Episode 123: The Murder Capital

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Gabriel Blake of acclaimed Irish indie rockers The Murder Capital joins CURVA MUNDIAL to talk about his love of Spurs, Ireland men and women's national team and his band's new album, "Blindness."

Episode Transcript

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(01:48):
Hello and welcome to another episode of Kurva Mondial.
I'm your host Sal Bono, and my next guest comes from one of the
best bands around, the Murder Capital.
Please welcome to the show. Spurs and Irish women's team
supporter Gabriel Blake. Welcome mate.
What's a crack man? How are you?
Good man, good. Thank you so much for coming on.
It's exciting times for the bandas you've released your

(02:11):
acclaimed third album Blindness The Bad Advantage.
You keep their unique style and sound and also pushing for
something new. 3 records in. How do you make sure you change
it up while sticking to your ethos?
With this record, we didn't knowit.
We didn't know that this was theway that it was going to go.
But maybe like, on reflection, this is the first record that we

(02:36):
can listen back to and be like, we were all rolling in the same
direction. And like equally on previous
records, you know, the five of us kind of wanting to go to
different places at different times benefited the music.
You know, especially on Gigi, like what's coming to mind is

(03:00):
like the crescendo of 1000 liveslike that was just like a real
like explosive, like bass solo riff that I wanted to do And
like Irves, like got this like amazing, like sort of
arpeggiated, like shimmering guitar line and then like these

(03:20):
do and all these like mad pushesand like triplets it within the
solo. And like, you know, like all of
us are like trying to push it inlike our own direction at that
moment of the song. But I think that it's like, you
know, everybody almost trying togo on, go on a different way

(03:42):
makes it sound like super uniqueand like I love that.
I loved the making of that record and love writing that
record. But like, like in contrast to
that, perhaps like on a track like words Lost meaning me and
Pump, like how like pumps on a baritone guitar and I'm on the

(04:08):
bass. And it's actually hard to
distinguish one from the other throughout the song because
we've like our intention was like rather than mean you kind
of feeling like we're playing two different instruments.
What would it be like? What would it sound like if you
know your ears? Kind of like that's one

(04:29):
instrument. OK.
Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, I think like this
record is like maybe what peoplemay have expected would have
came after when I have fears in ways because, you know, it's
very immediate in its nature. And we absolutely approach this

(04:56):
record with the intention of playing it live because like the
first, the the second, the firstrecord was like, you know, the,
the songs were being written as we were getting shows.
You know, like, we would have another show where like, we got
to write a new song for that. Like, it was very much like, not
that the studio was like in the back of our minds, but we'd, we

(05:20):
still had like, yeah, making a record is like, it's strange.
I guess making a record is kind of a thing that a band does
every now and then, whereas likeplaying a show is like you do
that at least five times a week.Right.
Yeah, It's got to be. It's got to be something that's
so interesting, as you just said, because that's like not

(05:42):
how I would ever approach it or look at it like that.
But you're right. Like you're on the road more
than you're in the studio, you know?
Does it get boring for you to play the same songs over and
over and over again? No, I don't think so.
I think I think on our first record it got pretty, for me

(06:06):
anyway, it got pretty like intense because the the themes
of the record were so ingrained in grief.
Not like so many people know this, but like my, my mom was in
the Hospice in my hometown as the, as the recording process

(06:28):
when I first started. And like 2 week, we were meant
to be in the studio for six weeks with Flood and Richie and
Tom and you know, the recording process for the record had
started and I was like still back home with my mom in the
Hospice. And then like she, she passed
away on I think a Wednesday. Her funeral was a Saturday and I

(06:51):
was in recording when I fears onthe Tuesday.
So like so went straight from that experience into recording
like so much to the, you know, it was written during that time
from my point of view. But you know, the mission
statement of the band, the reason that we're called the
Murder Capital is a reflection on the mental health services in

(07:13):
Ireland. And James lost his best friend
to suicide because of the lack of those services, particularly
in places in Ireland which are underfunded.
And yeah, So yeah, like, our first record was so based on

(07:35):
that grief and that time in her life.
And you know, it was amazing in one way because like, the best
thing that could have happened to me was to go and do a record
at that time 1, because it was like, I guess a distraction, but
I had somewhere to put all this like crazy emotion.
And like, you know, the reason an album is also called a record

(07:57):
is because it's a record of time.
It's a record of where you were.And like, you know, we were
pretty fucking broken guys at that time.
And sometimes, like, my music critic brain will like not be so
kind to that record. But then I'm like, you know, the
fact that we even fucking made arecord is pretty pretty.

(08:19):
No, give you guys give yourself some credit because once that
record came out and we were talking about this in the pre
interview, I, I got wind of it. I got wind of you all and I was
like this, this bad fucking rules.
And then I was supposed to see you and we were all supposed to
hang out in the flesh and middleof March 2020.
And I don't think I need to explain what happened, but like

(08:42):
the world shut down. So that record for most of that
year got me through the some pretty hardcore stuff that was
happening outside my apartment in New York City, but not just
my apartment, the world. So I thank you for that and I'm
happy I get to finally say thankyou in person.

(09:02):
But also like, it was such because this was like the
everything was there on that record and everything looked
like you were about to get shot out of a cannon and then
suddenly it just went away. So like for you, like, what was
that like? Then having to like restart
almost all over again. And then when GG's came out, it
was like, oh, the acclaim is still there.

