Mick Pyro
Encyclopedia
Michael Tierney is an Irish
musician. He is best known as the frontman of the Dublin funk rock
band Republic of Loose
. He has also partaken in other independent work with fellow Irish and international musicians and performed a duet with Sinéad O'Connor
at the 2008 Meteor Awards
when she revealed her admiration for his vocals. He has also written for the Irish Independent
. Pyro is known for his distinctive vocals and his bearded appearance.
in Renaissance Literature
and is an avid reader.
Pyro is known for his diverse musical tastes involving hip hop
, soul
and blues
, with almost every record he purchases being hip hop. He has described hip hop as "one of the most innovative art-forms around and it's constantly capable of shocking and surprising me". Cee-Lo Green's 2004 album Soul Machine is one of Pyro's personal favourites but he also likes Biz Markie
, EPMD
, Big Daddy Kane
and 1980s soul and funk such as Alexander O'Neill and Rick James
– one of his heroes. He also likes metal bands such as Children of Bodom
and listens to blues and jazz such as Howlin' Wolf
, John Lee Hooker
, Mahalia Jackson
and soul singers such as Al Green
and Solomon Burke
. Pyro credited a former American
friend with a great taste in music for becoming a Buddhist
monk and leaving behind approximately 300 CDs of Coltrane, Mingus and Miles Davis. He likes the music of Bob Dylan
, describing his 1997 Time out of Mind
album as having a "spooky" production and "savage" lyrics. On Michael Jackson
, he once said "You feel a bit creepy listening to him and you have to be in the right mood but there's a really sad lament in his voice". After Jackson's death
, Pyro dubbed him "the best singer who ever sang on record".
once describing him as having "cajoled, provoked, teased, screamed, shouted, stomped and flirted away" through an entire set with Republic of Loose, whilst the Irish Independent
has compared him to "an insane rock version of Robbie Williams
, with the voice of a young and drunk James Brown". The Daily Telegraph once described him as "a bizarre mixture of Otis Redding
, Screaming Jay Hawkins and an Irish drunk at closing time." John Meagher, writing in the Irish Independent
, described Pyro as "the focal and vocal point of Republic of Loose" who "works his stage like a Joshua Tree
-era Bono
" "Review of the Week: Republic of Loose * * * *"> During Republic of Loose's 2008 residency at the Dublin Academy
, Pyro's stage presence was described by Ed Power in the Irish Independent as "more wedding-dance flap than Harlem shuffle, but he carries his shtick off with so much charisma you find yourself applauding instead of guffawing". His battles with alcoholism are chronicled in the song "Poquito" which features on the Republic of Loose album Vol IV: Johnny Pyro and the Dance of Evil
and he also wrote the song "Comeback Girl" whilst drunk. However, despite this, his performances are not alcohol-related nowadays.
Pyro has also attracted comment for his dress sense, with Eoin Butler of The Irish Times
once pondering if Republic of Loose release singles to demonstrate the number of pink sports jackets the singer owns, the answer of which is, according to Butler, "surprisingly many". Larissa Nolan noted his Miami Vice
-style suit in her Irish Independent
review of Republic of Loose's performance at Oxegen 2006
. He is also noted for his "legendary lack of timekeeping" which often renders him late for interviews.
and The Rolling Stones
, or "the stuff your Dad likes". This change of musical interest prompted him to create Johnny Pyro, an alter-ego, who, according to Pyro, "disassociated himself from the normal lifestyle of an Irish bourgeois kid". This alter-ego later developed into Republic of Loose. With this band, Pyro has performed at numerous music festivals, including Glastonbury Festival
and Reading and Leeds Festivals
in England
. However the band sell most of their records in Ireland, where they have been regulars on the festival circuit for many years.
In 2008, Pyro was part of a collaboration of Irish and international musicians who combined to celebrate the life of Ronnie Drew
by recording "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew
" at Windmill Lane Studios
in Dublin. During this recording he met Sinéad O'Connor
, and she was so impressed with his vocals on the track that she asked him if they could perform a duet. O'Connor combined with Republic of Loose to perform a cover of the Curtis Mayfield
song "We People Who Are Darker Than Blue" during the Meteor Music Awards
which were held at Dublin's RDS
on 15 February 2007.
