Steven Ryan’s band Windings is just about to go on stage in Galway supporting Teenage Fanclub, Limerick Post caught up with him to find out about their new 7” single release and his thoughts on the new extended lineup and nationwide tour.
windings, since 2005 has been Steve Ryan’s side project while he rocked with the late and great Givamanakick up to last December when GAMAK played their final shows after three incendiary albums and seven years touring their trashy, hardcore, punk noise around the world. So now is the time for windings to take centre-stage with a new album, titled “It’s Never Night”, produced by Tommy McLaughlin (Villagers, Cathy Davey) and Noel Hogan, just mastered by Richard Dowling at Wavmaster Studio and due for release in October.
But in the meantime a split 7” with Vertigo Smith has just been released “Old like J” is windings contribution displaying the bands quiet, contemplative side on a song reflecting on time spent and wasted on what’s not that important anyway, “time I’v had I’v sat and watched it pass, torn apart by lies and wasted plans, maybe thats not the way”. The “J” referred to in the song is Dinosaur Jnr’s J Mascus, Steven explains, “It’s not specifically about J Mascus, it was inspired by meeting him, he is just an incredibly cool individual, the amount of music he puts out, a lot of it goes underneath the radar and its all high quality stuff. His life is music, that’s what he does, he’s a musician and I really admire that”.
In 2005 Steve released the self titled debut album, Windings on Out On A Limb Records. What initially seemed like a collection of oddities and tunes not near furious enough for the GAMAK cannon, turned out to be a musical tour de force a collection of tender quieter than quiet moments “Fireworks for Ling”, “Bubbles” to the Kevin Shieldsesque “Postal” and onto the noisy boogie of “… is to succeed”. The album earned a multitude of positive reviews from music media and fans alike and invitations to perform at many festivals including Electric Picnic soon followed. For live shows Steve was now joined by multi- instrumentalist Liam Marley and their performances were mesmerising for anyone who would take the time and listen as the windings sound began to emerge from this dynamism. Steven remembers “I’ve listened to it retrospectively recently to see if we could bring any of that stuff to the live band now. To me it still sounds like myself with a few pals dropping in every now and again to play drums or whatever. Yeah it sounds like the sound of my bedroom in my parents house, which is a good thing”.
With the success, positive reviews and faithful following that Giveamanakick garnered over the years and the warm reaction to Steven’s first windings album was Ryan feeling the pressure to go one step further with this new album? “No, because essentially I feel like I’m starting a new band again, Its five years since the first windings release, all I did since then, release wise with windings, was tour that album for five years got some nice gigs and support slots out of it, it was either me or just me and Liam. So now there are more people in the band, its starting from a new band perspective so that way I don’t feel any pressure or any expectations about what we are going to be like or what the new album is going to sound like”.
Having played in duos for so many years, were there any challenges faced now the band has swelled to a five piece?, “Yeah like, I only have a 2 seater van, that’s why all the bands have been duos” he replied semi-seriously “but it was really exciting, it took me a little while to realise that I really didn’t need to have my guitar as loud as I had it, there are some other people in the band also”. He explained that on the song writing front that things have changed also, “On this album we have some stuff co-written by Liam and I know it will continue in the vein cos’ we are all bringing stuff to practice, I’m totally open to songs by other people”.
Windings release “Old Like J” this Thursday and play De Barra’s, Clonakilty, July 29; The Loft, Limerick, Sunday Aug 1; Whelan’s, Dublin, Aug 12; McGinnity’s, Cavan Aug 13; The Hub, Ennis, Aug 19.
Windings play the Loft Venue on Sunday August 1, the Limerick Post have 2 pairs of tickets for the gig to give away and signed copies of 7” single “Old Like J”.
Just email ents@limerickpost.ie with windings in the subject by Friday midday July 30, include your name, address, and phone number.