(09:23):
This isn't like a sophomore slump.
This band is like the real deal now.
Blindness. OK, the third album.
So it's just you know, it's it'shappening.
It's all happening. It's all good things.
And again, I'm sorry about the loss of your mother and James's
friend. I had no idea.
And you know, it's, it's, I applaud you all for pushing

(09:45):
forward because that's incredible.
That is to do that and still want to keep doing that, knowing
that the themes of these recordsbring you back to some pretty
dark places. Well, first of all, man, thank
you so much for sharing that with me like that.
That really does mean so much inlike the, you know, I'm, I'm a

(10:05):
fan of music as well and like I definitely have those
relationships with so, so many records.
So like, yeah, thank you so muchfor sharing that with me.
And I'm so delighted that our record can or want any of our
records or any of our music can do that, you know, like it's
that is that makes that time feel so much more worthwhile,

(10:28):
you know what I mean? And yeah, like, yeah, sort of
going back to what we had said at the start, like, or the
quite, you know, the question, like, does it, does it get tired
and playing those songs? Like I remember calling my
cousin Connell, who's a Spurs fan as well, like just before,

(10:49):
just before I think we like, yeah, we went back out in the
road at the very, very start of 2020 before we were going to
head to America. And I remember, like, sitting in
a hotel lobby and my dad was upstairs and I was like bringing
Carnal my cousin. And I was like, man, like, I
don't know if I can go and play these songs anymore because

(11:09):
like, we only had nine. Do you know what I mean?
He didn't play how the streets adorn me now.
And I was like a dark stage. I was like, I don't know if I
can do it. And like my perception of
performance at that stage was like, I have to go to that place
for everybody every night. And like, I just see performance

(11:33):
in a different way now. But at that time, I did see it
that way. And like, that was that was
pretty gnarly. But yeah, like, then we were so
lucky. Yeah.
I was like, I'll tell this storybecause it was just so mad.
Like, you know, COVID was happening.
We just played Vicar St. And like, yeah, as you said,
like, it felt like we were aboutto be shot out of a cannon.

(11:55):
We, you know, we were booked to play Coachella, we were booked
to play Glastonbury and like, the biggest achievement to me
was like we were going to be playing KXP in Seattle.
Like, yeah. Like since I was a kid, like,
you know, all my friends and family back home, you know, that

(12:16):
was like the reference point of whether or not you like were a
band or something. I.
Didn't realize that that was that big overseas.
Yeah. Well, like huge, like, like,
well, personally and like, yeah,like, I mean, anybody that I,
you know, have been friends within Ireland that like is

(12:36):
passionate about music, KXP is like a deal breaker, you know,
and the curation always is so good.
Like, you know, and like even even if it's like a small band,
you know, which we like, which we are in many ways, like
because in America we haven't even, you know, because of,

(12:56):
yeah, what happened in COVID. Like we've only, we've only been
over for a tour once, but yeah, like we will be back very soon.
But yeah, so sorry, I'm darting about a few different things
here, but yeah, that was a that was a heavy time.
You know, March 2020, everythingwas going the right way.

(13:17):
We were booked for all these things.
And we were literally going up the escalator in Dublin Airport
and we pulled out her phone and like, I think like the
Independent or something had just, or the Irish Times had
just written that, you know, Coachella was cancelled.
So like we were on the escalatorand we're like, do we even get
on this plane? Like.

(13:39):
And that, yeah, that day that wewere meant to play in New York
was when our management was like, you know, like we had a
six week tour that was going to end in Coachella.
And then they were like, no, like you got to go home like.
And we just like didn't believe it, you know, like trying to
fight against it, like, and it was just like, and the the next

(14:00):
day was my mom's like 1st anniversary too.
Oh my God, dude. Sorry, this is like a therapy
session here, but yeah, like thethe that's.
What we do here at Kerfelmondia,it's mental health and football
because because you have to be amental case to like this sport.
But we get into other things. It's totally fine.
It's. Totally right on, but that's it

(14:20):
yeah. Like, I mean, it was like it was
pretty storybook wildness. Like, but yeah, we you know, we
went back to Ireland and like that was like a two year period
of like writing Gigi. And we we only realized like
sort of last year that how much like how important and valuable

(14:48):
momentum is. I guess we didn't like we were
just forgetting ourselves out and like, thank God we had that
time because like we really fucking grew as young men.
We like not even as young men, just as people, you know what I
mean? Like we just, we grew up like I
think especially everything thatwe've been through, like I

(15:09):
definitely had a bit of like Peter Pan and me.
Like, I was like, I don't want to get old life.
And then, you know, everything stopped and like we just had to
reevaluate. I think like a lot of people
did, you know, like just got really a nostalgic and because
there was nothing really happening in life, you just look

(15:30):
back through the life that we did have and yeah, we were like
super reflective and contemplative.
And, you know, the the upside ofthat was Gigi's recovery.
But yeah, like when we came backafter that, we had to earn
everything back again, which waslike, it was, yeah, it was, it

(15:56):
was just like something to like grapple with, you know, nothing
was going to be handed to us like.
But then last year or in like 2023, you know, we played
Coachella, we've played Glastonbury, we played KXP and
we like, I mean, it doesn't relate to football in many ways.

(16:16):
Like, we didn't quite like win the Cup in 2019, but we fought
our way back in 2023, you know? That's right there you go.
That's a that's a perfect segue right here because I think
that's why like I'm look, I usedto be a music journalist.
I love music, as you can tell, but like one thing that I've
learned doing this podcast is, is that the similarities between

(16:39):
musicians and footballers is there.
The footballers get pampered farmore than the musicians.
However, it's that earning of the crowd.
It's like that movie Gladiator where they just like win the
crowd, you know, and that's it, you're good.
So Speaking of winning the crowd, Spurs, if it wasn't for

(17:00):
their fans, I don't think this fucking team would actually be
in existence. And I applaud every Spurs fan
ever. So how did your fandom of
Tottenham Hotspur come about? You're so such a fairpoint,
like, do you know what I mean? It is good for.
Well, you're right. Like it's good for.

(17:22):
It's good for haven't belief when the chips are down and no
matter how hard the chips are down, you know, in life being a
Spurs fan. But yeah, so the reason that I
am a Spurs fan is because my uncle Maliki, he's actually the
person who like, if you've ever seen my tattoo of Mal, me and

(17:44):
Panel who I mentioned earlier, my cousin Aggie and Al all have
this Mal tattoo after him. And he used to play bass and
like he's kind of who got me. He's he and that's mad.
I say I'm only making this connection now.
He is who got me in the bass Andy's who got me in the Spurs.
But it was a pretty innocent story really.

