Best Boy Grip My Attention! 22/10/12

Image compliments of GC Photographics

Local act BEST BOY GRIP has been gaining more and more recognition on the music scene for their unique style and sound. Highly acclaimed by popular music magazines such as AU Magazine, Clash Magazine and numerous music plays from shows such as BBC Across the Line it is expected that they will go from strength to strength in securing a firm grip on success.

If you didn’t already catch them on the Gerry Anderson show on BBC Radio Foyle on Friday you can listen online to their four track EP, Barabara. Eoin O'Callaghan, the main man and brain of BBG, explains his hopes to have some new tracks coming soon.

“I’ve been recording since the start of the summer, kind of a day here and a day there, with a few weeks off in between. All the bass and drums has been put down, it’s just finishing the vocals and piano now. It’s about trying to get enough for an album and then getting someone to put it out rather than trying to do it yourself. Hopefully there’s going to be a single out before Christmas but I’m not sure what it’s going to be yet.”

Even though their journey has seen play in different venues all over, from the Stendhal Festival to Tennants Vital and Glasgowbury just to name a few, Eoin explains that his favourite gig was right here in the city in front of a home crowd.“My favourite gig was playing at the Legenderry gig at the start of the summer in Ebrington when the clipper boats were here. I wasn’t even nervous. I was more filled with pride and excitement. You could look out from the stage and see the Guildhall and the Peace Bridge, it was amazing. The sun came out, Mark Patterson did compare and the bands were fantastic. It was a really proud moment to be from the town.”

Upon asking Eoin to some-up the sound of Best Boy Grip he originally suggested it was like “Piano based melodic pop/rock” which could conjure up an image of Coldplay but in his words, “it’s more quirky and clever”. “It’s somewhere between the Beatles, Queen, Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds. My sound is my own sound, I wouldn’t compare myself necessarily but I have had influences from these.” Having listened to the EP it evokes the emotion of feel good pop but with an alternative edge coming from faultless harmonies, great lyrics and a fresh approach to song structure and music layering. It may be the best means of introduction possible for the coming album.

Eoin describes his fondness for the older, but not lost, way of music making. Rather than how it can be today with backing tracks and technology. “I would have loved to have been around when there was a different type of attitude towards music. Putting all the emphasis on it being live, it’s much better to play live.”

Home crowds in the city are going to be lucky enough to see Best Boy Grip in and around local venues this week when they provide support to Paul Casey at Masons on Friday 26 th October. The friendship between Eoin and Paul has meant that they regularly provide support for each other’s gigs and he explained that it was Paul who had asked him to play at Ebrington. Eoin has also revealed plans to do a couple of events around the City of Culture celebrations including playing at the launch of the City of Culture Programme Guide taking place in the 25 th October.

Eoin also said: “There are things in the pipeline, including the possibility of songs being used in collaboration with local TV.” So keep those ears open for the sounds of Best Boy Grip when you have the feet up in front of the box and keep an eye in local music shops for that possible Christmas single which would make an excellent stocking filler treat.