47. Fiachra Trench - Part 2: Composer & Arranger

Episode 47 is the second part of a conversation with composer Fiachra Trench who has arranged music for The Corrs, Paul Brady, Kevin Rowland, Philip Lynott, Thin Lizzy, Elvis Costello, Hans Zimmer, Michael Kamen, Finbar Furey, Altan, Paul McCartney(!), Carmel McCreagh(!!) and many, many more.

Conversation includes Elvis Costello’s ‘Harpies Bizarre’; working with The Corrs and Mitchell Froom; working with Van Morrison on 11 albums doing about 60 tracks; working with Wet Wet Wet on about 15-20 tracks; working with Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains; Derek Bell; Long Journey Home; the science of arranging; working with Ian Levine; varispeed recording; working with Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy; working with Paul Brady; the pricing of jobs; the costs of hiring musicians vs. the diminishing budgets available; writing disco songs again with Ian Levine; Mary Wells; Hans Zimmer programming ‘High Energy’ for Fiachra on the Fairlight synth; Motown in the 1970s vs the 80’s; working with Ian Levine on ‘Northern Soul 2024’; Fiachra’s choice of software; working with Paul McCartney on ‘Wings at the Speed of Sound’; the urge to correct his own wikipedia entry; coaching Linda McCartney on the mellotron; the brilliance of both Tommy Tiernan and Sarah de Lagarde; working with Michael Kamen on ‘Die Hard’ and ’The Adventures of Baron Munchausen’; being an extra in ‘The Wall’; Jim Sheridan’s ’The Boxer’; ‘The Courier’ by Elvis Costello; playing the ballroom circuits at the same time as Elvis Costello’s father Ross MacManus and the Joe Loss Orchestra; Fiachra’s Desert Aran Discs; working with Mike Westbook; things Fiachra wished he had’ve done differently and what’s left to do as well as other topics.

This has been a long conversation and the only regret was that it wasn't longer. We are so thankful to Fiachra for given up so much of his time. The man is an absolute legend and we are blessed to have so much of his work available to us with just a click of a mouse. His arrangements are things of absolute beauty.

Relevant Links

https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/fiachra_trench/credits/

Additional Links

Fiachra's Portfolio:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0wsghjzwi5OCsubOQ0rP2Z?si=6b9b4ed4ee6641bf

Fiachra's Influences:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qHisZNzxlMJEi4qAKlXkq?si=83b9f29ee3c0400e

Fiachra’s Desert Aran Discs

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Bq9bHPbRWZMIgqhpFxf7c?si=5f40b5e732db4d53

Paul McCartney - ‘Same Time Next Year’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrnf2vi_kys

Greystones Guide - Tracks Of My Years: Fiachra Trench

https://www.greystonesguide.ie/tracks-of-my-years-fiachra-trench/

Marty chats with Fiachra Trench in Studio 8

https://www.rte.ie/radio/lyricfm/clips/22295759/

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