Bap kennedy biography book
Bap Kennedy
Northern Irish singer, songwriter beginning guitarist
Musical artist
Martin Christopher Kennedy (17 June 1962 – 1 Nov 2016), known as Bap Kennedy, was a singer-songwriter from Capital, Northern Ireland.[1] He was illustrious for his collaborations with Steve Earle, Van Morrison, Shane MacGowan[1] and Mark Knopfler,[2] as able-bodied as for writing the trade mark "Moonlight Kiss" which was fend for the soundtrack for the coating Serendipity.[3]
Kennedy was in the tor band Energy Orchard[4] for several years and also recorded simple number of well-received solo albums including Domestic Blues, The Expansive Picture, The Sailor's Revenge,Let's Start the ball rolling Again and Reckless Heart.[4] Before his solo career, Kennedy full, wrote and recorded songs continue living artists such as Steve Earle (on Domestic Blues), Van Writer (on The Big Picture) spreadsheet Mark Knopfler (on The Sailor's Revenge).[1] Following the releases snatch The Big Picture and The Sailor's Revenge, he toured high-mindedness US and Europe with Identification Knopfler of Dire Straits,[4] who also produced Kennedy's 2012 release The Sailor's Revenge.[1]
Musical career
Early lilting career and 10 Past 7 (1978–87)
Kennedy's first band was nobility punk band Sellout formed problem 1978 at age 16.
Decency band was formed to assist rock group Uncle Waldo, performing in a local Belfast club.[5]
In 1980 after having played retort several other local bands, Jfk formed the band 10 antecedent 7,[6] with whom he ordinary his first national recognition just as they appeared on Channel 4 music show The Tube hostage 1983.[7] The band was managed by Mark Kelly, MBE.[4] 10 Past 7 were signed rescue the Good Vibrations record term by Terri Hooley[8] – who had discovered The Undertones a sprinkling years earlier[9] – and they released two singles[7] before disbanding when Bap left Belfast representing London to pursue a video contract.[4]
Energy Orchard (1987–96)
Main article: Liveliness Orchard
In 1987, after moving relate to London, Kennedy formed the pin Energy Orchard, for whom noteworthy was the rhythm guitarist, rule singer and primary songwriter.[4] Though the band was based trudge London, all of its staff had originally come from Capital like Kennedy.[10]MCA Records gave interpretation band a major record link in 1988 and they would go on to release albums with the label, previously signing with Transatlantic for dialect trig further two studio albums by reason of well as the live autograph album Orchardville.[5]
Energy Orchard went on drawback establish themselves as regulars consciousness the live scene in Writer, including a performance at authority first London Fleadh in 1990.[11] The band also toured generally throughout the UK, Europe endure America, including several support slots with Van Morrison, Steve Earle and Jimmy Barnes.[4] Energy Coppice disbanded in 1996 with ingenious farewell London gig on Sincere Patrick's Day which would assign recorded for the live medium Orchardville.[12]
Solo career
Domestic Blues and Steve Earle (1998–2000)
Main article: Domestic Blues
After Energy Orchard split up, Airport received a phone call depart from Steve Earle, who offered make somebody's acquaintance produce Kennedy's first solo record.[13] Shortly afterwards, Kennedy joined him in Nashville, Tennessee, and filmed his first solo album.[1]
Domestic Blues, which was released in 1998, was produced by the "Twang Trust" of Earle and Complicated Kennedy,[14] and Earle played bass and sang backing vocals dance the record.[4] The album as well features slide guitar player Jerry Douglas, guitarist Peter Rowan most recent singer Nanci Griffith amongst tog up session musicians.[13]
All the songs tell on Domestic Blues were written exceed Kennedy except Angel is position Devil which was written prep between Earle.[4] Earle was later figure out describe Kennedy as "the preeminent songwriter I ever saw".[4] Representation album was released on Earle's record label E-Squared and old-fashioned generally favorable reviews.[1][14][15] It was also a commercial success, charting at number eight on distinction Billboard 200.[4]
Several songs from illustriousness album were used for talkie soundtracks, including Vampire appearing flimsy the soundtrack for the Honour nominated[16] film You Can Mark on Me,[1] which also won the Grand Jury Prize sought-after the Sundance Film Festival.[16] Duo other songs from Domestic Blues were also used in birth film Southie.[4]
In 2012, the album's title track was used monkey the theme song for BBC Radio 4 comedy Happy Tuesdays.[17] After the release of Domestic Blues, Kennedy toured with Steve Earle[4] alongside other artists speedy the E-Squared label, including Cheri Knight and The V-Roys.[18]
While pacify was in Nashville, Kennedy high-level a keen interest in nobility music of Hank Williams, whom Kennedy described as his "favourite song writer"[3] and a elder influence.
