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Biography 1983-2023 (40 Years)

2023

2023 has been a most enlightening and entertaining year so far! The year began with plans to convert my van into a campervan and drive off on a tour but unfortunately due to a variety of reasons, bullshit insurance restrictions being one, I had to change my plans so I decided to do some recording instead.
I recorded 3 new songs in Sulán Studios in Ballyvourney with my friend Tony O'Flaherty, the renowned engineer, musician and producer. It was a wonderful experience! After that during the process of looking for gigs I ended up organising a 26 day festival in Kenmare called "The Scene on the Green" which was one of the most profound life changing experiences I've ever had! So much so I'm moving to Spain to write about it!
I created a page as a tribute to all who made it happen, I'm sorry if I missed people, there were 67 shows with 150 artists and things got missed. I imagine next year's will be much better organised and funded so everyone will get filmed and photographed ;)

This year ain't over yet though...

Next stop.. Spain!

2022

2022 was a magical year! It began with a bucket list holiday to Iceland for my 55th birthday in January where I experienced the Aurora Borealis, wonderful scenery and a helicopter trip! Of course I made a video of my experience called
"The Iceland Trip" (see my videos page or youtube channel)

In June I took to the stage once again with my "Projections" show in The Carnegie Theatre in Kenmare. It had been 5 years since my last show in Cork so it was an exciting time! It was a fantastic night with a wonderful turnout! There's also a video of clips from that night. In August we gathered in Kenmare to celebrate the lives of all the Randles family who passed on during the pandemic. My mother was one of them. It was a beautiful event! As it was the first summer open after the lockdowns there was lots of live music around the place. I held another show in The Carnegie in October but by then the crowds of summer had moved on as Kenmare entered into her winter slumber..

I retreated to my mountain sanctuary for the winter to write, record and prepare for the coming year.. 2023

2021

I'm very happy to report that 2021 was definitely one of the better years of my life! The year started out with me learning to walk again after my hip replacement operation followed by the sale of the family home which was quite traumatic at first but I knew the day would eventually come so I was prepared for it in advance.
I was truly blessed (convinced I had help for the "other side" ;) to find a beautiful new home to move to out in the wilds, remote, up in the Kerry mountains near Kenmare which isn't far from my old hometown Killarney so the move was easy.
From the moment I moved here at the end of April my life turned around for the better, I started writing songs again, something I had been blocked in for the past couple of years but the move got the flow going again. I've also been busy with my photography so it's a wonderfully creative space here.
The neighbours are lovely people, made me feel welcome from the day I moved in and of course having the Randles blood connection from my mother's side connected me with the town instantly. Home from home!
By the end of 2021 I'm climbing mountains, walking, cycling, my hip op was a miracle in my life! I completed 4 new songs with about 5 more on the boil, my book is almost complete and my live show has been freshened up over the past couple of years waiting for the day it will be safe to perform live again so I'm in a good space going into 2022.. Photo of a White Angel Poppy I grew in my new home.. Peace & Love...

2020

2020 will go down in history as the year from hell itself! The year started with rumours of a virus spreading from the East but little did we know what was coming and how it would change our lives forever. On 12th March soon after the situation was decalred a Pandemic the country entered it's first "Lockdown" which was a bit of a novelty at first as we got a couple of weeks of good weather at the same time and we all thought it would pass in no time, little did we know!
My Mother passed away on 27th April which was a huge blow to me and my family. It was also during the lockdown so family and friends were not permitted to attend her funeral which goes completely against the grain for Irish people. We still haven't been able to give her a proper send off!
Since all live music venues, pubs, restaurants etc. were closed 2020 became the year of Zoom meetings and Livestreams. I did one myself in September but am not a fan of livestreaming, I miss the flow of energy you get at a real live gig, the intimacy of performing to a real audience. Those days will return again I'm sure.
In September my friend and mentor Gunther Berkus also sadly passed away and in November I got my long awaited hip replacement surgery so I was laid up for the rest of the year. To say I was glad to see the back of 2020 would be putting it mildly!

