Nathan Carter’s new folk band Ceol are preparing to revive traditional Irish music.
Cathal Dervan, Matthew Crampsey, James O'Sullivan and Daryl Phillips have come together to bring it back in their own unique and enjoyable way.
The lads recently released their debut single “Beeswing”, and they take inspiration from The Dubliners, The Chieftains, Christy Moore and Mumford and Sons. They aim to bring folk music to a new generation.
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Daryl told Dublin Live: “You’re almost afraid of it dying out, we’re trying to revive it almost, make it appealing to a younger audience and give it a new sense of life.
“If you’re playing old trad music, you’re not going to get music attention on radio and TV. It’s very delicate, we don’t want to overdo it, there’s a balance to keep with the traditional folk style and bring a modern twist on it.
“We’ve a lot of folk festivals booked for the summer, we’re really looking forward to it. We’ve been practicing since September and we're ready to go. We’ve been preparing for so long, we’re working really hard and we’re ready for the stage.”
The band appeared on the Late Late last month and their fanbase has gone from strength to strength after their TV debut.
Daryl, who hails from Kildare, said: “The Late Late was mad, absolutely crazy. I’m from a small town and there was so much pressure, everyone was watching.
"The local people are coming up and talking to me about it so it was brilliant, the response has been fantastic and we’ve gotten so many kind words.
“I’ve been a professional musician for 10 years. I started playing in bars, I was on the Voice of Ireland when I was 18 and then I did a lot of musical theatre.
"I toured with Celtic Woman in 2018 and that was the peak. I was in a boyband years ago and we supported JLS and The Wanted but that feels like a lifetime ago.
“I’ve always been in the music industry and I teach music, that’s my job and I’ve never done anything else. I teach singing and guitar, it’s my whole world, I don’t know anything else. It’s very easy to take it for granted because it’s all I’ve ever known.
“I’ve been in wedding bands before and you’d be home at four in the morning so it’s not all fun and games. I missed a lot of family occasions and big events, but I’m so grateful for it every single day.”
When asked if they’re ready for bras to be thrown at them on stage, the 26-year-old said: “I don’t think you can be prepared for that. Can you? Personally, I'd definitely be prepared for that type of lifestyle.
“I can’t speak for the lads but I think we all know what we’ve signed up for. If it all goes well, that’s the direction we’re going. We’re all in the same boat but you can’t plan for something like that .
“We’re all from completely different parts of the country, we never met each other beforehand. I went to an audition because I heard Nathan Carter was setting up a new folk band and that’s right up my street. We were called into an audition room and that was it.”
Daryl and the boys go to the studio for six hours every Monday and Wagon Wheel legend, Nathan Carter, along with tour manager, Liam McKenna have a huge involvement with the band.
“Nathan and Liam were there and they wanted the four of us to be together. It feels like it’s been forever but it’s only been since September,” Daryl added.
“We all get on so well and the boys are my best friends, that’s as important as being in a good band.
“It’s very strange that nobody has been doing this type of music. Liam and Nathan obviously saw the need for this music and it’s going really well, hopefully it continues.
“Nathan is such a nice guy, he’s very close to us and he has a lot of input in the band. He gives us the freedom for us to do whatever we want musically but he oversees everything.
"He’s a great guy and he’s so talented. We couldn’t have a better person behind us. He definitely has the Irishness in him.”
Nathan Carter also said: “The idea (of the band) came to me when I was traveling around Ireland and seeing so many talented young musicians singing and playing in pubs every night of the week.
"I thought to myself, there is an opening here for a great young band who play a mix of the old folk songs with a contemporary modern twist.
“Within 8 weeks of joining TikTok they have amassed over 1 million views, making them Ireland's fastest growing debut music artist on the platform.”
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