About

Shag Haired Villains are David Byrne, Derek Carney and Shane Waldron. They formed in 2012 and independently released their debut album, Red Lake in 2015.

The band started as a group of like-minded musicians getting together to jam out some cover songs and quickly developed into a vehicle for their own original music.

Shag Haired Villains established themselves on the Dublin scene with a series of showcases and support gigs around the capital, most recently as part of the Garageland gigs supported by RTE 2XM. The band featured on the compilation album Garageland Volume 1 released in May 2017.

Their dual vocal approach between drummer Derek and guitarist David create a unique live experience.

The band never really stopped writing new music after the release of Red Lake and pushed themselves to search for the sound that defines them. 

There is a Noise is the product of that work and it sees Shag Haired Villains add to the promise that was evident on Red Lake. The band have a raw energy on There is A Noise, a rough-edged record with plenty to say. Their sound is a heavy blues mashed with a grimy tone throughout.

30 Miles, More Than I Can Take and Go Big or Go Home are where the band are most alive, pounding toms and relentless bass interweaved with elusive guitar tones.

Shag Haired Villains take an otherwordly path on the title track There is A Noise and on Milestone, backed by the echoes and beats of Low Sun.

There’s a lot of fun to be had listening to this album, in particular on Blaze, where the trio throw off the shackles to play around with dynamics for three plus minutes.

The Tower and The Mirror show an introspective yet textured side to the band, while No Man’s Land is the turn it up to 11, you-could-live-in here song.

Shag Haired Villains are taking There is a Noise to the people and to the stage in October 2017. Get ready.

Advertisement