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Bio:
AKA Anthony & De Confidence. De Confidence is an art collective
founded p by West Cork artist Anthony McCarthy ca 1987.
Membership of the collective has over
the years included: Dan Hallissey (AKA Crafty Dan) (keyboards), Giordai Ua Laoghaire
(ex Nun Attax, Microdisney,
Soon, etc) (guitar), Liam Murphy (Black Velvet Band)
(guitars, keyboards), Barry Nolan (AKA Son of Lir) (keyboards), Liam Shanahan (keyboards),
Arty Lorrigan (drums, percussion), and female singers Tara Woolridge, Lara Ewusoho and
Neasa de Bearoid (Hidden Fears).
Anthony lists the Virgin Prunes, Ivor Cutler and Yello among his influences.
His vocals are like spoken word performances.
An earlier project named Anthony & The Alcoholics
was abandoned after the "Music For Suffering Ducks"
project (circa 1984) and the Kuckoo single (1985).
De Confidence rarely played outside Cork.
The live show reputedly includes music, mime, spoken word,
projected images, light effects, etc, i.e. a multi-media approach. There are also several videos.
In 1988 they did a 3 city tour under the name
Anthony & De Confidence
which included Triskel Arts Center, Cork, the Irish Film Institute in Dublin and Covent Garden Community Centre in London.
This tour was organised and promoted in the hope of stirring record company interest in the band
but nothing concrete came of it apart from one unsatisfactory offer.
Another notable performance was at the Pacific Circle Music Convention in
Sydney, Australia in 1997.
Anthony is still active and has released quite a body of work over 20+ years on his own Kings Union
imprint, and two self-published books (Maymount Books), but with zero distribution to speak of
these items are very difficult to get hold of. More details can be found on his myspace
page -- see external links below.
Anthony's books to date are "Driving My Car" (2001) and "The Rise and Fall of Billy the Blob" (2005),
both published by MayMount.
Notes: The lineup for this recording was Anthony McCarthy (voices), Liam Murphy (electric, acoustic & synth guitars), Pat O'Driscoll (bass), Arty Lorrigan (drums and percussion) and Brendan Cotter (keyboards). Brendan Galvin and Bernie Murphy are credited as DJ. All music by Liam Murphy except A2 by the Sex Pistols and A4 by Mike McGear. Recorded at Elm Tree Studios Cork, produced by Ger O'Leary.
Notes: All words and music by Anthony McCarthy, Liam Murphy and Liam Shanahan, except "The Defeated" and "Fr.Matt", words by poet Patrick Kavanagh; "Three Juvenile Delinquents", words by Noel Coward. Recorded at Elm Tree Studios.
Notes: This single received some airplay (Dave Fanning) and the A-side surfaced on the Twix Rocks cassette as selected by Dave Fanning.
Notes: Written by Anthony McCarthy & Crafty Dan. Played by Peel, Fanning and Mike Edger (BBC Radio Ulster). "Song for Luigi" also appears on the Breaking Sound Barriers Vol. 2 compilation CD released in 1992.
Notes: Well received at the time (positive reviews in In Dublin and Hot Press) and played in it's entirity by De Confidence at the Pacific Circle Music Convention in Sydney in 1997, but it failed to gain wider distribution.
Notes: Rated by Anthony as his best recording.
Notes: All tracks written by Anthony McCarthy. Mixed by Denis Herlihy. Female vocals by Lara Ewuosho.
Notes: All tracks written by Anthony McCarthy & Son of Lir with additional music by Crafty Dad. Female vocals by Lara Ewuosho. Engineering & mixing by Peter West, Denis Herlihy & Son of Lir. Produced by De Confidence.
Notes: All tracks written and produced by Anthony McCarthy and Giordai O'Laoghaire.
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can use, or spare copies of any releases, then please get in touch.