On 16 March 2009, Pyro appeared at Vicar Street
, Dublin for Unoccupied Minds, described as a "night of theatre, poetry, songs and music", a fund-raising event hosted by the Irish Anti-War Movement
, which also featured Christy Moore
, Stephen Rea
, Sinéad Cussack, Róisín Elsafy, Judith Mok
and Joyce.
band The Radio. Pyro lives in the basement pad of a 1960s Swedish
-style house in residential Dublin suburb of Terenure
. His passions include CDs, books and films.
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,...
musician. He is best known as the frontman of the Dublin funk rock
Funk rock
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...
band Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose are an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band currently consists of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Darragh, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Darach O' Laoire and drummers and percussionists Andre Lopes...
. He has also partaken in other independent work with fellow Irish and international musicians and performed a duet with Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
at the 2008 Meteor Awards
2008 Meteor Awards
The 2008 Meteor Music Awards ceremony was held in the RDS, Dublin on Friday, 15 February 2008. Nineteen awards were presented. It was the eighth edition of Ireland's national music awards. The event was later broadcast on RTÉ Two on Saturday, 16 February at 21:00...
when she revealed her admiration for his vocals. He has also written for the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
. Pyro is known for his distinctive vocals and his bearded appearance.
Education and influences
Pyro has an MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Renaissance Literature
Renaissance literature
Renaissance Literature refers to the period in European literature that began in Italy during the 14th century and spread around Europe through the 17th century...
and is an avid reader.
Pyro is known for his diverse musical tastes involving hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, with almost every record he purchases being hip hop. He has described hip hop as "one of the most innovative art-forms around and it's constantly capable of shocking and surprising me". Cee-Lo Green's 2004 album Soul Machine is one of Pyro's personal favourites but he also likes Biz Markie
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
, EPMD
EPMD
EPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...
, Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...
and 1980s soul and funk such as Alexander O'Neill and Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
– one of his heroes. He also likes metal bands such as Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
and listens to blues and jazz such as Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
, John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
, Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel"...
and soul singers such as Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
and Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
. Pyro credited a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
friend with a great taste in music for becoming a Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monk and leaving behind approximately 300 CDs of Coltrane, Mingus and Miles Davis. He likes the music of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, describing his 1997 Time out of Mind
Time out of Mind
Time Out of Mind is the 30th studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on September 30, 1997 on Columbia Records. It is his first double studio album since 1970's Self Portrait...
album as having a "spooky" production and "savage" lyrics. On Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, he once said "You feel a bit creepy listening to him and you have to be in the right mood but there's a really sad lament in his voice". After Jackson's death
Death of Michael Jackson
On June 25, 2009, American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication after he suffered a respiratory arrest at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood in Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he found Jackson in his room, not breathing, but with a faint pulse,...
, Pyro dubbed him "the best singer who ever sang on record".
Style
Pyro is known for his excessive stage antics, with The Irish TimesThe Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
once describing him as having "cajoled, provoked, teased, screamed, shouted, stomped and flirted away" through an entire set with Republic of Loose, whilst the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
has compared him to "an insane rock version of Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, with the voice of a young and drunk James Brown". The Daily Telegraph once described him as "a bizarre mixture of Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, Screaming Jay Hawkins and an Irish drunk at closing time." John Meagher, writing in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, described Pyro as "the focal and vocal point of Republic of Loose" who "works his stage like a Joshua Tree
The Joshua Tree
The Joshua Tree is the fifth studio album by rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on Island Records. In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release The Unforgettable Fire, U2 aimed for a harder-hitting sound on The Joshua...
-era 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...
" "Review of the Week: Republic of Loose * * * *"> During Republic of Loose's 2008 residency at the Dublin Academy
The Academy (music venue)
The Academy is a music venue located in Dublin, Ireland. It consists of four floors, each for differing music tastes.The Academy was the venue where The Killers performed an intimate show in August 2008, one night before a performance in Marlay Park. Others to have played the venue in 2008 include...
, Pyro's stage presence was described by Ed Power in the Irish Independent as "more wedding-dance flap than Harlem shuffle, but he carries his shtick off with so much charisma you find yourself applauding instead of guffawing". His battles with alcoholism are chronicled in the song "Poquito" which features on the Republic of Loose album Vol IV: Johnny Pyro and the Dance of Evil
Vol IV: Johnny Pyro and the Dance of Evil
Vol IV: Johnny Pyro and the Dance of Evil is the third album by the Irish funk-rock band Republic of Loose. Released on May 2, 2008, it had achieved gold status in the band's native Ireland by the end of the year ....
and he also wrote the song "Comeback Girl" whilst drunk. However, despite this, his performances are not alcohol-related nowadays.
