The documentary was good, but i thought that they spent too much time on john reynolds input. Id like to have seen some of the footage from the free gig he did in Dun Laoghaire last year. That was special and they definitely filmed it. He really is a captivating person even when he isnt singing. I think he is going to really make a name for himself.

It was really interesting. I never really listened to his stuff before, but I enjoyed that programme. He has a great voice, there's something very raw, and dare I say it, something very vulnerable about it. His song writing is incredibley honest and sincere. At first I kind of laughed it off - the Dublin Bob Marley, but it's growing on me. I like the fact that he's singing in his accent, I've never heard a Dublin accent sound so beautiful. He comes across as very unassuming and humble, driven and passionate about music. Best of luck to him.

I didn't actually see the programme last night. When he first appeared on radar with 'Rollin' down to Dubillin town...' I thought he was a f**kin' joke! However, I've listened to 'Seize The Day' and it's got some great songs on it, also saw him live at the Dun Laoghaire festival last year and enjoyed the show. So, he's alright in my book... have you seen my book?

Ive been a fan of his for a while, and ive taken an interest in the messageboard on his website for while back now. Up until lisdoonvarna the messageboard was fairly quite, then after that it just went nuts. However it went downhill so fast it wasnt funny. It turned into the frames messgeboard basically. People flaming each other over the most stupid things. One guy got the head ate of him because he thought that one of damos gigs wasnt that packed. As for his music, there is something powerful and fulfilling in it. It must be the honesty with which he sings them. I dont know if any of ye have ever been to a gig in cleeres in kilkenny. Its a small pub with a room down the back. Couldnt fit more then 80 in it and yet all the good irish acts pay a visit there on their tours. Ive seen damien there twice and its a gift every time.

3 words : HONEST TO JAYSUS

HA HA go on the Mighty Stef!! Damos the King! That song "youre not on your own tonight" in the international, Made the documentary for me!! Spine tingling stuff!!!! Honest to Jaysus!!!!!!!

I have to admit I like the guy but it was an aquired taste for me. My girlfriend and her friends forgot they had any other cds except for his at a few sessions and it did my head in for a while but I went to his new years eve gig ( free ticket ) and he put on a great show and then when he played at the damien clabby night in the hub I thought he was very good. The dublin accent works against him in some ways for me ie Im never going to let the negative vibes get through is a poxy way to pronounce a lyric. but all in all I say YAY Go on Damo ya good thing

Damien Dempsey is an arse & no amount of 'genital stroking' by the likes of Sinead O'Connor & Glen 'also an arse' hansard is going to change that.

Ehh Nay, I'm sorry but how the hell Damo can say he is influenced by Bob Marley when he just sounds like Luke Kelly is beyond me. 'Scorn Not His Dreads' prehaps ? Best Rev Jules

I'm sick of all these singer songwriters to be honest. How many can one country possibly produce or need? It's beyond me. And out of all of them only one or two are any "good".

Tis true brian of g, I think the singer songwriter market is completely saturated at this stage. Ireland is the gold medalist of that genre.

OK folks, this might sound hypocrytical, because I myself have had a good old moan about the abundance of singer songwriter types, but I think its time everybody stopped moaning about the situation. The only thing more boring about the abundance of singer sonwriters is people ranting about the abundance of singer songwriters. So instead of whinging, I propose the following: 1. Stop supporting mundane singer songwriter types, don't go to their gigs, don't buy their records. Unless of course they are actually talented and original, in which case they're not mundane. If everybody does this, promoters will soon get the message and realise they need to book something a bit different. 2. Seek out stuff that genuinely really appeals to you, don't settle for music that you merely think is good, lots of people are "good", find the stuff that really fits you. This may mean looking beyond whats played on the radio, even the so called alternative music shows. This isn't a license to become indier-than-thou, the mainstream throws up some great nuggets too. 3. If you are creatively inclined yourself and feel you have sufficient talent, get up off yer arse and do something about it. Do something different and get it out there. Anyway, thats my hypocritical rant over, next week you'll probably find me having good old whinge about all these singer songwriters clogging up the place.

Week after that I will be starting a thread about people whinging about people whinging about the abundance of singer songwriters. Then the week after that... You're a smart bunch you figure it out

On a point of information, If any of you had been down at The Green Room on monday you would have seen an 'in the round' of some of America's top songwriters performing works they had just written as well as some of their biggest hits. They were aided and abetted by Kieran Goss and Brendan Murphy and those two boys have some serious songwriting chops themselves. Also spotted, and fair play to him, was Mickey Harte as well as Paul Brady. Don't forget, Satan is real

Totally agree about Brendan Murphys songwriting chops (oh dear, we've wandered off topic again, I believe in a post 9/11 type move, Eoghan will be placing undercover marshals in threads to stop them being hijacked). The 4 of Us have been around seemingly forever and have settled into adult pop territory, making them extremely untrendy. However they are still a brilliant band, they have the chops musically and can even make an audience of respectable thirtysomethings dance (no small achievement, judging by the muted reaction to Calexicos' recent cork opera house gig. The 4 of Us seem to be a totally different animal live. The recent records are laid back, but live they can certainly rock and get funky if the mood takes them (which it usually does) - disco punks take note. I reckon Declan is probably one of the best guitarists in Ireland, capable of soloing like van halen or Billy Corgan, understanding tone like Thurston Moore and being pretty funky to boot. So when are these guys gonna release the funk-rock record they're capable of?

A couple of things (since this thread flared up again). First up, I have seen The 4 of Us many times - they are a better act live than they ever were on record but they have been nestled firmly in that adult pop territory since day one. Personally, I think it is music for bored housewives - this is not to say that Brendan is not a good songwriter, they certainly have some good songs (Sunlight for one), I just think they are and always have been a bit Lite FM. As for the singer- songwriter thing, I have no problem with a singer and a guitar performance - I strongly suggest y'all check out Hamell On Trial, one guy, one acoustic & a hell of a lot of energy. What we are all really tired of is that mopey droning over three chords, the tortured muse, the sets interspersed with stories of their lives and explaining their songs in minute detail. It is the overbearing seriousness and taciturn nature of the songwriters we are afflicted with here that has to stop.

Surely its the exposure that the singer/songwriter scene is getting at the moment that annoys people most and not the actual scene itself. If you are at their gig then i presume you are there by choice. And hence you appreciate the music. I agree that there an over crowding in that scene at the moment, and it can become extremely boring, but then you always have the option of poping into a TenSpeedRacer gig, or a things gig or whatever. The alternative scenes are there.

Spleeno, yeah I agree, the 4 of us are a bit Lite FM, but the potential for them to be something more exciting is there. Anyone remember the album they got half way through and abandoned? I think it was called Amplifier, they were headed in an almost industrial direction. OK I'll admit that that direction wasn't really wasn't really working for them, but I think with the right producers, they could really knock out a kick ass album. Lets say in an alternative universe they managed to persuade James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy (aka DFA) to produce, they could produce a rock album as danceable as anything the Rapture have done, not as hard edged, but at least as good and probably less contrived too.

whats all this about there being too many singer/songwriters.Music is music to those who see it that way and the more musicians the better whether thay be bands or solo artists etc.