Today, I caught up with Sean Connelly of THE CLOCKWORKS for a little chat ahead of the band’s debut single release launch on Alan McGee’s Creation23 Record Label. 

By way of background, THE CLOCKWORKS are a four-piece band originally hailing from Galway in Ireland and consist of James McGregor on Vocals/Guitar, Sean Connelly on Guitar, Damian Greaney on Guitar and Tom Freeman on bass. 

THE CLOCKWORKS find themselves in the company of other huge acts that legendary music executive, Alan McGee has managed and championed previously such as OASIS, THE LIBERTINES, PRIMAL SCREAM, THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN and MY BLOODY VALENTINE. Of this latest signing McGee has been quoted as saying “The Clockworks are the best band to come out of Ireland since My Bloody Valentine…..thank God I signed them”!

 

 

Hey Sean, so to say 2019 has been a busy and eventful year for The Clockworks thus far would be a bit of an understatement wouldn’t it!! Is it true that you moved from Ireland to London in only January of this year? Tell me how did that move come about?

We’ve been together as a band for some time and we are all very driven and focused when it comes to music, and we knew we wanted to give the band everything that we had. We felt that the best thing for us to do would be to make the move to London; so that’s exactly what we did in January of 2019. It’s turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

You’ve recently been signed to music Legend Alan McGee’s Creation23 record label. How did this come about and how did Alan McGee come to hear about you lads in the first place then? 

It’s one of the most “2019” storys you’re likely to hear…  After we made the move to London, I sent Alan a message on Instagram telling him that we were “like The Streets with guitars” and asking if he would have a listen to our music and let us know his thoughts. Who gets signed via Instagram?!

I wasn’t sure if he (McGee) would actually see my message, let alone listen to us as I know he must get millions of such requests from bands daily, but luckily for us he did listen, and he loved what he heard! The next thing we knew he was contacting us and saying he wanted to come and watch us in rehearsal. 

 

So, it must have been an absolute dream come true having him come and watch you in rehearsal like that. It must of felt quite surreal. Were you nervous? 

We weren’t nervous about playing, that’s the easy bit. We were nervous he wouldn’t like the rehearsal and leave. We were confident, though. He’s got amazing foresight when it comes to new bands, and he knew there was something special going on.

 

And then came the major announcement in March 2019 that Alan McGee had signed you to his new Creation23 record label. 

He signed us that night in our rehearsal room. That was 12 days after we moved to London. We couldn’t have hoped for a better start. We’re so happy to be working so closely with Alan – he’s a great guy and he loves the music. 

I understand that next up for THE CLOCKWORKS is your debut single release on the Creation23 Label, how do you plan on launching this single?

We are going to be having a launch party/gig at The NottingHill Arts Club on the 18th June. This will be our first headline gig in London. Buzzing for it. There will be support from a great band called Marquis Drive, plus some special guest DJ slots. Its going to be a mad one.

So many of our friends and family are coming over from Ireland for the event as well which is going to be incredible. 

Wow, its sounds like it promises to be quite the night! I understand it’s a strictly Guest List only event though. So, how do people go about getting themselves a spot on the elusive Guest List then ?

Given that this is our first headline in London, and recently a lot of people have been asking to hear our music and see us live, we knew that the demand for tickets was there, so we made the decision to make it a Guested event. We’ve been blown away by the response… it’s going to be some night!

You can apply to have your name put on the Guest List by emailing your details to theclockworksguestlist@gmail.com

 

 

Well, you heard it first here folks! If you want to catch a piece of history in the making and see THE CLOCKWORKS at their debut single release launch party, make sure you get emailing and get your name added to that guest list today !

 

Interview with Sean Connelly of The Clockworks by Sally Newman