2019

2019 started with a rare event, a Lunar Eclipse on Jan 21st. There had been one previously in July 2018 but unfortunately the night was overcast so no photographs were taken that time. This time was very different though, it was one of those once in a lifetime events where everything fell into place perfectly starting with a spectacular sunset across the lakes, the full moon rising behind Muckross Abbey and even though the clouds did make an appearance later they cleared just in time for the eclipse and "Blood Moon" so I ended up with a beautiful array of photos from that night. See my 2019 Photos Page for the photos from that night.
I also changed my website identity from denmus.com to bloodmoon.ie as it seemed a good time to hit the reset button on my life and start afresh.
The rest of the year was spent gardening, taking photos and making videos. It was a good year, there were no live shows but that's ok too, there's always next year.

2018

As I mentioned in the previous piece a long, harsh winter brought us into 2018. It was the worst in living memory and took it's toll on my mental & physical health. By the beginning of summer, which as it turned out was the best in living memory (how it all balances out) I had become very ill mentally but thankfully got the help I needed and have been on the up ever since. Because of that, however, my plans for touring etc. had to be put on hold and it is only now that I'm back working and planning for future shows. I did produce a couple of videos during the year and participated in one live gig in Oct with the "SoundScape Gardeners" in Dali's, Cork which was part of the Indie Cork Film Festival. That was a fantastic Avante Garde experience!

2017

I moved back to Killarney in Dec 2016, to the home I grew up in. It had been more than 30 years since I lived here and when the Universe pointed me in this direction I felt it was something I had to do. I turned 50 here in Jan and released "The Denmus Collection Data DVD" in Feb. I also performed 3 live "Projections" shows during the summer, one in Killarney and two in The Haven Café, Cork where I used to work a few years earlier. The shows in Cork were fantastic so all in all it was a good year but a long, harsh winter was to follow! (cue dramatic music.. ;)

2016

In early 2016 I decided to leave Youghal and move far away to work on my show, record a single, make some new videos and produce a DVD. In Apr I moved to La Linea de la Concepcion in the south of Spain and spent the next 9 months there. I recorded and released "Fly", produced "Rockstice" and worked on my live show and DVD. I also jammed with a lot of local musicians there and worked at "The Gibraltar World Music Festival". I also spent 12 magical days in Morocco jamming with musicians there so it was a wonderful experience. Due to a family matter I returned to Ireland in Dec.

2015

Youghal is a beautiful seaside town but the move there and living there proved difficult to say the least. I wasn't in the best of headspaces now that I was once again out of work and didn't quite know what to do next with my life so I decided to start working on a live show that incorporated my videos, my guitar playing and my singing. In Aug I was offered a chance to stage my show in The Pav, Cork City at The Reel Film Festival. It was an amazing experience and well received by the audience but after it was over I crashed mentally and stepped back from the World for the rest of the year.

2014

My 3rd and final year in "The Bridge" and a very mixed year it turned out to be. During the year six young men I knew, two who were very close to my heart, Steph & Alex passed away and that shook my World to the core. Richard, Niall, Charlie & Gerry also passed away tragically. I think I spent most of that year in a state of shock. Lots of wonderful things also happened that year, I loved my job, I had a wonderful circle of friends who were there for me, I even fell in love and my video "T.I.S. Thing's I've Seen" was selected and premiered at The Indie Cork Film Festival but by then end of that year my time in "The Bridge" had come to an end and the apt I was renting was sold so I had to move out and I couldn't find anywhere affordable to live in Cork City so I moved to Youghal at the end of the year.

