Mick Joyce

HISTORY / BLURB – Before I decided to go it alone I sang and played in quirky rock bands such as All Eyes and Ears during the mid to late 90’s and I look back on this time as a worthwhile apprenticeship in trying to find my own creative voice. Well what did we get up to ? Besides playing live at various venues such as Whelan’s .. we released an album called Shell produced by Ed Manning through a company called Dabble Music which got some radio airplay & media approval such as “Joyce’s pleasing high tenor and deft piano playing .. very strong in the songwriting department” in Hotpress or “the adventurous A.E.A.E are not to be missed” wrote Eamonn Carr in the Evening Herald .. and two years on the trot we got to the finals of Hotpress Unplugged Competition .. but one of the nicest moments was getting a hand written letter from the great jazz/rock drummer Bill Bruford ( Yes etc) saying how much he enjoyed listening to our demo .. Finally when the band shut up shop so to speak I sharpened up the songwriting tools of the trade my piano and guitar to go it alone in 2000. Officially classified from this moment on as a IMCIU – an Independent Mobile Creative Intelligence Unit. A web site www.joycemusic.com was set up. Independently released since Feb 2001 includes the album simply called “Joyce”produced by Aran O’Malley which has a few notable guests such a harmonica genius Mick Kinsella .. in 2002 “Mono – Songs for Voice and Piano” produced by Darby Carroll .. in 2003 “The Love EP” produced by Ed Manning .. in 2004 a DVD which features visual images to support the songs created and directed by Kevin Joyce .. in 2005 “Mono 2 Songs for Voice and Guitars of Various Persuasions” produced by Colin Sullivan who also has had production duties with the great Rodrigo y Gabriela .. Mono 2 was chosen by Jackie Hayden of Hotpress as their “Pick of the Fortnight” and he had some nice things to say such as “ emerging artist who sidesteps singer songwriter cliché .. Kamikazi Moon offers Spanish and middle eastern inflection that gives it real charm” …. 2007 – Recording of new album Mono 3 to begin in ernest and this will continue in Ismir Turkey with local musicians and gigs are planned also for Ismir and Istanbul as part of the wider project of cross cultural interconnectivity with our eastern brothers/sisters which is called Flesh and Blood.So to give you some reference points … I like artists such as Kate Bush.. Tori Amos .. Tom Waits .. Steve Reich .. Led Zep .. Roy/Nick Harper .. Kardes Turkuler .. Zappa .. Bowie .. Robert Fripp .. Arcade Fire .. XTC .. Stereolab .. Joni Mitchell .. Bela Fleck .. I like Jazz in it’s many shapes/forms .. I like songs that move me emotionally and make me think about the world and my place in it .. I like to have elements in a live show where there is a freedom within the parameters of the song form for the band/musicians involved to improvise and make it really happen .. I like to connect/entertain .. I like to surprise.. I like performing .. I like music .. love is music .. music is the best .. Come along listen then decide !