This bilingual series delves into the archives to reveal the fascinating origins of these subcultures while also meeting the modern-day members of these tribes. This is Volume 2 of the definitive story of Ireland’s most enduring music tribes, sound-tracked by the essential anthems of these scenes including songs by Run DMC, The Pixies, Underworld and Thin Lizzy.
Episode Two explores the broad church that is the Indie scene:
The Indie scene emerged in the 1980s but flourished in the early 90s. It’s a scene that’s not as easily defined but incorporates guitar-based music, mostly independent record releases and a DIY attitude. In this episode – best friends Michelle Keating and Loretto Barry discuss the impact seeing The Cure for the first time had on them. They became Cureheads and were part of a growing alternative scene in Cork in the 80s. Niamh Ní Shuilleabháin was attracted to Indie in the 90s when she was searching for something other than the chart music on offer in her local Castletownbere nightclub. She says Indie allowed her to be playful with her style, but serious about her music. Owner of Indie venue the Róisín Dubh in Galway, Gugai says he wanted to provide a space for original live music and to support the many amazing Irish bands making Indie music. Cath Leahy from young Dublin band The Magazine Club recalls feeling like an outsider, until she found her Indie tribe. Cork singer Elaine Malone says that in the past women in Indie weren’t given the recognition they deserved, but that’s all changing now. Emma Ní Chearúil explains that the feeling she gets from attending a gig or festival, sharing that moment with like-minded people, is very special. In Tallaght Scott Bellew relishes the fact that many of his Indie heroes also come from working-class backgrounds and that the Indie DIY attitude helps him to keep working hard to take his band Emily7 to the top.
My Tribe – Mo Threibh, with narration by Peter Coonan, takes the viewer behind the sensationalist newspaper headlines to discover the real Hip Hop crews, Indie kids, Ravers and Metallers and the passion, dedication and sense of belonging that their tribe gives them. These are worlds that are rarely seen or experienced on Irish television, lifting the lid on the underground scenes of these fascinating subcultures.
Produced by Mind the Gap Films for RTÉ One with funding from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Sound and Vision scheme.
Producer: Jennifer Healy
Director: Conor O’Mahony
Director of Photography: Andrew Cummins
Editor: Mary Crumlish