announcements: [Sticky] New album Opium out 11th April 2008 in Ireland

"So you tour two records, see the world and you build up, somehow; a fanbase and some records get sold. Had I been on a major label, I would have been dropped by now, or shot in the head or whatever happens to those poor bands who don't make money for their labels. Bye bye time. I would love to have a comfortable life etc, but at what cost... so I never took the fast money and artistically speaking at least seem to have lived to tell the tale?"

Instead its 2008 and Mark Geary is releasing a new album, Opium, on 11th April 2008 on Independent Records.

His third record, to date, it will be preceded by a single, 'Tuesday', which tells the story of "the day all the shit changes! The guy in the song ­ maybe me? ­ has to change all the shit and the baggage he has been dragging around. But change brings uncertainty that can be so scary that maybe you're better off just living a kind of quiet hell?!"

So begins the tale of Opium, an album which has taken Geary through places in his head that he didn't know existed in a processes that has infused the new album with an energy and an emotional power that is barely contained within the melodies and instrumentation of each song. But he tells the story of Opium better than anyone else...

"It's about escape and the notion of consequence. All of that plays a part in what I think about or was thinking about when I was making the record. I think sometimes I kinda like to torture myself with these dark thoughts and in so doing reveal some of my demons and drugs of choice.

"I started writing this record over two years ago. I had written a song called 'Maid Of Gold' that seemed to me to be the advent of something new and I had the beginnings of the song 'Tuesday'. At that time I had being reading Robert Fisk's books and the 'God Delusion'; the 'war on terror' was on the news every night and I became aware of my discomfort with people on telly using 'God phrases': 'With God on our side'; 'In God we trust'; 'With God¹s help we will prevail'...

It seemed that people were using God as an example of rightness - their rightness ­ and I was just really interested in how people find themselves with this kind of 'faith' and 'crusade'. All fun stuff that led on to thinking about all the things we do to fill the void or the hole in us: God, money, sex, religion."

"For the record I had definite ideas about how I wanted it to sound. It needed a band and because some of the songs would be pretty heavy and dark it needed lots of instrumentation. And rather than hiding behind melody and being obscure I wanted to try write as directly as I could. I was working with this drummer Eric Gebow, from New York. and Irish producer Karl Odlum who had done some great records with his brother David and had worked with me on some soundtrack stuff. So we all got together in Dingle and played for three weeks. It was amazing and I found a real confidence in writing and playing because I trusted them so much to tell me if things weren't working".

So I came back from the session in Dingle with about 16 or so songs and for the next year and a half worked on vocals, guitars and over dubs. Month after month after month. Adding new songs, new vocals... I've never spent so long listening to and changing a record.

Then I sent a few songs over to Sam from Josh Ritter's band to have a listen to. And he put strings on some and some piano on others... and then Karl and I just deleted parts that didn't work and mixed the record.

11 songs and then off to Abbey Road for one day of mastering. Job fucking done! Haha!

Opium is Mark Geary's 3rd record. His first, 33 1/3 Grand Street was released in 2003 ['Grand street was kinda the diary, the whispered words in an attic. Confessional kind of album.'] Ghosts followed a year later ['Ghosts was like stepping down from the attic, over some skeletons and bones and into the day light.']. In 2005 Mark wrote the soundtrack to the feature film Loggerheads.

Opium is released on Independent Records on 11 April.

In yesterdays culture mag. with the sunday times it has marks dublin return gig as 1 of the 7th hottest thing to do over the next few weeks.
.......................................... when we all know it should have said Cork gig!.

haha..so whos going to what gigs?

Im for Roisins in galway too! Im only down the road from it:)

i think dublin..maybe cork..maybe limerick..maybe galway! haha

we should have a good aul fashioned gearyheads booze up...

find a lodge somewhere! haha...ah but without nev it wouldnt be the same..pity theres no waterford date..
but yeah..booze-up?

A few fast things 1. Away on myspace . . . . . very nice.
2. A bonus disc with the opium?. (a must).
3. anyone got a final track list for the album???
4. anyone else getting that summer buzz a little early?
D.

it is practically summer anyway...
which is good :D

except it means end of college..forEVER (well for now anyway..)

but also New yawk citay!

anyhoo.. yes i was getting the summer vibes but no-one else was!! :)

random post over

thanks mark...posting comments at 3am?! fair play :)

i was all in the summer mood yesterday...until the bus was invaded by spanish students!! is it just me or do they invade a little bit earlier every year??

any luck finding a place in nyc jenny?

dave.... we shall be in touch

ivi...umm..howaya
x

Cheers Mark. . . . can't wait now.... nearly there.

ivi..... really liked your photo page.

hel....... sure will.

D.

theyre just so loud! wow...did i just say that?? im gettin old! haha

let me know if i can help yeah? harlem style ha

dave, ill mail ya later :)

xxx

deadly

first round is on me :)

itll be tough to find a replacement for nev though

When will it be out in the US?

Hello... It's been a couple of years since I contributed here - it's all looking a bit new and clean! Anyways the news of this new album has reached me in New Zealand and I'm maaaad excited! I hope you are all well and good - I'm scouting around to see if I recognise any names from the good 'ol days.

Does any one know of an American release date for Opium? I neeeeds me one of those bonus disc numbers!

Glad you're still doing your thing Marky - Ghosts & Grand St are still on heavy rotation in my neck of the woods...

Bless.
Kylie

ivi: your phpalbum is in all right now?

claire? who's claire? haha
ah come on stranger..ill probably be driving..
just get the day off..simple :) lodge it up (minus nev though :(
gwan

come on come on come on to fuck woman!!!!


head count???

one...

two...


come on people!!!

new york meet up? ha..bring the green converse
bring on the adventure!
you should really just come back here you know! even just for a visit
youre missed miss jenn x

cause marky ---is in fact playing on the 26th in the sugar club aswell..
shhhhhhhh don't tell
marky

Bit of a trek innit?

Ooh Marky can I've a lift?? No wait.....Hel's are you driving?.......How many people are you bringing??

claire.im driving yeah..you and maur want a lift?
i dunno how many im "bringing" but a good few people are going..early days yet
gráinnes gonna be there! come on! this is when ye are gonna finally meet! ha

mark....playin the 26th too?? thats the day of the chelsea match!! are ya mad!
whoever is coming with me back to dublin, were stoppin off along the way to watch the match! haha

fuck. please tell me none of this has sold out yet, ive been away( terrible joke) and i havnt gotten round to hooking it up,

C

c..ill giv ya a text later on..it shall be sorted :)
hope america treated you good
hx

ano ano ano

aYES

houpakca :) ahoj like