Cork-based blues rock trio Crow Black Chicken have released their new album, Ghost Dance. We asked the band's drummer Gev Barret the BIG questions . . .

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It’s the band’s first album since 2016’s Pariah Brothers and was produced by Philip Magee (Kodaline, The Script, Aslan, Miles Kane, The Academic) and recorded at GAF Studios in Co. Tipperary

"Ghost Dance is a really special album to us. It marks almost ten years from our last release - a decade spent rethinking, evolving, and focusing on the live end of things," the band say.

"It’s been a long road but getting back into the studio and having the chance to work with Philip Magee again - who we worked with for our debut album - has all made it feel like the right time, almost full circle. We’re proud."

Since forming in 2009, the band has played BBC Introducing at Glastonbury (2011), performed across Europe, released three studio albums, two live albums, and supported ZZ Top in Cork in 2016.

Crow Black Chicken play 12 July - Geoff's Cafe Bar, Waterford, 19 July - Chicken Stock, Clonmel, 23 July - Open Air Blues Festival Brezoi - Brezoi, Romania,1 to 7 August - Hills Festival Armagh, and 12 September - The Jester Bar, Westport.

Tell us three things about yourself . . .

I am the drummer in the Irish blues rock band Crow Black Chicken. I have been touring with CBC for over 15 years, and I am from Tipperary.

How would you describe your music?

The music of Crow Black Chicken is a mix of blues and hard rock. It's hard to pin in down to any genre as the bands influences draw from many different styles of music. Myself and Stephen McGrath, the bass player, grew up playing punk, grunge and rock music and Christy O'Hanlon, the guitarist and vocalist, comes from a more blues and folk tradition, and I think that meld creates the unique sound of Crow Black Chicken.

Who are your musical inspirations?

Some music I listened to a lot growing up was bands like The Clash, Pearl Jam, Leonard Cohen, Freddie King, Art Blakey, Pat Metheny. I don't think anyone should necessarily listen to one genre of music. As a band we all have varying tastes in music and that is important so we're not all coming at things from the same place.

What was the first gig you ever went to?

The first gig I ever went to was Witness 2002 in Fairyhouse Racecourse. The line-up included The Prodigy, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Sonic Youth, The Chemical Brothers to name a few. I wonder will we ever see gigs like that in Ireland again.

What was the first record you ever bought?

I was probably 12 years old in the 90s, I bought Fat of the Land by The Prodigy on cassette, serious tunes.

What’s your favourite song right now?

My favourite track right now, and I think it's one that sums up the world we're living in, is Nobody Home by American folk/blues singer, guitarist Chris Smither.

Favourite lyric of all time?

"But when the sky darkens and the prospect is war, Who's given a gun and then pushed to the fore, And expected to die for the land of our birth, When we've never owned one handful of earth?" - Handful of Earth by Dick Gaughan.

If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Blue Train by John Coltrane.

Where can people find your music/more information?

You can find everything on our official website, including tour dates, merchandise and links to streaming platforms.

Alan Corr