Gary Dunne
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Gary Dunne

Band Folk Acoustic

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This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Misc"

"Gary Dunne is one of Ireland’s strongest musical exports in years…A dazzling collection… intrusively contagious from start to finish. Twenty Twenty Fiction is an absolute classic. Buy it” INDUBLIN ****

“an eclectic spirit…by turns spiky, longing and joyous….deceptively beguiling melodies” THE SUNDAY TIMES

“…lovely and uninterruptive music…a remarkable album’ HOT PRESS

“…muscular melodies…Dunne is no whining pity milker of a singer songwriter, just a singer with tunes strong enough to become mini epics” SUNDAY TRIBUNE

“A strong debut of acoustic ballads and grown up harmonic rockers…removes Dunne from the soul-destroying coterie of male Irish singer songwriters” RTE GUIDE ****

Album of the Week 2FM

”…more than just another guy with a guitar. There’s a grittyness and toughness, an uncanny hook fro memorable hooks and driving rhythm which shows Dunne as a distinctive songwriter” GALWAY ADVERTISER

Rising Artist of the week TODAY FM

“A beautiful debut” CD OF THE WEEK THE SUN

"One of our favourite new artists of the last year, Gary hails from Ireland and is a fan of a loop pedal. Creating wondrously big songs out of one voice and one guitar, he now lives in London and is shortly destined to be very widely known here too" VIRTUALFESTIVALS.COM

"One of the names to look out for in 2005 is the fantastic Gary Dunne. Very Special" SUNDAY MIRROR

"Gary Dunne is Ireland's latest independent chart phenomenon" BBC.CO.UK

"His infectiously beautiful and quite inimitable style lit up last year’s ITC. Looping acoustic guitar and vocals, the solo singer-songwriter creates sounds well beyond his station. Warping melodies and vocal backing, he’s a one man acoustic orchestra that draws you in, lifts you up and smiles as you drift. Not to be missed" DROWNEDINSOUNDS.COM

“Gary Dunne isn’t simply another acoustic woe-is-me-wannabe” IRISH TIMES

"infectiously beautiful and quite inimitable... Not to be missed." PHANTOM FM

"His excellent sampling gave the full impression that there was an entire band on stage...his interaction with the audience was like that of a guy talking to a room full of his close friends. The crowd had no problem singing along with every song and it helped create an electric atmosphere. His sound is a modern folk style that is very emotive and relaxing with a no nonsense purity. Gary is the consummate showman and was one of the best sets I have seen in a long time." DEADLY BUZZ DUBLIN
"Gary Dunne came on stage equipped with a guitar and a 'band in a box' loop pedal about 9pm. Most of the crowd were clapping eyes on him for the first time (myself included) but by the second song he had introduced himself to a horde of new fans" ICSCOTLAND.CO.UK LIVE REVIEWS

"...(his) songs were built up from scratch looping the guitar riffs, self made drum beats and even multiple backing vocals through the real time recorder. Expect great things from Gary Dunne" - Misc


Discography

2001 Good Things EP (includuing 'Constant Motion', the opening track on the Best of UK Unsigned)
2002 The Lost EP (Internet Only release)
2004 Amerikan Folk Song single (used by Adidas on their international website, playlisted on 2FM, Radio 1, Today FM)
2004 Debut Album Twenty Twenty Fiction (Top Twenty, Best Debut Album Hot Press Readers' Poll see press)
2004 'Jennifer' Single (Top twenty, playlisted on Radio 1,)

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

What are your influences?
I'm influenced by anything that moves me. This can be music, a film, a person that I meet or even a random thought that comes in to my head. Once I respond to anything on an emotional level, it becomes an influence.

Artistically I love anyone who has the sincerity to express their truth. A list of heroes would include Neil Young, Bill Hicks, Alastair Mcintosh, The Beatles, Thom Yorke, JD Sallinger, Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch and Stevie Wonder.

I'm also very inspired by artists who commit to developing their own identity and style.

What sets you apart from other bands?
I like to think that I have my own 'sound'. I try to make music that moves me and hopefully others can get something from it too.
My live set is also quite different - I use live samplers to record, layer and mix acoustic and electric instruments, making a bed for my songs to sit in.

What is your story?
I grew up in a small town called Portlaoise in the middle of Ireland. At 17 I moved to Dublin where I got heavily involved with the city's legendary singer songwriter circuit. I performed a lot, released an EP called 'Good Things', and built up a good supportive following.

The EP generated quite a lot of interest in the UK and I ended up moving to London in 2001 where the live touring continued. I got to meet and tour with a lot of great musicians like Nizlopi, Damien Rice and Duke Special. In 2004 I set up my label 'Honest Records' and returned to Ireland to record and release my debut album 'Twenty Twenty Fiction', which did really well.

I'm currently back in London working on a new album and a live DVD, and as always, playing a lot of shows.