Daily Ireland (Thursday, Feb 16th, 2006)

"Steafán Hanvey's new album will not disappoint fans."

New album is tangled up in Dylan
Singer echoes his rich influence

Ireland's funky balladeer Steafán Hanvey has just released his long-awaited album Steafán Hanvey and The Honeymoon Junkies, and if the recent Meteor awards are anything to go by, don't be surprised to see the man himself up there on stage next year receiving a big reward.

A gruelling year of touring the country, alongside Liam O Maonlai, of HotHouse Flowers fame, looks like it's paying off, with songs from his new album drifting out from stations across Ireland and beyond.

Apparently the DJs love it. I met up with the far-travelled songster in Derry where he will be appearing shortly at Sandino's in early March as part of his Irish tour.

He has a strong musical background, as he told me: "My mother and father are both trad musicians. Actually, my da is a DJ on Downtown Radio. When I was younger, I used to up to his record collection and just pick out lots of LPs. If I liked the cover I'd play it. I spent hours going through his shelves," he laughed. "There was plenty of Dylan and Joni Mitchell, Luke Kelly, Phil Coulter, Planxty and Johnny Cash, Paul Simon. Right across the board and I just loved it all.

"My da's a banjo player and a singer. There was always a session going on in somebody's house.

"My mum and dad are very friendly with the Sands Family, and they play on each other's albums and stuff. I spent a lot of time with them when I was a child," he continued.

Steafán is a red-haired groovy-looking musician. Kind of a cross between Jamiroquai and Bob Dylan.

His da, he said, in younger years bore a strong resemblance to the 60s icon. The Dylan influence comes through a bit in his music.

Steafán has spent a lot of time travelling, or rather living abroad. He spent a good stretch in the states, in Seattle, and also a lot of time in Finland. A lot of his time spent there was devoted to penning the angst-ridden love songs that feature on his album. So what brought him to Finland? A woman perchance?

"What makes you say that?" he asked surprised. "Because you never stop talking about it when you're on stage," I replied. So what does he think he'd be doing if he wasn't a musician? "I'd probably still be travelling. I did a bit of radio when I was over in Helsinki for four years. I've a Masters in Politics, so I might be doing something with a university."

After hearing the Downpatrick singer for the first time, I gleefully ripped open the squirrel invaded CD cover of Steafán Hanvey and The HoneyMoon Junkies in the safety of my own home.

 

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