Night and Fog is a Dublin band consisting of singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Simon Brennan and a rotating line up of collaborators drawn from the Dublin music scene. The project started in late 2006 and is the culmination of a year’s work. All songs were written as Simon worked as a volunteer in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. A “Prince†like approach to the work was undertaken, as all artwork, writing, playing, recording and producing duties were for the most part performed by Simon Brennan. The E.P. title is borrowed from William S. Burrough’s Naked Lunch. It’s as much about the frailty of love as it is concerned with the mystery of individual existence. On one occasion a fan said “it's very emotive but weirdly so...like an 80's child looking at a black and white photo and feeling strangely nostalgicâ€Simon Brennan began his journey into music at the age of ten when he took up traditional instruments such as the bagpipes and flute. At the age of thirteen he was playing concerts to large audiences at Earl’s Court, London with a selection of other prominent Irish traditional musicians. Disillusioned with the scene at the age of sixteen, he became more influenced by popular music particularly punk rock. After teaching himself guitar he began to play in bands such as Project Mayhem and The Last Rites, who drawing on the glamour and ethos of bands like The Clash and The Velvet Underground were known for their controversial/experimental gigs..With a burgeoning interest in music and life gathering momentum, his collection of musical equipment also broadened and honing his skills as a musician this allowed him to create a vast array of sounds from light lifting strings to heavy driving organs. In turn this lent itself to the making of more ambitious music under the moniker Manana. Inspired by the melodies of such artists as Low and Yann Tiersen coupled with the poetic sincerity of lyricists Conor Oberst, Elliott Smith and Leonard Cohen, his songs evolved into layered synth arrangements in the vein of Mercury Rev and Philip Glass. Always a keen admirer of the production skills of Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Dave Fridmann, he has with his own recordings sought to traverse some of their trademark textured and layered soundscapes.Simon is the other half of Drunken Boat and one third of Gliding Gun. Drunken Boat released their first E.P. in November 2007 to much critical acclaim ( “Really lovely stuffâ€-Road Records November 2007).
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