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Bap Kennedy

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Bap Kennedy
Background information
Birth nameMartin Christopher Kennedy
Born(1962-06-17)17 June 1962
Belfast,Northern Ireland
Died1 November 2016(2016-11-01)(aged 54)
Belfast,Northern Ireland
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Years active1978–2016
Labels
Formerly of
WebsiteBap Kennedy official website

Martin Christopher Kennedy(17 June 1962 – 1 November 2016), known asBap Kennedy,was a singer-songwriter fromBelfast,Northern Ireland.[1]He was noted for his collaborations withSteve Earle,Van Morrison,Shane MacGowan[1]andMark Knopfler,[2]as well as for writing the song "Moonlight Kiss" which was on the soundtrack for the filmSerendipity.[3]

Kennedy was in the rock bandEnergy Orchard[4]for many years and also recorded a number of well-received solo albums includingDomestic Blues,The Big Picture,The Sailor's Revenge,Let's Start AgainandReckless Heart.[4]During his solo career, Kennedy performed, wrote and recorded songs with artists such asSteve Earle(onDomestic Blues),Van Morrison(onThe Big Picture) andMark Knopfler(onThe Sailor's Revenge).[1]Following the releases ofThe Big PictureandThe Sailor's Revenge,he toured the US and Europe withMark KnopflerofDire Straits,[4]who also produced Kennedy's 2012 albumThe Sailor's Revenge.[1]

Musical career

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Early musical career and 10 Past 7 (1978–87)

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Kennedy's first band was the punk band Sellout formed in 1978 at age 16. The band was formed to support rock group Uncle Waldo, playing in a localBelfastclub.[5]

In 1980 after having played in several other local bands, Kennedy formed the band 10 past 7,[6]with whom he received his first national recognition when they appeared onChannel 4music showThe Tubein 1983.[7]The band was managed by Mark Kelly,MBE.[4]10 Past 7 were signed to theGood Vibrationsrecord label byTerri Hooley[8]– who had discoveredThe Undertonesseveral years earlier[9]– and they released two singles[7]before disbanding when Bap left Belfast for London to pursue a recording contract.[4]

Energy Orchard (1987–96)

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Main article:Energy Orchard

In 1987, after moving to London, Kennedy formed the bandEnergy Orchard,for whom he was the rhythm guitarist, lead singer and primary songwriter.[4]Although the band was based in London, all of its members had originally come from Belfast like Kennedy.[10]MCA Recordsgave the band a major record deal in 1988 and they would go on to release two albums with the label, before signing withTransatlanticfor a further two studio albums as well as the live albumOrchardville.[5]

Energy Orchard went on to establish themselves as regulars on the live scene in London, including a performance at the first LondonFleadhin 1990.[11]The band also toured extensively throughout the UK, Europe and America, including several support slots withVan Morrison,Steve EarleandJimmy Barnes.[4]Energy Orchard disbanded in 1996 with a farewell London gig onSt Patrick's Daywhich would be recorded for the live albumOrchardville.[12]

Solo career

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Domestic Bluesand Steve Earle (1998–2000)

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Main article:Domestic Blues

After Energy Orchard split up, Kennedy received a phone call fromSteve Earle,who offered to produce Kennedy's first solo record.[13]Shortly afterwards, Kennedy joined him inNashville, Tennessee,and recorded his first solo album.[1]

Domestic Blues,which was released in 1998, was produced by the "Twang Trust" of Earle andRay Kennedy,[14]and Earle played guitar and sang backing vocals on the record.[4]The album also featuresslide guitarplayerJerry Douglas,guitaristPeter Rowanand singerNanci Griffithamongst its session musicians.[13]

All the songs onDomestic Blueswere written by Kennedy exceptAngel is the Devilwhich was written by Earle.[4]Earle was later to describe Kennedy as "the best songwriter I ever saw".[4]The album was released on Earle's record labelE-Squaredand received generally favorable reviews.[1][14][15]It was also a commercial success, charting at number eight on theBillboard200.[4]

