Their hopes, dreams and aspirations for 2010
Keith Forde
Solo Artist & An Award Winning Irish Songwriter in 2010
formerly with Irish Rock Band & Canadian Indie Winners "Vesta Varro"
BY
L.SHANNON
June 10th 2010
L Shannon: Good evening Keith and thank you very much for agreeing to take part in "Interview With The Stars". I appreciate your time very much. Let's start by asking you to tell me about your recent experience with competing in this years notable "International Song Contest" and if it something you would happily get involved with again a later stage..
Keith Forde: A lecturer at my college told me about it. I had the song recorded, so I decided to enter it. I recorded it with a friend of mine. It was my first solo effort; me writing the music and lyrics and singing it, so I was delighted with the outcome. A lot of people entered and there were some amazing judges.
L Shannon: Tell me what inspired you to write the song “Pop Them Pills” and did you choose this particular song among many that you have already written and performed publicly to represent you in the recent competition and can you describe the initial feedback from your peers?
Keith Forde: I've had that song for awhile, it was just sitting there. When I started college, I became friends with a guy called
Joe Mulcahy. We got chatting about music one day and I told him I had some songs laying about, he had a little recording setup in his house and offered to record me. I recorded about 6 songs acoustically one night and when he gave me them on CD a few days later they sounded good, so I said lets concentrate on one and give it the full band treatment, that song was 'Pop them Pills' . It was the first time I ever recorded my solo stuff, first time anybody ever recorded me singing. The songs had never been played live. I was so busy with Vesta Varro and our sound would have never suited 'Pop Them Pills' The subject of that song had been on my mind for a few years and I needed to record it. The initial feedback from my peers was "that's not you singing!"
L Shannon: I have to say Keith, I've listened to the song a few times already and it's a brilliant song! You've set the benchmark for yourself there! So back to basics, you were originally part of the Irish rock band “Vesta Varro” for a long time. Can I ask you when you decided to go solo if you intend to perform some of the songs you recorded with the Vesta Varro or will you be concentrating on developing a whole new sound and by the way; just out of personal curiosity Keith, what is the name of your new band!?
Keith Forde: We put so much hard work and dedication into Vesta Varro and I don't think we got what we deserved from it, after awhile it starts to takes it toll. Rod left the band, so we were in limbo for a while trying to get someone to replace him, then Shane decided to move to London. At that point we all knew it was time to do our own thing. So after we finished up, I had time to develop some of the ideas that I had in the background. As I said before, the VV sound was way different to the sound of the solo stuff I was writing. I have gotten some friends to record with me and to play live with me, we don't have a band name, just Keith Forde & Band.
I won’t be performing any of the songs we did with Vesta Varro. The styles of songs are a lot different to the stuff I am doing now.
L Shannon: It is a shame that so many talented bands form together and break away for while but they do reform after a few years and in the meantime, it is important to follow your own path and let your music be inspired by your own experiences. So if the opportunity arose to perform with the infamous and celebrated Irish artists of all generations, Bono & the band U2, do you think you could convince them to perform one of your songs with you in order to showcase your talent to its full potential? Which song would you suggest to Bono!?
Keith Forde: I have total respect for U2, I'd love to perform with them, I think Bono would do a great job on any of my songs! I think he is an outstanding singer.
L Shannon: He is definitely one of the most respected persons of the modern world and for a lot of reasons apart from his music. A lot of artists, current and newcomers to the music business say they prefer to play to small intimate audiences where they have the opportunity to interact with them; what do you think about that?
Keith Forde: I like playing to people that like and respect what I am doing, whether it is a big or small crowd.
L Shannon: And finally, we are now midway through the new year, can you tell us your hopes and aspirations for 2010 and if you have any new gigs arranged so that folk can come and show their support!
Keith Forde: I am just gonna keep writing and recording songs, enjoy myself and play some gigs. I am not putting any pressure on myself and am gonna see what happens. I have gigs coming up in Clare, Limerick and Manchester. Cheers!
