Interview with Litehouse

Interview with Litehouse

I want to introduce you to four guys from County Monaghan in Ireland who I truly believe will become one of the best up and coming Indie Pop/Rock bands in the country. Comprised of Keelan O'Reilly, Peter Toal, Colin Peppard and Ben Goddard and with a single about to be released, Litehouse have a huge future ahead of them.

I chatted to the fellas during the week about how they got together, their new single 'Black Cats' which is due to be released this coming Friday (Nov 13th), what the support has been like back in their home county and what they plan to do in the future!

"Well we actually started out as a two piece cover band. Peter and I started jamming-about together when we were 14. We used to hang around each others houses every weekend and just throw together a couple of songs we might have been listening to in the week. It was really the first experience we both had playing with somebody other than playing alone. We didn't really play many gigs, i had terrible stage fright, but we went busking a few times and it definitely shook it out of me, I completely shit the brick! We had kinda talked about starting a full band but we could never find the right guys for the role, until I heard Ben opening a 'Horslips' gig as part of his mates band. Colin came out of nowhere really.. I knew him but i never knew he played bass and was completely shocked at how good he was. Things started to build from there". - Keelan

"I first met Keelan and Peter at a Strypes gig in Cavan, I didn't know them at the time and I don't really remember them at all on the night, just that my mate knew them and they were in his year. Just other guys who tricked about with music, cause that's what all of us really did! I knew Colin already, I made films with him (I have a production company called straps productions for films). So a few weeks passed and I was playing a charity gig supporting the Horslips with another band as a favour and at the end of the night, Keelan came up to me and offered me the role of lead guitarist. Some texts followed and a while later we had a jam and I made the cut. The really interesting bit was whenever I told Colin about it; that I was in this new band, he informed me that he was jamming with Keelan and Peter that week too. I found it Hilarious!" - Ben

County Monaghan, which holds a special place in my heart personally because my Grandad hails from Clones, has actually seen a number of great artists emerge from there in the past few years and the guys from Litehouse say that the support from home has been incredible.

"So far the majority of our output and work has been broadcasted over social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. It is a slow but steady way of getting our stuff out there. I wouldn't say its difficult but just at times tedious, so we have to keep our patience. In Monaghan we have a great crowd! It consisted of friends and fellow musicians of the Monaghan area. The relationship is like a family, we all support each other. A great number of people arrive at all our shows and leave feedback and give advice on our works so its really great and helps us to keep doing what we love!" - Peter

And that support has lead them to their new single 'Black Cats' which is due to be released this coming Friday, November 13th and the guys are understandably excited for the public to hear it!

"I wrote the basic Rhythm guitar and opening lines to the song. Once a riff was added by Keelan, we all spent a day writing the rest of this song. The lyrics were inspired by a bad relationship within the band and how sometimes its best to leave something before it destroys you but you can take your own meaning out it as each member of the band does respectively. After a long day with two guitars, multiple cans of fizzy orange and cringey lyric suggestions our song was completed. We are very excited to release it! We really hope people will like it". - Colin 

"The story for the single's an interesting one anyway! If you listen to the song, you can see its about having to deal with a horrible relationship and then trying not to get sucked backed into it. We all want to go back; its the easier decision but after much stress and heartache, you'll usually learn its not the wisest of decisions. When Keelan and Colin started writing song and needed some lyrics, I came in and vented all my frustrations and teenage angst, and the product of that was black cats. We're so excited for the release! It's always been one I've wanted to record and with the hook at the end of the song people have always screamed it back at us, so I'm just so excited that more people can hear it. It's the first song we've recorded and its definitely not the last!" - Ben

As Peter has already mentioned, the majority of the guys publicity is done through social media such as Facebook and Twitter etc, where the response so far has been immense.

"It's been unbelievable! The last few weeks have just been mad for us. Since word came out of the single everyone just got behind us and drove us forward, We're extremely grateful for everyone showing their support. It's definitely spurring us on. We're mad to show off our new stuff too but I suppose you can't reveal everything at once.. so come to our shows and well play them for you, haha! No, but we are mad to get people out to the gigs for a jump around, i mean that's where the craic's at!" - Keelan

For anyone reading this that isn't from Ireland, "craic" basically means banter! And for those of you have seen Litehouse live, you will know that their performances are the epitome of energetic! Aaaaand, they're only getting started!

"We're just taking it one step at a time from here. This is definitely just the start! We've had serious craic since the start and we don't want that to stop any time soon. In terms of gigs and shows, keep an eye out for us this summer. It's going to be really busy with a few plans coming together already! We're constantly writing new material and we have no set dates for our next recording but keep up and we'll try not to disappoint" - Keelan

I can't remind you and encourage you enough to go out and get the new single 'Black Cats' when it's released this coming Friday! I have heard a teaser of it, and it's sounds incredible! Here is how you can avail of it; and judging by the lads' responses, it would mean a hell of a lot to them too!

"It will be available on Itunes, Spotify and Youtube. We'd really appreciate people helping us out. We're hoping radio play will help us out but its the people we're here to try and please, so to see a good reaction would definitely calm the nerves" - Colin

"We need everyone! Get out and play this song everywhere! Listen in the car, in school, at home, in the morning when your finding it hard to stay awake, Everywhere! Friday is going to be mad but in a great way!" - Keelan

 

EOIN!