Been There, Seen That, Dunne That!

Tom Dunne certainly has led an admirable life, he has done what all of us plan on doing tomorrow, yesterday. While many people dream of topping the music charts, having our own radio show and becoming a sex symbol, none of us do it because life's train carries us through school and college, and then allows us to disembark into a mundane yet secure, pensionable job. Tom Dunne took his parachute and leapt from the train, quitting his job as a mechanical engineer for Aer Lingus in order to follow his passion for music.

Upon graduating from UCD Tom explained how he felt that he "left engineering capable of great things, and then got asked to do horrible stuff." He felt very disappointed with work and believes that his decision to become an engineer was "a classic triumph of the mind over the heart." When asked about his hobbies, while being interviewed by Aer Lingus, Tom found it difficult to explain his spare time; "Sometimes some of my friends come around and we play guitar together." Later when Something Happens achieved their record deal his employers had two responses; "why would Virgin need mechanical engineers" and "your friends must have improved dramatically." So feeling he had much more of an affinity towards an artistic based lifestyle, he quit his secure engineering post to follow his heart into the unknown.

Something Happens began to build up a dedicated following quite quickly, playing regular gigs in the inn formerly known as "The Baggot," to audiences of about their own maturity. Following the release of their hugely successful second album, "Stuck Together With Gods Glue," the maturer audience members found themselves having to retreat to the rear, in order to make way for the arrival of the wall to wall screaming teenagers. Tom recalls one particular gig in Dundalk where he was shocked to have his shirt ripped off on stage. "We started to feel bad that the people standing at the back, that were the more traditional fans, were being alienated by these screaming girls. On the other hand we thought, 'God its selling records.'"

Tom speaks longingly about the band's then A-n-R man, who prior to the release of "God's Glue" convinced them that no-one was waiting for their new album. He told them how they would have to surprise the unsuspecting radio listeners. Being so hard on them, was what Tom believes, forced them to strive for greater things. "You need to hear Something Happens on the radio and go who's that." With regard to a possible fifth album in the future Tom feels that they "need that approach again." Whether or not that album finds its way into the recording studio is as of yet undecided. The band have four or five songs, of which they are very proud ready, and with the new the new addition of an "honorary fifth member" on keyboards, Tom is looking forward to recording a less aggressive album to "Bedlam A Go Go" and less cautious than "Planet Fabulous." Might a new album and a fresh approach achieve the success that their talent has always threatened? "The capacity is still there. At the moment its not the right time to go and try and make it."

Something Happens regularly think of throwing in the towel. In fact they've being toiling with the idea even prior to their first single release eight years ago. "I think you have to have that hanging over your head all the time. If you ever just do it because you're afraid to stop, I think that's a terrible reason to go on." The Happens still get a great kick out of performing regular live shows. "Part of the reason we still enjoy it is because we're thinking about it all the time, teasing at it, worrying about it and trying to make it better. When you think you've pulled it off, you get joy out of it." He goes on to say that they are "playing every gig like it could be the last. Because we're constantly thinking about calling it a day, it stops us going through the motions." Tom cites the escapism of being on stage as a further reason for the energy still evident in their live shows. "Despite loads of stuff going wrong with the rest of your life, for an hour and a half you're in heaven. You feel you have a certain power and can make things happen."

Something Happens spent last summer not just touring the States with Warren Zevon, but also serving as his backing band. I asked Tom if he felt they were following in the footsteps of REM, who recorded their Hindu Love Gods album with Zevon on vocals, just prior to being catapulted into megastardom. Tom speculated that there was always the possibility of such an occurrence in the future. I questioned Tom on his contribution to the live Zevon shows, and suggested that he should perhaps have been on half-pay seeing as he doesn't play an instrument. "I was on double pay, because I'm talented and I'm a singer. I sang backing vocals for his show, more out of a sense of not wanting to be off stage than anything else."

Last year Mike Moloney's radio listeners voted 'Parachute' the best Irish single of all time. Something Happens beat very strong opposition from the likes of U2, Sinead, Van, etc. in order to achieve this accolade. I asked Tom whether such an enormous feat improved the band's morale. "It helped enormously. So often you're relying on the perceived notion that you're talented. Now and again it can take a battering ... like 'Jesus what the hell are we doing here,' and if someone says 'Yeah, you are good,' it's real like 'Jesus, thank God.' It's one thing to beat your head against a brick wall, but if it's the wrong brick wall you really start to get baffled." The band also received two Hot Press award nominations last week, to the guys' surprise. "We didn't even have an album out."

Over the past few months Tom has settled into his DJing job with 98FM's "Totally Irish." Listeners to the show will realise that Tom regularly allows foreign acts, such as Massive Attack, to 'put on the green shirt for Ireland.' I asked Tom, would it not be to the advantage of struggling Irish bands if he desisted from the imported music? "You need to measure the stuff I'm playing by international standards, you can't let it fall down into it's own happy little niche, you know aren't we good compared to the band two doors down. It's not good enough."

Tom can, on occasions, be heard singing accompaniment to the bands in session in the radio studio. "I love singing. I don't know why I don't do it (join in) more often." Tom seems to really enjoy having the table turned, and being the one interviewing other musicians for a change. "Part of it is I get to interview people I really like. I'm a musician and because I've done all the stuff that they're either doing, or want to do, I know exactly where they stand. I think I can couch the interview in a way that will do the best for them. I think it's good that somebody's in a position to do that."

Tom Dunne's interest in journalism, and especially writing, goes back a long way. He worked for a short time with the ill-fated Irish Press, and currently contributes a regular football column to d'Side magazine. Tom feels that it was the work load with studying Engineering (don't I only know it), that prevented him from writing. He later got back into writing for the band's fanzine a few years back. When that ceased Tom says that he simply began to miss writing. "I was pretty determined last year to give it a go at making myself write again. I agree with who ever it was said -- 'Writing isn't fun, but having written is great.'" Tom hints continuously that writing might possibly be the way forward for him, right now he is still undecided on the matter. A new album? A novel? A TV show even? Who knows? Tom certainly doesn't.

As Tom holds the bar door open, and I pass into the cool dark of Donnybrook, I have only one final question. "So tell me once again, how are Massive Attack Irish?" The reply is forthcoming, "It's quite simple really, they all have....." A 10 bus farts by. "Sorry I missed that Tom." But it's too late his eyes are decidedly focused on the greasy chipper ahead, and who am I to hold back a man with a mission.

darren@ollamh.ucd.ie

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