DAMIEN DEMPSEY

I’ve been listening to Damien Dempsey's music for several years. After Sinead O’Connor covered his song “It’s All Good”, I read several good reviews of his album Seize the Day, from which the aforementioned song originated. I hunted down a copy (not easy, here in the States), and have been a fan ever since.

I have heard tale that he was a boxer prior to his music career taking off. I don’t know if that is entirely true, but he certainly has that look to him. Which makes it a little odd when you hear a love song coming out of him.

His angrier stuff, however, is where he seems right at home.

Anyway, here’s a few things he didn’t put on the albums:

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Damien Dempsey - “Factories” (radio session) Recorded live in 1999. The studio version is on Seize the Day.
Damien Dempsey - “Anywhere You Go” B-side of “St. Patrick’s Day” single.
Damien Dempsey - “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” (The Darkness cover) Recorded live in studio for Today FM, and released on the Even Better Than the Real Thing compilation.
Damien Dempsey - “Colony” (radio session) Recorded for On The Verge in 2002. Original version is on They Don’t Teach This Shit In School, a re-recorded version is on Shots.
Sharon Shannon and Damien Dempsey - “Norwegian Wood” (The Beatles cover) From The Sharon Shannon Collection 1990-2005.
Damien Dempsey - “Marching Season Siege” (alternate version) Solo acoustic version of the track from Seize the Day, released through his official website.
Seanchai & The Unity Squad - “Mise Eire” Damien guests, along side Shane MacGowan and a few others. From the album Rebel Massive.

These are pretty much all the rarities I’ve hunted down by Damien. If anyone out there has others (I know there are many more), feel free to pass them along.

Damien Dempsey discography:

Dempsey, 1995 (EP)
They Don’t Teach This Shit In School, 2000 (buy)
Seize The Day, 2003 (buy)
Shots, 2004 (buy)
To Hell or Barbados, 2007 (buy)