After writing about TURN back in September, I think I’ll let a few poor photo efforts sum up one of the best things in Ireland over the past 11 years for this writer; TURN live! It was a great show and I regret not reviewing at the time. Apologies to all who were misled by the misleading title.
Archive for Ian Melady
Review: TURN – Live @ Whelan’s (August 31st, 2012)
Posted in Gig Review, IRISH NOISE!, Music with tags Ciaran Kavanagh, Electric Picnic, Gavin Fox, Ian Melady, Oliver Cole, set-list, Turn, Whelans on September 2, 2012 by Tickets ThereRe-capturing youth? Nah; TURN fans are still too young to worry about such things. It was only seven years since their last show together and most of us remember it like it was yesterday. In their time, TURN managed to release three critically acclaimed albums, achieve success both at home and in the U.K. with fiery, brooding heavy singles such as ‘Beretta’ and ‘Beeswax’, sell out almost every venue Dublin had to offer and tour the country relentlessly, assuring their place in Irish music history. Now they’re back (for a little while at least) to play a much anticipated show at this year’s Electric Picnic and tonight’s ’secret’ warm up show.
There’s not many local bands who could pack Whelan’s with an unannounced show on the starting day of the nation’s biggest and most beloved music festival; but that doesn’t seem to stop the Kells’ legends from doing just that. Taking a break from their solo ventures, Ollie Cole, Gavin Fox and Ian Melady are back together along with former bassist Ciaran Kavanagh on guitar. As the house lights go down and the excited crowd grin from ear to ear with excitement, the four familiar figures stroll on stage and kick off the show fan favourites ‘Never Needed’ and ‘Beretta’.
Turn both look and sound sharp, losing none of their on stage performance and power. ‘Anti-Social’ thrills Whelan’s with bar staff even attempting a look in for the obligatory sing along. ‘Summer Song’ and the sombre ‘You Got Style’ move us towards Turn’s seminal years before the gentle yet booming, ‘Heart Attack’, causes the band and crowd to explode to life with Ciaran’s second guitar giving the song the extra hitch it needs to fulfil it’s true quality.
As well as losing none of their power, it also appears that Gavin and (the recently married) Ollie have also retained their classic on stage quipping and banter, joking together and sharing a dedication to Ollie’s new bride. There’s a little more nostalgia when the band pause during ‘Queen of My Heart’ to allow Ian his classic live solo, aided of course by chants of ‘IANO’ before launching into ‘In Position’, one of the band’s most accomplished songs. The thundering ‘Harder’ ups the volume a few notches before the colossal ‘Beeswax’ shreds through the PA, sounding as fresh as the day it was written. Before bowing out to travel towards Stradbally, Turn thrill fans with one final performance of ‘Another Year Over’. Obviously delighted with the turnout and success of their first reunited show, the band amble off stage, ready to take on the waiting hordes at Electric Picnic tomorrow. Whatever their plans for the future, it would be a shame if this was the last we saw of them.
Never Needed
Beretta
Anti-Social
Summer Song
You Got Style
Heart Attack
Queen of My Heart
In Position
Harder
Beeswax
Another Year Over
TURN Announce Free Whelan’s Show Tomorrow Night
Posted in Gig Listing, Music, News with tags Ciran Kavanagh, Electric Picnic, free show, Gavin Fox, Ian Melady, Oliver Cole, Turn, Whelans on August 30, 2012 by Tickets ThereI cannot get over this news, but on top of TURN reforming for Electric Picnic this weekend; the band have just announced a free headlining show in Whelan’s tomorrow night (yes, FREE!)
Whelan’s have just sent their newsletter out and confirmed the whole thing. TURN live on stage almost seven years since their last performance. Oliver Cole, Ian Melady, Gavin Fox and Ciran Kavanagh will revitalize the classic turn sound with a brooding double guitar density and four capable singers for harmonies…yadayadayafa – I almost too excited to write this properly (almost – feck off).
If you’re skipping the picnic then make sure you head along tomorrow night and catch one of Irelands greatest live forces tear Whelan’s apart!
TURN Set to Re-Unite For Electric Picnic
Posted in Gig Listing, Music, News with tags Electric Picnic, Gavin Fox, Ian Melady, Oliver Cole, Turn, turn 2012, turn reunion, turn reuniting, turn tour on August 9, 2012 by Tickets ThereA very exciting moment for Tickets There as our favorite Irish band of all time, TURN have announced they are officially rehearsing again and preparing to play Electric Picnic this year. Lead singer and guitarist Oliver Cole posted the following message on his facebook page confirming the news in the last hour,
Well it’s true. Gavin, Ian, Ciaran and myself have been rehearsing with Turn for electric picnic this year.
We play the Cosby tent at 5.30 on Saturday.
It’s gonna be awesome. It sounds so good. Expect a greatest hits set. It’s good to rock
The legendary Kell’s rockers formed in the late nineties and went on to produce a number of hit singles, several EP’s and three critically acclaimed albums before calling it a day in 2006. Now they’re coming back – as a foursome. Founding members, Oliver Cole, Gavin Fox and Ian Melady are all confirmed to take part, as is 2005 era bassist, Ciaran Kavanagh,also playing an unconfirmed role in the reunion.
