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John Devine. All photos courtesy John Devine.

John Devine. Photo courtesy JD

The Devines

The Devines are a popular Irish traditional folk group who make frequent visits to Hastings. HOT’s Sean O’ Shea caught up with them at the Stag Inn and talked with John Devine about the bands origins, the evolution of the Irish folk scene, seanós dancing and lilting.

The Stag Inn was an ideal venue for these popular and talented musicians who radiate warmth and decency. Line up for the gig on the 12th March 2015 were Paddy Egan concertina, vocals; Caz Devine Sax, flute, vocals; John Devine uilleann pipes, whistle, keyboards, vocals; and Chris Sadler, guitar, concertina and vocals.

They played a variety of traditional dance tunes, jigs and reels. Highlights for me were Paddy Egan’s seanós dancing and a song in Irish described by John as the saddest song ever written, the title of which translated means ‘it was a magic mist that led me astray one night.’ It can be like that in Hastings sometimes.

The smell of burning logs from the large open fire added to the atmosphere and at the end of the evening there was a spontaneous sing around.

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Although born in the UK you have strong links to Ireland and Leitrim in particular. Could you tell us about your personal background and some of your main musical influences?

I was born in England and grew up in Hertfordshire. Dad came to England in the 1950s to help rebuild London after the war. He came from a rural back ground in Co. Leitrim, possibly the poorest county in Ireland, but from the age of eight was schooled in Dublin. He arrived in England aged nineteen with nothing but his enthusiasm and his culture.

Mum grew up amongst London’s Irish community and my grandparents were from Mayo. There was always music in the house growing up but mostly contemporary stuff. My parents were rock and roll fans then, which probably prompted my interest in other types of music. There was always singing at family gatherings, but I didn’t really become aware of traditional music until the 1970s, when organisations like Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann began taking a hold here.

We spent every summer on the family farm back in Leitrim but I have only learned of the County’s great musicians and cultural heritage as the years have gone by. My Dad was a great traditional music enthusiast but I didn’t realize how knowledgeable he was until much later in life. He taught me many tunes by singing or whistling them, even though he didn’t play an instrument himself.

The Devines SOS

The Devines SOS

The Devines started as a family group. Could you tell us how it has evolved and the changes there have been to the line up over time?

I have tried to promote an interest in traditional music amongst my own children, and being able to share music with them has been one of the greatest joys of my life. The family band thing just evolved from being invited to perform at parties and events. I have been working and performing in bands since I was a teenager, playing all sorts of music, first as a drummer and then piano and keyboards, as well as the Irish music on whistle and then flute.

We began playing in clubs and pubs when my son Joe was old enough to tour, and originally worked with singer song writer Pete Waters, playing traditional Irish music and Pete’s original songs. After a while Pete decided he preferred writing to performing, leaving just the three family members, myself, my wife Caz and son Joe. It was then that we discovered the more streamlined group worked better.

Since then we have become involved in other bands and projects outside of Devines, meaning we’re not always available. We’re very lucky to have musicians we can call on like Paddy and Chris, who performed with us at the Stag. It’s different but it’s great for me and Caz.

You are often referred to as a traditional folk band but this doesn’t do justice to the range of music and variety of instruments played including for example the saxophone. How would you characterize the band’s musical style, and could you give readers an idea of the kind of repertoire they might expect at one of your gigs?

It’s hard to categorize the music we play. As I’ve said, there are many influences. I am an Irish man by culture and all of my artistic output is heavily influenced by the Irish musical tradition. I like to think the traditional dance music we play is authentic in terms of rhythm and melody; it’s often the accompaniment and instrumentation that make it sound contemporary. Jigs and reels on the Saxophone for example. Some of the songs I have written also have a contemporary feel.

At your most recent gig at the Stag Inn, Paddy (Egan) won a warm round of applause when he treated us to a performance of sean-nos dance, which he had learnt from his father though adding a few steps of his own, while the band lilted. Could you say a bit about ‘lilting’ and about the origins and development of ‘seanós’ dance?

Concertina player Paddy Egan now lives in Cork, in the south west of Ireland, and came over just for our St.Patrick’s day tour. He is also a great seanós dancer. Seanós means old style or old way. It’s a dance that can be performed in a small space, like say the kitchen of a classic three roomed road side Irish cottage years ago. It’s said the kitchen door was sometimes removed from its hinges and laid on the earthen floor to add more drama from the dancer, tapping out the rhythm with their feet. The musical accompaniment would possibly have been lilted. Lilting is the rhythmic singing of the dance tunes, using a variety of consonant sounds. Even today, lilting seems to be the most appropriate music for Paddy to dance to, and it was well received in the Stag.

