UP-AND-COMING Belfast band Enola Gay have taken the rock scene by storm. With fast-paced punk sounds mixed with electronica and hip-hop, the band have been heralded by legends like Iggy Pop.
Guitarist with the noise-punk rockers, Joe McVeigh, spoke to the Andersonstown News about their unique sound, how a sectarian attack influenced their music and why music can channel the anger and disillusion young people feel towards society in the North.
The band, named after the Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) track 'Enola Gay', formed in 2019.
"Vocalist Fionn Reilly and I met at a Chemical Brothers concert in Belfast back when we were ravers," recalled Joe.
"It wasn’t until two years later that we caught wind of the post-punk renaissance, pioneered by mostly Irish acts. Ireland really is having a moment: Gilla Band, Fontaines DC and Just Mustard are all taking off, but the gap up North needed filling.
"About a month into jamming came our single ‘Sofa Surfing’ and instantly we knew we had something special. Adam Cooper replaced our first bass player and Luke Beirne replaced our fourth drummer, so finding the right line up took time.
"Someone who saw us at the Stendhal Festival said he thought we sounded like Joy Division meets Rage Against the Machine, so we think that’s a good starting point in explaining our sound!"
MUSIC: Enola Gay have been described as Joy Division meets Rage Against the Machine
In November 2020, Joe was the victim of a brutal sectarian attack which left him one kick away from dying. After recovering, the band put together one of their most thought-provoking tracks, 'PTS.DUP', which explores society in the North and the nature of the sectarianism which some political parties stoke in order to win votes.
"PTS.DUP was motivated by the fractured skull I received when I got jumped in a sectarian attack and the track itself tackles the insidious sectarian influences and displays that motivated it.
"I woke up the next day feeling absolute tribalistic rage – the same stupid sectarian tribalism that fuels the anger that any extremist can have and the rhetoric that they're brought up on.
"Obviously, that's not healthy. I caught myself on, realising, 'This is how conflict ensues. This is how they keep us divided and make us weak. Let’s take a second to step back and consider: Why do they think this? Where does this come from?'
ATTACK: Guitarist Joe McVeigh was the victim of a sectarian attack in November 2020, an event which has influenced their music
"My attackers are victims themselves, of rhetoric that they've been brought up on and I’m not going to be part of that cycle. We spent considerable time making the music video educational so that people from outside Ireland can understand why we feel the DUP can blindly lead a generation of impressionable young people suffering from identity erosion – not knowing what to do with themselves."
Even with their multiple influences, Enola Gay still present something which is distinguishably Belfast in its origins. Joe said the city has had a profound effect on the band and how they view the world.
"I’m from Andytown, Luke’s in the city centre, Fionn’s from Downpatrick and Adam lives in Glengormley. We all rehearse and write in Belfast so the political struggles engrained in Irish culture innately seeped into our lyricism.
"Art needs to be an extension of who you are, the way you speak, interpret things and what you’ve experienced. Being Belfast-bred gives us our own unique perspective."
Recently the band have been commended by a number of big-name artists and industry publications, including NME, Rolling Stone, Iggy Pop and Jehnny Beth. Joe said the band's growing profile seems a little surreal as the band prepare for a big US tour.
"For us, the whole world paused when Iggy Pop ranted and raved about us on his BBC 6Music show. Hearing the Godfather of Punk recite lyrics you wrote in your bedroom is indescribable.
"The surreal feeling of taking the stage, getting ready to lambast the DUP on Jehnny Beth’s TV show Echoes and her stating we were her favourite band was another milestone that validated our hard work. Our first gig this year was a Medical Aid for Palestine fundraiser event hosted by Jeremy Corbyn which was a monumental honour."
The band have a new single coming out next month as well as tours lined up in Europe and the UK and a Belfast show coming up on March 24.
"We have a new single, 'Cold', out in April. We will headline the Limelight on the 24th of March with a seriously stacked line-up. Joining us is Dublin’s next big guitar band, Gurriers, alongside Belfast based rapper/producer and one-woman army YINYANG."
GIG: Enola Gay will be headlining an upcoming show in March at the Limelight
Get tickets for the Limelight on www.ticketmaster.ie/enola-gay-tickets/artist/5351179
