Hamsandwich relish a return: 'We weren’t a band that could be moulded'
Podge McNamee and Niamh Farrell of Hamsandwich. Picture: Dara Munnis.
Across their 20-year career, Irish indie band Hamsandwich have experienced their share of surreal moments. There was the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert at which they bumped into Bono, who chided them about their unusual name (he advised that they change it). They were once drafted in as support to poodle-maned metal veterans Whitesnake at the last minute. But by far the weirdest was a record company “audition”, where they had to play an entire set to four executives in an otherwise empty venue.
“We did a showcase in front of Sony executives, which was one of the most bizarre things I've ever done in my life,” says singer Niamh Farrell, speaking ahead of the long-awaited return of the group to Cork for a Live at St Lukes gig.
“It was the Boland’s Mill place in Dublin that has dance studios [the National Performing Arts School previously The Factory],” she recalls. “We went into this big massive room. There were four chairs facing the stage. I remember it being really awkward and weird. You had to perform like you were performing a gig. You also knew these were important people. Stuff like that just really wasn’t my bag."
Sony decided not to sign them. Looking back, Farrell feels this was a blessing. Having formed in 2003 around the core of Farrell on vocals and keyboard, Podge McNamee on guitar and backing vocals, and Ollie Murphy on drums, Hamsandwich have always cherished their sense of being outsiders.
They had come along just when Dublin rock was on the brink of a golden age. There was a stampede of new talent, including Delorentos, The Chalets, and The Coronas. This, moreover, was against the backdrop of the “landfill indie” scene taking off in the UK and the revival of New York rock via groups such as The Strokes and Interpol. Put simply, record labels were hot on guitar bands and came to Ireland with a view to snapping up the latest potential break-outs.
Hamsandwich didn’t fit the bill. They weren’t particularly stylish; their music bounded between genres, taking in synth-pop, chiming alternative rock, and everything in between. That square peg quality, Farrell believes was ultimately to their benefit. By putting out music on their own label, Route 109 Records, they were able to chart the course that best worked for them.
This meant that when they had a breakthrough with the single Ants off their second album, White Fox, in 2010 the achievement was well-earned and was something on which they could build. They were never in danger of being a flash-in-the-pan success, lauded one moment, forgotten the next.
“I'm actually really glad that didn't happen,” says Farrell of signing with a major. “I’ve seen so many of my friends in bands being signed and then being dropped and losing recordings. We were maybe a little bit too individual. We were going our own way. We weren’t a band that could be moulded. I’m glad that opportunity didn’t arise in the end. It allows us be ourselves and grow ourselves over the years.”
Hamsandwich made a virtue out of being scrappy underdogs. They were regarded as a Dublin band - but coming from Kells in Co Meath were slightly removed from the scene in the capital.
Musically, they’ve always been difficult to pin down. Early songs such as 'Carry The Meek' had a heartbreaking naivety; last year’s Magnify, just their fourth album in two decades, moved confidently between electronica, funk and acoustic pop.
“The first album came out and we gained a bit of momentum off that. We released 'White Fox', and 'Ants' gained a bit of traction. Only after that did we feel the pressure of, the clock is ticking: ‘guys, you need to release more music’. I don’t think it’s very good for us personally as people, or as a band together."
She adds: “We took a while to release Stories From The Surface [the third LP] and then Magnify. People’s priorities change – everybody had their own lives and stuff like that. We wanted to do the best we could – not put ourselves under, ‘oh my god we have six months to get this out’. Then there’s a danger of releasing stuff you’re not happy with. We were really relaxed about deadlines. Hopefully that was a strength.”
Farrell is thrilled the group have made it to their 20th anniversary – but surprised too. How quickly time flies.
“Twenty years creeps up on everybody. It’s amazing. We’ve been telling people, ’20 years together’. And they say, ‘what an achievement’. A lot of bands don’t make it past five years, let alone 20. We’re really proud we’ve made it to 20. In an industry that celebrates youth, it’s definitely a thing we’re very, very proud of.”
- Hamsandwich's upcoming gigs include Live at St Lukes, Cork, Saturday April 29; St James’ Church, Dingle (acoustic), April 30; Mike the Pies, Listowel (acoustic), May 26
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