Townes Van Zandt and Sufjan Stevens. It all amounts to nothing short of a roughly hewn gem, a record of small but crucial pleasures - adrift in the stew of surrounding commercial dross but so comfortable within its own skin that it's positively life affirming - The Irish Times

 

adrian crowley:

Adrian Crowley has been writing, recording and releasing music in Ireland, the UK and America for some years now. His third album, the beautiful ‘A Northern Country’ was jointly released by CGGR in Ireland, Misplaced Music in the UK, and by Ba Da Bing in the US. His song ‘The Girl From the Estuary’ is on the current Rough Trade Shops’ ‘Singer Songwriter 1’ compilation released by Mute Records, and he has recently completed a new album.

www.adriancrowley.com
www.myspace.com/adriancrowley

Veering on occasion between sugary lo-fi goodness and sleepy-eyed acoustica, Crowley is Ireland's real overlord of broody, mournful melancholia. 'One Hundred Words For Snow' is drenched in wonderful imagery, and the title-track is pretty much heart-stopping in its fragile beauty. 'Harmonious Song' is truely artful, almost experimental, imbued with a strain of gallic charm... it's like the soundtrack to every art-house film you've ever seen … If there were any justice in the world, Crowley's time would be right now, for this music is comsummately, overwhelmingly and blindingly gorgeous - Hotpress

 

the npb:

Since the debut EP ‘Catchy Go Go Records presents …’ the npb have released a series of albums, singles and EPs on CGGR. Along the way the band picked up glowing reviews in NME and Rolling Stong including a single of the year accolade, played most corners of Ireland and the UK, toured with Soundtrack of our Lives and Sahara Hotnights, worked with Gordon Raphael, and stubbornly did it there way. ‘Let’s Work It Out’ was the band’s third album and last release, and saw the band hone their distinctive garage rock style into something almost approaching psychedelic country.

Oh, the streets are swimming in urine and lost children. I've been asked directions twice on Thomas Street by tourists, so I arrive at Whelan's from the back way to avoid the dreaded town. Two p.m. on a rainy Saturday and there are actually people waiting at the door to get in. The enthusiasm of youth and the fact that the door is a bit more lenient at this time of the day

This band can pull a crowd, even at two in the afternoon. That just has to be good. There's a scene in 'Wild at Heart' where Nick Cage goes into a nightclub and there's a Country'n'Industrial band playing. This is who the npb remind me of. A band from a movie rather than a real band. Low-slung months in Death Valley. Lonely cowpoke mutants living off mescal and hanging with Al Jourgenson - Live review from Cluas

 

herm:

The ‘Rosemary EP’ was released on CGGR in 2005. Herm was a fellow traveler with El Diablo, and likes to think of himself as a ham radio operator, crafting songs and sending them out like radio broadcasts into the world. Herm has been working on his debut album throughout 2006. It will be released on CGGR in Spring 2007.

 

 

el diablo:

Initially a collaboration between boy [Patrick Freyne] and girl [Anna Carey], El Diablo hit its stride as a three way partnership including boy 2 [Pol O’Conghaile]. Early songs such as ‘Bellies With Gold’ and ‘The Wandering One’ were minimal art-pieces of gothic alt-country. With additional musicians on board [Kev Connolly and Bryan O’Connell] and a recording trip to Nashville, the band developed a broader, lusher sound with two well received albums and further singles.

