Mark Gilligan
Mark Gilligan
Person from Netherlands
Genres: country, irish, Johnny Cash, Dubliners, urban voodoo machine
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About Mark Gilligan
Mark Gilligan is a true Dubliner. Born in Dun Laoire in 1965, he grew up is the South side area of Greenhills. His first performance was at 4yrs of age where he sung a rendition of Percy French's "Phil the Fluters Ball'. That same year his grandfather took a photo of Mark shaking hands with Eamon DeValera. In 1980 he was chased down the garden by Fr.Brian D'Arcy where he received a kick in the hole for calling the cloth "Fr.Trendy". That same year he was given a set of rosary beads by Cardinal O'Fiach for his sins. His only brush with the law came in 1982 where he got a black eye from a baton round during the riots in Dublin supporting the Hunger Strikers in Long Kesh. Quickly realising that the revolutionary road was not for him, he took up playing the clarinet under the guidance of fellow pacifist and Sax maestro Keith Donald. By the age of 19 he was jamming with another luminary - Noel Redding (r.i.p.) of Jimi Hendrix Experience. In the early 1990's he went to Amsterdam for a weekend and has been there ever since. Gilligan has a long established musical career behind him. He was front man for over 15yrs with the band Amadan and with Danny Guinan, The John O'Gods, Leo O'Kelly, The Mahones, Darren Byrne & recently with Americian band Linda Storey. His recording credits include: Amadan- Storing on the Line 1994 Danny Guinan - Red 1996 Food Zebras- live in Copenhagen 1996 Mark Gilligan- Bang the Drum 2002 Mark Gilligan/Paul Martin - Nollaig 2004 Leo O'Kelly - Proto - 2004 , The John O'Gods – On The Run 2007 & Linda Storey & Mark Gilligan - 2008. Gilligan still performs very regularly with the above. During the early 1990’s Europe was hit with an explosion of Irish Pubs. Gilligan immediately set up the music agency Poucha Promotions to cater for the constant demand for high quality Irish entertainment & Irish Artists. Some of his acts included Sonny Condell, Leo O’Kelly, Freddie White, Mick Hanley, Maire Breathnach, Anuna, Eleanor McEvoy, Mary Coughlan, An Emotional Fish, Mundy, Ronnie Drew R.I.P., Mike Hanrahan, Aslan, Something Happens and his personal favourites The Undertones. Gilligan’s achievements include The Big Irish Nite festivals at the prestigious Paradiso & Melkweg venues in Amsterdam, The Celtic Myst festivals with Mojo Concerts (Clear Channel Entertainment) and now in its 15th year The Deventer Irish Pub Festival. In 2002 he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. "One day after a gig, my arse felt numb, then the whole of my left hand side completely numbified" After a bit of poking around including the dreaded Spinal Tap, the results were final. M.S. has taken its toll including bouts of double vision, unbalanced walking, weakened left hand and lots of other niggley things. Obviously this has had a direct hit on his playing ability & his renowned stage dynamics. However with a lifestyle adjustment, he has learnt to re-approach his audience. “A few years back my mouth mussel disappeared for a while”, preventing me from blowing my beloved Clarinet. In typical "Gilligan" fashion he took up playing the guitar and discovered a passion for song writing. Luckily enough I regained use of my mouth & is back with a vengeance playing Clarence (his pet name for his Clarinet). In 2004 he set up a website musicians with MS and "came in contact with other musicians around the world in the same boat as himself. One of my greatest winning battles with the chronic disease was in 2007, a tour of China where we got lost on the great wall of China at minus 4 degrees, visibility to 2 meters & packed with snow & ice. I did take a break while climbing mostly on my hands & knees to play a tune to our band The John O'Gods. Through the internet he came in contact with the American Musician Linda Storey. Linda is also a MS sufferer and is the organiser of the annual “Rockin’for MS”. She invited The John of Gods to headline the 2008 festival in May in Colorado in the USA. The country record grammy award winning producer John Macy recorded both bands at his studio and produced my song “The Lodger inside of me” & Linda's "Make Some Noise". Quite exciting time as this may well be a worlds first where musicians with MS recorded together. Currently, Gilligan is due to release his first self-penned album "It's All Noel's Fault". Together with guitar maestro Mick Hup on guitar, bass & production, this collection of brand new songs is due for release in 2011. The album also features Theo Thumper on Drums and Jessica Storey. 2010 has been a rollercoaster of a year for Gilligan after teamiing up with Canadian punk band The Mahones on their European tour alongside Dropkick Murphys, Sick of it All. He was invited as a special guest with England's Punksters The Roughneck Riot at the 2010 Strummercamp.
Taken from Last.fm
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