Phony

..My name's Dean O'Loughlin. I write and perform songs under the name Phony, for reasons which may become obvious to you later. My debut 'gig' was to half a dozen housewives in a local launderette when I was six years old in 1971. Though my set comprised of 'Delilah' and 'Please Release Me' sung over and over again, I didn't care and I sang my little heart out. Grinning ladies stopped drying their linen and clapped and cheered and gave me pennies. On the way home my Mom made me share my money with my four sisters; a deal I had trouble working out at the time. In 1991 I signed my first deal when my band was picked up by One Little Indian records. We went down well in the States and I found myself in San Francisco for a while. I was still there a year later when I got the news that we had been dropped by the label, who promptly went on to sign Wendy James and half of late 80's boy band Bros. I had trouble working that deal out too. In 2001 I had a super-weird year when I appeared on the reality TV show Big Brother 2 and music-wise I was hammered. After emerging to a brand new tabloid-revved-up world I became convinced that no one wanted to hear my introspective acoustic ramblings. I entered a kind of self-imposed exile and stopped writing, singing and playing altogether. Then, in January 2005, four years after my guitar went into the loft I was invited to play at the excellent Cobden Club in London. As I sat on stage strumming away I realised what a fool I had been: The little launderette crooner had the right idea, no matter what anyone else thinks you've just got to get up there and sing your little heart out. So then, this is for him.And this is for me. This is Phony. [This profile was edited with the kind help of Thomas' myspace editor™ V2.5] Please visit my personal space @ www.myspace.com/phonydean x