VIDEO: Brendan McCahey hits all the right notes

This time last year Brendan McCahey was riding high, having won the Voice of Ireland the previous Spring and was looking forward to performing a homecoming gig in Cavan, but it didn’t quite go to plan. He resists giving details, simply lamenting that “for some reason” it didn’t come about.

“I kind of wanted to have another gig in Cavan just to play it because I didn’t get a chance to do it last time. I was very peeved because it was pulled on me, so I just want to have the experience and to say: 'Yes, I did play Cavan’.”

In terms of recording, the Shercock singer is flat-out. He’s just released two rock 'n’ roll numbers - a cover of Little Walter’s infectious foot-stomper 'My Babe’ and his own song, 'Baby I’m Crazy’, which is hard to believe wasn’t penned in the ’50s. Be warned: listen to it and you’ll have an unbearable craving to slick back your hair and finding a diner complete with impromptu dancers and ordering a milkshake.

“I’d love to see what the music is like live with people dancing to it,” he says, accepting that it’s unlikely to happen in the Ramor and will have to organise a few dance shows.

 

 

“I think it [the rock 'n’ roll vibe] is partly me scratching an itch but at the same time, with music you never know where it goes. My publisher [Elevate Music’s Steve Lindsey] has me lined up with a lot of different songwriters now.”

Amongst those songwriters are Don Mescall, who has penned tunes for Backstreet Boys, Aslan, The Corrs, and Grammy-nominated John Pepperd, who has written songs with Garth Brooks. When the Celt spoke to Brendan on Thursday, he was preparing to hook up with country and folk singer Danny Elsworth - “He’s big in Canada” - for a songwriting session.

“I never know where it’s going to go but I follow my heart.”

Given Danny’s background, could Brendan see himself going country?

“Some of the songs on [debut album] 'Where I Begin’ were, kind of, country-influenced. When you’re meeting up with songwriters, they are all different and you have to put a different hat on depending on what song you’re doing.

“When I’m doing the rock n’ roll stuff it’s great, too, because it keeps you sharp - you are trying out different stuff.”

Is he nervous having to collaborate with other songwriters, in case they don’t click?

“Well, sometimes it doesn’t click. But you are all there for a reason: it’s to try to get a song, indeed, a hit. So, you have to break down all the barriers and try everything or put your best foot forward.

“It’s interesting because you could be going in as the tunesmith, the music person, or you could be going in as the lyricist, so it depends on what role you take then as the chemistry evolves.”

And his Brendan’s comfortable in either role?

“Ah, yeah. Jesus, I am. You have to be. You have to able to work with other people and bring the best out of them - you have to have an insight to know where the song is going too. Or where it’s not going!”

For the Ramor concert Brendan has teamed up with Belturbet brothers Paul and Cormac McCann and has recruited James Vincent McMorrow’s drummer, Danny Megan.

“Music-wise we are going to start off with some of the rock 'n’ roll songs and then we’re going to go right through some of the songs from the first album, and then some of the new songs and the co-writes that I’ve been playing too.

'Following up, I’ll be playing some songs from the show [The Voice of Ireland], as well. It’s gong to be a night of really good music and good songs, and a nice bit of chat as well.”