A scene of our own.

Also, hating your country isn't healthy either, but if people separated themselves from where they lived and POSITIVE aswell as negative generalisations about the craic and ceilis of the fecking Irish, then would the world be a better place? You can't have it both ways.

Er I'm sure family and religion and class fit in here somewhere aswell.

There are two pubs in our town which form the local 'scene', which I think is fairly healthy, at least in terms of quantity. (Helped by the presence of an art college, no doubt). I am too scared to go into these pubs (the Railway, where all the underaged drinkers go (start 'em young!) and then the Mash Tun). I am scared because all these people know each other and I hate trying to push my way in to stuff like that, despite knowing some of them. A lot seems to revolve around 'roots nite' at the railway. which is hideous and dull, of course. ooh look a website: www.liveattherailway.co.uk

I suppose all the local bands around here would be high school metal bands or indie sound alikes or bedroom DJ's. Not that I'm a playa hata or anything.

Personally, I'm not too concerened about where a band comes from...

I saw Ronan Fitzgerald again in Hot Press slagging off those ugly no mark amateur punk lite trash - The Revs - that mean fuck all to anyone in the UK.

The point Ronan - there are benchmarks in Irish music - My Bloody Valentine in 1991 with Loveless and Cactus World News - Urban Beaches - 1986. In the 90s and now - Irish types have not matched them.

One of the factors in Ireland as a small country in the EU, with your population concentrated in Dublin and a few other regional towns - it is relatively easy for say a young "guitar" band to gain city/ national recognition, also your media is concentrated Hot Press/ Dave Fanning and that alt guy on Today. This concentration of media - will envitably lead to a whole host of mediocore/ average and even worse generic bands - they have a platform, combine this as the Irish are very much a "social and community" culture that has a tradition of live music performance - it is no wonder that "local live music will thrive" it is not so much the quality of music that matters, but the quality of social shared experience - that revolves around drinking, chatting and socializing - the music is often a bit part backdrop.

Simon Reynolds had a theory of the grass roots/local music scenes - that relative bands are judged on local peers - rather than being compared against the music of a much wider entity - Hence lower standards will prevail - it is not an anti-irish thing Ronan - it is anti micro music - where standards or lack of them are compared to small frame of reference.

The only rock band that I rate from Republic of Ireland at the mo - are Primordial - supreme dark art metal. Although they probably have never been played on Today FM or 2FM.

I know one of them, cousin of a friend.

I forgot...there is one band I like that lives quite close to me...Southall Riot.

Taking sides: The Cranberries vs. Richard Harris

There was a band from Rathkeale, Limerick called The Driven who were very good. They were signed to Polydor in 97 but split up soon afterwards. I think thier single "Jesus loves you more if you can drive" got some radio play.

Aye, Southall Riot area fine band, and a very decent couple of chaps to boot according to Aubrey.

umm there are some good underground bands here.i don't wanna name them all cos i'm mostly only familiar with dunedin stuff and i'm bound to miss stuff out. there are some shit underground bands here too. on the more famous side of things, the finns and all their devilspawn should be BANNED! anything on flying nun (cept maybe the hasselhoff experiment) or wildside or any other BIG nz label should also be BANNED!

There are lotsa good local bands in Melbourne. Some of them are doing their thing so much better than, say, their UK or US "equivalent".. Grand Salvo does the Nick Drake thing better than anyone else. Registered Nurse are brilliant. The Lucksmiths of course. Art of Fighting. I could go on and on

ph34r the Romford metal scene!

I live in SW9 THEREFORE my precioussss... the local scene = Basement Jaxx and loadsa UK-G RAH!!!! Pay As U Go Kartel indeed. Of course it is all too urbang and dangerous for me so I go see crap indie bands in North London instead ha ha. Oh it's tragick. Actually, there's loads of top stuff in Brixton - IT ROCKS!

B-B-but Ronan the DUDLEY CORPORATION are from Dubling and they are my favourite rock band EVAH (well at least until I buy THE BEST AIR GUITAR ALBUM EVAH from Amazong... in about five minutes DAMMIT I NEED IT)!!!

the drven are shit as the only good thing that came out of rathkeale was the road out of there