Conquering America with Mark Daly

Brian (00:04:27) - Mark Daly. You're very welcome to concerts. That man's.

Mark Daly (00:04:31) - Thank you very much for having me. Really appreciate it.

Brian (00:04:33) - It's great. It's great. The only thing, though, I find it weird that you have to go all the way to America to be interviewed on an Irish podcast.

Mark Daly (00:04:42) - Yes, that's a bit it's a bit crazy, but, uh, at least we're doing it now.

Brian (00:04:47) - Exactly. That's it, that's it. No. You're currently out there conquering America. You're on a three week US tour with Mr. Big, including some headline tours. Tell us a bit about it.

Mark Daly (00:04:58) - It's been amazing since the second we got off the flight. It's been. I'll go, go, go. Uh, the shows at Mr. Big have been amazing. They couldn't be nicer to us. Um. Great crowds.

Mark Daly (00:05:07) - We're getting great support, and we've done a couple of headline shows already, and we've got two more left. And those have been overwhelmingly positive as well. Like, the people showing up for those shows is just crazy. So very, very happy with how it's gone so far.

Brian (00:05:21) - Oh, I could imagine, I could imagine. And you know, what do you look forward to? You've been to America a couple of times now on tour. What do you look forward to most?

Mark Daly (00:05:29) - I really love the. Just that our music really fits here, you know? Uh, like in Ireland, it is difficult to to tour regularly around the country with, with rock music. Um, and not to say it can't be done, but I'm just saying out here, it just seems to be received really, really well. Um, and just to perform, performing every night out here is just the best part.

Brian (00:05:54) - It's funny you should mention that. I was going to ask you later on, how do the two scenes compare to each other, and do you feel that rock musicians get recognition in Ireland?

Mark Daly (00:06:04) - I think some of them do.

Mark Daly (00:06:05) - Of course. But I think out here for our particular style of music, it just seems to be just fits. Um, we've had the similar kind of thing when we've been in Germany. I feel like it fits really well out there. So I guess that's kind of the style of music, and it's just it's been taken to so well here. So we're very grateful for that.

Brian (00:06:22) - Yeah. Yeah. True, true. Now an interesting question. What's something you've learned from being on tour, Mr. Big?

Mark Daly (00:06:30) - Okay. They are ultimate professionals. You can see that they're in the dressing room. They're constantly warming up. They're just there. They're so focused on the show, and I love learning and watching from bands that have been on the road for so long, and seeing them and seeing how they work at. I'm always like open to learning from the pros.

Brian (00:06:48) - It's fascinating, I'm sure. And on the 2nd of February, then you released I Want to Be More. It's off your upcoming album, The Devil's Arms.

Brian (00:06:57) - Tell us more about the track and what we can expect from the album.

Mark Daly (00:07:01) - So yeah. So that's the first track. We wanted to go with something fun and energetic. And on the first track, especially because we knew it was coming out while we're on the road. So we wanted this upbeat, kind of energetic rock song to to show the first track off the record. But The Devil's Arms record has a lot of different emotions and and vibes going on, and there's some deep, dark stuff, some heavy stuff and, you know, and a couple of singles that will be, you know, kind of kind of like, I want to be more like commercial kind of rock sound that we wanted to make catchy. We want to make fun. And then, um, there's two tracks on the card, Brighter Days and July, that are really dark and deep, so it's nice to have a nice mixture between the two.

Brian (00:07:43) - Yeah, yeah. You know, you've mentioned that you feel like you're writing has matured since the last time.

Brian (00:07:48) - Did you approach it differently? How has it matured, do you think?

Mark Daly (00:07:54) - I think before I used to kind of write in riddles and fear of being exposed to what I'm talking about or, you know, always trying to, like, take the attention off myself in the song. And with this record. And lately I've just been I as you get older, you care less, don't you? I'm just like, I'm just going to write about real life situations, real life, relationships, real life, you know, goings on. And I feel like the songs are just more honest and human because of that.

Brian (00:08:22) - Yeah, yeah. Now it's it was produced by Brian Virtue. He's worked with the likes of Audioslave, Jane's Addiction, 30s to Mars. What's it like working with someone like that? Can you kind of take some of the pressure off and just relax a bit when you know you're in such good hands?

Mark Daly (00:08:39) - It is a nice feeling because like when when we heard Brian was coming on board, for the record, we were first of all, we're absolutely thrilled.

Mark Daly (00:08:46) - So many bands that were influenced and listened to and the fact that he was coming in, but I just felt that kind of safety. I was like, I knew it was going to be. I knew it was going to be strong production. And when he walked into the studio and we met him straight away, we clicked and he got the very best out of us for sure.

Brian (00:09:01) - And I have to ask, how are the songs going down live?