(18:06):
I think I was like like 8 maybe and back home and we're like an
Irish Catholic family. And you know, a tradition will
be like Christians and communions and confirmations.
Oh, I'm Italian Catholic, pal. Oh, I know.
That yeah, you got me. Here's the thing.
The cultures are exactly the same.

(18:28):
The food might be better in in where I'm from, but like the you
know, it's all the same. Shit.
And that's so true. Like is when we're touring
Italy, like we like we feel the exact same way.
There's definitely like almost like, you know, exact parallels
and mentality like it's, it's a lovely we've been.
There was your Catholic guilt. Let's.

(18:54):
Not Goodman, but well, like, yeah, the Catholic.
The good thing about the Catholic Guild is sometimes you
can like channel it straight to the church, you know, because
they, they have fucked up. Ireland's hard in many ways.
And yeah, so, but yeah, I'm learning to talk about therapy

(19:17):
again. I made a connection of like,
'cause growing up, going to confessions, right?
I like, you know, from me, like from a being a child, I kind of
had, OK, if something's happened, I need to get it off
my chest or like, if I feel guilty about something, I need
to tell someone. And I think that's part of why

(19:39):
going to therapy is actually so important for me because like,
well, first of all, it's just good for somebody like going to
the gym, you know, it's like it's, I think it's as essential
as like a healthy diet or something, you know?
But yeah, like, I remember when I was living in Dublin and I
didn't have any money. Like, I was like going, I didn't

(20:01):
have money to go to confessions or not.
I didn't have money to go to therapy.
So I started going to confessions.
Mind you, the advice was not as.Good.
But it was still like that process of getting it off.
But yeah, so it must have been like a Christian or a communion
or something. And like my uncles were like in

(20:23):
the, like, pub part of the hotel.
And like, obviously like, just like the excitement of whatever
was going on in the pub was like, you know, I was drawn to
my cousins were drawn to and like I wanted to get in there,
but like my mom was like, well, I don't want to fucking 8 year
old going into the whole black. And I was like, oh, no, no, like

(20:43):
I'm like, I want to, I want to go and I want to watch the game.
Like, and she was like, you don't even support Spurs.
Like, and I was like, no, I'm onmy do I do I support spurs, I
support Spurs. So me and my me and my cousin, I
think it was Connell got in to watch Spurs with my Uncle Maliki
then. And then it was just like, yeah,

(21:04):
that was it then. I love that.
That is fantastic, that now thatOK, if there's a reason to be a
Spurs fan, then the Senate, OK, ring it on.
I love it, I love it. You know, under Ang the team is
looking decent over the years, but they always just seem to
just be that, just decent. What does this club need to be

(21:25):
victorious? It's hard, isn't it?
Like, you know what I mean? I think well, like, again, going
back to momentum, like clubs like Liverpool and you know,
even like going as far as Real Madrid, there is something that
like a winner's mentality gives to a club and you know, like,

(21:52):
yeah, maybe maybe that's it. Because like, I don't know, like
throughout the years, like we have had teams that like were
able for it. Like, I mean, we got to the
Champions League finals under pass.
Like, you know, that was an amazing, amazing time.
But yeah, maybe it's mentality or maybe it's mentality of the

(22:16):
surely it's mentality of the owners, right?
Like it just has to be that, youknow what I mean?
Like, are they just happy enoughto coast, you know?
Right, that's the thing. Because it's like, I agree on
that. And I think that's the common
denominator here because you look at this team that had so
many legends over the last over my lifetime.
OK, so 40 years, let's look at it.

(22:37):
You had Gaza, Gareth Bale, Luka Moldrich, Sonny, Harry Kane, and
yet not a robust trophy cabinet.And the team's motto is to dares
to do, but there isn't so much doing as there's a lot of
daring, but there. Isn't.
Like I really thought that, likewhen you all got serious, when
Mourinho was there, I was like, oh, this is this is it?

(22:59):
Like this is going to happen. Obviously that was COVID time.
That was all weird stuff. And we all know how that ended.
Sacked the day before final, which is mental.
But like it, it's got to be something else.
But the other thing too is, is that on one end, you can say to
the owners like, this is your fault, but then you see this

(23:21):
flashy new stadium that you have, which is unbelievable.
So like, what does all this meanfor you as a fan?
It's a good question. What like, OK, firstly it's like
because of the Roma, like I'm a pretty like romantic football

(23:42):
fan and not like one I have to because I'm a Spurs fan.
And do. You like I'm like terrible at
keeping up with transfers, injuries.
Like I'm like when I was a kid, like I was like woeful that
actually playing football like back back home where I'm from,

(24:02):
like the better you are at football, like the further up
the field you are like so if you're really good, you're a
striker like OK or like good, but OK like midfielder like I
was like religiously in Nets. So like I like was the whole way
back in like was terrible. So like I just, and I'm not good
at like understanding it, but maybe I'm like, you know, you

(24:26):
don't need to be able to play music to enjoy it, you know?
So that's the way I look at football in ways.
But like, specifically as a Spurs fan, like, well, first of
all, it's like, yeah, the Spurs stadium.
I've been to White Art Land and I've been to the new Tottenham
Hotspur Stadium and like, you know, there's obviously belief

(24:50):
there, but the devil's advocate is like, is it just them?
You know, is it just a financialinvestments like, but there was
like mega shows in the summer there which we were meant to
play with Paradigm this or last year.
Are you serious? And it was a lot like, so we
like we supported Paradigm and in Dublin and Barcelona and

(25:16):
Manchester last year, but we were booked to play the Spurs
stadium. Like like that was where they
were playing. But the guys got sick.
So like, you know, I like all the year.
I was like, well, you know, whenwhen you're a kid or when I was
a kid, like I I was just growingup.