L Shannon: I would hope you include the midwestern regions also when you go gigging again! So I'd like to thank you very much for taking part in the new "Interview With The Stars" and genuinely wish you all the best of success and look forward to seeing you soon at one of your gigs! And you can check out Keith Forde & Band's latest news and gig dates by clicking on his photo at the top of this interview! Check out his latest video "Love At The Airport" now on Youtube!!
Keith Forde: Thank you kindly!
Keith Forde: A lecturer at my college told me about it. I had the song recorded, so I decided to enter it. I recorded it with a friend of mine. It was my first solo effort; me writing the music and lyrics and singing it, so I was delighted with the outcome. A lot of people entered and there were some amazing judges.
L Shannon: Tell me what inspired you to write the song “Pop Them Pills” and did you choose this particular song among many that you have already written and performed publicly to represent you in the recent competition and can you describe the initial feedback from your peers?
Keith Forde: I've had that song for awhile, it was just sitting there. When I started college, I became friends with a guy called
Joe Mulcahy. We got chatting about music one day and I told him I had some songs laying about, he had a little recording setup in his house and offered to record me. I recorded about 6 songs acoustically one night and when he gave me them on CD a few days later they sounded good, so I said lets concentrate on one and give it the full band treatment, that song was 'Pop them Pills' . It was the first time I ever recorded my solo stuff, first time anybody ever recorded me singing. The songs had never been played live. I was so busy with Vesta Varro and our sound would have never suited 'Pop Them Pills' The subject of that song had been on my mind for a few years and I needed to record it. The initial feedback from my peers was "that's not you singing!"
L Shannon: I have to say Keith, I've listened to the song a few times already and it's a brilliant song! You've set the benchmark for yourself there! So back to basics, you were originally part of the Irish rock band “Vesta Varro” for a long time. Can I ask you when you decided to go solo if you intend to perform some of the songs you recorded with the Vesta Varro or will you be concentrating on developing a whole new sound and by the way; just out of personal curiosity Keith, what is the name of your new band!?
Keith Forde: We put so much hard work and dedication into Vesta Varro and I don't think we got what we deserved from it, after awhile it starts to takes it toll. Rod left the band, so we were in limbo for a while trying to get someone to replace him, then Shane decided to move to London. At that point we all knew it was time to do our own thing. So after we finished up, I had time to develop some of the ideas that I had in the background. As I said before, the VV sound was way different to the sound of the solo stuff I was writing. I have gotten some friends to record with me and to play live with me, we don't have a band name, just Keith Forde & Band.
I won’t be performing any of the songs we did with Vesta Varro. The styles of songs are a lot different to the stuff I am doing now.
L Shannon: It is a shame that so many talented bands form together and break away for while but they do reform after a few years and in the meantime, it is important to follow your own path and let your music be inspired by your own experiences. So if the opportunity arose to perform with the infamous and celebrated Irish artists of all generations, Bono & the band U2, do you think you could convince them to perform one of your songs with you in order to showcase your talent to its full potential? Which song would you suggest to Bono!?
Keith Forde: I have total respect for U2, I'd love to perform with them, I think Bono would do a great job on any of my songs! I think he is an outstanding singer.
L Shannon: He is definitely one of the most respected persons of the modern world and for a lot of reasons apart from his music. A lot of artists, current and newcomers to the music business say they prefer to play to small intimate audiences where they have the opportunity to interact with them; what do you think about that?
Keith Forde: I like playing to people that like and respect what I am doing, whether it is a big or small crowd.
L Shannon: And finally, we are now midway through the new year, can you tell us your hopes and aspirations for 2010 and if you have any new gigs arranged so that folk can come and show their support!
Keith Forde: I am just gonna keep writing and recording songs, enjoy myself and play some gigs. I am not putting any pressure on myself and am gonna see what happens. I have gigs coming up in Clare, Limerick and Manchester. Cheers!
L Shannon: I would hope you include the midwestern regions also when you go gigging again! So I'd like to thank you very much for taking part in the new "Interview With The Stars" and genuinely wish you all the best of success and look forward to seeing you soon at one of your gigs! And you can check out Keith Forde & Band's latest news and gig dates by clicking on his photo at the top of this interview! Check out his latest video "Love At The Airport" now on Youtube!!
Keith Forde: Thank you kindly!