2013

My 2nd year in "The Bridge" and in Spring I started working in the "We Made This" Community Centre at South Pres which was a wonderful place to work. Also in Feb I played support to Pat "The Professor" McManus of "Mamas Boys" in The Oliver Plunkett which was awesome! Then in Mar I performed at "The Cork Rocks Acoustic Session" in The Everyman which was an amazing night! Then I made the video of Donncha Cuttriss' 150 climbs of St. Patricks Hill for "Abbey's Wish To Walk" and was involved in "Cork Rocks For Abbey" in The Everyman which was an incredible event! Then to top off the year "Blue Moon Over Cork City" was selected and screened at the Inaugural Indie Cork Film Festival! It was an amazing year!

2012

It was my 1st year living back in Cork and working for "The Bridge". I spent the first half of the year working in The Irish Cancer Society's Charity shop on Cornmarket st. and then moved onto The Haven Café where I started the "Time To Shine" Open Mic night in Oct which, I'm delighted to add, is still running to this day! I also filmed and produced the video "Full Moon Over Cork City". It was a wonderful year of personal growth and a welcome change of pace from previous years. It was also the year the World was supposed "to come to an end" but it rocked on regardless ;)

2011

I began the year in Spain but wasn't in good shape mentally or physically after the previous year's experience so in Apr I moved back to Dublin to get my shit together. I lived in a hostel for 8 months and during that time I worked in a community garden and did a couple of courses thanks to Focus Ireland, one in art where I made the piece in the photo. I also stepped into a band as replacement guitarist for a few gigs which was fun. At the end of the 8 months I moved back to Cork in Dec where I got a place in "The Bridge" Fas CE scheme working for various Charities around the city.

2010

"Wander Around The World Tour", Brighton, Amsterdam, Berlin & Spain.
Too much isolation takes it toll eventually so in Apr 2010, out of sheer desperation, I embarked on a "World Tour". I spent a month in Brighton for the Festival, a month in Amsterdam where things turned surreal, four crazy months in Berlin ending up in Benalmadena, Spain in Dec where I saw out the year. To say things didn't turn out the way I planned would be putting it mildly but it was a life changing experience nonetheless. I produced 4 vlogs in Brighton and "The Amsterdam Trip", "T.I.S. Things I've Seen" and "Sonata De Los Estorninos" videos encapsulate the rest of my journey.

2009

"The Voices In My Head" EP
Following the end of Seeing Red Records in 2008 and other issues that ultimately led to a personal crisis point in my life I moved to the solitude of Gurranreigh in West Cork. In isolation I wrote and recorded songs and instrumentals for an EP called "The Voices In My Head" which I released in 2009. A failed tour later and I retired back into the wilds, took up gardening and that was also the time I began photographing & making videos. That was 10 years ago and it's been quite the Rollercoaster ever since!

2007

"Seeing Red Records", Cork

From the success of the Open Mic nights and the increasing popularity of the internet, namely MySpace & Youtube at the time, I decided to set up an online record label/store/event promotion company called "Seeing Red Records". I organised talent competitions, the first live webcast from a venue in Cork city and a host of other events. I also set up a website selling downloads of singles from Cork bands. It was a crazy rock 'n roll year and as I always say.. a story for my book (should I ever finish it!)

edit. I recently uploaded this video that was made for Cork Enterprise Board in 2008, it tells part of the story.

2006

"Fun Club" Open Mic Nights, Cork

Open mics were where I started my public singing efforts. I had gained some confidence being in the choir, I'd even written a few songs and to get a bit of experience I would go to Charlies Bar on a wed night to Billy Kennedy's Open Mic Night. As it was the only Open Mic on during the week I got together with Rab Urquhart and Ozzie Paul Deighton and we started our own nights called "Fun Club" around Cork city. We ran nights in An Spailpín Fanach, An Cruiscín Lán & Cubiculos.

2005

"The Voices of Cork", Cork

I joined "The Voices Of Cork" to once and for all overcome my fear of singing publicly. At that point in my life I'd already been in a variety of different bands and lineups but even after 22 years I still hadn't sang a note publicly so I undertook the challenge and haven't looked back since! I also wrote and recorded my first song called "Once" during that year. You can find it on my music page.

