Late Late Show.. what musicians have applied?

tony hicks

I was watching the Late Late show on Friday and a young girl came on. Her name was Bonnie Ryan. I hate to be so cruel about this young girl because she is probably a lovely person but unfortunately she was far from talented but her dad was Gerry Ryan. I have been watching the acts that they have been having on(not every week) but most weeks and none of them have stood out for me at all. Who decides to put these acts on? surely there are far more talented people/bands in Ireland who work extremely hard but are not getting that break to appear on the late late show? It seems to be all about who you know and not about the talent. Theres a fantastic band in Ireland and an amazing singer/songwriter i know who are so talented, who work so hard,so humble that just need a break but the late late show won't give it to them. what bands have applied though? I will give my honest opinion if I think your good enough if you want it. I work with bands every day so I know talent when I see it. What il say is though, the music industry is so tough for these young musicians and if you really really believe in yourself then keep going. You only need one door to open.

Ash.J.Williams

How many of the great bands we all know have actually applied to the late late??? They certainly won't come after them.

If bonnie ryan lifted the phone and said "hey uncle ryan any chance of getting to sing my new song on the late late" that could be well more than other bands have done.

Matt_Trakker

The Late Late is the blandest of the bland. You're probably better off not being associated with it if you're a band trying to get a break. You'd be better off getting some support gigs with a touring band, or else, even better leaving the small pond that Ireland is and going foreign.

There hasn't been a single world-famous Irish band since the Corrs. How messed up is that?

Miguel_Sanchez

The Strypes are making waves internationally. They were on the Late Late. Dott who were on recently were pretty good. That girl Soak seems to have talent. She was on it.
As far as I remember there was a very easy submission process for the Late Late slots. No point saying it's who you know when they were actively encouraging submissions. If a band aren't going to help themselves then why should anyone else?

BuilderPlumber

I was talking to musician friends of mine regarding the Late Late Showcase scheme. All applied, all had talent, all not accepted (or at least not contacted). Part of the problem is that the Tubridy Show want a certain format: there are 9 boybands and popbands to 1 band of any other music genre. Too much exposure to the likes of Westlife, Boyzone, other Louis Walsh projects and the like.

Also, the musicians said to me that you had to have a Youtube video. Not everyone is going to have this and certainly often not in good quality. In fact, 99% of Youtube videos of live music are of very poor quality. Most usable ones are studio recordings with no live element.

BuilderPlumber

Gerry Ryan's daughter will of course get preferential treatment. You will find she will be a major RTE celebrity and be involved in some programmes in the months to come. If she isn't doing one already.

RTE Seem to start love affairs with certain musical artists but ignore others. From the earliest days, Dickie Rock has always been on the Late Late Show. Very seldom on the other hand do we seem country showband artists like Brendan Shine or Foster and Allen on it. Dublin acts seem to be favoured?

In more recent times, RTE was all over Jedward for about 2 years and then dropped them last year. They have not been on a single RTE programme all this year!! Likewise, Imelda May seems to be on everywhere since 2009. Without RTE, the likes of these recent phenomenons would not have been as successful for sure.

BUT: there are loads of others who should get a break and be featured. There may be indirect ways of getting on, too. Like you have a story to tell about some topical issue and happen to be a musician as well.

BuilderPlumber

Matt_Trakker wrote: »

The Late Late is the blandest of the bland. You're probably better off not being associated with it if you're a band trying to get a break. You'd be better off getting some support gigs with a touring band, or else, even better leaving the small pond that Ireland is and going foreign.

There hasn't been a single world-famous Irish band since the Corrs. How messed up is that?

That is true. The Tubridy Show is to me very poor in general and sticks mainly to the same old sources for its guests. This is often because managers of the guests plug them for the show and / or RTE are doing a reality show with some of them.

Musically, that would include Boyzone, Westlife, any other Louis Walsh managed acts, Louis Walsh himself talking about them, Imelda May, surviving members of the Dubliners, Dickie and anyone else from Dublin.

Most famous Irish bands had to break into foreign usually the UK markets before being famous here. Imelda May is a good artist but was it her being based in the UK moreso than appearing on the Late Late Show/Tubridy Show that set the wheels in motion? Louis Walsh uses the Tubridy Show and other TV shows to push his acts. RTE willingly oblige.