Mark Daly (00:09:06) - Really, really, well, surprising. Like, not surprisingly well, because. We did add in the Brighter Days tracker is currently about, which is kind of the a darker kind of slower one. And the boys in the band were just like, we have to play it live, let's give it a go. And we've changed the setlist quite a few times since we've arrived and we got it maybe for sure. For we put in Brighter Days and we we've ended up putting in half the new album into the set when the originally it was only going to be like two tracks off the record and we just thought, why not? You know? And we have the the album exclusively for sale, just on tour, so you can only pick it up at a show and the full album's not out until the summer.

Mark Daly (00:09:48) - So it's kind of a different approach. And the fact we're playing so many songs off at live and I joke with the audience and I say every night like, don't you dare leak this new music, because we'd hate to get well known out here. You know, it'd be awful if people started listening to music, you know? So I've been kind of joke with that every night, and we just were just enjoying it so much, playing all the new songs.

Brian (00:10:09) - Yeah, it's so I'd say. So what's your downtime like? Are you getting any downtime? I know on your a couple of days off you were shooting music videos, photoshoots.

Mark Daly (00:10:20) - It's been non-stop. Yesterday was our first proper day off where we'd nothing on since we got here and it's been. I like that though on tour. Just the more that's planned, the better. And it makes, you know, being away from home. I think the days off when you're away from your kids and stuff, it's really hard because you're thinking about home and the kids, but I like to be full of like a work schedule to and it flies by.

Mark Daly (00:10:46) - We're shooting two music videos now, today, and then back with the New York City show tomorrow. So there's always something happening, which is great.

Brian (00:10:53) - Yeah, yeah. True, true. I'm intrigued. Now, when you come back home, what's it like? Because you know what Irish people are like. They're like, oh, here's your man from tour in America. He's a big shot now. What's it actually like?

Mark Daly (00:11:05) - Ah, it's nice, I am. I look like I live out in the countryside. I live it so all the locals are really, um, really supportive and nice and they're all looking for the stories of the tour and it's great support there. But I don't really, really we don't really perform in Ireland. Maybe once a year we play a couple of tube like we play maybe Cork, Dublin, Belfast once a year.

Brian (00:11:28) - Right? Right. Interesting, interesting. It's almost like you can have an alter ego, then your normal mark at home just, you know, every day in normal go and then in other countries you're the rocks there.

Mark Daly (00:11:39) - It's funny because I get home from tours and then I'm like, right, I'm just going to be like, my wife would be laughing. I'd be cutting the grass and like doing like the all these things. And she was like, oh, here we go. This will last for about three weeks. And that's exactly. And after three weeks and I was like, okay, I need to go back on the road because, uh, for this lovely, lovely to come home and just like, hang out with the kids and have that like free time after a tour of downtime. And then I work in my studio at home writing. Then as soon as, like a few days of being home, whereas off it starts. Yeah, exactly.

Brian (00:12:12) - The podcast is called Concerts That Matter. So I have to ask you as a concert, Gore, what concerts have made you think?

Mark Daly (00:12:20) - I've been there, I suppose so many in recent years. It's been so hard to get them because it's like when you're performing yourself, it's so hard to get out to shows.

Mark Daly (00:12:27) - But, um, I remember when I was younger, going to a few Counting Crows shows and really, really like getting into like listening to Adam Duritz lyrics and being like, I want a song right like that. I want to be able to like, write like ridiculously deep lyrics and honest lyrics. So I have to say, Counting Crows was a big, big live concert for me. That something clicked.

Brian (00:12:51) - Yeah, yeah. I suppose when you look at the songwriting and your songwriting, it does kind of. You can see the progression. All right.

Mark Daly (00:12:58) - Yeah.

Brian (00:12:59) - Yeah. And you know, are you able to switch off when you go to a gig these days? As you said, it's hard to get home. Are you able to kind of switch off and just enjoy the show or are you standing there kind of critical?

Mark Daly (00:13:11) - No, I actually I do think I can just switch off and enjoy it. Um, to go with the lads in the band know the guitarist and the bit like the drummer, they'd be listening out for everything.

Mark Daly (00:13:21) - But I feel I've figured I'm always listening for the lyrics. Um, and I yeah, I can switch off the gigs and just enjoy them.

Brian (00:13:29) - Good to hear. Good to hear. Now, the moment we're all waiting for, for any listeners that haven't caught one of your shows, what I'd like give us the full experience, if you can.

Mark Daly (00:13:40) - We are very reserved during the day, building up our energy. So we're all nice and Camden today, but as soon as we go out on stage, I like to think that we every one of us goes out with absolutely everything we got for we're highly energetic on stage. We move around, we get into it. We've got, you know, the boys are doing harmonies. We've got like just I feel like we've got a really good live show. And. And then a lot of people that watch the show. Are very complimentary of the energy that we put in. So I have to say, an energetic kind of rubber band would be the way to describe it.

Brian (00:14:14) - Nice, nice. Sounds like a good time. Now, if you think of all the shows you've ever played in your career, is there one that sticks out as the most perfect experience you've had?

