Question of Taste: Ray Harman, musician/composer 

The Something Happens guitarist has composed the music for Yes and Yes, a contemporary dance show at Cork Opera House 

Ray Harman, composer and musician with Something Happens.

Ray Harman is from Tallaght, Dublin. He spent many years as a touring musician with the band Something Happens, and now writes music for TV, film, theatre and dance. Most recently, he provided the music for Yes and Yes, the dance show from the Liz Roche Company, which was developed as a response to Joyce’s Ulysses. Yes and Yes is at Cork Opera House on Wednesday, April 26. 

Best recent book you've read:

I love sci-fi books, the nuttier the better. Dragons Egg by Robert L Forward was a recent read. Brilliantly, mind-bendingly speculative.

Best recent film:

Shoutout for an irish film - Redemption of A Rogue. Hilarious, wild filmmaking.

Best recent gig you’ve seen:

Lisa Lambe with Aoife Ní Bhriain and Tim Doyle performing Bánchnoic Éireann Ó. It was incredibly beautiful and moving.

Best piece of music you’ve been listening to lately (new or old):

Dustin O’Halloran's score for Essex Serpent is class. Stravinsky’s 'The Firebird' is a comfort listen.

First ever piece of music that really moved you:

The Happening, by Diana Ross and The Supremes. Sitting in my dads VW Beetle. I can still transport back there.

The best gig or show you've ever seen:

On a freezing NY evening , dropped into Sin E with friend Mark Ryan. Jeff Buckley was sitting beside the piano with his telecaster and played 'Hallelujah'.

Your most recent project is the music for a dance piece... any other shows composers in that space that you particularly admire, or looked to for inspiration?

No-one in particular, but with dance, the music can be quite adventurous and rule breaking so I might kick off by listening to some of the madsers. Nico Muhly, Teho Teardo, Xenakis.

 Yes and Yes is at Cork Opera House on April 26. 

TV viewing:

Even though my day job is writing music for serial drama, I have a VERY short attention span for serial TV. Loved White Lotus though, excellent music score.

Radio listening and/or podcasts:

Mystery Train, Rockonteurs, 8 Radio.

You're curating your dream festival – which three artists are on the bill, living or dead?.

Jeff Buckley, The Posies, Wallis Bird.

Your best celebrity encounter:

Touring as Warren Zevon’s guitarist for a summer was ….interesting.

You can portal back to any cultural event or music era – where, when, and why?

AC/DC’s or Van Halen’s early pub gigs. They must have been mental.