Bandwidth

Opportunities like this one don’t come along very often. It started with a blistering new album – a titanic return to form in the shape of “Crooked Timber” – Therapy? were back. The old Therapy. As much as I still love the gothic rock ballad stuff – I was once the only person in the whole pub headbanging to the Joey Dunlop one – I mean the Dancin With Manson Therapy – the Opal Mantra Therapy. A whole load of riffs. A lot of screaming. Heaviness. They fucking have Gemil on the cover of the album. Puck as fuck.

These Lords of Rock were in town for a little gig you may have heard of that took place in the Ulster Hall in March. I’ve heard, from those who were lucky enough to get tickets (don’t – I just know you did) – that there was much swearing. The radio wasn’t happy. “I think we’re ready to join Therapy,” Rigsy proposed, fingers crossed, fist in mouth – Andy was off on one apparently – “whoops, maybe not just yet..”. “I texted him later to say sorry mate, I just got carried away,” Andy offered later. “My mum certainly hasn’t come to one of our gigs since 1996..”. Maybe I shouldn’t be reporting this..

As it so happens, Andy Cairns, singer and lead guitarist, is simply the nicest Alternative Post-Industrial Metallist (not my words) I’ve ever met. The whole band are such true gentlemen, I began to understand why the BBC invited them back. Incidentally, BBC Radio 1 in Northern Ireland seem to think its more dramatic to record all their radio sessions inside a giant diving bell. We were expecting something a bit more like this. But before the sound engineers even had time to set up, Therapy? launch into a rehearsal take of a track which makes this aircraft hanger all of a sudden seem about the size of a sardine tin..

Therapy? – I Told You I Was Ill

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The appropriateness of the venue was really hitting through. As was the tightness of the trio – Therapy? followers will know that during the late 90s early 00s period there were all kids of line up changes with the band – I personally loved the electronic cello sound – but the 3 piece set-up has always seemed to suit them best – and their last 3 albums have been like a rebirth – from the shockingly rocking ‘Never Apologise Never Explain’, through the big bad ‘One Cure Fits All’ to ‘Crooked Timber’ – you can nearly forgive the frilly silk shirts from Infernal Love – here’s a band who’ve come the long way round to come back home again, and what’s more have a story to tell. Just watch Neil Cooper’s intro to ‘Don’t Try’, and the eye contact between him and Michael McKeegan – this is a band who could show most others a thing or six about who to rock out.

By the way, this track is the first of 2 exclusives Therapy? played for Radio 1 in Northern Ireland, and now Bandwidth. It’s not on the album. And every line is an epitaph from a tombstone. Apparently.

Therapy? – Don’t Try

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Watching this band work is a true pleasure. They had wanted to provide something extra special sound wise for session listeners in Northern Ireland, and had come up with this the previous night. There are still many possible incarnations and the band try them out. Michael and Neil conference: “What about Fugazi bit, Fugazi bit, then Metallica bit, then I’ll just do some sonic madness”. To me it only sounds like vintage Therapy?

Another exclusive for BBC Radio 1 and Bandwidth:

Therapy? – Treacle Feet

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At this point, for danger of forgetting where we are here – a phonecall comes through as if only to remind us all of Therapy’s holy place in Northern Irish rocklore. It’s Stuart Bailie on the line, former NME editor and head honcho at Bandwidth’s alama mater, the Oh Yeah Music Centre. Andy Cairns had promised him an article for the music memorabilia exhibition due to open the next month – “Yeah that reminds me” – he reaches over to a flight case and produces a battered cream coloured fender with the neck snapped off. Apparently the last time Therapy? played the Ulster Hall they got a little over excited and this was the casualty. “That was back in the day, you know” Andy modestly reminisces.

I somehow have the feeling there will be many more to come yet.

Director: Will McConnell
2009 Bandwidth/BBC

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