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Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Aslan: 'That excitement, that's what's enabled us to keep pushing forward'
Almost four decades after their first single, Aslan guitarist Billy McGuinness says the legendary rock band is feeling the same buzz they did in 1986 as their latest single drops. The outfit's newest single, A Hand To Hold, is out now, their second release from their upcoming album and the latest to feature vocals from new singer Lee Tomkins. The single, which will be played live for the first time in Perth tonight as Aslan kick off their Australian tour, follows from their rockier hit Hear Your Call, which dropped in March. This latest track, Aslan say, 'shows a different side' to the iconic band. 'There's nervousness, we're excited,' long standing Aslan guitarist Billy McGuinness told the Star's Scene ahead of the release of their latest single, A Hand To Hold. 'And the only way, the way we test out music is, you play in front of a live audience, and that gives you so much. So there is an excitement there, we're going to be performing it in Lynott's in Perth, which is the first gig. 'I can't wait to hear how it goes down. We're very proud of the track. It's showing a different side of Aslan to Hear Your Call. 'Hear Your Call had the Aslan sound, and you kind of knew it was Aslan. With this track, a few people that I played it to, (I asked them) 'Who do you think this band is?' 'They're going, 'Geez, I haven't a clue'. And I think that's great, because it's different. And my, in my opinion, different is good'. He added: 'It's in your head, and it's catchy. I think it's showing Aslan's pop sensibilities, if that makes sense? Hear Your Call was a real rock song. But Hand To Hold is showing a poppier side of Aslan, which I think is great.' Aslan's new singer Lee Tomkins added: 'It's something Aslan hasn't done, a happy, happy poppy song, which Aslan hasn't done in a long, long time. 'So it's to show that side again, to show the fans that they can still do that type of thing, happy sing along. Enjoy yourself. Everyone clapping along. That's what it's made for. It's a sing along song'. Billy said the new single deals with life and how sometimes people can feel like nothing is going their way - like there's "A Devil in Heaven and a God in Hell." 'It's like what we say in the song,' Billy said. 'Some days it feels like there's a devil in heaven and a god in hell, because nothing is going right for you, and you get down. 'But the song is uplifting, as it's saying no matter what shit you're going through, there is someone there that can help you, that can hold your hands and make the day better, you know? There's a positivity in the song.' 'It's about bringing people together, basically, that's what the song is about,' Lee added. 'And to get people together, singing along, clapping along. It's just people enjoying themselves and taking a break from the crap that's going on in life, when they can just come to a gig, whatever it may be, for two hours, sing along, forget about life and enjoy themselves.' Billy said the excitement the band felt waiting to hear their first single, This Is, is still felt 40 years later. 'We're as excited about it,' the guitarist shared. 'Like we're over 40 years doing this and I remember back in 1986 when we released our first single This Is and the excitement of waiting to hear it on the radio or waiting to play it live, that hasn't changed. 'Fast forward 40 years, and we've still, I'm dying to hear it on the radio, and what do people think of it and dying to play it live. 'And I think that's a great thing, that we haven't lost that excitement or drive or buzz. 'When Lee came in, one thing that we didn't know at the time. We were just listening to him singing, but we didn't know that he was such a brilliant songwriter as well in his own right. 'So with him, with the guitar, and then you have Joe, who was one of the main songwriters with Aslan as well. 'So when you have Lee hooking up with Joe, it's different, it's fuzzy, it's exciting. 'And for a band that's going over 40 years, to have that excitement, I think it that's what's enabled us to keep pushing forward, because the day when we decide we don't get excited about music. Plus we're really enjoying it. I have to say, the fun we're having, the fun is back!' Aslan's iconic frontman Christy Dignam passed away just over two years ago, on June 13, 2023. Billy says the band still honour his legacy at every show. 'It happens at every gig,' Billy said. 'This Is, Lee will. Lee will always do a bit of a spiel about Christy. And if it's not This Is, it could be Crazy World, but he's mentioned at every gig. 'Look, what can you say? Do you know what I mean? He's gone. Life goes on, music goes on, and that's it. But we do mention him at every gig'. Aslan's latest single A Hand To Hold is out now on all streaming platforms. Aslan kick off their Australian tour tonight, before returning to Europe to play a string of UK and Irish dates later in the year.
RTÉ News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Aslan "move forward" with new single, A Hand To Hold
Aslan are set to release A Hand To Hold, their second new song since the death of their former front man Christy Dignam in 2023. The track with new singer Lee Tomkins on vocals will be released on 11 July and the Dublin band will perform it live for the first time on their upcoming Australian tour. It follows the release of the single Hear Your Call last March and Aslan, who are currently working on a new album due out later this year, have described it as having a "new sound". Speaking about A Hand To Hold, the Finglas five-piece say: "At times, when feeling that way, we don't realise there's a hand to hold, to show us not everything in life is as bad as it feels. Sometimes you need to open your eyes, to see there is still good amongst all the bad. "Like with all songs, the message that resonates with each individual, can be different, as we all have different thoughts, experiences and views in life. For us, it's a feel good song, a positive song. "There are a number of singalong parts in it, which we see as a way of bringing people together and this is something we really love when performing live, strangers, friends, singing together, singing back to us and with us." Singer Lee Tomkins has said he is "very excited" about performing the single live for the first time at their gig in Perth, Australia, on 11 July. "It feels good to be getting more new music out and for it to have a different sound to anything the band has done before, it's exciting," he said. "It's great to hear everyone singing along. That's the aim of the song so performing it in Australia for the first time is going to be special." Aslan founding member Joe Jewell also discussed said the recording process for the new single. "We are well settled in now. All we can do is keep being creative," he said. "The recording process is always enjoyable. Once the recording starts, it's full steam ahead." The band's drummer Alan Downey added that it's important for Aslan to continue putting out new material and to progress and move forward. "Releasing new material has always been a top priority for us. We thrive on being creative," he said. "It feels good every time we release something new. Being in recording mode is special. It obviously brings all the writing process, rehearsals, and ideas together and it's brilliant to hear that final recording." Guitarist Billy McGuinness added, "Having released our first single with Lee in March this year, it's great to be releasing our second one so quickly as it lets people who haven't seen the band live hear the direction we are going in," he said. "I think the last single Hear Your Call had the Aslan vibe but with this new single, it's definitely different for us. But different is good in my opinion. "It's great playing a new song for the first time, there is excitement and nervousness in the air. Like when we played Hear Your Call for the first time in the Olympia.
