Salut! Folk

Colin Randall writes: the third and final part of this Paul Brady mini-series continues the Q&A interview he gave to Salut! Live to coincide with the release of his four-CD set, The Archive, which is accompanied by a 70-page book  lavishly illustrated with photos and images of memorabilia from a 60-year career.

 

My tbanks to Paul for his time and to the star music publicist Claire Horton for setting up our interview. A full tracklist appears below.

 

I cannot improve on the words of Associate Prof PJ Mathew, when honouring Brady with the coveted UCD Ulysses Medal in 2022: "His distinguished career has been characterised by an unrivalled ability to rediscover and reimagine great songs from the storehouse of tradition and to place them at the epicentre of Irish cultural life once more. Paul’s gift as a maker of melodies is matched by his flair as a lyricist. His well-crafted words have engaged, consoled, excited, and inspired us for decades."

 

Salut! Live will be present, in the form of deputy editor Andrew Curry, for Brady's concert at Bush Hall in west London … Update: see his fine review at 

https://www.salutlive.com/2025/04/paul-brady-the-archive-tour-bush-hall-irish-music-folk.htmlhome

 

It was a long time ago so I cannot remember. I'd like to see the article gain. [I sent the link after our conversation ended – CR]

Not any more. In the 80s, record labels would make me feel a failure because I was not a global star. That was difficult for me but I have been very happy with who I am and would not have liked the downside of fame. 

 

Obviously it is. But I just love the music of that song as much as the lyrics. I like the lyrics but love what is for me a musical triumph.

Yes, the anniversary is tomorrow [we were speaking on March 14] and my wife and I will quietly celebrate. Our daughter is in Epsom, our son in Christchurch, New Zealand so there are five grandchildren I see only very rarely. Ireland has always been a place people leave.

I am happy with what I’ve achieved professionally. I don’t want any more. Personally I’d like to see my family more often but I am pretty contented. And I am pleased that I am because it would be kind of horrible not to be contented at 77!

Nothing that I remember. I don’t really regret. I’m a bit of a fatalist and feel we are who we are designed to be.

 

I have met him a few times and he did come to join me as a guest when I did an extended run at the Vicar Street venue in Dublin 20-odd years ago. I’d say we have mutual respect but I don't think we were suited to writing songs together.

I don’t think so though I did at the time. As teachers, I think, they would naturally have been happier for me to complete my degree and have something to fall back on. But I had known what I wanted since my mid-teens and didn’t want anything to fall back on!

 

The finals coincided with me being asked to join the Johnstons. It was quite clear what decision I was going to make. I completed the Irish language paper but didn't bother with the others [French and Latin].

 

[Interestingly, Brady returned to the UCD in to receive its highest honour, the Ulysses Medal, in 2022. He was already a UCD Creative Fellow. In 2015, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Concert Hall, Dublin, presented by the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins]

Musically, I’d say Theo Katzman, an American singer, is good for me. He’s done a lot of solo work and also plays in a band, Vulfpeck; Matt McGinn (not the Scottish one but from Northern Ireland); Declan O’Rourke; the English singer-songwriter Katherine Priddy … generally left field stuff.

 

Books? My wife always has two or three on the go at one time. I’m less into books but do like crime fiction. I’m fond of the bestselling American author Michael Connelly. Films? I enjoyed Maria (about Maria Callas), Conclave and the Dylan film [A Complete Unknown] – the cast absolutely did a good job with the music.

Good Lord! Maybe a photographer or a writer who has written a book or two.

Nothing jumps to mind. One downside of being in your late 70s is that the memory tends to go. But there is a bit of a revival in Ireland with people like the band Lankum and the folk scene seems to have reappeared, a little like in the 60s.

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For the earlier instalments of this series, please see:

 

 

Part one: 

https://www.salutlive.com/2025/03/the-big-interview-paul-brady.html

Part two: 

https://www.salutlive.com/2025/03/salut-live-what-was-the-rationale-behind-this-project-is-it-the-paul-brady-story-or-the-paul-brady-story-so-far-pa.html