Irish band NewDad has given a stripped-down rendition of The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1979, released in 1995. The band, which includes members of Cardinals, Chalk, Enola Gay and Gurriers, played the cover live from Texas, where they were supposed to play at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival before boycotting it. NewDad and the other Irish musicians refused to play after it was discovered that US Army was sponsoring the event alongside RTX Corporation, which supplied weapons to Israel. The band made their intentions clear by posting a clip of their cover on Instagram with the caption, “1979 cover live from Texas”.
NewDad’s debut album Madra was released in January and has received several positive reviews. NME called it “sublime songs from Ireland’s next great guitar band.” The band, which withdrew from SXSW, was joined by other Irish musicians at Austin’s Velveeta Room to show solidarity with Palestine against the ongoing conflict with Israel. According to Pierce Callaghan of Gurriers, “sponsorship of the festival from defense contractors and those sending arms to destroy innocent lives is an act we find disgusting and reprehensible. We as Irish people have a lot of solidarity with the people of Palestine as we share a history of occupation and oppression by colonialist countries.”
SXSW released a statement about the artists and bands who had been pulling out of the festival. NewDad played their own part in the boycott and drew attention to the issue of who sponsors festivals. The group did not want to have anything to do with military companies that supply weapons to cause destruction and innocent lives to be lost. The talented musicians played their 1979 cover with emotion and dedication, just as they have done with their own tracks on their debut album.
NewDad has developed a cult following from both young people wanting something new and from older listeners who appreciate the band’s professionalism and unique sound. Their music has been described as sublime and their album is seen as an example of the future of guitar music coming from Ireland. NewDad is proving a band of tomorrow, who can attract followers of different ages and backgrounds with their music and who are also willing to stand up for their values and make a statement about the ethics of who sponsors festivals
Read the full article on NME here: Read More