Several songs from the album were used for movie soundtracks, includingVampireappearing in the soundtrack for theOscarnominated[16]filmYou Can Count on Me,[1]which also won the Grand Jury Prize at theSundance Film Festival.[16]Three other songs fromDomestic Blueswere also used in the filmSouthie.[4]

In 2012, the album's title track was used as the theme song forBBC Radio 4comedyHappy Tuesdays.[17]After the release ofDomestic Blues,Kennedy toured with Steve Earle[4]alongside other artists on the E-Squared label, includingCheri KnightandThe V-Roys.[18]

While he was in Nashville, Kennedy developed a keen interest in the music ofHank Williams,whom Kennedy described as his "favourite song writer"[3]and a major influence. After he had finished recordingDomestic Blues,Kennedy recorded an album of Hank Williams covers entitledHillbilly Shakespeare,[1]which featuredpedal steel guitarplaying fromB.J. Cole.[19]The album had a very limited release as the first record on Kennedy's own label, Lonely Street Discs.[1][4]

Lonely Street,SerendipityandMoonlight Kiss(2000–05)

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After returning to the UK, Kennedy briefly managed anElvis impersonatornamed The King, and was the producer for The King's albumGravelands– a collection of songs by other deceased artists performed in the style ofElvis Presley.[5]The record became a firm favourite ofJohn Peeland theRed Hot Chili Peppers.Kennedy's continued interest in the music ofHank WilliamsandElvis Presleyled to him writingLonely Street,aconcept albumbased on the lives of his two musical heroes.[1]

The album, which was released in 2000 on Kennedy's Lonely Street Discs label,[5]features bass guitar playing byHerbie Flowers,[4]who is noted for playing the famous bass line onLou Reed's hit songWalk on the Wild Side.[20]It received generally positive reviews.[21][22]Kennedy's ballad "Moonlight Kiss" from the album was later used in the soundtrack for hit Hollywood movieSerendipity(starringJohn CusackandKate Beckinsale).[4]

Following the release of Lonely Street, Kennedy spent several years touring,[23][24]including performances withShane MacGowanofThe PoguesandPete DohertyofThe Libertines,[23]and at the respectedHalf Moon, Putney,[24]which also regularly held theRolling Stones.[25]

The Big Picture,Van Morrison and Shane MacGowan (2005–09)

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Main article:The Big Picture (Bap Kennedy album)

The Pogues' lead singerShane MacGowanprovided guest vocals on Kennedy's next album,The Big Picture,with MacGowan providing lead vocals on the last verse of Kennedy's song "On the Mighty Ocean Alcohol".[26]

The lateCarolyn Cassady,another guest vocalist on the album,[13]was the basis of the character Camille inJack Kerouac's bookOn the Road.[27]At the end of Kennedy's song Moriarty's Blues, Cassady gave a reading from her own bookOff the Road.[4]"Moriarty's Blues" is a ballad about theOn the Roadcharacter Dean Moriarty,[4]which was based on Cassady's husbandNeal.[28]

The Big Picture was also a return to working withVan Morrison,[1]who had supported Kennedy since hisEnergy Orcharddays.[4]The album was recorded at Morrison's studio and featured the song Milky Way which was co-written by Morrison and Kennedy.[26]The musicians appearing on the album includepedal steelguitaristB.J. Coleand guitarist James Walbourne,[29]who is a member of rock groupThe Pretenders.[4]The album was released in 2005 to generally positive reviews.[13][30]

After the release of the album, Kennedy was approached by formerDire StraitsfrontmanMark Knopfler,who asked Kennedy to play as Knopfler's support artist.[1]This led to Kennedy working as the support artist and special guest for Knopfler's tours of the US and Europe, including a five night stint at London'sRoyal Albert Hall.[26]

Howl Onand Glastonbury(2009–2012)

