The Cranberries on the Midwest Mixtape Podcast

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The Barn and Midwest Mixtape Podcast are proud to welcome Fergal Lawler, drummer of the iconic Irish band The Cranberries, for a special conversation celebrating the 30th Anniversary Editions of their breakthrough album, No Need to Argue.

The reissue arrives in stunning fashion with a limited three-LP vinyl set featuring remixes by Iain Cook of CHVRCHES, rare live recordings, a demo of “Zombie,” and the band’s unforgettable MTV: Unplugged performance. Fans have long awaited the official release of the group’s legendary 1995 Unplugged set, and that wait is finally over: beginning November 7, 2025, MTV Unplugged will be available for the first time as a standalone release on vinyl, CD, and digital via Island Records/UMe. A special colored vinyl edition with alternate cover art will also be available exclusively through Complex.

Originally taped on February 14, 1995 at the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, the intimate nine-song performance aired two months later during the sixth season of MTV Unplugged. Following the release of their worldwide smash No Need to Argue, the setlist showcased the band’s blend of vulnerability and power with songs like “Dreaming My Dreams,” “Ode To My Family,” “Empty,” “Zombie,” and the title track. They also revisited earlier hits like “Linger” and previewed unreleased gems “Free to Decide” and “I’m Still Remembering,” which would later appear on 1996’s To The Faithful Departed.

Perhaps most special is “Yesterday’s Gone”, a song written by Dolores O’Riordan and Noel Hogan just one day before the show and performed only during that recording. “The only time we ever played it was for MTV,” Hogan recalls.

Fergal reflected on the honor of joining the legendary Unplugged series, which previously hosted R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and The Cure:

“It was a really chilled, relaxed vibe with the audience sitting on the floor. To be following in the footsteps of those artists was incredible.”

Backed by Electra Strings, the quartet that had also joined them on Later with Jools Holland, The Cranberries delivered a performance critics and fans alike have deemed one of the finest in the history of the series. Publications like SPIN and Mixdown have ranked it among the best Unplugged sessions ever, while fans have clamored for its release for decades.

With the anniversary reissues of No Need to Argue and the long-awaited arrival of MTV Unplugged as a standalone release, 2025 promises to be a landmark year for The Cranberries’ legacy.

“I’m really proud that the songs we wrote didn’t need all the bells and whistles you get in the studio to sound good,” Noel shared. “They worked just as well stripped down and played acousticall

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