So far only an appearance at the Picnic has been confirmed, but in subsequent comments to the post, Oliver stated ‘there could be a couple more …()… Will keep everyone abreast of goings on’.
Are you excited? Hell yeah you are and this is going to make it even better – Ollie has also confirmed it’ll be a full on greatest hits set for the show so all you EP heads make sure you’re there on Saturday and see one of the best live bands we’ve ever produced, ply their trade as it should be – in front of thousands.
Tickets There will make sure we keep you updated on this. Good times! Anyone want to refresh some details about the band, here’s your chance,
TURN – A History: 1998 – 2006 https://ticketsthere.com/2009/07/18/turn-a-history-1998-%e2%80%93-2006-2/
(UPDATED) WANTED: TURN – The Christmas EP (2000, 7″)
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, IRISH NOISE!, Music with tags Gavin Fox, Ian Melady, Ollie Cole, Ollie Cole Turn, the christmas ep, Turn, TURN - The Christmas EP, turn christmas ep, turn christmas ep 2000 on July 20, 2010 by Tickets There‘Ladies and gentlemen, WE GOT IT!!!’
Tickets There are proud to announce we just tracked down a copy of The Christmas E.P. (it was on CD all along, not vinyl :D). The years of searching are finished – we can now step back and enjoy a healthy social life!
Folks, if you’re ever wondering what record Tickets There wants more than anything in the world, it’s this baby right here…well, up there!
The Christmas EP from Turn. Came out in 2000 and has eluded us for the past eight years. Getting a little tired of searching for this but the struggle still continues. If anyone ever wants to sell the mighty TT a copy or exchange one for Beretta or Beeswax, please don’t be afraid to get in touch – ticketsthere@hotmail.com
Tickets There HY-GIY?: Turn – Forward
Posted in Album Review, Hy-Giy, Music with tags Gavin Fox, Ian Melady, InPosition, Ollie Cole, Turn, Turn - Forward on August 19, 2009 by Tickets ThereWithout a doubt, this is Tickets There’s favorite Irish album of all time. Now, when it comes to Turn I will happily admit to being fully biased, as I am with almost everything I write except the majority of the MySpace reviews. As far as I’m concerned, Turn were one of the greatest Irish band ever to emerge from the great Emerald Isle in the last twenty years. Oliver Cole’s vocals, guitar melodies, riffs and songwriting talent, mixed with Gavin Fox’s force, energy and writing skills all backed by Ian Meldays forceful command of all things rhythm makes the Kell’s trio kings in my book. Now, that may seem a little over the top and dramatic but I’ve been watching a lot of ROME recently so forgive me.
I first discovered Turn around 2002, shortly after the released the Another Year Over / Summer Song single and within a few months that opened my eyes to an amazingly impressive Irish scene I knew nothing about before. I hadn’t even heard a whisper of bands like Bell X1, Berkeley, Paddy Casey or many of the other big names around the country at the time. For someone who was as devoted to music I found this a little odd and began a quest to seek out some of this country’s finest talent. After seven years I still haven’t found many bands that compare to the power of Turns records and even fewer that can match their amazing live shows.
When Forward came out in 2003 it was praised as the album everyone who’d been following them from the late nineties knew they had in them. In sharp contrast to their third and last album, Forward’s sound was generally down beat with very few exceptions. It saw them grow from the hard guitars sound of their debut (Antisocial) and move onto more melodic song structures. Opening song, You Got Style really captures the feel of the entire record. A slow bruising piece that builds and builds as the song evolves. Dumb as it Is follows and adds some light after the darkness of You Got Style. A nice, upbeat with restrained bass lines thumping throughout with a sharp change to guitars for the chorus bursts. This is the second song written by Ian Melady to appear on a Turn record (the first being Queen of my Heart from Antisocial). Third track Harder is one of few heavy guitar tracks on the album and in comparison to the likes of Beretta, Beeswax or Too Much Makeup from the earlier outputs, it comes cross musically light but atmospherically heavy.
Summer Song gives the album a slower, more acoustic based before the bands legendary anthem, In Position comes in and blows everything away. One of the most perfectly composed songs the band have ever written and a solid fan favorite. Without You is more obviously a love song than any of the others on Forward with more harmony based melodies and upbeat guitar and piano’s rather than the down trodden sound that dominates the rest of the album. Another Year Over is another one of the albums upbeat anthems. Not much you can say about this except the fact that it’s fucking amazing and the chorus is so heavy live it’ll make your ears bleed. Ain’t it a Love is possibly the heaviest song on the album and it harks back to their earlier material without copying the same styles the band used before. Very fast, very heavy and very brilliant (Can you say very brilliant? Well I just did).
