Old busking friends Mundy and Paddy team up for a rare double headline treat. Each playing a set on their own, and then joining up at the end to finish it off with a bang!
MUNDY released his debut album Jelly Legs in 1996 on the Epic Records label. The album included the song “To You I Bestow”, which was featured on the best-selling soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann‘s film adaptation Romeo + Juliet.
Following Jellylegs, Mundy went on to release the multi platinum record 24 Star Hotel, with hit tracks ‘July’ and ‘Mexico’ becoming firm favourites. Raining Down Arrows, which hit the #1 slot in the Irish Album Charts, came next and was recorded in the musically revered city of Austin, Texas. His first live album Live and Confusion followed, recorded at a storming and sold out Vicar St show. Galway Girl was recorded as an encore and went on to become the best selling single and most downloaded song 2 years in a row in Ireland (2007 / 2008). His 4th studio album, Strawberry Blood, followed in 2009 and saw Mundy touring Ireland, Australia and the UK once more. Shuffle was released in 2011 and was a gorgeous ode to some of Mundy’s most favourite songwriters. It featured his versions of songs by greats like Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, John Prine, Paul Simon and Gillian Welch, to name a few.
Since then, Mundy has been busy. He’s been touring the US, performing at The Royal Albert Hall – not to mention the small matter of performing for Barack Obama both on his Irish visit, and at his home in The White House.
Mundy met Youth again a couple of years back and they decided to collaborate together for the first time since ‘95, winding up in Youth’s studio in Spain where they got to work. Youth’s is one of the most experienced and talented UK producers, having worked with the likes of The Verve, Pink Floyd, Culture Club, Reverend & The Makers, Echo & The Bunnymen and Paul McCartney. The line-up for the recording included Mundy on guitar and vocals, Youth on bass, Eddie Banda on drums and Michael Rendall on keys, with some extra guitar lines from Simon Tong (The Verve, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn) and Michael Wadada (Suns Of Arqa) on sitar
PADDY received his first guitar when he was 12 and left home soon after and began busking and gigging for about 12 years. At about the age of 24 he was approached by Sony A&R Scout Hugh Murray at the International Bar in Dublin, while performing at the singer/songwriter night hosted by Dave Murphy. Sony gave Casey some Studio time in Sun Studios Dublin where he recorded 9 tracks in 2 days. Sony decided that they liked the tracks so much that they wanted to release them as they were. They offered Paddy a recording contract. He was signed by Sony, and was eventually taken in by U2’s management company, Principle Management.
Casey released his first album Amen (So Be It) in 1999. This album was produced by Pat Donne and was certified triple platinum in Ireland and did fairly well Worldwide. Casey played a range of different instruments in the short time spent recording it, and the track Winter’s Fire featured Mundy as a guest guitarist. Sweet Suburban Sky surfaced the following year on the soundtrack to the award-winning US TV teen drama Dawson’s Creek. Paddy received nominations for Best Irish Songwriter and Best Male Singer at the Hot Press Awards. Hot Press readers themselves voted the album Best Debut Album, as well as voting Paddy the year’s Most Promising Act and nominating him in seven other end of the year categories. Touring saw Casey providing support to artists like R.E.M., Ian Brown, Ani DiFranco and The Pretenders.
Casey returned in 2003 with the multi-platinum album, Living. Living was produced by Fred De Faye, Paddy Casey and Pat Donne. It spawned the Irish chart hits Saints and Sinners, The Lucky One (in 2003) Bend Down Low and Want It Can’t Have It (in 2004). Living spent the majority of the year in the top ten, climbing to the top of the charts 21 weeks after its initial release. In 2004 he won his first of two consecutive Meteor Irish Music Awards for Best Irish Male. He also garnered good reviews for a performance at that year’s Oxegen Festival. 2004 saw Living confirmed as the highest selling Irish album of the year. He had a week-long residency at the Olympia Theatre. The year ended with a sold out performance at Dublin’s RDS.
In 2005, Casey Toured The Living album extensively in Ireland and abroad, highlights including a headline concert at the Heineken Green Energy Festival and also supported U2 on their Vertigo tour, performing in Ireland, Scotland and Norway.
In 2006 Paddy went to LA to record with George Drakoulias, who had worked at the Def Jam label with Rick Rubin.Recording Dave Blanco’s Studio in North Hollywood.Working there with some great musicians i.e. James Gadson (Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band & Bill Withers) Steve Ferrone (Average White Band, Tom Petty) and a few more. He returned to Ireland to finish the album in his kitchen. He worked on the rest of the album with the producer from “AMEN” Pat Donne. Titled Addicted To Company (Part One), it was released in Ireland on September 7, 2007, and in the US on April 1, 2008. In March 2008, MTV US promoted him as MTV Buzzworthy Artist on their TV channel and website and on its student-led brand, MTVU. He toured the album extensively and also toured with KT Tunstall and Augustana amongst others.
On April 3, 2008 Paddy performed on the hit American CBS chat show the “Late Show with David Letterman”.
After returning from the US Paddy chose to part ways with Sony, and Paul McGuinness and For the next few years. He began writing and recording at home. Deciding that the next album would consist of songs/tracks that were recorded on the day they were written. Once he had a collection he was happy with he called on his old friend Pat Donne began mixing the recordings, in November 2012 he released his first independent, long-awaited album ‘The Secret Life Of’. The first single, “Wait”, featuring the Shannon Gospel Choir, was released in May 2012. Paddy has been touring this album constantly in Ireland and abroad for the last few years with frequent visits to Australia,Europe and the middle East.
In November 2016 Paddy released the single ‘Everything Must Change’. This is the first taster to be taken from Paddy’s forthcoming sixth album, which is due for release in spring of 2017. Alongside this Paddy released a new music video for the single produced by Banjoman Films
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