(25:38):
I was like, yeah, like, you know, that's just the way life
works out. Like I'm going to go, go to
primary school, going to secondary school and then I'm
just going to play for Spurs, you know, like it's just the way
it's going to pan out. And I would like to say that,
you know, I chose the route of not being a football player, but
I definitely did not. It was never going to happen.
But you know, I was like, we gotthat, like we got that support

(26:01):
slot and did London Day. It was in the Spurs stadium and
I was like, Oh my God. Like I got to pursue the dream
of being a musician and I get toplay in the fucking Spurs
stadium. Like I was like, it was, it was
like it was the biggest dream come true ever.
And yeah, the poor guys just gotpneumonia like the day of or the
day before. It's not even like, oh, you had

(26:25):
a, you had a cold push through it or you got the run.
Just shit in a bucket. It's like you got a pneumonia.
You could actually die from this.
Yeah, that's it. Like.
It's not really, not really something you can do whole.
Oh my God, there's, there's, you've unpacked like a Pandora's
box for me right there. So #1 All right, what would it

(26:47):
now? Maybe, maybe there's something
on the horizon that the Murder Capital had.
I'm going to look at it this way.
Let's look at the positive here.Maybe that Murder Capital is
going to headline Spurs Stadium on your own.
You don't need a support slot. What would it mean to you to
play that venue though? Like what would that be?
I know you were just hinting at it, but like getting on that
stage in that particular arena, what would that be?

(27:10):
Well, it's just absolute perfection.
Like, do you know what I mean? Like it is it's that will be a
tailor made dream for me. Like, you know what I mean?
Like because yeah, like I would be able to say that I played in
the Spurs stadium and like you don't have to clarify to anybody
that it was music, you know whatI mean?
Like that is like obviously I couldn't that would like be

(27:33):
equally as amazing, but yeah, but not in fairness likely.
Like, yeah, let's definitely headline the Spurs stadium.
That is, you know, again, like being a Spurs fan, you just have
this like, other belief that things are going to work out,
even if there's not a huge amount of evidence to back that
up. But yeah, like, well, we're
like, we pulled everything back in 2019, so we can pull

(27:55):
everything back here now. But my good friend and Declan
McKenna, and he's a massive Spurs fan.
We went to a good few games together and, and he very
graciously, well, he's, he's supporting Imagine Dragons this
year in the Spurs stadium and he's very graciously offered me

(28:17):
the opportunity to play tambourine with him.
So I am on on on this podcast being like holding to it.
Yes, you absolutely must Declan,if you're listening.
One, come on the show 2 Yes, Gabriel needs to be playing
tambourine. Yeah, because there's not
there's not a single great tambourine player in the world

(28:38):
except for him. Yeah, I've never, I've never
seen him play tambourine. I just know he is okay.
That's it. But yeah, no, I can do it.
I can do it on the big stage, the biggest stage of the mall
almost. Yeah, that's it.
What was it? Now I this is also the the 90s
kid in me Pearl Jam opening for them.

(28:59):
I mean, like, how were they? Were they big for you like
growing up and like, what? What was that like?
What would they did you get to meet them?
Like is does Eddie Vedder mumblethe way I think he does really
like the murder capital things come Like what?
Like what was it? What was that like, you know?
Yeah, I know It was. Well, I mean, like Pearl Jam

(29:19):
just have that thing though, don't they?
You know, like if you think of aband, they are like, yeah, do
you know what I mean? Like, they're like, if they're
the quintessential, like if you're telling aliens about, you
know, like listing off a lot of bands, Pearl Jam will be on that
list, you know? So yeah, it was definitely, it

(29:41):
was absolutely a holy shit moment.
Like, and especially after spending some time in Seattle in
2023, like physically being around where like, you know, the
ground scene sort of like reallyexploded again, the occasion was

(30:02):
just not lost on us at all. But in reality, which was so
amazing to see. Was it like they were just such
gentlemen and just like slow down the earth and like, I just,
I don't know, it just like it was just so affirming and

(30:23):
reassuring that like people who are like got to that stage and
got to that like lengths of timebeing in the industry, being at
that level are just like carry themselves in such a sturdy and
like gentle way. And like, don't get me wrong,
like they're, they're, it was, it was so educational in another

(30:46):
way, like watching their whole operation move from one city to
another. Like there is no fucking shit.
Like there's no, there's no messing around.
Like, right, it's professional. Like, but yeah, it was so cool.
But it was, it was funny. Like we actually hadn't met
Eddie until our very last show with him, but like, so we two
shows in Parlous and Jordy and Barcelona and we had like a 12

(31:10):
hour van journey to like get to sound check.
But when we landed, you know, some of his we landed just
before sound check and some of our his team were like, OK,
these guys ready to sound check is you like Eddie wants to hear
you and like just everybody's like moving like whispers like
Eddie wants to hear you. So like you just got on the

(31:31):
fucking stage and like started sound checking and like you get
through a song and then there'llbe silence in this big open
arena waiting to hear the word back off.
Somebody on a on a walkie-talkiebeen like, OK, yeah, he wants to
hear another song, do another song.
And then you'd be in the next song, same thing into the third
song. And then it would just be like,
stop. Like he needs to go.

(31:51):
And it was just like, it was honestly like so while doing the
sound check in this empty stadium, knowing that Eddie
Vedder was somewhere there listening.
It's right. It's like, it's like having an
Speaking of the Catholic thing. It's like having an audience
with the Pope, right? It's like you have an audience
with the Rock'n'roll Pope who's just like, yeah, sound check my
ass. The dude wanted a private

(32:12):
concert. OK, put the fucking cards on the
table. Homeboy wanted a private show.
Didn't have time to see the set was just like, you can't tell
him it's soundtrack and like that's it.
Just like puts him out there. Let's put that out there.
Not calling you out, Eddie, but I love you.
But it's it's got to be like, like, were you fans of them

(32:32):
growing up too? Like did you listen to them like
was because like that's got to be like also again, as you said,
rattling through your fucking head that like this guy, this
rock'n'roll legend, Hall of Famer, all these things is just
like, I want to hear a couple songs.
Like that's even in itself. Also opening for them is one
thing, but then like knowing that like he's so interested.

