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"Being in Moving Hearts, certainly in the first two years of its existence, was like being dragged along the street by a speeding bus," says Donal Lunny, "with my background in traditional music, it felt like everything had moved up a few gears when the rhythm section came into the band. We came dangerously close to becoming a fully-fledged Rock band, but Davy and Keith battling on Uileann pipes and soprano saxophone kept the goal posts on the move."
Moving Hearts began playing together in Dublin's Baggot Inn, in February 1981. People will remember the vocals and songs Christy Moore, Donal Lunny on bouzouki and synthesiser, Declan Sinnott on electric guitar, Eoghan O'Neill on bass, Brian Calnan on drums and percussion, Davy Spillane on pipes and low whistle and Keith Donald on various saxophones. The band attracted huge attention for its blending of musical influences - folk, Irish traditional, rock, funk and jazz - as well as its commentary in the songs sung by Christy Moore on issues of concern in the areas of human rights and political skullduggery. Various personnel changes and additions came over the next few years but through out all this their unique sound and their seamless blending of old and new remained constant.
Touring a band of it’s size during the 80’s music scene took its toll - the music didn’t fail them but the industry did and Moving Hearts ceased touring in the Spring of 1984.
However with a catalogue of unrecorded instrumentals they regrouped in December 1984 and recorded ‘The Storm’. This proved to be a genre defining album - some citing it as one of the most influential albums ever.
“If you could copyright a musical idea, this would probably be the greatest publishing album of all time†Chris Rea.
The Hearts didn’t perform or record for most of two decades and watched as the world caught up with their music. All the individual core members went on to have successful careers in the industry working with the likes of Coolfin, Chris Rea, Riverdance, Brian Adams, U2, Van Morrison, Elmer Bernstein, Elvis Costello, The Chieftains, The Corrs, Clannad & Paul Brady.
Their reforming in Dublin's Vicar Street for 4 successive nights in February 2007 was ‘unfinished business’.
Their new album and DVD "Live in Dublin "is the result of one of those nights.