The Band

Background

The Ollie Hughes Band (TOHB) was set up in late 2020, but that’s not really when it began…

Two groups merge into one.

Ollie and Stephen are brothers who group up with their older brother Barry on Griffith Ave, Dublin. Each had their own respective and overlapping circles of friends.

Ollie, Conor, Niall, Paul and Gavin have been friends since the early 90’s and played a number of band configurations over the years. In the early 00’s they played in a band called The Autumn Bourne, gigging around many venues in Dublin such as Whelans, The VooDoo Lounge.

Stephen, Damien, Chris and Mark became friends in secondary school and formed a band called The Crooks. They played pretty steadily over the years.

They respectively recorded a number of tracks, but always dreamed about recording a full studio album, an ambition that was always just out of reach…

In September 2020 Ollie was diagnosed with Glioblastoma. Ollie decided to create a piece of work that he could leave behind for his wife Sheena and their kids.

The guys rallied behind Ollie to support him in creating his legacy. They had support from many other talented musicians along the way, each bringing their distinctive styles that added so much to the songs.

Meet the guys

Ollie Hughes

Songwriter – Vocals – Guitar

The Maestro – the driving force behind The Ollie Hughes Band.

From a young age Ollie had a love for music. After picking up his brother’s guitar one day his talent flourished. Ollie’s style of playing and writing was unique. He was inspired by artists like the Frames, Gemma Hayes, Bell X1, Mic Christopher, Declan O’Rourke, The Four of Us, Damien Dempsey and Depeche mode and of course U2.

Stephen Hughes

Songwriter – Vocals – Guitar

The big brother supporting Ollie in creating his dream.

Stephen has been a budding musician since secondary school where he met fellow band mates Mark, Chris and Damien. Back then, they set up a band in Damien’s garage and things grew from there. They played in many gigs around Dublin and even starred on Zoo TV. The band changed names along the way but the core guys remained the same.

A talented musician and an amazing big brother to Ollie, Stephen had no hesitation in helping Ollie make the album a reality, rallying the guys together and showing up when Ollie needed him.

Stephen, the middle of the three Hughes boys, grew up with Ollie on Griffith Ave. Now a husband and father, Stephen still lives in the locality.

Niall O’Carroll

Songwriter – Drums – Percussion – Piano – Vocals – Samples

Niall’s musical career started off playing the drums in his friends house in primary school. He didn’t get his first drum kit until his late teens after playing the bins down his side lane for years.

Niall (aka Niggs) always had a love for the piano, the guitar when he needed to entertain himself or attempt to write a tune or two, but drums and percussion was my first love in a band setting with my mates.

Niall was one of the first believers that The Ollie Hughes Band would succeed. Ollie inspired Niall and all the lads to pick up instruments again, encouraging them that the impossible was possible, to record a whole album, something they only dreamt of. A project that he is incredibly proud to be apart of with his childhood friends.

Niall grew up in Beresford just opposite Ollie on Griffith Ave. They’ve been friends since the early 90’s.

Paul Murtagh

Guitar – Lead Guitar – Bass Guitar

Paul (aka Murt) picked up the guitar at a very young age and was classically trained for 12 years. A big fan of various styles of music, lots overlapping with Ollie’s influences, Paul picked up the lead guitar at age 16 and began experimenting with songwriting and jamming with Ollie, Niall, Conor and others in various band configurations throughout his teens.

A couple of years later, following the untimely passing of friend and talented musician/songwriter Jonathan Fox, Paul started playing with a group known as ‘soft cuddly toys’ and toured the Irish circuit for a few years before parting ways to pursue other projects.

When Ollie, Stephen and Niall reached out regarding the Beauty & Terror project, Paul didn’t need to be asked twice!!

Paul also grew up in Beresford just opposite Ollie on Griffith Ave and had been part of that gang since the 90’s too.

Conor Cunningham

Guitar – Piano – Keys

Conor (aka CC) grew up on Griffith Ave a few doors down from Ollie and Stephen. They have been friends from a very young age. A lot of Conor’s music taste was influenced by the Hughes’s love for music.

Conor picked up a guitar at the age of 10 but soon put it back down. It wasn’t until a number of years later that, fortunately, he developed a love for playing.

He played on and off for a few years. For his birthday Conor received an electric piano from his wife. This breathed new life into his love for music.

When TOHB began to take shape Conor was there to contribute in every way he could, including his newly learned skills on the keys.

Mark Barry

Lead Guitar – Bass Guitar

Mark grew up in Griffith Court in Marino and loved music from an early age, getting a great education from his Dad Jim who was lead singer in the memories and his brother Chris. After school Mark attended Rock School in Ballyfermot where he learned about the art of creating, writing and recording music. This led to him performing with many bands around Dublin but always calling the first band with Chris, Damien and Stephen home.

Stephen asked Mark to come on board for the Grouse sessions and this soon grew into a project which he loved contributing to and being a part of. A fabulous all round musician, but specific highlights on Beauty & Terror are lead guitar on Girls in the Hats, No Feeling is Final & Absorb You, Piano on Dolphins and Mandolin on Ocean Waves.

Gavin Mercer

Lead Guitar – Guitar

As a school friend of Niall, Gavin was introduced to Ollie and the crew from the Silvermile when they were in their late teens and has remained close friends ever since. He enjoyed some success with his own band, Offshore, playing festivals and venues in Ireland, with musical influences spanning from Interpol to the National.

He came in on the last studio session to play guitar on “Unknown” and “The Summer” after hearing Ollie’s amazing homemade demos. His aim was to add another flavour to the already rich variety of sound, catchy riffs and beautifully crafted songs. He will be forever grateful to be a part of The Ollie Hughes Band.

Chris Barry

Bass Guitar

Chris, a master of his craft on Bass guitar has been a professional musician since a young age. Brother of Mark and son of Jim, it was always a very musical household and this led to Chris sharing many a stage and studio with lots of extremely talented musicians.

When the call went out for Grouse Lodge, Chris was only delighted to come on board and contributed hugely over the course of the next year on Beauty & Terror. Bass lines on Unknown, Girls in the Hats, and July October March, really helped to take these songs somewhere special.

Damien Farrell

Drums – Percussion

Damien hailing from Charlemont on the Silver Mile was one of a four piece with Mark, Chris and Stephen who first took to the Scoil Mhuire stage at a school talent show in 1995. Playing drums in his parents garage is where he honed his craft and started a lifelong love affair with drums and music in general.

Damien was one of the grouse lodge crew and continued on with the Clinic sessions. Always on hand for percussion and drum ideas, a highlight from Beauty & Terror is The Summer.

Guest Musicians

Richie Buckley

Guest saxophone on the Silver Mile, No Feeling is Final and Ocean Waves.

Mark Hughes

Guest guitar on The Summer.

Alex Barry

Guest vocalist on Girls in the Hats Boys in the Gap.

Paul O’Carroll

Guest guitar on Our Kids.

Gerry Mc Garry

Guest bass guitarist from The Riptide Movement on July October March.

May Kay

Guest vocalist on tracks High and July, October, March.

Niall O’Flanagan

Guest vocalist on Girls in the Hats Boys in the Gap.

Cara Byrne

Guest pianist on The Summer.