Page 95 - Our Wexford

LIAM BATES

Liam Bates is a globally recognised they have been passed from one to
name in music writing and the next generation, I can hear the
production. His musical talent has voices of men spanning 300 years.”
brought him into the realm of film, Speaking about the scale of the
music and conducting, working Wexford musical talent pool, he
with names such as the late and reveals he is still discovering new
great Pavarotti, Pete Townsend musical groups. “Wexford is a
from The Who and legends of hub of creativity, abundant with
rock Bon Jovi as well as writing talent in layers. With any Wexford
theme tunes for a variety of RTÉ based project, I inevitably meet an
and BBC dramas and programmes individual or group that I previously
and scoring for big-budget movies knew nothing about and I know
including Last Passenger, Showgirls I am only starting to scratch the
and Leap Year. He received the surface. The work which comes
prestigious Promax World Gold to me from further afield can very
Award in 2004 for Best Original often be achieved with the skillset
Music for his work on the RTÉ 1 here in the county; that makes
programme Part of Life and was life easier and usually creates the ‘‘ Wexford is a hub of
IFTA nominated for Earthbound in foundation for a future music
2014. Having relocated to Wexford venture at a local level too.” creativity, abundant with
over 15 years ago, Liam speaks of his talent in layers. With any
compositional music style and the Liam is currently producing Wexford based project,
influence the area he lives in has on a Sinfonia performance; the
a man born and raised in London. commissioned orchestral I inevitably meet an
suite Heroes of the Helen Blake
“My style of writing is constantly will be performed with the RTÉ individual or group that I
changing and is naturally influenced National Symphony Orchestra, previously knew nothing
by what I absorb, which must and the musical NOËL, which
include the local culture,” says Bates created with Wexford greats, about and I know I am
Liam. “When I listen to the great Eoin Colfer and Michael Londra, only starting to scratch
local tradition of the Kilmore Carols will head stateside for a North the surface. ‘‘
sung each year and understand how
American tour.
Liam Bates

BASCIVILLE

Basciville are Wexford siblings imagery. It’s pretty much like
Cillian and Lorcan Byrne, an having a second opinion that is
exciting, vibrant songwriting band your own, but can be a little more
who are influenced and inspired objective.”
by an eclectic mix of rhythm and The brothers both hold degrees in
blues, jazz and folk music.
music and their influences range
Forming officially in 2014, after from Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder
spending time touring with and Ella Fitzgerald to Jeff Buckley,
established acts across Ireland Led Zeppelin and Ry Cooder.
and Europe, Basciville took time Speaking about their unique
to record their debut EP Blues in sound and how they are influenced
Red in 2015, which launched to by Wexford, they say, “We try to
sell-out performances in Wexford keep our palate as wide as possible
and Dublin.
and we’re very much influenced by
They say that being brothers is film and TV scoring. We’re based
certainly an advantage, “Being right on the water in the south of
brothers in this business means County Wexford and that location Basciville
we’ve grown up on the same music influences our compositions in
and media, so we both tend to many ways, be it imagery in the
enjoy the same soundscapes and words or sounds in our writing.”

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