(32:53):
It wasn't just like, like, oh, we share maybe the same
publicist or agency, whatever. It was like, no, you're on that
bill for a reason. Yeah, no, yeah, as I said, like
without, like you know, you're 1's ego is not one's amigo like.
I like that OK. I absolutely stand by that.

(33:15):
But like, you know, in the dark days when I might have a bit of
doubt or like, you know, we're we're still trying to, we're
absolutely still trying to make it work.
And like, you know, we want to be the biggest fan in the world.
We want to be as big as paradigm.
And the days that you don't see that maybe like can be, you
know, it's tough to make this work.
It is a dream. It's called a dream for a

(33:38):
reason. But yeah, I mean, like, you
know, it's so heartening when, you know, you can recall as,
like, well, like, I put Perazam on such a pedestal.
Like, I've known about them since I was a kid.
Like, you know, Into the Wild was such a formative movie for
me, especially because of the music.
Like, I saw when I was 16. And it's like, you know, again,

(34:01):
one of those moments where I waslike, holy shit, this what?
This is what music can do. This is the story you can tell.
This is like, again, like, you know, the amazing thing about
music is when it helps you understand yourself better.
And then, yeah, like, you know, the guys in Pearl Jam want you
to come play with you. And like, you know, the Richard

(34:26):
Ashcroft on some show or did oneof the shows, he's mentally
London. Like, he's so cool as well.
But like, they had us in Europe,in the UK and they had Pixies in
America. And I was like, you're like,
that's mad, like. That's but like it is.
But here's the thing, dude, likelook at the team, look at your

(34:50):
team's logo. To dare is to do right.
And you're daring and you're dreaming and you're doing it.
Like that's the thing, man. Like that, that's just like like
bra fucking Oh, like you're like, you can now say in the
eye, in the eyes of a little band from Seattle, you're on the
same level as the Pixies or and Richard Ashcroft like that, that

(35:13):
that's how I would, that's how Iwould say it, because it's like,
I get it. I get exactly what you're
saying. Like whether you're doing a
podcast or whether you're makingmusic or being a footballer,
you're putting out some version of yourself that's flexing a
muscle. That is not being like the
regular thing, right? You're not just going to work
and you're not just like paying bills, right?

(35:35):
You you want to exercise some sort of creative thing and
you're doing it and you know, and I love it and it's also the
Irish fortitude. I love how you all fucking
dream. You all dream like so big, Like
there's not like there's it's your dreams are as big as the as
the cliffs are more. It's, it's beautiful and it's

(35:56):
stunning and it really, and it'slike, it truly is like this
incredible thing because like Ireland right now is having this
like amazing artistic renaissance, whether it's in
films, whether it's in acting, whether it's obviously in music
and yourself on there. Fontaine's of course, sprints
melts, just so many great, greatacts coming out of there now and

(36:17):
you're a part of it and it's notgetting lost on it.
Do you feel because we, I know you mentioned the Seattle scene.
Do you feel like now like there's a scene happening for
all of you? Yeah, I mean, absolutely.
Like it's it is never felt, it is never felt so tangible in
Ireland. You know, like my girlfriend

(36:41):
Katie, she's a stylist and she'slike, she she talks about this a
lot because she, like, can explain it to me through a
fashion sense like with Simone Russia and Robin Lynch.
Yeah. Right.
Yeah, like, like it's happening.Like, you know, Billy Eilish
went to the Met Gala and one of someone's costume pieces, you
know, like, you know, that's happening and you've got, you

(37:04):
know, Kelly and Murphy by Kogan,Paul Maskel, Serial Ronan, you
know, like it's it's it's reallyhappening in that way.
And yeah, there's there's there's a list.

(37:28):
As long as my arm was like Irishmusicians like Seema Lancome
kneecap fountains. Like it's yeah, it absolutely
feels like it's happening. Do you know what I mean?
Sorry, yeah, Jessie Buckley as well as just an amazing Irish

(37:49):
actor. So like, I mean, we've always
been like this, you know what I mean?
Like we've were the the land of Sanson scholars, I think.
Is that or No, that doesn't haveanything to do with I'm saying
actually, but like we're like flat out with poetry and
literature and music, you know, like that's what we are.

(38:12):
And I but I don't think that that's ever going to like, I
don't think Aaron's ever going to stop being like that, right?
But it's like so nice that like the, you know, the eyes are on
us. But like, I mean, for a long
time it didn't feel like the music industry necessarily.
Like it definitely like, it feels like a change.

(38:34):
Like when I was living in Dublin, you know, there was a
moment where the door got brokendown into the music industry,
right? And especially like, like from
the UK and I, we studied about this in and we, there's a music

(38:54):
college called Ben that like allof the all of us lads went to.
That's the reason we met each other is because we were
geographically in Dublin at thattime.
But there's like, there's directcorrelations between, you know,

(39:18):
a post colonial mindset and the way that Irish people themselves
react to the music. Oh wow.
OK. And I remember like being in a
lecturer and they were drawing correlations even between, you
know, like on totally different sides of the scale.
Like like everything was like Gillibrand and Dermot Kennedy

(39:41):
where the reference point is that like Gilliland got signed
to rough trade and then like once that was accepted that like
somewhere outside of Ireland waslike on all these guys are
actually good. That's when you know, Irish
people allowed themselves to like it.
And apparently the same sort of happened with Darren Kennedy.
It started popping off in like UK and maybe like Australia and

(40:05):
American is like, OK, well it isgood then we can do that.
And that's like, that is like atthe definition of a post
colonial mindset like. After, you know, part of Ireland
start being occupied by Britain because we'd so been so used to
as a people that like had to seek approval or permission from

(40:30):
a higher power like the United Kingdom or like the
establishment, you know, once that goes, you're still looking
for that permission. And then that became the
Catholic Church, right? No, it's like the Catholic
Church doesn't have as much of ahold in Ireland as it used to.
But like across the board, we still have that post colonial