You are an all round multi instrumentalist as well as being a gifted piper. Have you a favorite instrument and could you give some reasons for your choice?

I play a variety of instruments but I think the uilleann pipes have to be my favorite. They are often described as the sound of Ireland. It’s such an exacting instrument to play and I don’t think I will ever have finished learning and discovering new ways of experiencing the playing of them. I’m also very lucky to have a particularly well made set, they are a work of art and an accomplished feat of engineering.

You have travelled a lot in the UK and Ireland. Have you noticed any differences between the two countries in the way that folk music scene is viewed and has evolved?

There has been a massive change and evolution in Irish music, folk, and traditional music generally in the time I have been involved. As a child growing up here in the seventies it wasn’t cool to express your Irishness too publicly. We had a great love of Ireland, often filtered through our parents over romanticized perspective of life there. My parents, whilst not being particularly politically demonstrative, held largely republican views. Suspicion surrounded the Irish community against the backdrop of the troubles in Northern Ireland. I imagine we experienced something akin to what the Muslim communities must be going through today. As a result, the expression of culture was largely underground. There wasn’t much traditional music in Ireland at that time either, ironically. There appeared to be greater enthusiasm for the old traditions in the emigrated communities of England and America. That has all changed now of course. River dance played a large part in globalising Irish culture and it’s great to have seen it turn around. I think most people would recognize a bodhran (circular drum made of goat skin) if they found one lying in the street.

You are regional development officer for ‘Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eirean,’ sometimes referred to just as Comhaltas, and have been associated with the development of a local branch in Hastings. Could you tell readers a bit about this organisation?

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann is an Irish Arts organization that has branches all over the world, run from their head office in Dublin. The organization was founded in 1951 with the express aim of keeping Irish music alive, and I have been doing development work for Comhaltas for around seven years. I recently helped establish a Comhaltas branch in Hastings with fiddler Chan Reid and several other Irish music enthusiasts. There is a lot of interest in Irish music in Hastings and a good many great players. Having a Comhaltas branch here creates a focus for that interest and links it with a national support network. It also means that I can help Chan develop the interest locally, help organize events and identify project funding. Plans are underway for a weekend of traditional music events this coming autumn.

What are some ways in which you deal with the wear and tear of being on the road?

Touring can be hard work and takes its toll especially as I’m getting older. We try not to take on anything too grueling these days. We plan as much as we can so we don’t find ourselves criss-crossing the country, and when possible we try to be kind to ourselves, eat well and sleep well. We knew the St.Patrick’s tour was only going to be a short run of shows, and a chance to enjoy Chris and Paddy’s company, so we largely ignored all the above good advice and partied as hard as we could for the duration. I’ve noticed recovery time increasing over the years.

Hastings is known for its atmospheric pubs and vibrant music scene, yet pub landlords and musicians are struggling to make a living. How would you like to see this issue being addressed?

It does appear to be harder and harder to sustain yourself as a musician and as a pub landlord looking to promote live music. I really don’t know what the answer is. I think you just have to keep doing it regardless.

I don’t need money to play music. I have a compulsion and I’m going to do it anyway. I need money to eat and keep somewhere to live, and If I don’t get it from playing music (the only thing I appear to be good at, and the only thing I have any interest in doing), then I have to get money from somewhere else, and that takes up your time and energy.

I’m constantly readjusting my aspirations to suit my reality. Currently I’m thinking, if I can keep the day job at bay, I’m doing alright.

You and the band are frequent and very much appreciated visitors to Hastings. Could you see yourself living here?

I can imagine living in Hastings. I have had strong connections with the town for many years. I love the atmosphere and spirit of the people. There appears to be some amazing event, gathering, parade or festival nearly every weekend. The people know how to have a good time and seem less effected by the constrictions of modern living in the South East. And I’d love to live by the sea. Maybe one day.

How about your hopes for the future, for yourself – for the band?

I hope I can continue to play music for many years to come. I’m currently working on an album of completely original music, and we have several festivals to play as the family three piece in the spring and summer.

These days I’m less concerned with material success than I am with the actual experience of performing and being creative with music. Our gig at the Stag in March was a catalyst for the experience we shared that night, and we will never get to experience it in exactly the same way again. I can’t see any point in being more financially ‘successful’, unless I’m having a better time and I’m having a pretty bloody good time at the moment.

■Website and upcoming dates for the Divines: http://www.johndevinemusic.com

■email at info@johndevinemusic.com

SOS

 

 

 

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Posted 22:09 Monday, Jun 1, 2015 In: SOS

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