Can’t keep Waiting is similar in tones to You Got Style and at the same time, sounds nothing like it. It’s a little sadder in its tones and much more simplistic. Really atmospheric and well done. Like Never Needed from the bands Check my Ears EP, Can’t Keep Waiting doesn’t rely on several verses of poetry to carry it though, it’s a one liner folks and it works well. No More (I Close My Eyes) is another of those lovey songs, like most of Turn’s outputs. A lot of vocal stretches and a very low, smooth sound…until you get about half way in and the full guitars and vocal harmonies are released. Even Though is one of the nicest acoustic songs the band have ever written. Very emotionally based again and only listenable sometimes. Definitely not for people in a good mood. And finally we come to the album’s title song, Forward. It’s great as well 😉
Turn have been split up for over three years now though (god, it seems like a hell of a lot longer than that), but their music is still out there with new fans still discovering them. If you didn’t like Humanzi, make Forward the album you send your scouts out for this Christmas.
TURN
Posted in General Tickets There Blog, Music with tags Gavin Fox, Ian Melady, Ollie Cole, Turn on June 3, 2009 by Tickets ThereWhen you’re a fan of a genre, it’s generally because you found one band you fell head over heels in love with and you try desperately to find similar bands in order to discover new areas the sound can be brought to. My love for Irish music started with a truly legendary three piece from Kell’s, Co. Meath called, TURN.
The first time I saw Turn was in 2002 while the band were on a promotional tour for their latest single Another Year Over / Summer Song single. They were playing Rag Week with The Australian Nirvana as support. I remember having a week long debate with my friend Bob about who was supporting. How could some crappy little band no one’s ever heard off headline above Nirvana I wondered? Jesus, I was thick back then, hopefully I’ve lost that over the years. Well, it turned out Bob was right, Turn were headlining and I’ll never forget the last sight of the Nirvana tribute singer leaving the stage and three hundred people suddenly disappearing from the venue. What had been an over crowed grunge indulgence fest, turned into an empty, sweat smelling room as the nights headliners started setting up their equipment. Bob filled me in on the few new facts he’d acquired about the band and you could see the excitement build in him. Never one to write something off before I see it for myself, I caught the buzz.
Oliver Cole’s small, thin frame is hardly imposing, even in a suit, but the man’s power as a lead singer is astonishing. Physically, Turn all looked about the same height and weight, leading many first time viewers with a few laughs up their sleeves (you have to remember Lord of the Rings was still everywhere). There’s nothing as frustrating of realizing you’re watching a truly incredible band and not knowing any of their songs, Turns music pulled me in so fast, it was hard to stop it. Songs like Beeswax, Antisocial, Beretta, Too Much Makeup, Queen of My Heart and In Position are greatest songs any Irish band of the last twenty / thirty years. Turn embodied the raw, brute force of rock n roll, while still maintaining a powerful grasp of melody and beauty. Everything flowed so well and around every corner there was a surprise. I instantly became a dedicated fan, very rare for me to latch onto new bands….up until that point anyway.
Turn quickly became the number band of my college years. I stayed with them over four years going to ever show possible, buying every single album, single, ep or vinyl I could get my hands on. I saw them play with Bell X1, Mundy, Paddy Casey, Weezer, The Frank and Waters and .many, many more I saw them play Oxegen, Merion Square, The Village, The Temple Bar Music Centre, McGarrigles Pub, Collera House, Whelan’s, Vicar Street, The Point Depot, The Sligo Rocks Festival, NUI Maynooth and the Left Bank. I think I got to about 20/30+ shows all together, sometimes to going to three a week. I managed to get to two album launches and get to know each member and their tour manager well enough to have a drink with. I watched them lose Gavin and get Alan, only to lose Alan and replace him with Ciaran before Gavin rejoined the group again. I got to see them play some of the best songs I’ve ever heard in my life countless times.
Am I bragging with all that info? Nope, I’m listing all the truly thrilling things I got to do for the last four years of Turn’s existence. My previous favourites included Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, Oasis, Nirvana, Blur, Meat Loaf, Megadeth, Slayer, Cradle of Filth, Sepultura and Metallica. Not exactly touchable bands. But here was this amazing band, that were Irish and easy to go and see. Not touring once every ten years or past their prime. More bands fell into my heart after Turn, including The Future Kings of Spain, Bell X1, The Frames, Berkeley, Indigo Fury, Paddy Casey, Wilt and many more. I couldn’t believe that I’d been so unaware of the Irish talent that swarms this country. There were so many unique acts that all formulated their own defining sound. They could make you mosh / pogo / sleep / dance or rock out, all on the same album at times.
2006 marked the end for Turn. The lack of success, internal issues and record company fuck up’s that hounded the band all the way through their career, finally caught up with the members and over-whelmed them. The band simply disappeared after initially hinting at a final tour before the split, something that sadly, never materialized.
Three years on(well, 2 and a bit), and the members have all moved on. Ian moved home to raise a family, Ollie has recorded enough material for over three solo albums which he’s hoping to have out this year while Gavin Fox has gone on to form another exciting band in the heart of its prime, Concerto For Constantine. Things look grim for any hopes of revival in the near future and honestly, there are good things to come from the individual projects that should be heard before they ever consider a reunion.
Tickets There generally doesn’t condone reunions and objects to any legendary band cashing in their legacy’s and artist integrity for a few easy bucks and hamper any chance of a respectful future or musical advancement, but if Turn did reunite for a jaunt, I’d be there.