BUT what if you are not a boyband/girlband or not from Dublin or not connected to Louis Walsh? This is where things are more difficult. A mere 3 minute slot to sing a song is not enough imo to aid a new act. Instead, you need maybe a theme of music for each show (maybe have rock, country, rap, blues, bluegrass, jazz/swing, classical and trad Irish as the alternating themes?) with 3-4 acts of that style and a discussion on the style as part of the show?

The other main problem with Tubridy is the sound on his show tends to be poor for musicians. This was evident a couple of weeks back. Poor sound can kill a potential new star.

Ash.J.Williams

As regards Bonnie...it was not the monitors ....She was out of key at all the same points on her other live video from grand social, and for the for purpose of research i checked out one of her studio tracks and she's out of key also....That would suggest lack of real practice and lack of lessons...something the late late show should have picked up on. I'm not being cruel here, it should be obvious.
What tv show in their right mind would let this on air?

BuilderPlumber

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

As regards Bonnie...it was not the monitors ....She was out of key at all the same points on her other live video from grand social, and for the for purpose of research i checked out one of her studio tracks and she's out of key also....That would suggest lack of real practice and lack of lessons...something the late late show should have picked up on. I'm not being cruel here, it should be obvious.
What tv show in their right mind would let this on air?

Clearly, she was let on solely because she was Gerry Ryan's daughter. When it comes to their own, RTE will let anything go on air.

Cody Pomeray

This particular case was farcical, but seems to be part of a broader tendency where this is simply no attempt by RTE administration to disguise what looks like a mini fiefdom. I'm not just referring to Bonnie Ryan... there are a number of shows, access to which seem to depend upon personal connections.

I know it's the media and that's life blah blah, but the difference is this is a taxpayer funded broadcaster and should be subject to more stringent processes than the whims of a private club.

tony hicks

Miguel_Sanchez wrote: »

The Strypes are making waves internationally. They were on the Late Late. Dott who were on recently were pretty good. That girl Soak seems to have talent. She was on it.
As far as I remember there was a very easy submission process for the Late Late slots. No point saying it's who you know when they were actively encouraging submissions. If a band aren't going to help themselves then why should anyone else?

I have to disagree....It was an easy submission. You sent in your video and the producers then make a decision who is on the show. My point is I know a few bands who applied for it who work extremely hard,who are extremely talented and Bonnie got on the show. Thats my point! I understand the music industry is all about that but its wrong when there are real musicians out there playing in venues for free, bearly surviving that just need to be heard and this would of been a perfect opportunity for alot of hard working talented bands/artists.

Miguel_Sanchez

tony hicks wrote: »

I have to disagree....It was an easy submission. You sent in your video and the producers then make a decision who is on the show. My point is I know a few bands who applied for it who work extremely hard,who are extremely talented and Bonnie got on the show. Thats my point! I understand the music industry is all about that but its wrong when there are real musicians out there playing in venues for free, bearly surviving that just need to be heard and this would of been a perfect opportunity for alot of hard working talented bands/artists.

Yeah, but I know a few hard-working bands that applied and did get on it. Everyone who applies can't get on - the Late Late Show producers don't owe every band that applies a spot on the show.

Yes, someone getting on just because of who they know is terrible but that's how things work. Bands get booked at festivals because of who they know, bands get support slots with bigger bands because of who they know. It's the way of the world and an unfortunate fact of life.

Best thing to do is chalk it down to experience and keep going.

BuilderPlumber

Miguel_Sanchez wrote: »

Yeah, but I know a few hard-working bands that applied and did get on it. Everyone who applies can't get on - the Late Late Show producers don't owe every band that applies a spot on the show.

Yes, someone getting on just because of who they know is terrible but that's how things work. Bands get booked at festivals because of who they know, bands get support slots with bigger bands because of who they know. It's the way of the world and an unfortunate fact of life.

Best thing to do is chalk it down to experience and keep going.