After he had hone recording Domestic Blues, Kennedy record an album of Hank Playwright covers entitled Hillbilly Shakespeare,[1] which featured pedal steel guitar fulfilment from B.J. Cole.[19] The book had a very limited undo as the first record departure Kennedy's own label, Lonely Thoroughfare up one`s Discs.[1][4]
Lonely Street, Serendipity and Moonlight Kiss (2000–05)
After returning to prestige UK, Kennedy briefly managed public housing Elvis impersonator named The Nifty, and was the producer aim for The King's album Gravelands – a collection of songs surpass other deceased artists performed bring in the style of Elvis Presley.[5] The record became a definite favourite of John Peel near the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Kennedy's continued interest in rectitude music of Hank Williams accept Elvis Presley led to him writing Lonely Street, a sense album based on the lives of his two musical heroes.[1]
The album, which was released wrench 2000 on Kennedy's Lonely Organization Discs label,[5] features bass bass playing by Herbie Flowers,[4] who is noted for playing significance famous bass line on Lou Reed's hit song Walk buy the Wild Side.[20] It traditional generally positive reviews.[21][22] Kennedy's canticle "Moonlight Kiss" from the jotter was later used in greatness soundtrack for hit Hollywood film over Serendipity (starring John Cusack brook Kate Beckinsale).[4]
Following the release blame Lonely Street, Kennedy spent a sprinkling years touring,[23][24] including performances peer Shane MacGowan of The Pogues and Pete Doherty of Integrity Libertines,[23] and at the esteemed Half Moon, Putney,[24] which additionally regularly held the Rolling Stones.[25]
The Big Picture, Van Morrison beginning Shane MacGowan (2005–09)
Main article: Authority Big Picture (Bap Kennedy album)
The Pogues' lead singer Shane MacGowan provided guest vocals on Kennedy's next album, The Big Allow for, with MacGowan providing lead vocals on the last verse wheedle Kennedy's song "On the Powerful Ocean Alcohol".[26]
The late Carolyn Cassady, another guest vocalist on dignity album,[13] was the basis remaining the character Camille in Banner Kerouac's book On the Road.[27] At the end of Kennedy's song Moriarty's Blues, Cassady gave a reading from her beg to be excused book Off the Road.[4] "Moriarty's Blues" is a ballad atmosphere the On the Road brand Dean Moriarty,[4] which was home-made on Cassady's husband Neal.[28]
The Large Picture was also a go back to working with Van Morrison,[1] who had supported Kennedy by reason of his Energy Orchard days.[4] Class album was recorded at Morrison's studio and featured the expose Milky Way which was co-written by Morrison and Kennedy.[26] Probity musicians appearing on the autograph album include pedal steel guitarist B.J.
Cole and guitarist James Walbourne,[29] who is a member appreciated rock group The Pretenders.[4] Illustriousness album was released in 2005 to generally positive reviews.[13][30]
After blue blood the gentry release of the album, Jfk was approached by former Direful Straits frontman Mark Knopfler, who asked Kennedy to play style Knopfler's support artist.[1] This energetic to Kennedy working as greatness support artist and special company for Knopfler's tours of honourableness US and Europe, including smart five night stint at London's Royal Albert Hall.[26]
Howl On viewpoint Glastonbury(2009–2012)
Main article: Howl On
Kennedy's 2009 album Howl On was, on the topic of Lonely Street, a concept jotter based upon a real authentic subject which Kennedy was fascinated in.
Howl On was unornamented look back at the Marginal Race of the late Decade, with Kennedy examining the lives and backgrounds of the astronauts and scientists who worked happen next the Apollo program.[26]
The only outflow on the album,[31]Hey Joe was also chosen as a recognize to this time period, similarly it had been the forename song performed by Jimi Guitarist at the Woodstock Festival.[32]
The strain also features guest guitarist h McCullough,[26] who was, as fine member of Joe Cocker's tie, the only Irishman to terrain at Woodstock.[33] McCullough also assumed with Paul McCartney and Wings.[33]
Howl on received generally positive reviews.[34][35] The album was followed gross a successful tour of rectitude UK, Europe and America, containing the South by South Westbound festival[4] and a performance unsure the 2009 Glastonbury Festival.[26]
The Sailor's Revenge and Mark Knopfler (2012–14)
Main article: The Sailor's Revenge
Kennedy true a new album in awkward 2011, entitled The Sailor's Revenge, produced by former Dire Embarrassment frontman Mark Knopfler[1] at Knopfler's British Grove Studios in London.[36] The album was a edge collaboration between Kennedy and Knopfler, with the two artists accepting worked together on the design for 2 years.
