I Am Not Left Handed are an Irish three-piece, currently based in London. Their sophomore EP, Time to Leave will be released later this year.
What advice would you have for an act that is just starting out?
Learn everything you can – there’s all the information on the internet you could ever need. Always keep improving. Don’t be afraid to be a bit rubbish for a while – every band everywhere started out very shakily, musicianship is a craft that takes time to perfect. Give yourself that time. But equally you need to know how you’re progressing – do not try and push your music to every person you meet unless you’re 100% confident it’s the best that you can make it.
Does an Irish act need to leave Ireland to achieve success?
It’s definitely possible to achieve success in Ireland, at least on some level. The main thing that we found before we moved to London is that it was a very crowded music scene. You’re fighting over a relatively small audience. Per capita, Ireland is one of the most musical countries in the world – so it sometimes feels like everyone’s in a band. There are a lot of countries in the world that love Irish bands, and with the internet these days it’s become so easy to get your music out there.
What’s the best thing about being a musician in Ireland?
A lot of touring acts regularly say that Irish audiences are among the best in the world. If you’re impressing people, they’re not shy about letting you know it, which can be one of the most rewarding parts of being a musician. In London, we’ve seen countless shows with bands playing their hearts out to rooms of disinterested, jaded audiences.
What’s the worst thing about being a musician in Ireland?
There’s a real lack of small labels and managers in Ireland. If an English person finds a young band that they feel has a spark, their natural reaction is to start a business around that band – be it a label, a management company or just getting involved where they can. They really are a nation of shopkeepers. In Ireland, there is much less of an industry mechanism – couple that with the sheer mass of quality bands and it can be very hard to get anyone to hear you at all.
What can be done to help Irish musicians make a breakthrough?
Ireland should be investing a lot of money into developing and promoting young bands at home, and then selling them abroad. We have such a rich musical heritage, it’s crazy that Arts Council funding goes primarily to Classical Music. It could be such a growth industry, and lucrative export. Countries like Sweden and Canada put a lot of funding into young bands, giving them the chance to grow and take creative risks – and it pays off handsomely. Ireland could learn an awful lot from them and be better off for it.