(40:53):
mindset that like it's mad that even in like the minutia, it's
like we as people in many ways as the music industry or even
like people who listen to music,you know, this is not obviously
not the same for everybody. But like there was like a post
colonial mindset that is like ifIrish acts aren't doing well

(41:14):
across the pond, then you know, they're not worthy or like they
don't get notoriety. I know, thankfully, I guess it's
happened enough maybe that it's like we don't need permission
for this is definitely not the reason that the only reason that
it's happening, but it's just something to think about or
something that I think about is like we've gotten so much

(41:37):
recognition and we've gotten such a worldwide on his goal now
that it's like I hope that like perhaps like we can start
relying on ourselves to believe in our own art and I think we
have. I think you have too, because
it's like there's a younger generation here.
Like they're like half my age, man.
Like it's, it's like I feel fucking old, but like I don't

(42:02):
look it right. But like, but no, but it's like,
but like what's what's crazy is,is that the the your generation
generation after you are kind ofcoming up and saying like Nah,
like Nah, it's all on us, You know, because like you could
have like the beacon that like the biggest act of all time or
the last like 50 years is you 2 and they're from Dublin.

(42:25):
So it's like, OK, so you have that.
So it's it's possible, it's feasible.
All this Glenn Hansard from the frames won an Oscar.
It's possible. You know, it's like all these
things are possible, but now it's like there's a whole
collective of y'all that are just like, Nah, it's not just
possible. It's going to happen and like,
whether or not like you are likedeclaring it that way, it feels

(42:49):
like that and I'm kind of lovingit.
I'm kind of loving this scene that's happening because also
again, it gets then reflective in everything else because now
then it's going to spread to sport, it's going to spread to
other facets. It's going to spread to other
things, you know, because you'realso a fan of the Irish ladies
national team, you know. And what is it about these women

(43:09):
that get you excited? Because the entire country is
like backing the girls in green right now as they are hoping to
qualify for EUR 2025. By the time this episode airs,
we'll know if they did it or not.
But what would it mean? Because I think that would be
like the collective pinnacle. Now it's like now it's almost
like sport, right? The way everyone rallies around
like the rugby team for Six Nations or the World Cup.

(43:32):
It's like here we go and it's going to like bleed into that.
But if the Irish women get into this tournament and go deep into
that, like, what does that mean?And I feel like because of the
fact that, like, you specifically mentioned that you
were a fan of the Irish ladies team, that also kind of
signifies like the new era that like, it's not just the men that

(43:53):
can do this, it's our women. And they're going to do it.
And they're going to do it just like so well.
And I fucking love them, you know?
Yeah, honestly, I'm getting chills even as you're talking
about like, them succeeding. Like it's just like they are, as
far as football is concerned, that is what we as a nation have

(44:14):
to be proud of. Do you know what I mean?
Like, they're like they they give us hope that we can play
football on an international level.
Do you know what I mean? And it's like, that should be
supported and that should be named and that should be
identified And like, I don't know.
Yeah, it's just like there's no,there's no reason for that not

(44:40):
to be as true. People do not to be as
enthusiastic as about that as demands.
And I feel like maybe that there's still not, maybe there
is still this like atmosphere. It's like, well, I'm glad that
we're doing well in the women's,but like, you know, we're still
not there in the men's. And it's just like, I don't give
a fuck. Do you know what I mean?

(45:03):
No one should. Like it's just like it's so
exciting, like the heart that the women play with and like,
yeah, just give us such a reasonto be proud of our football and
history, you know what I mean? And like, there's just been such
a stagnancy and, and like Irish football for a while, it's like,

(45:25):
you know, it's just been like 11draws and like, you know, I
don't, I don't know, like there's so many things you can
point it on. Like there's a big narrative of
because, you know, we have like Gaelic football and we have
hurling and so many players cometo a point where they have to
make a decision like if they're going to go for, you know, the

(45:47):
national sports or, you know, play football.
It's in like, you know, again, the the the, you know,
understandably combative post colonial mentality as well as
like, you know, don't play the foreigner sport and like that.
Like OK. That holds weight still.

(46:12):
But yeah, like, it just, it doesn't make sense to me still.
That still doesn't make sense tome.
Like, no one should be playing for Ireland and almost be like,
you know, coasting. Do you know what I mean?
Like, you know, you're representing your country and
you're representing yourself to remain like, maybe we go back to

(46:36):
the pampering thing, You know, that you're just like,
footballers in general make a lot more money than musicians
do. But yeah, that is why I'm so
passionate about the women's team is because like that like
mentality is just not there. The passion that those women
play with and like, just how fucking good they are.

(46:57):
You know what I mean? Most like we've got, there's 2
two women on the team who've like made such an impact is
Keira Grant and Amber Barrett, who are both from Donegal for
where I'm from. Yeah.
So that's another just like sortof.

(47:17):
That's awesome. The bias reason to be behind it,
but it's just, yeah, I don't know, just any excuse to talk
about it. And it's mad.
My my best friend Zoe Redmond, who like we often talk about as
like the queen of Ireland. We're like, we used to be the
person that people like meet when they come off a plane or

(47:38):
like diplomats meet. It actually would be a fucking
better world if people were meeting Zoe when they come off
the plane. But like, she was like, she's a,
she's a Byron player. And she's like in the new ad for
the women's team, Yeah. Another reason to get behind it.
But yeah, I don't know. It's just so exciting, you know
what I mean? Like, we are because of the

(48:00):
women's football team, we are a competitive nation as far as
soccer is concerned again. And that just makes me so
excited, you know? Absolutely.
You know, I read a stat that over 15,000 tickets were sold
against the match for the women against Wales.
Like that, that's that's, that'sincredible.
Like that is, that is so incredible because it's like

(48:21):
coming from America, right? Where it's like everything is
big here, you know, I, I've beento stadiums in Ireland, I've
been to your lovely country. I love it.
My favorite people in the world.And I get a chance to say this
anytime I have an Irish person on this show.
My favorite people in the world are the Irish.
The hospitality that I had man, for the week that I was there

(48:42):
from from Galway to Dublin was unmatched, unmatched.
And I've been privileged enough to travel to a lot of places in
this world and the Hospice I, I again, I will never the, the,
the atmosphere was great. The Guinness was delicious.
The music, it was good crack, asyou say, the, the, the, the,
again, the, the landscape beautiful.

