MacD on Music: Taking It Easy

There are certain bands whose music is so iconic that it’s just a part of everyday life.

They’re the songs that have always been there, the music in the background of the world.

One such group that fits into this category is the Eagles, a band so good that their Greatest Hits album came almost a year before ‘Hotel California’, the song most people think of when they hear the name.

This Friday sees what is basically, a supergroup of some of the best artists this town has to offer, coming together for a special tribute gig to the Eagles in the Brass Neck (in the Diamond).

The group features Diarmuid O’Kane on keyboard, sax and vocals, James Curran on acoustic/electric guitar and vocals, Liam Bradley on lead guitar, harmonica and banjo, Beth Steen on vocals, Jason Feenan on drums, Emer McLaughlin on acoustic guitar and vocals, Mark Doherty on bass and Daniel Ferguson, the man who put it all together, on lead guitar and vocals.

I spoke to Dan this week about the gig:

“It was maybe a year ago or more; I was chatting to Liam Bradley, and I was saying that I wanted to play guitar with him. I hadn’t really played with him before. I’ve played with a few other guitarists, but I always like playing with new people.

“We ended up talking about the Eagles and I just thought ‘should we not just do an Eagles tribute act’. I was thinking of everyone I could involve in it.

“I feel like I’m at a point now where I know enough musicians around Derry that I can count on to do it right. Any time you go to a tribute you want to be as close to the real thing as possible.”

“Initially it was meant to be before November. I was meant to be moving to Liverpool but that ended up not happening, then Christmas and stuff was mad. I knew everybody had their own thing. Obviously Emer’s with CHERYM and there’s just a lot of things happening all at once, so I put it off until now. We started rehearsing the harmonies last summer, just me, Diarmaid and Emer and then slowly but surely the band got bigger. Everyone’s there for a good reason. Everyone’s got a big part to play and it’s coming together really well. It was a long time coming but I just didn’t want to rush it and it not be the standard I wanted it to be.”

I asked Dan if this was going to be a one off or could we be seeing more of this in the future? “We’ve been approached for another one already and we’ve not even done this one, but I don’t want it to become a consistent thing. I’d do it for an event or something or if someone wants it specifically but really, I’m just doing it for enjoyment. It wasn’t really for anything other than that, and for an excuse to play with Liam and to get everyone together. Before I asked anyone to be in the band, I asked if they liked the Eagles, with no context, and everyone loved them, and then that followed the question ‘do you want to be a part of this?’. I knew it was going to be a lot to learn and I knew that we weren’t going to be all together. Our first full band rehearsal was yesterday [last Tuesday by the time you’re reading this], but I’ve been doing sections and stuff, like I would meet up with Jason and Mark, drums and bass. As I said, we’re doing the harmonies for a long time, so everything was there, it’s just bringing it together now really. The plan is not to have it as a main thing, but I’d obviously be up for doing a few, maybe one or two a year, take it to different places and stuff, just take it easy and not take it to the limit.”

And that’s it for Daniel Ferguson. Takin’ It Easy will be in The Brass Neck this Friday. Tickets are available now on Eventbrite at £12 or £15 on the door. Tickets are limited so make sure you grab them while you still can.

Now, onto other business. This Friday also sees the release of Shasma’s new single ‘Alien/Familiar’. The song is available on Bandcamp and that night the group will be making their Belfast debut in the Union Bar, with special guests The Collisions and Triggertone. Tickets are available on Ticketsource at £6 or £8 on the door.

Finally, time for the socials. Shasma can be found on Instagram @shasma.music and Daniel Ferguson @daniel_ferguson_official.