I think they should give most decent singers/bands/musicians a slot on it. Afterall, the people are RTE's customers and deserve something in return for their loyalty to the station. Look at all the new talent that could be give a chance but for the umpteenth appearance of Boyzone, Ronan Keating, Westlife or Nicky Byrne. Why does RTE have to constantly plug these?

All, there tends to be way too much focus on so-called 'original music' which is a term that has come to mean artists who write their own songs (when it should mean brining a new concept or doing something not previously done with a song that is their own or a cover). This means a whole lot of singers write their own to gain exposure or to get artist tax breaks but they are not good songwriters. Imelda May, one of RTE's favourites, is sometimes not a very good songwriter (Johnny has a boom boom) and sometimes can write good songs but would be a better artist if she covered classic 1950s country and r&b songs and mixed them with her own as well. Kentish Town I think is the only traditional song on her second album (albeit a new arrangement of a traditional song) whereas her first album made in her own name (Imelda Clabby) before she was famous featured classic 1940s-50s songs and was way better. But the Irish music industry don't want covers as they can't own the copyrights!

Ash.J.Williams

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

I think they should give most decent singers/bands/musicians a slot on it. Afterall, the people are RTE's customers and deserve something in return for their loyalty to the station. Look at all the new talent that could be give a chance but for the umpteenth appearance of Boyzone, Ronan Keating, Westlife or Nicky Byrne. Why does RTE have to constantly plug these?

All, there tends to be way too much focus on so-called 'original music' which is a term that has come to mean artists who write their own songs (when it should mean brining a new concept or doing something not previously done with a song that is their own or a cover). This means a whole lot of singers write their own to gain exposure or to get artist tax breaks but they are not good songwriters. Imelda May, one of RTE's favourites, is sometimes not a very good songwriter (Johnny has a boom boom) and sometimes can write good songs but would be a better artist if she covered classic 1950s country and r&b songs and mixed them with her own as well. Kentish Town I think is the only traditional song on her second album (albeit a new arrangement of a traditional song) whereas her first album made in her own name (Imelda Clabby) before she was famous featured classic 1940s-50s songs and was way better. But the Irish music industry don't want covers as they can't own the copyrights!

covers can f**k right off to ray darcy where they belong

BuilderPlumber

What we need is good music promoted be it their own compositions, covers or adaptations of older traditional songs. What we do not need are boyband factories and talentless singer songwriters writing and singing some profane shyte with hard to figure out lyrics like 'from a hill we watched the sun, as it sets the starlite comes, we take a secret test that seems to rise, now's the time for us to disembark, break my heart, faithful and true' and the like that I once heard a local band sing (thankfully, even Tubridy would object to this!!).

Ash.J.Williams

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

What we need is good music promoted be it their own compositions, covers or adaptations of older traditional songs. What we do not need are boyband factories and talentless singer songwriters writing and singing some profane shyte with hard to figure out lyrics like 'from a hill we watched the sun, as it sets the starlite comes, we take a secret test that seems to rise, now's the time for us to disembark, break my heart, faithful and true' and the like that I once heard a local band sing (thankfully, even Tubridy would object to this!!).

agreed

bodhrandude

What I don't understand is why did RTE shelve Under Ether, that did give a voice to some Irish artists pushing their demos, as well as eclectic US and UK artists. I'm amazed that TV3 or TG4 didn't come up with an alternative show put on at the same time as the Late, Late in the style of BBC 2's Later with Jools or to even have some mobile set up to film and do documentary style on some of our country's biggest festivals, bar the Fleadh Cheoil which already gets good coverage.

Miguel_Sanchez

Didn't Una Mullally present an alternative show on TG4 for a while? Ceol ar an Imeall?

Is that still going?

seachto7

I know of bands who have been on due to others cancelling. 99% of bands on play to backing tracks as well. Not sure if it makes a difference or not if you get on the LLS. I don't think an experimental band would get on or would be playing to their potential audience.
I remember Therapy played live on it years ago and got banned. Played the "wrong" song.

sxejim

How do you apply actually?

BuilderPlumber

sxejim wrote: »

How do you apply actually?

I'm not sure if this Late Late Showcase scheme is on this season or not? Apparently, you would have to send a Youtube video of your band playing somewhere.