The Dagda The Dagda are a fine band with members hailing from Drogheda, Dublin and Belfast. I first knew Glyn, when he lived in Cork for a brief period, when he was a big crusty punk :) All the members in the band have been in fuck loads of other bands. and their cd is never off in my house.This interview is from 2003 Do you hate people who ask you where you got your name? No..not yet anyway. The rationale behind the name is a subtle rather than blatant metaphor for mankinds state of affairs. The Dagda (or the 'good god') is so named as he was seen as being competent at all things. Another explanation I've come across that he was referred to as such lest he punished the unfaithful- it's this concept that fuelled the decision more than anything, the idea of your god being master of all things yet you only appease him because you fear him. I have to point out though that the imagery we use is more commonly associated with Cernunnos, another celtic deity, though pagan gods tend to assume each others identities and roles at times. Nothing is absolute. Where did you get your name from: Can you remember the exact date and time? The name had been kicking about for a while. 'Wormwood' was another early idea though there's an american hc/noise band called that already. As luck would have it, there's about 3 other acts I know of called Dagda and also Dagda Mor, a electronic noise band from Germany. We're sticking with it though. It sounds better that "pus ridden fishtank' or something along those lines. Or does it.....? What do you think of the current underground music scene? Musically I think there's a lot of good stuff around, regardless of whatever sub-genre you're listening to this week. Like anything, there are trends as to what's "cool" this month but if you follow your ear and track down what you like I think you're usually spoilt for choice. On a practical level, the DIY international network still impresses and serves as a model as to how things CAN be done. What pisses you off about Music/Life/ Interviews? Music pisses me off when I see local bands simply covering other bands stuff or emulating "big" bands to the extent they sound just like them. Don't understand that at all. Life is strange and confusing but we battle onwards. Interviews are still a relative novelty and thus are not annoying as yet. Oh, this pisses me off...well known US hc acts going on tour for half a year and touring Ireland near the end and moaning because they're knackered and pissed off and acting like spoilt assholes when they get here. If you can't do it...DON'T do it. Saying that, recent bands have been cool but had to bite my tongue in the past. Rant over. Whats the story with giros at the moment, will it last? Yes Giros/Warzone Centre is still going. We'll be about for another year and a half I reckon and then the lease is up. To be honest, I don't think we have any plans to renew it. Apathy on the part of the masses is to blame and our dues have been paid. Maybe something else will arise from the ashes, but it'll need some new blood. Perpetuating something just because it already exists are not the right reasons to continue. We'll see. I'm not jaded although I may sound like it...this is just the reality. I know I personally will be doing something, but I'm now used to sitting in the house on my own and being generally socially inept so whether others will miss it our not is not my concern. You want a scene, you want a venue.- support it or do it yourself. Don't moan when its not there. If we close for good it's because there's no interest despite our best efforts and intentions. No point crying. You've all been in alot of different bands, do you think it is getting any easier to play gigs around Ireland, do you reckon theres more or less interest from people? I think the Irish scene has really picked up, at least in the Republic. Unfortunately I think it's practically non-existent up North, unless you consider a predominantly commercially infatuated metal scene. There's a small audience for "streetpunk" type stuff but that's not my thing. I mean, up here, The Dagda have practically no audience. We're not accepted by the "punks" who see us as pretentious pseudo-metal, and the metallers don't like the fact that they can't attach a convenient label, and when they do it's those "old crusty types". Neither do I feel that there is anybody I particularly identify with outside of a handful of close friends. I think it's really dull in Belfast to be honest. The potential of the Centre and lack of cash is what has kept me here. Down south, there seems to be a lot of younger kids getting into it and people seem more politicised in their beliefs and actions. Having fun is of course part of that as well. Ireland is small. I think things seem pretty good at the minute, but it's been so quiet for years and the country is so small it's not hard for it to have gotten better. It couldn't have got much worse. So whats the future plans for the band? Future plans. Well, "Threefold" our first lp/cd is finished and should be released very soon on Control, Enslaved and Funai records. It'll be available on 12" and CD. We've also recorded a track for a split 7" with Scatha and that should also be out in the near future. There's also talk of a Cold War/The Dagda split 7" which we have to sort out at some stage. I've started work on new material for a 7". Maybe tour of Spain and Portugal later in the year if we get our asses in gear. We'll see. Gonna try and keep active, that's for sure...we have only begun! Cheers for the interview. I'd give a web address if it hadn't been deleted by Tripod, but we've a new site ready once we find a home for it. E-mail us at dagdahardcore@hotmail.com Come see us play, say hello to us and stuff. Bye! the dagda website