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STEPHEN YOUNG & THE UNION
Instead of spending his final year of college studying. Stephen Young spent endless hours sitting in his friend's bedsit going through his friend's 'borrowed' albums - either albums his friend had 'borrowed' from his father or other college parties they had been to over the last two years.
So instead, his final year of education consisted of discovering Bob Dylan, The Band, Led Zepellin and Wilco among others.
It was an awakening, and Young began recording and writing his own music.
Up until then he had only played and sung covers with various school and college bands.
Three years later he released his first CD, an EP titled A Boat Called Lottery. The title track went to Number 2 in the Irish Indie Download charts.
At the same time, Young formed The Union, a massively talented troupe of musicians. And he began work on his debut album.
Work eventually finished on the project a year later and the album was titled Wilderness Machine.
In the meantime, Young and The Union kept busy with a succession of gigs in Dublin's top venues. Along with those, Young also kept up regular appearances at some of Dublin's top singer/songwriter nights.
Here are some press quotes.....
David Lyons, Editor, Heinekenmusic.ie - Sept '09
There is no doubting this band have a bright future and they have now become this website's first ever five-star rating for a gig review. Not bad considering we've been to see plenty of shows at Whelans since we took off three months ago. Young has a rare voice and his energy on stage ensures our belief that he's going to be a big success.
Derek Foley, The Irish Daily Star - March '09.
Stephen Young wants to whisper it; others want him to make himself hoarse shouting. Here is an artist who uses words such as whore, lover, ghosts, lottery, love, trigger, smiles, democracy, guns, taxes and rock'n'roll in a blue, blue way. At the top end, listen to Young's scathing and soaring A Boat Called Lottery, a visionary ricochet at the times we've - suddenly - found ourselves in. If this is all too esoteric then take a Steve Earle whispering Jim Morrison lyrics with an astonishing Celtic lilt.
Shilpa Ganatra, Hotpress - February '09.
Folk-Blues isn't the most often melded of genres but it's beautifully done by Dublin talent Stephen Young. The debut EP, A Boat Called Lottery is out today, and it's the fruits of months spent gigging in illustrious Dublin venues with his backing band The Union. It's set to put him on the musical map in Ireland, where his high-quality work is ideal for top-class intimate venues.