At The Mike Stand With... Patrick O'Brien

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Patrick O'Brien, the lead vocalist/guitarist with Irish rock act Last Days of Death Country, could very well be a name you'll be hearing a lot more of. No seriously you will, see, I've your home number so I'll be calling this weekend to talk about Patrick behind his back.

Anyway, the charismatic frontman formed the band in Limerick in 2007, when he took a break from his solo career and got together with guitarist Dave O'Dowd, Gary Lysaght (bass) and drummer Rob Kelly to spearhead a 21st century assault on the world of rock, grunge, indie and all things guitar, drum and bass-related.

Their punchy, relentless sound, combining O'Dowd's driven guitar-playing with O'Brien's emotionally heartfelt vocals and a continued onslaught of sound from the rhythm section of Lysaght and Kelly provide what could well be that much-needed shot of adrenaline for the indie scene for which we've been waiting for.

With some of the band's tunes available at their myspace page (lastdaysofdeathcountry), watch for their forthcoming EP (recorded with Fergal Lawler of The Cranberries) due for release later this year, or indeed on our own music pages. I know I will.

Patrick, welcome to the At The Mike Stand.

What would you like your own tribute act to be called?
Fuzzy Peaches.

When's the last time you laughed out loud?
Playing Xbox live. Them gamers are very serious altogether.

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
At The Drive In.

What team(s) do you support?
I'm not a big sports guy but my friend is a racewalker so I support her.

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
80AD, I'd like to have seen the gladiators at the Coliseum.

What song would you most like to have written?
'Take It With Me' by Tom Waits

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
Loud eaters drive me nuts.

What decade rules (and why)?
90s for the music and 'Ibiza Uncovered'.

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?
I do a good 'She's Like The Wind' at parties.

What movie role would you like to have played?
Chas Tenenbaum in 'The Royal Tenenbaums'.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
Seth Rogen.

What's the first album you remember buying?
Garth Brooks Hits.

Who's your favorite Beatle?
John Lennon

What's your favorite Christmas song?
'Merry Christmas Everyone' by Shakin' Stevens.

Who's the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
Johnny Cash.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
Musicals are my guilty pleasure.

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
John Cleese.

What book can you read again and again?
Stardust.

What's the greatest album ever recorded?
Tom Waits 'Closing Time'.

Who'd be in your supergroup?
Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins) Drums, E (Eels) Piano, Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters) Bass, Josh Homme (Queens of the stone age) Guitar, Olafur Arnalds Strings.

What do few people know about you?
I'm an electrician.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Ted Mosely from 'How I Met Your Mother'.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
'Back to the Future'.

Who's your favorite cartoon character?
Earthworm Jim.

What's the greatest place you've visited?
New York.

What's mankind's most wonderful invention?
Guitars.

What's mankind's most irritating invention?
Computers.

Who's the funniest person who ever lived?
Billy Connolly.

Who's your favorite namesake?
Patrick Stewart.