ENOLA GAY
STYLE: Noise Rock/Rap/Shoegaze/punk
PERFECT FOR: People who actually like music that speaks for itself and not the mediated image around artists. We’re for fellow cynical anxious messes who have bursts of anger at the world but can also take the piss out of their own misery.
WHO: Joe McVeigh, Fionn Reilly, Adam Cooper, Barry Forsythe
WHERE FROM: Belfast, the North of Ireland
STARTED PERFORMING: November 2019
STORY:
Forming in 2019 from guitarist Joe McVeigh and singer Fionn Reilly, Enola was conceived through desperation in a need for Catharism but also partly in inspiration of the new wave or post-punk acts emerging, especially from the south of Ireland with the likes of Just Mustard and Girl Band. They wondered why not many had travelled far from the realm of power chords in the North while utilising their own accent. Enola wanted to conjure all of their tastes together to offer a caustic chimera of sounds, with noise-punk being the main vehicle. With venomous hip-hop-inspired vocals that are as uncompromising as the guitars are unforgiving, layered on a rhythm section that draws as much from left-field electronica and techno as it does from post-punk heroes of the late 70s. Enola’s unique sound has drawn widespread acclaim, culminating with them being chosen to perform at Ireland Music Week, Eurosonic, and SXSW for their 6th, 7th, and 8th performances ever. Enola wasted no time in establishing themselves as one of the next unique punk voices with their confrontational tracks, having lined up festival headlining slots post-pandemic. 4 singles dropping this year, recorded with Chris W Ryan (SORBET) who also recorded Just Mustard‘s NME acclaimed album Wednesday and NewDad‘s Waves EP before embarking on a 2021 Winter Irish Tour in and a Spring Tour across the UK in 2022, following up their sold out London debut in the 100Club.
DESCRIBED YOUR BAND IN ONE SENTENCE:
Fionn: Tinnitus inducing amateur songwriters that are skint professional rip-off merchants.
Joe: Conflicted yet uncompromising, on an emotional and visceral level.
Adam: A group of mates who enjoy making dissonance music.
Barry: Ear tearing guitar and bass with aggressive hard-hitting drums, along with a unique vocal that blends into the mix like another instrument like nobody else.
INFLUENCES?
We lift from an array of influences from underground hip-hop, left-field electronica/techno, post-punk, noise rock and even Irish folk tunes. See: MF Doom, Girl Band, Joy Division, Aphex Twin and Damien Dempsey.
DESCRIBED AS AN ANIMAL?
Fionn: Otter
Joe: Worker-bee
Adam: Jellyfish
Barry: Palm cockatoo
ANECDOTES BEHIND THE SONGS?:
‘Sofa Surfing’ was the first tune we ever wrote. Before Fionn realised he could sing, he was originally the bassist and once we heard that bassline over the washed-out guitar, we knew we had a sound after weeks of making just noise that wasn’t orchestrated well. It was a release of where our heads were and what aspects of ourselves, we weren’t happy with.
YOU ARE SENT TO MARS, NO CHECK-IN BAGGAGE, AND YOU CAN TAKE ONE RECORD – WHICH ONE?
Joe: Tends to change but currently; ‘Wednesday’ by Just Mustard
Fionn: ‘Colour Green’ by Sibylle Baier
Adam: ‘Siamese Dream’ by The Smashing Pumpkins.
YOUR FAVOURITE MUSIC VENUE IN THE U.K.?
All of us: The 100Club on Oxford Street
WE ARE PROUDLY SUBCULTURE-INSPIRED. HOW ABOUT YOU?
Rave culture, it’s more punk than punk and neglects elitism and gatekeeping. Just happy vibes.
