Rock, Pop and Whatever You Will
Naturally, Ireland's rock scene has always borne close similarities to Britain's. Physical proximity, the permeation of British mass-media, especially radio and the influential rock press, and British stars' use of Dublin as a tax haven have all facilitated a musical currency between the two. What happens in London, Liverpool or Manchester tends to be mirrored in Belfast and Dublin and, occasionally, vice versa. However, there are two significant exceptions. First, apart from mavericks like Richard Thompson, British rock and pop bear little indication of any traditional folk origins, whereas Irish rock culture is steeped in it - a hardly surprising conclusion considering the number of Irish musicians who learn a traditional instrument and its associated tunes at an early age. Secondly, the overwhelmingly mono-cultural nature of Irish society means that important components of the British scene - reggae, ragga, bhangra, black dance and soul music in its many variations - are rarely experienced first-hand or develop from cultural traditions. Two Tone, for instance, could never have happened in Dublin, just as a host of Clannad clones is never likely to appear in Coventry. Nevertheless, the country's rock heritage is a rich one and, for every dozen bands trying to be the new Radiohead, there's always something happening in the pubs and clubs of Dublin, Belfast and Derry
Your Tip for Ireland
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