Stephen Joseph McArdle is a singer, songwriter, musician and occasional actor from Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.
He is just off the road with German rock giants Reamonn for a major tour of Germany and Switzerland.
He is also currently gearing up for the release of his new album, written and recorded in Nashville. It is NOT a country record. Akil Thompson says it is Futuristic Roots Music. Partial Reptile says it is Industrial Blues Hyper Trad. SJ is undecided, but contributors so far include Rodney Crowell, Bryan Sutton, Dan Dugmore and Richard Bennett.
In the past while he has travelled to Hollywood to perform at an Oscar party and had a song - "Till The Docklands Drown" - on the soundtrack of the RTE drama series "Love Is The Drug" in which he also made a brief appearance. Other acting credits include Today FM's PPI Award-winning and iTunes Chart-topping Eamon Lowe Show and various other radio and theatre productions with Calipo Theatre Co and Upstate Live.
Solo and with a band he has toured Ireland and played shows in Germany, including the legendary Bardentreffen festival in Nuremburg. SJ has also been in demand as a session musician, playing mandolin for Ricky Warwick as they opened shows for Bob Dylan (Odyssey, Belfast) and Sheryl Crow (Point, Dublin) as well as at Oxygen. He has also shared a stage or studio with Neil Hannon, Stewart Agnew, Joe Elliott and Ray Heffernan. In his own right, he has opened for Glenn Tilbrook, Steve Wickham, John Spillane, Reamonn and The Thrills.
From the press:
"SJ McArdle brings a welcome bit of grit into proceedings, singing with a voice of such world-weary authority that it's a crying shame he's having to battle it out on a small indie label" - Phil Udell, Hot Press
"SJ McArdle has carved out an enviable reputation as one of the finest musicians in the country. A unique and intriguing talent" - dublinsingersongwriters.com
"Highly intelligent and literate, yet admirably accessible ... damn good" - Jackie Hayden, Hot Press
"Warm, wry and sonorous" - Irish Times
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