Ham Sandwich
Encyclopedia
Ham Sandwich is an Irish indie rock
band from Kells
, County Meath
, Republic of Ireland
.
The band consists of Niamh Farrell on vocals, Podge McNamee on vocals and guitar, Darcy on guitar and piano, and Ollie Murphy on drums. John Moore was a bass guitar player for the group for seven years but, on 12 April 2010, he announced he was leaving the group.
, 2003. 'Martin' the original lead guitarist in the band departed after just 6 months citing musical differences in the band, he was replaced by 'Darcy'. Moore and Darcy met at St. Patrick's Classical School, Navan
; other notable pupils include Tommy Tiernan
, Dylan Moran
, Hector Ó hEochagáin
. Niamh Farrell joined the band in Dublin after a solo stint in Glasgow
, Scotland. Bassist and songwriter Moore suggested the name at an early rehearsals session when the group could not decide on a name, and it has both helped and hindered the band. U2
frontman Bono
encouraged the group to change the peculiar name upon meeting drummer Ollie Murphy in 2006, but conceded that U2 faced similar criticism about their name before their success. Niamh has commented, "it’s a bit of a blessing I guess, no-one ever forgets the name and it makes us work harder."
On 17 March 2007, the band participated in the annual Kells Festival of Colour. In Summer 2007, the band was featured on FM104
's Open Mic with Ruairi Carroll. On 4 August 2007, Ham Sandwich played at the Guinness
Indie-pendence
festival of independent Irish bands in Mitchelstown
, County Cork
. The band appeared on RTE
's The Late Late Show
in February, the Dustin Once A Week Show in September as well as The Podge and Rodge Show
's halloween
special on 30 October 2007 during the Rock 'n Roulette feature.
The initial songs on Carry The Meek were written by Moore while he was working nights at St. Patrick's Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin which was founded from the legacy of Jonathan Swift
. As a matter of coincidence some of Carry the Meek was recorded at a house where Swift wrote Gulliver's Travels
.
Following the release of their third single, the band, with the assistance of producer Karl Odlum of The Frames
, began recording in the neo classical estate of Headfort House, near the band's home town of Kells.
The band was awarded the Meteors Hope for 2008 Award
in February 2008. The award was voted on by listeners of RTÉ 2fm
, who chose Ham Sandwich over five other acts.
In June 2008, Farrell gave birth to a boy, Oscar Farrell. This birth was featured on TLC's "I Did not Know I Was Pregnant" Shortly afterward, on 28 June 2008, the band performed at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival
and Electric Picnic festival.
In 18 December 2008, it was revealed that Farrell had been accused of stealing €14,000 from her former employers BT2
. According to the paper, "Ms Farrell, the lead singer and mother of one, is alleged to have taken small amounts of money ranging from €50 to €250 on a number of dates over a 15-month period from BT2." Farrell plead guilty at her trial the following April and stated that she had been nearly €20,000 in debt at the time of the thefts which occurred between December 2006 and October 2007. She was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for a year.
In April 2010, bassist Moore left the group citing 'a typographical error'.
On 15 July 2010, the band's manager Derek Nally suffered a heart attack
and died.
On the Day of Derek Nally's funeral the band began recording their second album from scratch. The band completed the now critically acclaimed album in just under 2 months from start to finish heralding a new era for the band.
On the 4 February 2011 the band released their most successful single to date - ANTS. Although not charting in the Irish single charts the song became a YouTube viral hit. The video was directed by artist Marc Corrigan which tells the story of an ant preparing dinner for a date. ANTS finally pushed the band onto mainstream day time radio stations across Ireland - such as 2 fm and Today fm. Ray Darcy declared ANTS to be his favourite single during February 2011.
The band performed at the Forbidden Fruit festival sponsored by Bulmers on 4 June 2011, with bands such as The Flaming Lips, Battles and Aphex Twin headlining the festival.
The band performed at the twin festivals of Leeds and Reading during the weekend of the 26 to 28 August 2011. They will be taking part in the BBC introducing stage that is known for breaking acts such as Florence and the Machine
in recent years.