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Main article:Howl On

Kennedy's 2009 albumHowl Onwas, likeLonely Street,aconcept albumbased upon a real life subject which Kennedy was interested in.Howl Onwas a look back at theSpace Raceof the late 1960s, with Kennedy examining the lives and backgrounds of the astronauts and scientists who worked on theApollo program.[26]

The only cover on the album,[31]Hey Joewas also chosen as a nod to this time period, as it had been the last song performed byJimi Hendrixat theWoodstock Festival.[32]

The song also features guest guitaristHenry McCullough,[26]who was, as a member ofJoe Cocker's band, the only Irishman to play at Woodstock.[33]McCullough also worked withPaul McCartneyandWings.[33]

Howl on received generally positive reviews.[34][35]The album was followed by a successful tour of the UK, Europe and America, including theSouth by South Westfestival[4]and a performance at the 2009Glastonbury Festival.[26]

The Sailor's Revengeand Mark Knopfler (2012–14)

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Main article:The Sailor's Revenge

Kennedy recorded a new album in early 2011, entitledThe Sailor's Revenge,produced by formerDire StraitsfrontmanMark Knopfler[1]at Knopfler'sBritish Grove Studiosin London.[36]The album was a close collaboration between Kennedy and Knopfler, with the two artists having worked together on the project for 2 years. As well as producing the record, Knopfler had been heavily involved in choosing which songs to record for the album,[4]and also played guitar on multiple songs and sang backing vocals for the song "Celtic Sea".[37]

The album features several members of Knopfler's touring band, such asGlenn Worf,Guy Fletcher,John McCusker,Michael McGoldrickandRichard Bennett.Also playing on the album were session musicianJerry Douglas,who had previously worked with Kennedy onDomestic Blues,and James Walbourne ofThe Pretenders,who had played on Kennedy's 2005 albumThe Big Picture.[4]

The Sailor's Revengewas released in 2012 onProper Recordsand received widespread critical acclaim internationally[38][39]including No 1 – Best of 2012 in influential American magazineNo Depression[40]where it was described as "truly a masterpiece from a man who is finally comfortable in his place in the world – The CelticBlood on the Tracks".[41]It was also listed byMojoin the Top 10Americanaalbums of 2012.[42]

The album was supported by tours of the US, UK and Europe with Mark Knopfler.[43][44]

Let's Start Again(2014–2016)

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After the Celtic melancholy ofThe Sailor's Revenge,Kennedy moved to an upbeat Americana style for the follow-upLet's Start Again.[8]The album, which Kennedy recorded in his nativeNorthern Ireland,[1]was produced by Mudd Wallace,[45]who produced several albums for Northern Irishalternative rockbandTherapy?.[46]Wallace was a long-time friend of Kennedy and had worked as producer for Kennedy's early band 10 Past 7.[8]Let's Start Again uses local Northern Irish session musicians, and features several musicians from Kennedy's live band, including his wife Brenda Kennedy, who plays bass guitar and sings backing vocals on the album.[45]

The album had a full international release on CD andvinylformats byProper Records,[47]and has received widespread critical acclaim including a 5 star review fromNo Depression.[48][49]

Reckless Heart(2016)

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Kennedy's final album, Reckless Heart, was recorded in early 2016, only a few weeks before his diagnosis.[4]Like Let's Start Again, Reckless Heart was recorded in Northern Ireland and used several musicians from Kennedy's live band, including his wife Brenda.[50]

The album was released posthumously by Kennedy's label Lonely Street Discs, in conjunction with Last Chance Records in the US and by at the Helm in the UK and internationally.[4]It has received widespread critical acclaim.[51]

Personal life

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Martin Christopher Kennedy was born on 17 June 1962[1]to Lily and Jim Kennedy.[52][non-primary source needed]

He was the brother ofBrian Kennedy.The family grew up on theFalls Road, Belfast,in the 1970s,[4]where he got his nickname of Bap, as a childhood reference to the rolls (or "baps" ) of bread sold by local firm Kennedy's Bakery.[45]

Kennedy grew up in West Belfast at the height ofthe Troubles,[45]and his close friend and 10 Past 7 manager Mark Kelly,MBElost both legs in a no-warning bomb in Belfast in 1976.[53]