As come after as producing the record, Knopfler had been heavily involved prickly choosing which songs to enigmatic for the album,[4] and too played guitar on multiple songs and sang backing vocals obey the song "Celtic Sea".[37]
The volume features several members of Knopfler's touring band, such as Senator Worf, Guy Fletcher, John McCusker, Michael McGoldrick and Richard Airman.
Also playing on the publication were session musician Jerry Politico, who had previously worked come together Kennedy on Domestic Blues, advocate James Walbourne of The Pretenders, who had played on Kennedy's 2005 album The Big Picture.[4]
The Sailor's Revenge was released pathway 2012 on Proper Records lecture received widespread critical acclaim internationally[38][39] including No 1 – Leading of 2012 in influential Dweller magazine No Depression[40] where be patient was described as "truly spruce up masterpiece from a man who is finally comfortable in sovereignty place in the world – The Celtic Blood on excellence Tracks".[41] It was also scheduled by Mojo in the Grade 10 Americana albums of 2012.[42]
The album was supported by treks of the US, UK predominant Europe with Mark Knopfler.[43][44]
Let's Bank Again (2014–2016)
After the Celtic dreaming of The Sailor's Revenge, Jfk moved to an upbeat Artifact style for the follow-up Let's Start Again.[8] The album, which Kennedy recorded in his picking Northern Ireland,[1] was produced rough Mudd Wallace,[45] who produced not too albums for Northern Irish substitute rock band Therapy?.[46] Wallace was a long-time friend of Jfk and had worked as manufacturer for Kennedy's early band 10 Past 7.[8] Let's Start Come again uses local Northern Irish seating musicians, and features several musicians from Kennedy's live band, inclusive of his wife Brenda Kennedy, who plays bass guitar and sings backing vocals on the album.[45]
The album had a full worldwide release on CD and album formats by Proper Records,[47] ground has received widespread critical acclamation including a 5 star con from No Depression.[48][49]
Reckless Heart (2016)
Kennedy's final album, Reckless Heart, was recorded in early 2016, sui generis incomparabl a few weeks before rulership diagnosis.[4] Like Let's Start Adjust, Reckless Heart was recorded outline Northern Ireland and used very many musicians from Kennedy's live bandeau, including his wife Brenda.[50]
The stamp album was released posthumously by Kennedy's label Lonely Street Discs, profit conjunction with Last Chance Documents in the US and offspring at the Helm in authority UK and internationally.[4] It has received widespread critical acclaim.[51]
Personal life
Martin Christopher Kennedy was born finish 17 June 1962[1] to Lily and Jim Kennedy.[52][non-primary source needed]
He was the brother of Brian Kennedy.
The family grew union on the Falls Road, Capital, in the 1970s,[4] where lighten up got his nickname of Census, as a childhood reference gap the rolls (or "baps") push bread sold by local resolution Kennedy's Bakery.[45]
Kennedy grew up groove West Belfast at the meridian of the Troubles,[45] and enthrone close friend and 10 Anterior 7 manager Mark Kelly,MBE strayed both legs in a no-warning bomb in Belfast in 1976.[53]
Kennedy left Northern Ireland in 1985[54] and worked as a ability on building sites in Writer prior to becoming a veteran musician.[55] While living in England, Kennedy became a qualified tract gemmologist, accredited by the Gemmological Association of Great Britain.[55]
In 2007, Kennedy moved back to empress native Northern Ireland.[4] Shortly afterwards returning, Kennedy hosted a songwriting workshop, where he met novelist and former lawyer Brenda Boyd, who was participating in dignity workshop.
The two soon became a couple, and they were married in 2008.[26] Brenda, who has written several advice books for parents of children meet autism and Asperger syndrome,[56] has since sung backing vocals company four of Kennedy's albums – Howl On,[31]The Sailor's Revenge,[37]Let's Move Again and Reckless Heart[4] – and was also a everyday member of Kennedy's live knot, as his bass guitarist splendid backing singer.[1]
Through his marriage say yes Brenda, Kennedy was also old lady to Christine White and Kenneth Hall, who is also alteration author, having written about authority experience as a child nervousness Asperger syndrome in Asperger Indicating, the Universe and Everything.[4] Despite the fact that a result of his family's links with autism and Asperger syndrome, Kennedy became co-patron (with his wife) of the tolerance Autism NI in 2010.[8] Airport later revealed on his web log that he too had antiquated diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, which he credited as being "the engine of [his] creativity".[57] Difficult to get to of music, Kennedy had copperplate keen interest in the Phoebus space program,[35] which would suitably the inspiration for Kennedy's 2009 album Howl On.[4]
Cancer battle
In Hawthorn 2016, Kennedy started a journal on his personal website, particularisation his progress after a messy cancer diagnosis.[57] He died potential attainable 1 November 2016 in Capital in hospice care from pancreatic and bowel cancer.
He difficult been receiving palliative care decay Belfast's Marie Curie clinic.[58]