Daily Mirror

We’ll Divide and conquer

Irish folk band reveal how they came to play on Ed Sheeran’s latest mega album

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When Ed Sheeran contacted Irish folk group Beoga last summer, it was the start of an adventure that would see them co-write and perform on Sheeran’s chart-topper Galway Girl.

Sheeran – who has a grandmothe­r in Wexford – was keen to get the sound of his Irish roots on his Divide album.

Eamon Murray – four-time Ireland bodhran playing champion and Beoga founder member – received an email from Ed after mutual friend, Northern Irish musician Foy Vance, introduced the star to the group’s music.

“We arranged to come over to Suffolk last summer to play some stuff for his new album,” says Eamon.

“We didn’t know at that stage what would come of it and we were all just sussing it all out. We flew in early in the morning, got set up and Ed joined us along with Foy Vance, Amy Wadge and Johnny McDaid.

“We just hung out and started playing a few ideas. It was really easy going, just musicians sitting around and trying to click into a good rhythm for recording.”

Ed and the group soon recreated the freewheeli­ng mood that was required.

“The atmosphere was great, really easy going and a good vibe for recording,” Eamon recalls.

“There was a big gang of us hanging out and the weather was lovely so we just sat outside and played some music and then went in and recorded a few bits. It was really organic.”

Having familiaris­ed himself with Beoga’s material before recording, Ed had clear ideas how their music could be used.

“He knew of our piece Minute 5, so at one stage we were playing around with the Galway Girl idea and Ed was like ‘Would Minute 5 work in there?’

“That was the start of it. We tracked the melody and chord idea in two takes and Ed did the vocals that night in his studio.”

Next week, Beoga play Glastonbur­y and Murray is tightlippe­d about whether or not their famous pal will turn up to guest.

But the success of last summer’s collaborat­ion still shines bright.

“We made a lot of music and weren’t sure what would make the cut. Ed’s a really productive writer and we were delighted to have been involved in Divide.” The success of the exclusive Record Store Day limited edition of this Bowie bootleg fave – possibly his greatest live album – has lead to its general release. A stirring reminder of how great he remained for so long in the 70s, the show captures Bowie en route to his Thin White Duke persona. The future funk of Diamond Dogs and the still reverberat­ing apocalypti­c visions of Ziggy and Hunky Dory are assimilate­d by a swaggering, imperious band, glorious vocal chorus and a stunning blend of poise and pose from the master. Their long-delayed second album is the sound of a one-trick pony outfit with severe idea fatigue. Brighton duo Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher’s 2013 debut saw them hailed as a UK White Stripes. But the songs here are cliched, their overworked sound dynamicall­y predictabl­e and servicing corny boogie/ freak out collages like Where Are You Now? Where indeed? By the time you get to Don’t Tell it sounds like some place The Darkness would have left on the cutting room floor. Lights out.

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