Kennedy leftNorthern Irelandin 1985[54]and worked as alaboureron building sites in London prior to becoming a professional musician.[55]While living in England, Kennedy became a qualified diamondgemmologist,accredited by theGemmological Association of Great Britain.[55]

In 2007, Kennedy moved back to his native Northern Ireland.[4]Shortly after returning, Kennedy hosted a songwriting workshop, where he met author and former lawyer Brenda Boyd, who was participating in the workshop. The two soon became a couple, and they were married in 2008.[26]Brenda, who has written several advice books for parents of children withautismandAsperger syndrome,[56]has since sung backing vocals on four of Kennedy's albums –Howl On,[31]The Sailor's Revenge,[37]Let's Start AgainandReckless Heart[4]– and was also a regular member of Kennedy's live band, as his bass guitarist and backing singer.[1]

Through his marriage to Brenda, Kennedy was also stepfather to Christine White and Kenneth Hall, who is also an author, having written about his experience as a child withAsperger syndromeinAsperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything.[4]As a result of his family's links withautismandAsperger's syndrome,Kennedy became co-patron (with his wife) of the charity Autism NI in 2010.[8]Kennedy later revealed on his blog that he too had been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, which he credited as being "the engine of [his] creativity".[57]Outside of music, Kennedy had a keen interest in theApollo space program,[35]which would be the inspiration for Kennedy's 2009 albumHowl On.[4]

Cancer battle

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In May 2016, Kennedy started a blog on his personal website, detailing his progress after a sudden cancer diagnosis.[57]He died on 1 November 2016 in Belfast in hospice care frompancreaticandbowel cancer.He had been receiving palliative care at Belfast's Marie Curie clinic.[58]

Discography

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Recorded with Energy Orchard

