Interview with O'Shannahan from Innocent Rosie 30.jan.08
O'Shannahan and me Innocent Rosie
Calle: You were formed in 2005. How did you guys meet?
O’Shannahan: Skid and Ben knew each other from when they were kids. They met in their hometown out partying n stuff. Skid asked Ben if he wanted to start a band and after that Dave came in on bass and I got a phone call about a month after that. Since then we’ve been Innocent Rosie
Calle: How did you come up with the name – Innocent Rosie (cool name by the way)?
O’Shannahan: The name’s been around for a while, Skid came up with it and knew he wanted to have a band called “Innocent Rosie” way before we started. The name doesn’t really have a certain meaning. But it kind of describes that life just aren’t as pretty as it seems all the time, so I guess Rosie’s not that innocent after all.
Calle: What got you into music in the first place?
O’Shannahan: We didn’t really have that much experience of being in a band before we started. We have all always loved all kinds music and just knew what we wanted. To stand on a stage and get adrenalin rushes from hearing and seeing people rock the fuck out to what we have created together, Rock n roll.
Calle: What are your biggest influences?
O’Shannahan: It’s a lot of different influences, we all got our heroes and favorite bands n I think that’s important in the music writing. All the influences we have can be anything from The Who to Skid Row, they just collide and forms the sounds of Innocent Rosie, which I think is unique if u look at the sleaze rock scene today.
Calle: What’s the best concert you have been to?
O’Shannahan: The first thing I think of is all the arena rock bands I’ve seen like Metallica, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden and so on. They are all really good but their golden years are over. I remember havin a hell of a time when I went to see Turbonegro in Sweden 2002.
Calle: What’s the best concert you have played yourself? And the smallest and biggest crowds you have played in front of?
O’Shannahan: We haven’t been a band for more than 2 years so it’s hard to say when were getting better and better every gig. The last tour in Italy was really good. The biggest crowd is a couple of hundred and the smallest is probably around 5 people ha ha! But it doesn’t matter because even if its only 5 boys and girls standing in front of the stage, they have still played for their ticket right?! It’s still our job to go out and give them something to tell their friends. 110% every time, that’s how we do it.
Calle: You have played with bands such as Red Star Rebels, Vains Of Jenna and Hardcore Superstar. Are there one or two bands you would really like to open for?
O’Shannahan: Actually we’re opening for Hardcore Superstar next month, which we all look forward to really much. And we will always be related to Vains because were from the same little butt hole in Sweden. Yeah Hardcore Superstar, Vains Of Jenna and Innocent Rosie would be a cool line up. But off course we want to open for the big ones on arenas and play festivals all over, we’ll see what happens after the debut album.
Calle: You are about to record your debut album. How is that coming about?
O’Shannahan: Were entering the studio next month, and were all really fucking psyched about the whole thing. Its going to be fun, but with a lot of hard work to it.
Calle: How do you write the songs? Does each of you come up with ideas or do you all write together?
O’Shannahan: We all work on ideas on the side and then take it to the rehearsals. Some songs take off and get done in just an hour. But we work hard with them; we really want to and will release the best Rock n’ Roll record in 2008. If people wont like it, at least the five of us will be proud because the songs we got for this album is related to all of us both in music and lyrics.
Calle: Where do you find the inspiration for the songs?
O’Shannahan: It all comes from the up and down rollercoaster called life. Which includes a lot of things like love, sex, depression, luck, happiness or anything.
Calle: You played in the US this summer. How was your experience of the US? What did you think of the country? And what about the fans?
O’Shannahan: I’ve been in US once before, and I think its awesome but its really different depending on where you going. But L.A. is like a fucking paradise. It’s got everything you ever asked for and everything you don’t want to know. But we all fell in love with it and had the best time with the band so far.
Innocent Rosie at Cruefest in L.A.
Calle: You also played Cruefest at the Whiskey A Go Go. It must have been a dream come true! I mean, Mötley Crüe, Guns’n’Roses and a lot of the 80’s bands played there. How was it for you?
O’Shannahan: Like you said, a dream coming true. All the bands you can ever imagine had their foot on the same stage as us on a corner music club located on sunset strip. We played our show quite early but we didn’t expect that many people to show up. The show went great and everything around it to. How everyone treated us. Paid for this and that, took us to clubs and bars met awesome folks everywhere. We are all really grateful for that.
Calle: Do you have any planes of touring in the near future? And is Denmark on the schedule?
O’Shannahan: Denmark is always on the schedule, all the focus is on the album right now so the tour is on ice at the moment. But I can assure u that we will tour as much as we can, because it’s the best thing we know.
Pictures from when Innocent Rosie played in Denmark
at The Rock in Copenhagen. 23-11-2007
O'Shannahan
Ben Banks (bass) Band Skid (guitar)
Calle: What do you do on the tour bus? And do you have any tour bus rules?
O’Shannahan: Yeah, we have one rule. No rules! Sometimes you have to appreciate if someone’s sleeping but apart from that it’s partying, laughing, farting and having a good time!
Calle: What’s the best advice you can give to other up-coming bands?
O’Shannahan: Be yourself and do what you want to do, action speaks louder that words so don’t sit on your lazy asses. Go out and get it while you can.
And now some questions outside music:
Calle: What was the first cd you ever purchased?
O’Shannahan: A Swedish soccer song collection called “When we dig gold in USA”
Calle: What do you do when not playing music? What’s your other interest?
O’Shannahan: Skateboarding, playing other kinds of music, partying, spend money on stuff I don’t need like another drink.
Calle: What’s your favorite drink?
O’Shannahan: Oh ha ha, “eeerrrgghmm” I would say just rum n’ come or gin n’ juice, on the rocks.
Calle: Do any of you have another education? I mean, what did you do before Innocent Rosie?
O’Shannahan: Just went to school studied design
Calle: Do any of you support a football team? If yes, which one?
O’Shannahan: Copenhagen for fuck sake!
Calle: Any last words for the fans?
O’Shannahan: Thanks to everyone who ever showed up at our gigs, I hope u keep coming and bring your friends as well. Cant wait for all of you to hear the album, so stay tuned because were about to rock the cunt off ya mother.
PEACE and LOVE