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Tuesday April 27, 2010

At The Mike Stand With... Allen Gogarty

By Mike Fitzpatrick

So there we were just hanging around minding our own (and most other peoples') business, when whom should we happen upon, but local musician Allen Gogarty.

Not that we'd be happening upon that many people, sure we're not completely positive what that phrase even means, but, well, you know what we're getting at.

Allen, the singer-songwriter-guitarist (and utilizer of most of our hyphens, we've only four left now, thanks to this particular show-off and his multi-talented ways) is a busy man these days.

The affable County Meath native's been gigging around the Tri-State area for some time now, occasionally alone, often with a full band, and penning the occasional album when not belting out his live performances.

Despite his rather hectic schedule of writing, recording, gigging and causing the occasional bit of mayhem (not to mention his recent foray into fatherhood, congratulations young man) Allen was more than happy to sit down with us and answer the occasional incredibly nosey question for us.

So, without further ado, and even less adon't, Allen Gogarty, welcome to 'At The Mike Stand'.

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

When's the last time you laughed out loud?
Tonight, when a waitress at The Irish Cottage showed me her ass tattoo.

What act would you like to have seen perform live?
Jimi Hendrix.

What team(s) do you support?
Meath, Mets, Jets.

What period in history would you most like to have visited?
I've got to say now, that's quite interesting. The '60s in the US had to be completely nuts, you know, turn on, tune in, drop out and all that stuff.

What song would you most like to have written?
'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', U2's classic. It's simple, heartfelt and poignant.

Who or what, would make you leave a room?
A very big bouncer or a very pretty girl! However, it's normally my wife that tells me when I'm leaving the room.

What decade rules (and why)?
The '70s rule, it got the hangover from the '60s! There was punk, southern rock, metal, progressive Irish trad, and my generation was born and we're not too shabby.

What cover version do you most enjoy performing?
'A Beautiful Affair' by Stockton's Wing.

What movie role would you like to have played?
Coco in 'The Run of The Country'.

Have you ever been told you looked like somebody?
Yes, Mick from Simply Red, the guy who played the guitar in 'The Commitments' who turned out to be Glen Hansard, and Robert Plant. After that, I get a lot of people telling me that I look like Allen Gogarty, and gosh, how I giggle.

What's the first album you remember buying?
Ah don't laugh, 'Abba, The Hits'.

Who's your favorite Beatle?
John.

What's your favorite Christmas song?
'White Christmas', the Stiff Little Fingers version.

Who's the most rock and roll person who ever lived?
It depends on what you mean by Rock 'n' Roll, if you mean the music, the lifestyle, the refusal to give up, the acceptance of the unacceptable, bodily abuse, addiction, defeat of addiction, madness, mayhem and a good story to tell, then Iggy Pop's your man.

What artist/song/genre do you secretly enjoy listening to?
I don't secretly enjoy any, it's all out in the open here! But I suppose, I don't really scream from the top of my lungs that...ah feck off I'm not answering that!

Who would you most like to meet/have met?
I'd really have liked to have met Jesus. I get the strangest feeling that he might be a little bit misrepresented at the moment. The dude turned barrels of water into wine for Christ's sake, at a party just after last call. Yeah, meeting him that night would have been a laugh and a half.

What book can you read again and again?
I've got a few, 'Porno' by Irvine Welsh, 'The Dark Stuff' by Nick Kent and 'The Sex Lives of Cannibals' by J. Maarten Troost. All very entertaining books.

What's the greatest album ever recorded?
'Appetite For Destruction', by Guns 'N' Roses. At least it's the best hard rock album recorded, the sound to date is unsurpassed.

What artists would you most like to have played with in the band of your dreams?
On drums Phil Rudd, bass Phil Lynott. On guitars I'd have Clapton, Hendrix and the bastard child of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Rory Gallagher, Mozart on piano, and for the craic, we'd need O'Carolan writing the tunes. I'm singing.

What do few people know about you?
I'm naturally shy.

What sitcom character can you most identify with?
Basil Fawlty, what can go wrong does go wrong. I can relate.

What movie can you watch over and over again?
Kirk Douglas in 'Spartacus', fantastic movie.

Who's your favorite cartoon character?
Cartman from 'South Park', he's a right little p****, excellent.

What's the greatest place you've visited?
Even though I now live here, I still have to say New York. What a town!

What's mankind's most wonderful invention?
The airplane, it takes weeks off your journey.

What's mankind's most irritating invention?
Cell-phones, nobody has a damn second for themselves anymore.

Who's the funniest person who ever lived?
Henry Rollins.

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