Downpatrick pair Relished working alongside Sinead O’Connor on album

Downpatrick pair Relished working alongside Sinead O’Connor on album

23 March 2016

DOWNPATRICK rockers Relish have collaborated with Sinead O’Connor on an acclaimed blues tribute album to ‘Blind Willie Johnson’.

Ken and Carl Papenfus, who also worked on the soundtrack for the newly released John Carney movie ‘Sing Street’, toured the world with Sinead O’Connor over much of 2014 and 2015. But they were pleasantly surprised when she asked the brothers to produce and perform a version of ‘Trouble Soon Be Over’ for the tribute album to blues legend Johnson.

It’s an effort by artists such as Tom Waits, Blind Boys of Alabama and Maria McKee, to name a few, to pay homage to the gospel blues singer and guitarist who was born in Texas in 1897, lost his sight at some point, and drew on both the sacred and the blues traditions for inspiration.

The tribute album ‘God Don’t Never Change: The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson’ was released globally last month by Alligator Records.

In February last year Ken and Carl visited Sinead O’Connor’s Dublin home where, in a cabin in her back garden, not far from some train tracks and the odd minor interruption from her children, they got to work.

Despite having to stop every 15 minutes because of the trains, the trio recorded the trio Blind Willie Johnson’s ‘Trouble Will Soon Be Over’. Sinead, a bit of an enigma where religion and music are concerned, had been a fan for many years and enticed Relish in with a recording of one of Johnson’s growling soundtracks.

Relish are perhaps best known for the songs ‘Rainbow Zephyr’ and “You I’m Thinking Of”, from their debut album, ‘Wildflowers’. They have released three albums and have another on the way, which they want to knuckle down and finish, but were thrilled to have had the opportunity to work so closely with Sinead.

“Sinead on Blues is fantastic,” said Ken. “She played us this Blind Willie Johnson track on YouTube. It was a really, really old film but surprisingly good quality.

“She said ‘what do you think of that?’ We said it was brilliant. A bit strange and wonderful.

“There was no real pressure behind it and we did not know much about the project.” 

So asked to call, when they were next in town, the boys found themselves in her recording studio that Ken reluctantly calls a ‘shed’. Sinead smokes, but not in the house apparently, so it is where she takes refuge and performs between cigarettes.

“It gets called a shed, but it’s actually very nice,” said Ken. “There are creature comforts.”

Relish are responsible for all the instrumentation on the Trouble Soon Be Over’ track — guitar, bass, keyboard — bar the backing vocals.

“It was a magical moment we were glad to capture,” he added.

The trio originally met through Oscar winning movie director John Carney, during their work on ‘Sing Street’, through Sinead O’Connor’s musical director, Graham Henderson.

In October 2013 Ken and Carl started writing sessions for Sing Street as part of a team writers.

It started as a semi autobiographical account of Carney’s school years in the 80s where through some difficult teenage years he took refuge in a rock n roll band; something Ken and Carl could relate to. The idea was to evoke the spirit of the pre digital age, when what it meant to be in a band meant everything to you.

“Those early sessions lasted two months where we’d meet up every week with ideas we’d gathered and try and make sense of them as a band,” said Ken.

Relish juggled much of 2014 and 2015 working on the soundtrack in a performing and writing capacity, whilst also continuing their schedule as part of Sinead O’Connor’s band.

It was a busy time with Sinead that they clearly cherish and, with well-publicised concerns over her health in recent months, Ken said he was happy to pay tribute to her both as an artist and a friend.

“As an artist her ability is incredible,” he said. “Even touring, she would always bring something different to the stage. She is willing to give 150 per cent. 

“You feel she appreciates every single person in the audience and that is very interesting to see. She could have been blasé about it but every night was precious.”

Ken acknowledged Sinead’s career “ups and downs” but said that she when was in a good place she was unbeatable. He also paid tribute to the strong support network around her and said she was “at her best when around her kids”.

“She is a great mum,” he said.

Ken said that, where they could, they would try to help and keep in touch. As for Sinead’s further contribution to the music world, and more opportunities for “friends getting together and making music”, he is positive for the future.

“I am very hopeful there will be more great performances,” he said.

As regards to Relish, they hope to have something new for their fans very soon.

“We are working on a new album, and I planned to say it will be out this year, but we have said that before,” said Ken. “I hope at least to have a single by the summer. We also hope to plan a local gig over the summer.”