(49:03):
But what, what really I'll always remember will always just
be like how phenomenal every single Irish person was that I
met. And, and again, you keep proving
that. So thank you.
But like, but it's like it, it, but it's not a big country.
So 50 / 15,000 tickets, like that's a lot of tickets.
Like, you know, so obviously this team has, has stirred a pot

(49:28):
and they're getting there and they got the nation's support.
But you also live in Paris. And what was it like seeing them
beat France this past fall in that Euro qualifier?
Yeah, like, like obviously I wasdelighted.
But I like, I like France as a football team, you know what I
mean? Like which is, which is, which

(49:50):
is like like it's a pretty heathen thing to say because you
know, like it's like, it's like I was pretty, I remember going
to school like just so human dayafter day after that happened.
Like it's just the injustice of it all.

(50:10):
And then that like years they like they, they were on about
like, you know, not weren't theylike you want to pull out of the
competition or something. Yeah, like that.
Because like then Tieri Henri had admitted like doing a
handball and all that and like pour and like my paisan Giuseppe
Trapatoni was all like, this is bull.
Like he was like every Italians.He was swearing in 2 languages.

(50:32):
All right. So like, you know, it's bad
because that man does have a temper to begin with.
But it's like, yeah, then like France might pull out and it's
like, it's that, you know, and obviously they didn't.
But like, Henri had admitted to it kind of saying like, yeah, I
did what I had to do. But like, you know, it's so.
But yeah, you got your sweet revenge now with the ladies.

(50:54):
Yeah. Well, that's it.
Yeah. Well, it was just such a
frustration. It was like people like, you
know, or the players like havingthat opportunity to like do it
and then like out of some sort of pride or like justice, like
went away or like pulled out of the competition.
It was just wild. But anyway, they'll be stuck in
the past talking about that. But yeah, in general, I just

(51:18):
think there's slick mind, you know what I mean?
Like like I'm a Spurs fan and like I was, I have respect for
TI TI Henry's game so much, you know, like it's classy, it's
tasty. Like, and it's like big reasons
why I like love France as a country, you know, it's, it's
chic. Like it's, it's nice football
being played in a chic way, you know?

(51:39):
Yeah, representative of the fashion.
Yeah, exactly. It's funny like as the Deans and
hands come into mind, do not head but when I say that, but
you know, it's like, yeah, there's something about like
I've kind of remember how to sayit properly.
That's I'm putting the spot. But yeah, I like France's

(52:01):
football team. I was kind of more, I was
definitely wanted Argentina to win that World Cup final.
But yeah, like, yeah, it was good.
Like, come on, like, you know what I mean?
Like you can always like favor all their other teams.
But for sure. Back to your own lecture,

(52:22):
Norman. So that the ladies winning was a
good job. Now, time for a coffee break.
Sort of. A Mundial is sponsored by Mod
Cup Coffee in Jersey City, but you can get it anywhere in the
world from modcup.com. Mod Cup drink modern coffee.
Use code MUNDIAL for 10% off your first order.

(52:45):
Gabriel, this has been fantastic.
I got three more questions for you.
It's fantasy football. It'll pertain the Spurs.
OK, nice. All right, we ultimate fantasy
football. We have endless supplies of
money, we have time machines that can take us back in time.
We've got all sorts of great things.
All all all the good stuff. So first one, if you could bring

(53:06):
back a former Spurs player to your club, alive or dead, who
would it be and why? Larry King, he is the biggest
legend ever and he's just like he's just my favorite footballer
of all times, you know what I mean?
And he actually James in the band got a video of him wishing

(53:29):
me happy birthday the two years ago.
And I honestly, if I didn't havea heart attack, then I'll don't
like I should. I thought I would have gonna
have a heart attack. But like, again, my relationship
to football is so romantic that it's like, it's not that, it's
that he would make too much of adifference.
Like but if I if every game I could watch Lily King playing as

(53:51):
well I would do that. All right, love it.
Now. If you hadn't, again.
Infinite supply of clean money, let's say.
All right, if you could sign an active player today, who would
it be and why? And Bappe, Nice, nice going

(54:13):
France again, you know, he's a baller.
Like do you know what I mean? But the worst part about it is
he like he like openly scoffs about playing for Spurs
actually. So maybe I shouldn't know for
that. I have a feeling, I have a
feeling my best mate Kevin McGlynn is not going to be happy
with me for saying that one. But you know, I'm putting, I'm
putting the goal scoring abilityin front of everything else and

(54:34):
the legs like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, absolutely. And that finesse that you talked
about, too. Yeah.
You know, the chicness. And finally, what has been your
favorite moment as a fan of thisgame?
Wow, let me see. And it could be anything.
Yeah, things that are coming to mind.
Well, because I, I stopped watching football for a while

(54:56):
just because the reason I'm saying that is because my, I
stopped watching football for a while And the weekend that my
uncle Maliki passed away, there was a Spurs game and I'd made it
was like, right, I'm going to start supporting Spurs actively
again. And that weekend, daily, Ali did

(55:19):
that like beautiful, like two torch control goal against it
was a Crystal Palace or Chelsea.It was a London side.
I remember it was like, yeah, because that was like, that was
like the moment. That was like his, like, big
moment, yeah. That was like that was a
brilliant time to like really get committed again.
Another time, like we watched. I watched as Spurs, Portsmouth

(55:42):
and white Art lame with my parents.
That was pretty beautiful. But I'm going to go for this is
a hope is again a hopeful. Spurs answer is at the beginning
of the season in 2023, I think it was 2023.

