A fresh take on folk from multi-talented, passionate Se‡n îg

Seán Óg Hogan, a Galway based musician,originally hailing from Wicklow, bills himself as being in the folk/acoustic/folk rock tradition of singer/songwriters. This talented musician has taken an unusual approach to releasing his songs and will be bringing out a single every month for the next few months, in advance of his forthcoming album, which arrives in the autumn.

Music has been a part of Seán’s life from a very young age.“My mother is a very accomplished opera singer – I was brought up listening to her singing,” he says. “From the age of eight or 10 I was playing percussion, bodhrán and djembe. I studied it with a very nice percussionist in Wicklow.

“My dad was an All-Ireland champion banjo player,” he adds. “I’ve grown up listening to traditional music – my granddad was a box player.”

Seán may have grown up playing a variety of instruments but his choice to focus on guitar came relatively late in his musical development.

“I was about 18 before I started to develop an interest in the guitar,” he recalls. “I was too lazy to learn – I just wanted to bang something as child!”

Seán has also studied drama and performance and also trained a baritone under Tony Norton – on of the three Irish Tenors. Yet music triumphed over acting for Seán’s affections.

“I was studying for a couple of years – that’s where I initially met Tony Norton,” he says. “I did some operettas and some acting work. I just found the acting a bit too superficial – not that the music industry is much better! But at least I’m being true to myself.”

Moving West has also proved instrumental in Seán finding his voice.“I was playing as a percussionist in bands for about six years, on and off,” he says. “I played full time in band called Shine, around Dublin and Wicklow. I came to Galway two years ago just to work on the original songs. It’s all I want to do at the minute.”

Seán Óg does has continued to make use of his drama training, however. He has worked on The Tudors and recently featured in a Fáilte Ireland ad campaign.

“Doing the acting has given me a chance to appreciate how much I love playing music – in a huge way. And it’s totally upped my game as a performer.”

This is indeed the case – Seán has recently from a nine-month European tour as a member of the Gael Force dance show. A performance in a large arena in Switzerland was particularly demanding.

“It was a venue for about 3,000 people,” he says. “It was a high energy venue; people like Moby and U2 play there. You feel that energy when you walk in the place. If I didn’t study drama and performance arts I don’t think I’d be able to express myself on stages like that.”

Returning to his own music, Seán Óg explains why he’s taking the bold, unusual step of releasing a single every month.

“I want to do the songs on the album justice,” he says. “I want to generate enough energy around each song. I believe a month of PR for each song is just, because I believe the songs merit it. My aim is to generate enough attention around each single so I can get a good manager – not someone who says they’re going to do stuff.”

The first of Seán Óg’s singles is Rise High King Rise, a song that revives the folk tradition of dealing with the concerns of modern society.

“I believe Ireland at the minute is covered in red tape and down with energy because of this recession,” Seán says. “So many people are unemployed. My message to anyone who hears my song is to rise up and not let negativity bring us down, as a country and as individuals. I think we have a lot more to give artistically and creatively. I think the Celtic Tiger has made us lose sight of that.”

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.