BELL X1

Irish rockers and CMU favourites Bell X1 formed in 1999 out of the ashes of Juniper, which had included now internationally acclaimed solo artist Damien Rice. With a new line up and a new name, the band set about plotting their world domination. Having conquered their native Ireland, the band have seen a wealth of popularity across the UK and Europe, plus the big ol USA, where they have had tracks used on shows such as 'The OC' and 'Grey's Anatomy'. Having gone from a foursome to a threesome in late 2008 after the departure of guitarist Brian Crosby, the band have knuckled down to produce their fourth album 'Blue Lights On The Runway' out today. Here, Paul Noonan has answered our Same Six Questions.

Q1 How did you start out making music?
Playing drums on the lockers at school. Now that I think of it, it was like some 80s brat pack movie... kid from the wrong side of the tracks had to make do with what he had. Overcoming initial trauma and conflict, he gets a band together, triumphs, and also gets the girl.

Q2 What inspired your latest album?
Wanting to change it up and use toys and noises from boxes we hadn't used before. We found a big country house in the middle of Ireland, and though cold and draughty in November we started recording, we lit fires and made Mammy Dinners and music. It's our first record to own outright, and I suppose we wanted to step up and stride forth with confidence

Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
I would sometimes bring songs to the band in various states of undress, and we work on dressing them together. Other times we work up a piece of music and crowbar a song into it. With this record I made initial recordings on my own, and then we worked on the songs with guitars and piano till we felt there was a backbone there, and then added the bleeps and blops

Q4 Which artists influence your work?
I have no older siblings so was introduced to music by a friend's older brother - he liked Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads, U2, Big Country... and they've all been influences I suppose, apart from Big Country. I've a lot of time for PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, and love some contemporary country music - Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss. The purity of the writing is humbling

Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
Come in, sit down, have a bun. We are Bell X1, hear our roar. Meeow. Now that wasn't so bad, was it?

Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
Well, that we may continue our merry way around the world saying hi to all the boys and girls. And that it might buy me my gold house. In the future, we will send our music wirelessly to a receiver in the brain. But there will be no substitute for the live gig experience. People will always want to gather in sweaty rooms and feel the noise. Which is all good.

More>> www.bellx1.com and www.myspace.com/bellx1