Meet: The Irish Songwriting Duo Seafoam Green

Seafoam Green are singer/guitarist Dave O’Grady and singer Murieann McDermott Long. If you want blues, gospel, and folk, they’ve got it, but what they’ve actually perfected across two albums and countless live shows is the sound of a glorious rock n’ soul revival. With their new E.P ‘Yesterday’s Wine’ due the 14th of April via Rekognition Sound records, the duo answered our questions in an attempt to find out a little bit more about them.

Give us a potted history of you the band

Muzz: I met Dave first when I turned up as part of a trio of backing vocalists he’d hired for a day in the studio for the band’s first record, Topanga Mansion. That was in something wild like 2015.. Since then we’ve become more of a glorious collaborative effort. Some of what we first connected over musically, like our love of Southern Rock and Soul has made recent celebrations we’ve had in the form of collaborations even sweeter. 

Dave: I guess the band started when I was working with Rich Robinson a few years back. He invited me to LA to make an album with him and some of his friends almost a decade ago and that’s what turned into our first album. The record label that he was starting never really got off the ground so I went back to the UK with an album that needed finishing. I asked a friend of mine to bring in some backing vocalists to help me bring some harmonies to the record. In stepped Muireann and after about an hour we knew what we needed to do and that was to be in a band together.

Who inspired you to start making music

Muzz: I think I could go all the way back to my primary school teacher, Ms Maebh Tierney, whom was an amateur opera singer and from an early age, plucked me out and encouraged me to sing, really go for it! I think that can go a long way at a young age. Really it comes down to my father though, the best man alive, retired roadie and music lover. There was music playing loudly from when we woke up to go to school, usually  RocknRoll, Steve Winwood, Pink Floyd, Elton John, The Beatles, The Who, Sandy Denny, John Martyn, Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal.. Dad used to religiously select which albums he would listen to that day first thing in the morning. Without a doubt, though there were other supportive hands cajoling me along, my old man was the real focal point of my self belief and encouragement growing up.

Dave: My Dad is a huge music man and there was always records playing in the house, in particular John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fogerty’s guitar tone caught my ear as early as age 5 and that was it, I was begging for a guitar ever since.

And the one or maybe two records that inspired you artistically

Dave: Super early on it would have to be Green River by CCR that really got me deep and then in my late teens Foy Vance’s “Hope” hit me in my chest that was life changing. It was a simply recorded record but it changed my view on soul, audience connection and heart break. I have worn out several copies it at this stage and it still remains a time stamp for me in my life.

If you’re trying to explain who you sound like to someone that’s never heard you, what do you say

Muzz: Jaysus, that old chestnut. I always tell people to listen and make up their minds, who am I to tell you what your ears make of my music? 

Dave: Buy a record and check it out, its dead good.

Tell us about your new single

Muzz: We made Yesterday’s Wine down in Devon, in a gorgeous little studio with our friend Sean Genockey, place called Saunton. I’ve got seaweed and shells from the beach, and pictures of weird statues in the local pub, ha. Basically we had a good time down there making it, good vibrations, swims and going with the flow. I think the record reflects this state of mind

Dave: So, we just released a single called ‘Yesterday’s Wine’. We recorded in a beautiful seaside town called Saunton where our friend Sean Genockey (wonderful songwriter and producer) had a vibe little studio. We went down with no drummer or bass player and just wanted to see what we can do different and have fun. We ended up recording a 4 track EP (Also called Yesterday’s Wine) over two days. We had this really cool EP but we didn’t know what to do with it… Putting records out these days is a shot in the dark of streaming site and the whisper of a thing called ‘going viral’. In the months following the recording Sean and his friend Jesse Wood (Reef) set up a label called Recognition Sound (how lucky is that??) and they asked us if we would like to release the tracks through them…ABSOLUTELY we said! 

Where can we get hold of it

Muzz: We’ve got links to streams and places up on our social media, ya know tha. On Bancamp Fridays they waive the fees and the artist gets all the money. Also if you like boobs we’re in Sunday Sport xoxo 

Dave: Currently the single is out on all streaming platforms and you can buy it on Bandcamp.com etc, I’m pretty sure. We’ll also have some physical EP’s available and shows and on our website   www.seafoangreenband.com when that comes out in April.

Tell us how you write

Muzz: I let Dave take all the credit for writing the sings, but really I’ve taught him everything he knows 

Dave: I write all the songs but she likes to take credit… In all seriousness (though we got into rock’n’roll to get away that word). We write songs in all ways, together, seperate, sometimes a riff kicks off a lyrical idea or the other way round. We both started off writing songs seperatley for the band and then learned to cowrite with eachother. But still…I write all the songs don’t her tell you different. 

Tell us about your live show what would be your dream gig

Muzz: We are first and foremost a live RocknRoll touring band, so to play RedRocks with some guest sitins from our record would be so sweet! The dream gig thing… It would be cool to be able to really have a carbon neutral setup, it’s a big issue in this industry that nobody talks about and one I struggle with personally. We’ve all got to step up

Dave: Currently we are touring the electric duo, which is great because that’s the sound of this new EP. MY dream gig personally would be Red Rocks in Colorado, giant out door amphitheatre! Outside of that, I love the old school 2k cap theatres. Personally, I think they are the perfect size for both band and listener. 

What can we expect from you in the near future

Muzz: We’ve just released a single which we’re ready to boast, it was such class craic to make and I think you can hear that in the music 

Dave: Who knows? Hopefully more of the same, write music, record music, release music and lots and lots of travelling and touring. We are going to the US this month to do some shows and records with the same people who we recorded our last LP (Martins Garden) with.

Tell us your favourite records that are rocking your headphones/tour bus / stereo

Muzz: I’ve just discovered Air and I’m loving Googie Coppola’s voice, I’m on a perpetual Ella Fitzgerald train, Larkin Poe for sass, Ali Farka Toure, Lankum, Amalia Rodrigues!

Dave: Anything by Elmore James, Tedeschi Trucks, The Band or Paul Brady. Too many to mention but that’s a good start. 

Find out more via the band’s Website or Facebook