Dan from Badhands on exploring My Story My Song

The First Fortnight Festival often extends beyond the actual two weeks – with events right up to the end of January and beyond, and one exciting music event still to come is My Story My Song in the intimate surroundings of the Liquor Rooms on Wellington Quay, Dublin this Thursday. This sees a diverse line-up of artists discussing and interpreting some of their favourite songs. The ever-expanding bill includes Jess from Barq, Luke from Otherkin, Emma Langford, Laura Elizabeth Hughes, Jane Willow and Dan Fitzpatrick from Badhands.   We caught up with the former Last Tycoons/Might Stef man Dan to hear what to expect from the event and more on how things are progressing with Badhands…   Tell us a bit about the concept to My Story My Song?    The basic concept of My Story, My Song is it features several artists discussing songs that has helped them through some challenging times in their life, and also the positive effects that music in general can have on people and their mental health. All the artists will then do a one-off version of a song that holds a certain importance for them.    What is your approach to your choice of song and performance on the night?   I chose a song that’s always been quite special to me. It’s from a Kris Kristofferson record that I used to listen to constantly in my early to mid-twenties, it has always been a go-to album for me when I’m not in a good place mentally. When listening to this record I used to feel like many of the songs could have been written specifically for me, or that it could have been me singing them, it’s a really powerful thing when music evokes that sort of feeling in you. The last time I performed this song was at my Dad’s funeral also, so I suppose it has that extra bit of significance for me.     You have been involved in similar events in Liquor Rooms, discussing favourite artists for the Vinyl & Wine nights, how did you get on with those?   I’ve been involved with a few of the Vinyl & Wine nights, and also attended several as a punter, and always loved them. They always involve some really interesting and insightful discussions about the music, and the experience of sitting in a room full of people quietly listening to an album on good speakers is a really interesting one, you engage with the music in a very different way. I’m sure the My Story, My Song night will have the same great and intimate atmosphere that the vinyl and wine nights always seem to have.     You’ve just released your debut Badhands album, Predictable Boy, to great reviews – what lessons have you learned through previous experiences in the music scene that informed this album and your current approach to making music?   I’d say I’ve learnt a lot over the last ten years of playing and recording music with different artists, which was a great help when it came to making the first Badhands album. Things such as figuring out arrangements, deciding on the structure of songs, and what can be done throughout the recording process in general. I’m always continuing to learn and try and improve. Also the more experience you have in the music business the more ready you are to deal with any disappointments or low points that will inevitably come your way. Not that things become any easier necessarily, but you’re at least more prepared for them. As it’s very much a business of highs and lows, sometimes more of the latter, but you hope that it’ll balance out in the end.       What are your hopes for the New Year… either personal or professional?   I plan to stay busy with gigs in the New Year and begin recording album number 2, which I’ve had written for a while and am excited to begin working on. I’m really loving playing with the band at the minute so I can’t wait to do more shows and also start playing some of the new material with them.    On a personal and practical level I’d like to learn how to drive this year. I failed my driver theory test twice in 2018 and I want to remedy this asap, well the second time I actually got the date wrong and missed the test, but I would regard that as a failure in it’s own right!        My Story My Song featuring Daniel from Badhands, Emma Langford, Jess Kavanagh from Barq, Laura Elizabeth Hughes, Luke Reilly from Otherkin, Jane Willow and more is in The Liquor Rooms, Wellington Quay, Dublin on Thursday, January 24 as part of the First Fortnight Festival, European Mental Health Festival for 2019.   Tickets here: https://www.firstfortnight.ie/events/my-story-my-song   Badhands album Predictable Boy is out now, available on Bandcamp   See Badhands.ie for more