In Nover 2011 singer Niamh Farrell became a temporary radio co-host on Dublin's Phanton 105.2 alongside Pure Morning's Richie McCormack.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Kells
Kells, County Meath
Kells is a town in County Meath, Ireland. The town lies off the M3 motorway, from Navan and from Dublin. In recent years Kells has grown greatly with many Dublin commuters moving to the town....
, County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
The band consists of Niamh Farrell on vocals, Podge McNamee on vocals and guitar, Darcy on guitar and piano, and Ollie Murphy on drums. John Moore was a bass guitar player for the group for seven years but, on 12 April 2010, he announced he was leaving the group.
History
- The band has released five singlesSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, an EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, before releasing their debut albumAlbumAn album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Carry the Meek, on 15 February 2008. That same day they won the Meteors Hope for 2008 AwardMeteor Music AwardsThe Meteor Ireland Music Awards are a group of music awards in Ireland...
. The band is currently based in Dublin, Ireland. - In December 2007, the Sunday Times pegged Ham Sandwich as "Ones to Watch" for 2008.
- The band returned with their fifth single in November 2009 with "Out of the Darkness".
- Their sixth single, "The Naturist", was released on 15 May 2010 with positive reviews.
- The band released their second album, White FoxWhite Fox (album)White Fox is the second album by Irish band Ham Sandwich, independently released on Route 109A Records on October 1, 2010 in the Republic of Ireland. The album was released to positive reviews.-Production Notes & Info:...
, in the Republic of Ireland on 1 October 2010.
Background
Johnny Moore and Podge McNamee were childhood friends, and first announced the formation of the band on Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, 2003. 'Martin' the original lead guitarist in the band departed after just 6 months citing musical differences in the band, he was replaced by 'Darcy'. Moore and Darcy met at St. Patrick's Classical School, Navan
Navan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
; other notable pupils include Tommy Tiernan
Tommy Tiernan
Tommy Tiernan is an Irish comedian, actor and writer. He and Hector Ó hEochagáin present The Tommy and Hector Show on i102-104FM. Tiernan also featured in Father Ted.-Early life:...
, Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran
Dylan Moran is an Irish stand-up comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his sardonic observational comedy, the UK television sitcom Black Books , and his work with Simon Pegg in Shaun of the Dead and Run Fatboy Run...
, Hector Ó hEochagáin
Hector Ó hEochagáin
Hector Ó hEochagáin is an Irish television and radio presenter from Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland. He currently presents Breakfast with Hector weekday mornings on RTÉ 2fm.-Career:...
. Niamh Farrell joined the band in Dublin after a solo stint in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland. Bassist and songwriter Moore suggested the name at an early rehearsals session when the group could not decide on a name, and it has both helped and hindered the band. U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
frontman Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
encouraged the group to change the peculiar name upon meeting drummer Ollie Murphy in 2006, but conceded that U2 faced similar criticism about their name before their success. Niamh has commented, "it’s a bit of a blessing I guess, no-one ever forgets the name and it makes us work harder."
On 17 March 2007, the band participated in the annual Kells Festival of Colour. In Summer 2007, the band was featured on FM104
FM104
FM104 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcast across Dublin, Ireland, on the frequency 104.4 MHz. It is operated by Capital Radio Productions Limited , and is a subsidiary of UTV Radio. The station broadcasts under a sound broadcasting contract from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland...
's Open Mic with Ruairi Carroll. On 4 August 2007, Ham Sandwich played at the Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
Indie-pendence
Indie-pendence
Indiependence is an annual Irish indie-rock music festival, that usually takes place at or near Mitchelstown in County Cork. Indiependence is one of the "little two" music festivals in Ireland, sharing many of its acts with Castlepalooza which is held on the same weekend in Tullamore, County Offaly...
festival of independent Irish bands in Mitchelstown
Mitchelstown
Mitchelstown is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3300. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains close to the Mitchelstown Caves and is 28 km from Cahir, 50 km from Cork and 59 km from Limerick...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. The band appeared on RTE
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
in February, the Dustin Once A Week Show in September as well as The Podge and Rodge Show
The Podge and Rodge Show
The Podge and Rodge Show is an Irish chat show, broadcast and produced by RTÉ, featuring the popular Podge and Rodge as hosts...
's halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
special on 30 October 2007 during the Rock 'n Roulette feature.
The initial songs on Carry The Meek were written by Moore while he was working nights at St. Patrick's Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin which was founded from the legacy of Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
. As a matter of coincidence some of Carry the Meek was recorded at a house where Swift wrote Gulliver's Travels
Gulliver's Travels
Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels , is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of...
.
Following the release of their third single, the band, with the assistance of producer Karl Odlum of The Frames
The Frames
The Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...
, began recording in the neo classical estate of Headfort House, near the band's home town of Kells.
The band was awarded the Meteors Hope for 2008 Award
Meteor Music Awards
The Meteor Ireland Music Awards are a group of music awards in Ireland...
in February 2008. The award was voted on by listeners of RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
, who chose Ham Sandwich over five other acts.
In June 2008, Farrell gave birth to a boy, Oscar Farrell. This birth was featured on TLC's "I Did not Know I Was Pregnant" Shortly afterward, on 28 June 2008, the band performed at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
and Electric Picnic festival.
In 18 December 2008, it was revealed that Farrell had been accused of stealing €14,000 from her former employers BT2
Brown Thomas
Brown Thomas & Company Limited is a chain of four Irish department stores, located in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. Owned by Wittington Investments, Brown Thomas is an upmarket chain, akin to Canada's Holt Renfrew chain and Britain's Selfridges stores, which are also controlled by the Weston...
. According to the paper, "Ms Farrell, the lead singer and mother of one, is alleged to have taken small amounts of money ranging from €50 to €250 on a number of dates over a 15-month period from BT2." Farrell plead guilty at her trial the following April and stated that she had been nearly €20,000 in debt at the time of the thefts which occurred between December 2006 and October 2007. She was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for a year.
In April 2010, bassist Moore left the group citing 'a typographical error'.
On 15 July 2010, the band's manager Derek Nally suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and died.
On the Day of Derek Nally's funeral the band began recording their second album from scratch. The band completed the now critically acclaimed album in just under 2 months from start to finish heralding a new era for the band.
On the 4 February 2011 the band released their most successful single to date - ANTS. Although not charting in the Irish single charts the song became a YouTube viral hit. The video was directed by artist Marc Corrigan which tells the story of an ant preparing dinner for a date. ANTS finally pushed the band onto mainstream day time radio stations across Ireland - such as 2 fm and Today fm. Ray Darcy declared ANTS to be his favourite single during February 2011.
The band performed at the Forbidden Fruit festival sponsored by Bulmers on 4 June 2011, with bands such as The Flaming Lips, Battles and Aphex Twin headlining the festival.
The band performed at the twin festivals of Leeds and Reading during the weekend of the 26 to 28 August 2011. They will be taking part in the BBC introducing stage that is known for breaking acts such as Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
in recent years.
In Nover 2011 singer Niamh Farrell became a temporary radio co-host on Dublin's Phanton 105.2 alongside Pure Morning's Richie McCormack.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRL Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
|||||||||||
| 2007 | Carry The Meek Carry The Meek Carry the Meek is the debut album by Irish band Ham Sandwich, released in 2008 with success in their native Republic of Ireland.-Production & Releases:...
|
23 | |||||||||
| 2010 | White Fox White Fox (album) White Fox is the second album by Irish band Ham Sandwich, independently released on Route 109A Records on October 1, 2010 in the Republic of Ireland. The album was released to positive reviews.-Production Notes & Info:... |
25 | |||||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRL Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||||
| 2005 | "Sad Songs" | — | — | Carry The Meek | |
| 2006 | "St. Christopher" | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "Click...click...BOOM" | — | — | ||
| 2010 | "The Naturist" | — | — | White Fox | |
| "Oh-Oh" | — | — | |||
| 2011 | "Ants" | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||
Reviews
- Carry The Meek received reviews from the Irish Independent - Four Stars, Irish Times - Three Stars, Hot Press 8/10, Cluas.com, and RTE.