Earlier in the night, El Diablo recalled some of the great duets of our time: Stuart and Isabella, Shane and Kirsty, Jane and Serge, Howie and Lisa, Lee and Nancy. The rhythm section are just the right side of loose, the Tele and the Strat link arms until closing time, and Anna Carey strikes a fine imbalance between the seraphic and the slatternly. There seems to be no end of great songs like "Heat" and "Dancing Steps" (the one with the batshit guitar bit), and Billy Bob Thornton really should commission the dustbowl lullaby with the "All the pretty little horses refrain". Decent rock ‘n’ roll bands have been scarce enough in recent times. Cool ones, in the hip flask swiggin’ sense of the word, almost non-existent. Until now. HOTPRESS review of el Diablo supporting 16 Horsepower

 

life after modelling / deputy fuzz:

Deputy Fuzz submitted a demo to CGGR back in the early days and over the following years became regular gig collaborators with npb, including a UK tour which culminated with a CGGR label showcase at Notting Hill’s Rota Club. The Fuzz recording ‘Music For Toys’ was their only release and prefigured the band’s transformation into Life After Modelling. LAM became the talk about town, opened the year’s Witness festival, and released the single ‘December 21st’ before then deciding on a period of self enforced exile. Mark and James are continuing to craft songs but, at this point in time, have not decided whether to do anything with them. Bennie is currently writing and performing as Xs for Eyes with Davey Moor.

 

forty six long:

were John, Tim and Paul. For a few years, they played instrumental stuff, loud stuff, quiet stuff, and singing stuff, and were variously described as purveyors of "skid rock", "Dublin hardcore", and as going from "punk to funk". John Cowie currently makes music under the GoodtimeJohn Moniker, while Tim does likewise as Neosupervital. Forty Six Long released their only recording, a self-titled 10” mini-album on CGGR.

While they have only played a small handfull of well-received shows to date, the industrious threesome that trade under the name 46 long already have an eponymous mini-album ready to roll. Lovers of left-field instrumental music will love these rocking eight tracks, drawing inspiration from the likes of fugazi and shellac. Mr thumnus is all rumbling bass and strident drumming, topped off with scorching power chords perfect for playing play air guitar to. For the most part, this intriguing debut frolics in all the moody magnificance a talented rock trio can muster. As debut records go you can't really get more promising than the rocktastic s.bass.wah and slightly subtler shivam. It's a mighty coherant package from 46 long, and we can only hope for 46 more. hot press - 29th aug 2001

 

 

CGGR Discography:

ALL CGGR RELEASES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE ROAD RECORDS ONLINE SHOP: http://www.roadrecs.com/

 

CGG001CD    THE NPB           FEEDING FRENZY EP
CGG002CD    THE NPB           POP SONG EP
CGG003CD    THE NPB           THE SOCIABLES PREFER POP MUSIC LP
CGG004CD    THE NPB           SADDER DAY BLUES EP
CGG005-7    EL DIABLO         BELLIES WITH GOLD 7"
CGG006-7    THE NPB           PLASTIC LOVE 7" feat. ANGELINE MORRISON
CGG007CD    EL DIABLO         THE WANDERING ONE EP
CGG00810    FORTY SIX LONG    FORTY SIX LONG 10"
CGG009-7    THE NPB           SADDER DAY BLUES 7"
CGG01010    THE NPB           THIS IS MY HAPPENING AND IT XXXXX ME UP 10"
CGG013CD    EL DIABLO         LOVE HURTS CD single
CGG014CD    THE NPB           THIS IS MY HAPPENING AND IT XXXXX ME UP CD
CGG015CD    EL DIABLO         23RD PSALM CAFE LP
CGG016CD    DEPUTY FUZZ       MUSIC FOR TOYS LP
CGG017CD    THE NPB           LOADED single
CGG018CD    EL DIABLO         THE CROOKED STRAIGHT LP
CGG019CD    THE NPB           LET'S WORK IT OUT LP
CGG020CD    ADRIAN CROWLEY    A NORTHERN COUNTRY LP
CGG021CD    HERM              ROSEMARY EP
CGG022CD    PATRICK FREYNE &  NOBODY EVER DIES LP
            HIS BAD INTENTIONS

also available:

THE NPB split 7" 'GUN CONTROL' with SLURR  (US release on Butt Lettuce Records)

contact CGGR by emailing: dispatches [at]catchygogorecords.com