(56:06):
Not, not not this currency, Yeah, not this current season.
Last season, it was Angie's first day and we beat United at
home. And like before the before the
game started, it was like the first time we got this drummer
in the stadium and everybody waslike had these like inflatable

(56:29):
Kangaroos. And like I hadn't been at the
stadium for a minute. And just like everybody was like
singing that chant. And like we beat United at home,
which just like, you know, I've been in the Spurs stadium on
like rainy Halloween nights. And like I was it was by James,

(56:52):
like rang me during the game anda Halloween night and I like
answered because we were playingUnited.
And I was like, honestly got anything to distract myself.
And like, as soon as I picked upthe phone and he was like, what
are you? What are you up to tonight?
And as a guy, don't really know.And then I just went speechless
because like Cristiano Ronaldo just scored in front of us, in
front of me. And I was like, oh, fuck, this
is going to be a long night. But that day, that day at the

(57:12):
start of the season and his first every game, me and my me
and Connell, Al, Kevin Mcglenn, I think Declan, Declan McCann
was there, one of the best friends car was there, I think
as well. It was just that feeling of
like, Oh my God, maybe somethingcan be, maybe something can

(57:36):
change, you know what I mean? And I was like in that deep
standing spot, like Sony hadn't seen Sony all summer.
He came out on pitch and yeah, Ijust started crying, man.
I just started crying and I don't cry very often.
And I was like, you know, that'sthing about arms.
Like win or lose, I believe thathe's like trying his best and he

(57:59):
like, wants to win. Like, you know that thing, like
he's. Such a genuine guy, man.
He's such this. You can't hate him.
He's such a genuine man. Like so like even if we're
losing, like, you know, I believe that he's trying to win
and like that's what that's a big thing that Spurs need, you
know what I mean? And that's what I like you.
Like I think we're 11th in the table at the minute.

(58:20):
Like or look, maybe went up to 10s, but like I still don't know
where we're going to be when this comes out.
But at the minute, you know, like, even though we're like, no
matter where we are in the table, I believe in him like,
and I believe in him giving us those moments in the stadium of

(58:41):
like elation. And like you believe you can be
a team like City or Liverpool orUnited, you know, on the bounce
and Arsenal. No, you believe it.
Like I have to mention my cousinCharlie.
He's actually my cousin Al and Charlie are twins and are my
uncle, like said to them like, you know, I'll buy, I'll if you

(59:03):
become Arsenal fans, I'll buy you as the kit for the rest of
your life. And Charlie said, yeah, that
sounds good to me. And I was like, well, I'm not
supporting, I'm not supporting the same team as him.
So he supported Spurs. So 2 twins that like are
opposite ends, opposite ends of the that north.
London Derby is going to be so much fun to watch with them.
Exactly like and it was so funny, like gladly King when

(59:25):
he'd given me my birthday announcement.
Like one of the things he lockedon was was like, Charlie being a
Spurs fan, he's like, how can you have that in your family?
And all this is wild thing to hear.
But yeah, one of the things thatwe like, notice this is going to
sound mad, but this is this is just like a philosophy that I'm

(59:47):
going to let people think about because I wanted to, like,
disperse some of the hatred thatyou can feel in the stands and
in the game. You can't support a team and
vacuum. And if you don't have a rival,
then you don't have your game. And like, sometimes it's like,
you know, it can be sportsmanship, sport, money.
Yeah, you know what I mean? It doesn't need to be this

(01:00:10):
vicious thing. And like I see I went to AC
Milan versus. I can't remember who it was but
like it doesn't. Matter.
You saw my club. That's.
All Oh no way. No way.
Yeah, it's my team. Maybe.
Yeah, that's my club. Yeah, man, I like that was one
thing that I find so beautiful about football in Italy because

(01:00:32):
like, you know, back home it could be like really intense,
like, like unfairness. No, I don't know Italian.
So maybe this was actually happening, but like, it's more
like like people like screaming like real, real, like hateful
words. Whereas like in the Sancero,
when things wouldn't go right, it would be more like, ah, come
on, like. The only time the fans will

(01:00:56):
retaliate, if you start hearing whistling, that's that's like
that. They don't need to speak,
they're just going to whistle. Whistles come out.
That's like, that's the key for it to be like shit has
officially hit the fan. The players should fear for
their lives. Like when you and that and the
whistles come out a lot more than you expect, but but that's

(01:01:16):
really it. But everything else is sort of
like it has to be encouraging. It has to be like to try and
like it's that 12th man, if you will, like a giant, giant 12th
man, like a giant arena gladiator 12th man.
But like it's it's yeah, that I finally got a chance to see that

(01:01:38):
atmosphere on my 40th birthday. And that was a fucking dream
come true. And it was an it was against
Inter inter one and they won thetitle in front of my eyes.
So that like it's always like you watch some history.
That was cool. But like just being there and
finally seeing it. Yeah, it's like I again tear in
my eye. Like was just the only way I

(01:01:59):
could describe it. But again, like, it's, it's
insane. Like there's insanity there.
They're lighting shit up. They're you know, they're
burning things. They're, they're doing all
things that should probably be illegal and probably.
Are illegal, in fairness. You know what I mean?
Like, yeah. Probably, yeah, they yeah,
probably. But who's who's stopping 50,000

(01:02:21):
Italians from like, you know, set the stand on fire.
You know, the stewards ain't doing much, but it is.
But it is something. Yeah.
And like they. Yeah, it's I always equate it to
the opera. That's it.
It's. Yeah.
So but Gabriel, this has been awesome.

(01:02:43):
Also, I'm not like a data person, but knowing how many the
friends and family that you have, this has got to be going
to be the highest rated and listen to episode of all time.
And that's just for the people that you send it to, so.
Catholic family, you know what Imean?
Yes, this is great Gabriel. Thank you so much.

(01:03:03):
My best to you in the band, ladies and gentlemen, the band
is the Murder capital. The album is called Blindness.
And of course, catch Gabriel at one show only playing tambourine
with Declan at the Sperry Stadium this summer.
Thank you so much mate. This has been fucking awesome.
You're a gentleman and thank youso much.
I loved it. Keep our lip.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at Kerva Mundial pod.

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