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Bull

Bull is the huge heart of 21 Whiskeys. Born to Native people of Irish descent and was brought up in a teepee in Munster. Surviving on a diet which contained only potatoes for 21 years, his voice is scarred by the starch of a million spuds, giving him the authentic sound of the deep south.

 

Bull is responsible for our musical direction and most of the arrangements. Whilst most of our songs are covers they have evolved into hideous corruptions of the originals but all contain the energy of the band. His new amplifier was formerly the residence of a family of wandering minstrels and is so big it has its own post code.

 

Bull's mastery of the mandolin, guitar and various other instruments is eclipsed by the shattering power of his vocal acrobatics. No ordinary singer looks likehim or lasts like him.

 

PLEASE DONATE GUITAR AND MANDOLIN STRINGS.Just one string a week would allow Bull to practice without making the grueling 10 mile journey to the music shop without shoes for his feet. Stringaid now send string parcels and have taught Bull to grow his own plectrums. This could not have happened without your generosity.

 

Bulls musical journey begun from an early age where he listened to the music of his parents. The inevitable mix of Traditional Irish music and showband singers from his mothers side to the blend of Beach Boys, Gene Pitney and Roy Orbison from his father.

 

Earliest memories of really listening were Dublin City Rambler Flight of Earls album on a batterered walkman in his bed when he was supposed to be sleeping. Moving through school he listened to a little rock in the shape of U2 and Black Crows, as well as folk singer songwriters like Nick Drake and John Martyn.  Bull had always liked the guitar and was influenced by the great playing and singing of his very close friend who really showed him so much however it wasn’t until quite recently that his musical rebirth occurred.

 

Stumbling across the Transatlantic Sessions on BBC4 one evening the heady cocktail of celtic melody, rootsy lyrics and above all the musical camaraderie of the players, he was intoxicated! Thinking that the guitar had become a stumbling block he begun making enquiries about a mandolin, as no-one else played one really, when a friend said they had a “little guitar” in the loft that he could use he jumped at it and so his love for the mandolin was born.

 

Very much still at the outset of this stage of the musical journey, and a novice of the instruments he plays, he is still overcome by the beauty of it all, working his way through the likes of, Aly Bain, Union Station, early Elvis, Dan Tyminski, Felice Brothers, Johnny Cash, Counting Crows, Darryl Scott, Ryan Adams, American Aquarium and so many more he feels that the joy of sharing songs with his fellow players is the real privilege. Asked to play at a friends "Ho Down" Bull assembled a motley crew of renegades and termed them the 21 Whiskeys and the Welford Road Prison Band (for reasons to be divulged at a later date), the party was like a drug and Bull wanted more so finding 5 likeminded players the band now known as 21 Whiskeys was brought to being, long may it continue……

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