Play Toh

PlaytOh release their debut album Fountain Two AM on June 10th, 2005. Corkonians born and bred, the five-piece offer a glorious meld of indie rock pop, eleven infectious tracks. The album release is preceded by two singles – Closer, the lead track hit radio in January and gained excellent airplay support on both national and regional radio, including a playlist selection on Radio One. The track continues to receive plays on more than 15 stations across Ireland. Single two will be the pop rock classic Brighter Skies. This follow up track goes to radio at the beginning of May.

Twelve year-old would be rock-stars, Cormac O’Regan and Niall Duncan began playing guitars together in 1994. Niall would learn a Radiohead song and teach Cormac. Cormac would learn a Pearl Jam song and teach Niall. Soon they were penning their own tracks and spending imaginary record advances.

Hitting UCC in 2000 and spurred on by the burgeoning live scene in Cork, Cormac and Niall decided it was either get out and perform or give it up time. Cormac had convinced his boss at the Douglas Hyde Pub to run open mic sessions for new and emerging talent. Knowing the first few nights would be difficult to fill, Cormac and Niall threw together a few of their favourite covers, interspersed with their own tracks and took to the stage. The reception was warm and within a week, classical violinist Magz McCarthy was added to the developing line up and so PlaytOh was born.

The tempo had shifted and the writing began to take on a new energy. Peeling off their acoustic overcoats, drummer Johnny O’Keeffe joined in the fray and there was no escaping the anthemic rock action that followed. An innocent passer-by, Cillin O’Flynn, witnessed the musical explosion and offered business and monetary assistance. A few home tapings of their track Brighter Skies were dragged into a recording studio and transformed into a debut single.

The open mic sessions continued and regular faces began appearing at front of stage. Local press and radio began sniffing around the Brighter Skies track and the band expanded their live performances to other local venues. Ashley Keating, ex Frank and Walters, got his ears around the single and approached the band with a view to producing an album. Bassist Brian Dwyer joined and so PlaytOh was complete.

With the genuine and repeated support of Red FM and 96FM plus neighbouring stations, PlaytOh struck out across the country, blagging gigs and support slots wherever the van took them, knocking down the doors of local radio on a spree of hit and run promotion. Hot Press described the single as full of charm and honesty...a funkier Waterboys and the track became the most requested song on 96FMs Green Room.

Taking to the studio in Autumn 2003, with Keating in the production seat, the band brought together the very best of their material and recorded their accomplished rock pop debut Fountain Two AM, which releases in June 2005. The second single Brighter Skies will be serviced to radio in early May.