Pyro has also attracted comment for his dress sense, with Eoin Butler of The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
once pondering if Republic of Loose release singles to demonstrate the number of pink sports jackets the singer owns, the answer of which is, according to Butler, "surprisingly many". Larissa Nolan noted his Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
-style suit in her Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
review of Republic of Loose's performance at Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006
Oxegen 2006 was the third Oxegen festival to take place, following the dissolution of its predecessor Witnness in 2004. It took place on the weekend of Saturday, 8 July and Sunday, 9 July at Punchestown Racecourse near Naas in County Kildare, Ireland...
. He is also noted for his "legendary lack of timekeeping" which often renders him late for interviews.
Career
Mick Pyro performed with self-described "rubbish rock bands" for several years before the formation of Republic of Loose. Experiencing what he termed "a huge metaphysical overturning of my value system", Pyro developed a fascination with musicians such as James BrownJames Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, or "the stuff your Dad likes". This change of musical interest prompted him to create Johnny Pyro, an alter-ego, who, according to Pyro, "disassociated himself from the normal lifestyle of an Irish bourgeois kid". This alter-ego later developed into Republic of Loose. With this band, Pyro has performed at numerous music festivals, including 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 Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. However the band sell most of their records in Ireland, where they have been regulars on the festival circuit for many years.
In 2008, Pyro was part of a collaboration of Irish and international musicians who combined to celebrate the life of Ronnie Drew
Ronnie Drew
Joseph Ronald "Ronnie" Drew was an Irish singer and folk musician who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners. He was born in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin...
by recording "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew
The Ballad of Ronnie Drew
"The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" is a single by U2, The Dubliners, Kíla, and "A Band of Bowsies". The single was recorded as a charitable project, with proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society - owing to Ronnie Drew's condition of cancer. It was recorded at Windmill Lane on 14 and 15 January 2008...
" at Windmill Lane Studios
Windmill Lane Studios
Windmill Lane Studios, also known as the "U2 studio", is a three-storey music recording studio located in Dublin, Ireland. It is located on Windmill Lane, a small street just south of City Quay and the River Liffey and a little north of Pearse Station. It was opened in 1978 by Brian Masterson who...
in Dublin. During this recording he met Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
, and she was so impressed with his vocals on the track that she asked him if they could perform a duet. O'Connor combined with Republic of Loose to perform a cover of the Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
song "We People Who Are Darker Than Blue" during the Meteor Music Awards
Meteor Music Awards
The Meteor Ireland Music Awards are a group of music awards in Ireland...
which were held at Dublin's RDS
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
on 15 February 2007.
On 16 March 2009, Pyro appeared at Vicar Street
Vicar Street
Vicar Street is a concert and events venue in Ireland, located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Its capacity allows for 1,000 people for seated performances, and 1,500 people for standing gigs...
, Dublin for Unoccupied Minds, described as a "night of theatre, poetry, songs and music", a fund-raising event hosted by the Irish Anti-War Movement
Irish Anti-War Movement
The Irish Anti-War Movement is an organisation which campaigns against wars around the world. Recent campaigns have been against wars such as the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Gaza War, and most prominently in recent years against the Iraq War and the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.The...
, which also featured Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
, Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto...
, Sinéad Cussack, Róisín Elsafy, Judith Mok
Judith Mok
Judith Mok born in Bergen, North Holland is a Dutchsoprano, author and poet, who lives in Ireland and has released novels and many articles in English.-Biography:...
and Joyce.
Personal life
Pyro's sister, Annie, from Tieranniesaur and Yeh Deadlies was previously in a band called Chicks. He helped write songs for the band. She was also a member of the indieIndie 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 The Radio. Pyro lives in the basement pad of a 1960s Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
-style house in residential Dublin suburb of Terenure
Terenure
Terenure is a mainly residential suburb of Dublin, Ireland, largely in the administrative area of Dublin City Council but with parts in the administrative county of South Dublin County .-Location and transport:...
. His passions include CDs, books and films.