Eoin Glackin is a young musician in a hurry. An impassioned songwriter with a yearning rasp in his voice and a fire in his belly, waiting around to be discovered was never in his game plan. Barely out of school, the Dubliner upped sticks for London to immerse himself in the live scene there.

"I met a girl at a party in Dublin who wanted to be a dancer," he remembers. "She was moving to London and offered me a place to stay. I went out bought a plane ticket straight away. Within a few weeks, I was in London, giving my demo tape to Leonard Cohen at a party."

It has been an interesting journey so far, one that has seen Glackin embark on a serious career in music whilst bumping shoulders with Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Damien Dempsey and future chart topper Jamie Lawson along the way.

Inspired by the freedom and possibilities, Glackin began the recording process that would culminate in his extraordinary debut album.

The album was produced by Ian Grimble, who has over thirty five Top 30 singles to his credit. His production credits include tracks for Manic Street Preachers, The Clash, Morcheeba, Beth Orton and Red Hot Chilli Peppers. 

Their creative collaboration resulted in ‘Not Lost’, a rare debut that heralds the arrival of a fully formed talent, eager to jump into action and sweep all before him. Not one to wait around Eoin pressed a limited number of albums and released the album independently

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Now back on home soil, Eoin has secured a major label release for the album. Following an impressive gig in The Workman’s Club in Dublin in December 2010, Eoin signed to Sony Music. ‘Not Lost’ will get its major label release on 3rd June 2011

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From the first strident note of ‘End Days of The Computer Age’ the wide screen luminosity of his talent is clear. A propulsive ode to an imagined sci-fi apocalypse, the opening track leads into the Springsteen-ish strut of current single ‘Dark Rockin' Woman.’

Track nine, ‘Hello Caroline’ boasts some interesting backing singers; as Eoin explains:

"I was recording with Ian Grimble in a studio in Crouch End in London; we took a break from the session and went into the boozer next door. We got talking to two guys. One was a singer named Gary Dunne who I knew from Dublin. I asked them if they wanted to come back to the studio to do some backing vocals. We got some really cool harmonies out of it and you can hear them both on ‘Hello Caroline’. I remembered Gary's name but forgot about the mystery singer. He was never credited on the independent release of the LP. It was only later that I found out that it was Jamie Lawson, and I made sure to give him full credit this time’

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Raised in Clontarf, Glackin's musical awakening came when he stumbled upon fellow northsider Damien Dempsey on the TV show ‘Other Voices’.

"I was at home," he says. "My dad walked into my room and told me there was some singer-songwriter from Dublin on the TV that I should see. Damien was beginning ‘Negative Vibes’ and three lines into the song I started crying, I had no idea why. Growing up, there had never been that one band or singer I was into. Damien changed everything."

Inspired by Damien’s performance and songs Glackin began busking. Even then his independent streak shone through:

"For some reason I never sang anyone else's songs. It wasn't something I avoided on purpose.
It just never made sense to me. Why try to be someone else?"

Eoin had just started college at UCD when Dempsey entered the frame once more. Tenacity to the fore, Eoin secured two sell out support slots with his hero. Such was the reception he received at those shows he decided, there and then, to quit his arts degree and dedicate himself to music. Since then his hasn't looked back (the Dempsey connection endures to this day – the two artists are signed to the same management).

Glackin has the swagger of a natural born rocker. But there's a gentler side to him too. The closing track on ‘Not Lost’ is the wrenching Carlisle Bridge, a slow burner that uses personal tragedy as a springboard for universal rumination.

Recounting the story behind the song, Eoin's voice quietens:

"I was working in a shop in town and I got a call that a girl I knew from school had killed herself. I was shocked and needed to go for a walk. So I ended up on a spot by O'Connell Bridge, looking over the Liffey. Glancing down, I saw some flowers sellotaped to railing. A note said ' Evelyn, you've found peace now'. Someone had killed themself there. It put all my problems into perspective... the fact someone could stand at this same place and take their own life. That's where the song started."

It takes remarkable self belief to pour so much unfettered emotion into your first record. But then, Eoin has never been one to shrink from a challenge. His meeting with Leonard Cohen came about after he fast-talked his way backstage in London (for good measure he gave a demo tape to Philip Glass – the composer told him he liked his song titles). He also passed on an early tape to Gerry Ryan and ended up being invited around to the broadcaster's house for an extended chinwag.

All of this pales against what he had to do to spend a few minutes shooting the breeze with Springsteen.

"It was after his ‘Seeger Sessions’ concert at The Point. One of the guys at the backstage entrance said Springsteen and his crew were going bowling. The bowling place was crawling with security but I managed to get myself in. I walked up to Bruce and told him I just had to meet him. I'll never forget his advice –

'You gotta have the best band, the best songs... After that, it's just luck and guts kid, luck and guts.'"

It's a message he's taken to heart. Glackin puts himself on the line every time he straps on a guitar. As for luck – well, he believes in making your own. After a lifetime of preparation he's ready for his big moment. Here's where it all begins.

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Eoin Glackin’s debut album, ‘Not Lost’ will be released on 3rd June 2011

For more information please contact:

Eithne Mooney
Press & Promotions Manager
Sony Music Ireland

Tel: 01 6473400 / 01 6473403
E: eithne.mooney@sonymusic.com