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Solo releases

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References

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  1. ^abcdefghijklmnop"Bap Kennedy biography".artistdirect.com.Retrieved26 January2009.
  2. ^"Mark Knopfler discography".markknopfler.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  3. ^ab"Bap Kennedy interview".newsletter.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  4. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacad"Biography: Bap Kennedy".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  5. ^abcd"The Big Picture".cdbaby.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  6. ^"Bap Kennedy – too long in exile".triste.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  7. ^ab"10 Past 7".irishrock.org.Retrieved3 March2013.
  8. ^abcd"Brian is more showbiz than me".The Belfast Telegraph.Retrieved3 March2013.
  9. ^"Story of Terri Hooley, Belfast's godfather of punk, to hit silver screen".The Belfast Telegraph.Retrieved3 March2013.
  10. ^"Energy Orchard".discogs.Retrieved3 March2013.
  11. ^"Fleadh 1990".last.fm.Retrieved3 March2013.
  12. ^"Bap Kennedy interview".nodepression.com. Archived fromthe originalon 3 July 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  13. ^abcd"Bap Kennedy: The Big Picture".loosemusic.com. Archived fromthe originalon 22 December 2008.Retrieved27 January2009.
  14. ^ab"Domestic Blues".AllMusic.Retrieved3 March2013.
  15. ^"About Domestic Blues".bapkennedy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 20 November 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  16. ^ab"You Can Count on Me – Awards".IMDb.Retrieved3 March2013.
  17. ^"BBC Radio 4 adopts Domestic Blues".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  18. ^"E-Squared records discography".earledisc.com. Archived fromthe originalon 3 November 2014.Retrieved3 March2013.
  19. ^Hillbilly Shakespeare(CD). Bap Kennedy. 1999. p. 4.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^"The 25 best basslines of all time (page 11 of 25)".MusicRadar.Retrieved8 July2016.
  21. ^"Lonely Street – Bap Kennedy".AllMusic.Retrieved3 March2013.
  22. ^"About Lonely Street".bapkennedy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 18 November 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  23. ^ab"Pete Doherty at Boogaloo".songkick.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  24. ^ab"Bap Kennedy at Half Moon, Putney".songkick.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  25. ^"The Half Moon".halfmoon.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  26. ^abcdefg"Bap Kennedy Goes to Glasto".famemagazine.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 29 June 2009.Retrieved5 June2009.
  27. ^"Carolyn Cassady: 'Camille' in Kerouac's novel 'On The Road'".The Independent.Retrieved3 March2013.
  28. ^"Neal Cassady: Drug-taker. Bigamist. Family man".The Guardian.18 January 2011.Retrieved3 March2013.
  29. ^The Big Picture(CD). Bap Kennedy. 2005. p. 2.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  30. ^"About The Big Picture".bapkennedy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 20 November 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  31. ^abHowl On(CD). Bap Kennedy. 2009. p. Inside album front cover.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ^"Jimi Hendrix setlist at woodstock".setlist.fm.Retrieved3 March2013.
  33. ^ab"Wings and Joe Cocker guitarist Henry McCullough suffered brain damage".ultimateclassicrock.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  34. ^"Bap Kennedy – Howl On".The Guardian.18 July 2009.Retrieved3 March2013.
  35. ^ab"About Howl On".bapkennedy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 20 November 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  36. ^"Bap Kennedy sessions".guyfletcher.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 15 December 2012.Retrieved3 March2013.
  37. ^abThe Sailor's Revenge(CD). Bap Kennedy. 2012. p. Inside album front cover.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ^"Bap Kennedy – The Sailor's Revenge".PopMatters.3 September 2012.Retrieved3 March2013.
  39. ^"Pittsburgh Daily News USA highly commends TSR".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  40. ^"About The Sailor's Revenge".bapkennedy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 20 November 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  41. ^"Bap Kennedy – The Sailor's Revenge (disc review)".nodepression.com. Archived fromthe originalon 9 March 2013.Retrieved3 March2013.
  42. ^"The Sailor's Revenge makes Mojo's Top 10 for 2012 Americana".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  43. ^"Bap & Mark Knopfler – Nimes, France".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  44. ^"Bap & Steve Earle – old friends reunited!".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  45. ^abcd"A Belfast Bap".theirishworld.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  46. ^"Mudd Wallace".discogs.Retrieved3 March2013.
  47. ^"Let's Start Again international release dates".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  48. ^"Reviews".bapkennedy.com. Archived fromthe originalon 21 March 2014.Retrieved3 March2013.
  49. ^"Bap Kennedy – Let's Start Again (album review)".nodepression.com. Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2014.Retrieved3 March2013.
  50. ^Bap Kennedy.Reckless Heart (liner notes).
  51. ^"Reckless Heart Review".Bap Kennedy.Archived fromthe originalon 13 February 2017.Retrieved12 February2017.
  52. ^"Bap Kennedy facebook post".facebook.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  53. ^"Unique research reveals the forgotten needs of those physically injured victims of the troubles and their families".surrey.ac.uk.Retrieved3 March2013.
  54. ^"Joe Giltrapp interviews Bap Kennedy".bapkennedy.com.Retrieved3 March2013.
  55. ^ab"My Cultural Life: Bap Kennedy".culturenorthernireland.org. Archived fromthe originalon 10 March 2008.Retrieved3 March2013.
  56. ^"We Make Sweet Music Together".The Belfast Telegraph.Retrieved3 March2013.
  57. ^ab"Bap's blog".Bap Kennedy.Retrieved12 February2017.
  58. ^Scott, Sarah (1 November 2016)."Tributes after West Belfast singer Bap Kennedy dies at 54".
  59. ^"Domestic Blues: Review".AllMusic.Retrieved27 February2009.
  60. ^"Hillbilly Shakespeare: Review".AllMusic.Retrieved27 February2009.
  61. ^"CD Shakedown; reviews for the week of 15 December 2000".psnw.com. Archived fromthe originalon 25 August 2005.Retrieved27 February2009.
  62. ^"Bap Kennedy a review of his album:The Big Picture".cluas.com.Retrieved27 February2009.
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