Mark Daly (00:14:24) - I feel like every night in the US just gets better. I feel like the last US show that we did was probably our best because I, like I said earlier about figuring out the set list and getting it just right with the new songs and a mixture of the old ones. I just feel like every show and hopefully tomorrow night in New York City will be the best one ever. Keep building on it.

Brian (00:14:46) - Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. If we take that question now and flip it around, is there a show that you would say is the worst experience you've had, and how did you overcome it?

Mark Daly (00:14:56) - Not on this tour, thank God, but there has been shows in the US where there's been sound issues or something's gone wrong during the set, and it does creep into your mind and it does affect you for a minute.

Mark Daly (00:15:07) - But I feel like with the experience that we have now of doing so many shows on the road that it can shake it off pretty quickly, and we talk about it in the dressing room afterwards being like, oh, that was a bit tough. And then we kind of get into the next track and kind of and bring it back. So I feel like we need we need that to happen every now and then to just keep learning how to get through it then, you know. Yeah.

Brian (00:15:31) - Yeah. Exactly, exactly. And you know, when it comes to short time then what's your pre-show and portion ritual? How do you speak yourself up and how do you wind down afterwards?

Mark Daly (00:15:42) - Uh, both. Both with whiskey. Uh, we we, uh, we'd have a little shot in the dressing room and we'd all tell each other, you know, let's go out and absolutely smash this cake. And, uh, after. We're not a big headline band yet. So, uh, after the show, we're just packing down gear, and I'm running out to the merchandise booth.

Mark Daly (00:16:02) - So, uh, the pre-show ritual is basically a quick drink and, uh, quick pep talk and get psyched up and go out there. Go out there with all the energy we got.

Brian (00:16:13) - I like it, I like it. Now, before we dive into the last couple of questions or future plans, when is the album out? More gigs, more tours.

Mark Daly (00:16:22) - Yes, we're working on a couple of more tours for the US this year and possibly some shows in Ireland as well, and we usually do a couple of shows in Germany. So that's all in the works right now. And we've a bunch of music videos coming. We've shot three since we got here and the record will be out in June-July, so there'll be a single from the record every four weeks. So we're drip feeding the, the, the release like a waterfall release. So the next one will be out next month in March and then April, May. And then the record will be coming in shortly after that. So it's it's nice to have something kind of constantly happening.

Brian (00:17:01) - Mhm. Exactly, exactly. You have to let me know when the Irish dates are happening. I will be straight there.

Mark Daly (00:17:09) - Nice. So let me class I love it.

Brian (00:17:11) - Yeah definitely definitely know the last couple ones. There are a couple of random odd questions but I'm intrigued to see your answers. The first one what are you currently obsessed with.

Mark Daly (00:17:22) - Musically or just in general.

Brian (00:17:24) - In general?

Mark Daly (00:17:25) - Um, it's got to be music. Just constantly listening to new band and. Yeah, and my obsession off tour is going to take my son fishing and going for walks with the my kids, my daughter and my wife and stuff. So a nice balance between the two.

Brian (00:17:43) - Exactly. I like us, I like us the next one. If you could see any performer from history in concert for one night only, who would it be?

Mark Daly (00:17:51) - Pink Pink Floyd.

Brian (00:17:53) - Are nice.

Mark Daly (00:17:54) - Today's answer the first band that comes in, but I would love to see them in their prime at a show and just be jaw on the floor.

Brian (00:18:01) - Yeah, be on real. On real. Yeah. If you could collaborate with any musician from history, who would it be and what sort of song would you write?

Mark Daly (00:18:11) - Weirdly enough, my like one of my favorite artists in the world bands in the world is Blue October from Texas in the US, and I did a songwriting retreat with them, uh, in August or September last year and ended up kind of hitting it off with them. And, uh, the end result is that we're going to be collaborating on a song this year. Oh, it's actually making a dream come true, because that would have been my answer last year. And then this year we're actually collaborating, which is crazy.

Brian (00:18:41) - Just goes to show our dreams can come true.

Mark Daly (00:18:42) - So absolutely, it's been it's been kind of like that for the last year or two. Everything's that's happened. Even shooting the videos today just feels like so much positive things are happening. And and it's good to stop and realize it because, you know, it goes so fast that you're just, like, going through the motions.

Mark Daly (00:19:00) - But even today, now, it just took a second when we're shooting the video to be very grateful that we're here and making it happen.

Brian (00:19:08) - Definitely, definitely. And the final one. So what's your goal to album?

Mark Daly (00:19:14) - Go to hell. I see I obsess over records and then move on from it. You know, I like I listen to every time I get into the car, but on a particular record, and then after a while I move on to another one. But, uh, back to Pink Floyd, I think over since I started playing music, Dark Side of the moon record, it's just like. We're driving back from a late night gig, and you put that on the car. It's like, amazing. Yeah.

Brian (00:19:39) - Definitely couldn't agree more. Mark, listen, it has been an absolute blast. Best of luck with the rest of the tour.

Mark Daly (00:19:45) - Thank you very much. I really appreciate you having me on and looking forward to meeting you in Ireland.