Interview: Tim Smith of The Killdares
Posted by The Killdares on Aug 15, 2008
Pegasus News – Dallas, TX (August 15, 2008)
By Brenna Rushing
The Killdares seem to be heading in the right places. Not only did they just play a sold-out show in Dallas for their CD release party, but they will also be playing countless shows at the State Fair of Texas (again!) and touring nationwide in the next months.
The group is known for their recurring performances at the state fair. Lead singer/drummer Tim Smith says, “I have nothing but positive things to say about the fair. We’ve kind of become an institution there.”
With their new album, Secrets of the Day, just out, they’re definitely keeping busy. They’ll be touring straight through until the fair, where they’ll be playing four times a day for 24 days. That’s 96 performances, people. Devotion? I think they’ve got it.
The Killdares music is described as Celtic rock. “What exactly is that?” you ask. Well you’ll just have to check them out for yourself to truly find out. Tim describes fans’ first experiences as “puzzling” or “shocking.” He says, “It takes people a few songs to digest it. And then once we ease them in they enjoy it and can really get into it.”
The group is made up of a fiddler, guitarist, bagpiper, bass player and drummer. Most of their songs tell a story through their passionate melodies and uptempo beats. It’s sort of like Braveheart without all the fighting and anger.
People all across the country appreciate their sound because it is something they’ve never seen or heard before. Tim says some of the best crowds come out of the Northeast region. “They’re very energetic and positive. It may be because a lot of them are of Irish decent too.”
The band was given more time to make the newest album, which helped them make something they truly loved. “A lot of the songs were written up to two years before the album began. There are also intimate acoustic sessions that you can’t get on a larger scale on the record,” Tim boasts.
So far, the reaction has been nothing but positive for the new record, humbling the group and reminding them what it’s all about. Their next feat is to conquer Canada and maybe someday Scotland or Ireland. But for now they’ll have to get through the fair.
Despite a grueling schedule, Tim has a secret weapon for persisting. “On Day 12 of the fair I can step away for a while and eat fried cheesecake to get me through those final shows.”