2003

"Aura" Meditation CD, Cork
After "SkinSong" I delved into the World of meditation music. The practice of Meditation was something that had come into my life a few years earlier and I was listening to a lot of ambient/meditative music at that time so I felt drawn to giving it a go. "Aura" was the cd that emerged from that endeavour and it was very well received. I also ran a weekly guided meditation to the music in Cork city during that year.

2000

"SkinSong", Cork

In 1996, for personal reasons, I bowed out of the whole music biz for the next 3 years until I was eventually drawn back into it with an offer to produce the soundtrack to a short film made in Cork that year called "The Fifth" I had only just moved to Cork and was at a crossroads in my life so I jumped at the opportunity to get back into making music again as I had missed it very much! In a collaboration with singer/songwriter Nell Collins we produced a full album of material called "SkinSong"
photo by David Creedon

1996

Navillus "Solo Soul", Dublin

When the scheme ended a year later in 1996 "Alligator" also broke up. I was disillusioned with the whole band scene so I decided to record some of my own music I'd been working on and produce a solo demo tape. Titled "Navillus - Solo Soul" I sent it off to the usual suspects. You must remember this was pre internet, pre social media, even pre digital as far as I was concerned so it was a very different World back then. Anyway it didn't send me hurtling to the stars but it was what it was..

1995

"Alligator", Dublin

Denis O' Sullivan, Fionnuala Conway, Denis Dowling, Alan Coleman, Paul Cassidy & Norman Hunt.
When "Powder River" broke up in 1994 I volunteered with an organisation called CANWIC (Community Action for the North West Inner City) and in Jan 1995 they set up a Fás Ce Scheme called "Marketown Music Collective" from which the band "Alligator" was formed. As well as writing, recording and performing gigs around Dublin we also held music workshops in local schools and community centres.

1993

"Powder River", Dublin

Denis O'Sullivan, Dave Keegan, Mike Bartlett & Niall Gately.
I moved to Dublin from London at the end of 1991 and in 1992 joined a cover band called "Kickback" for a short while. Playing covers just isn't my thing so myself and Niall formed "Powder River" with Mike & Dave and we wrote our own material and gigged around Dublin for a year and a bit.

1988

"Xntrix", Killarney

Pat Short, Tim Fleming, Daragh Walsh & Denis O' Sullivan

Pat, Tim, Darah & I formed "Xntrix" to compete in the Danny Mann's Battle of the Bands competition. We came second to "Do The Do" but it was a fantastic experience.
That was also the year my Dad died suddenly and in May I emigrated to London where I would spend the next 3 years working in IT and not playing much music except I always had a guitar with me and the dream that one day...

1987

"Down to the Peer", Dingle

Denis O' Sullivan, Jon Wright & Tim O'Shea

I was attending an AnCo computer course in Dingle at the time. I was sharing a house with Tim and he approached Jon to form a band. I jumped at the chance and we put a set of covers together. Together with "Junkulture" & "Audio Noster Via" we performed our one and only gig in The Hillgrove Hotel, Dingle in Aug. When the course was over I moved to Bandon, Cork on work experience but the seed had already been planted!

1983

Dr. Crokes Ballad Group Scór na nÓg
Melissa Willis, Helen O' Sullivan, Laura O' Sullivan Darcy, Denis O' Sullivan, Stephanie O' Callaghan and our Coach/Director Teresa Foley.

This was my first "band", I only recently found this photo of the group and had left it out of previous editions of my biography but here it is! It was a ballad group formed to represent Dr. Crokes GAA club in the Scór na nÓg competitions. I played guitar in the group and much and all as they tried to get me to sing I just couldn't! Too shy! It would be another 21 years (2004) before I would brave the microphone!
Anyway we won the East Kerry & Kerry County finals that year so it was probably just as well I didn't sing! :D