What are you listening to? 
Sarah Davachi’s In Concert & In Residence. There’s such devotion to tone in her work. Before that, I was listening to Jon Collin’s Bridge Variations, which was recorded with nyckelharpa under various bridges in Stockholm. 

Your all-time favourite album? 
Cacophony by Rudimentary Peni. It was completely detested by hardcore Peni fans at the time of release and that makes it all the more endearing to me.

Musician you most admire?
Richard Dawson. He is capable of referencing so many disparate musical genres – a melody reminiscent of Victorian music hall, or something that sounds like it should be in an 80s NWOBHM song – you never know what’s coming next and it’s amazing.

Favourite new artists?
Roslyn Steer, based in Cork, has just put out an album of atmospheric pump organ and double bass, Gamhna Sa Cheo, which is absolutely beautiful. Dublin-based sean nós singer Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin has also just released The Deepest Breath, which your readers would love. 

Memorable musical encounter? 
Kim Deal winked at me at a Breeders gig about 20 years ago.

First album you ever bought? 
Iron Maiden’s The Number of the Beast, at the tender age of nine.

Your hidden talent?
Making up stupid songs on the spot and then forgetting them forever.

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be? 
I was a folklore lecturer for a few years before playing in a band, and I could happily retire back into academia.

Read the review of One Leg One Eye’s …And Take the Black Worm with Me

This interview originally appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Songlines. Never miss an issue – subscribe today