Bipolar Empire Amidst the euphoric haze of Oxegen 2007, in a mud-laden field in Punchestown, three young Dublin musicians decided to band together and try their hands at forming a popular musical group, who might someday perform at similar prestigious events. All hailing from the Dublin suburb of Tallaght, supersonic warbler Shane O’Reilly was joined by horizontally laid back bassist Joe Leech and drumming dynamo Callum Mc Adam. And so it was to pass, Bipolar Empire was born.
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Bipolar Empire Amidst the euphoric haze of Oxegen 2007, in a mud-laden field in Punchestown, three young Dublin musicians decided to band together and try their hands at forming a popular musical group, who might someday perform at similar prestigious events. All hailing from the Dublin suburb of Tallaght, supersonic warbler Shane O’Reilly was joined by horizontally laid back bassist Joe Leech and drumming dynamo Callum Mc Adam. And so it was to pass, Bipolar Empire was born. Joe and Callum had been playing together since they were fifteen years old, forming a covers band that were fiercely committed to the daily slaughter of Zeppelin and Queen. Shane had been displaying a penchant for singing and writing since, well, birth and had spent his teenage years in a plethora of school bands. Casting aside the work of others, Bipolar Empire began writing their own tunes and riffs. Having spent long days and even longer nights developing a sound all of their own, the trio decided it was time to take their music to a real live audience and they began to gig in and around Dublin. Their stylistic folk infused rock’n’roll, delivered with genuine raw passion and boundless energy, began to draw the attention of young music connoisseurs and as the live shows developed into a tighter, more intense experience, so the Bipolar Empire fanbase began to blossom. In 2009, the band got a lucky break and managed to wrangle a trip to the US to work with legendary music producer, Pat McCarthy (REM, Madonna, U2, Counting Crows..). The lads packed their bags and sunscreen and headed to Los Angeles to record their debut album. Impressed by the bands vast reserve of songs (the band had thirty tracks written and ready to record), McCarthy spent the first few days helping the band to whittle the tracks down. Working tirelessly and making the most of their time in the US, Bipolar Empire played numerous gigs including turns at the iconic Continental Club and the world famous Whiskey A Go-Go before heading to Austin, Texas, to perform at industry showcase South x Southwest. With the majority of the work completed on the album, Bipolar Empire returned home from the States with a new found confidence. On entering a Hot Press competition to find an unsigned act to open the St Patrick’s Day Festival in London’s Trafalgar Square, the band went on to nab the top spot from under the noses of 150 other entrants. Deciding that some time spent abroad might help to develop them further, the band headed to London, using it as a base to travel the length and breadth of the country, playing small gigs and showcase nights before returning to the London club circuit for a three month stint. Once the overdrafts and the credit cards were maxed out, the trio returned home to set about releasing their album. Bipolar Empire had always been a solid three piece but instinctively felt that there was perhaps a missing ingredient, something that would take their sound and live show to the next level. They approached long time friend Mark Maguire. Shane and Mark, a gifted songwriter and guitarist, had met in school in Tallaght and had played in numerous school bands together before Maguire had gone on to form Dublin outfit The Cades. The trio was thrilled when Maguire agreed to become the fourth member of Bipolar Empire and so a new chapter for the band begins. Almost three years to the day since three festival-weary lads packed up their soggy tent at Oxegen, vowing to return one day as performers, four festival fit lads are ready to see that pact come to fruition. The as yet untitled debut album from Bipolar Empire is all but in the bag and scheduled for release in October 2010. Lead single, the outrageously catchy Tempomanic, will be out in August. The track has been co-produced and mixed by Lance Hogan and will be accompanied by an ingenious video by pop-movie legend Kevin Godley (U2, The Police, Blur, Paul McCartney…) and as fate would have it, Oxegen have announced Bipolar Empire as one of the up and coming Irish bands to appear on their 2FM Hot Press Academy Stage. Bipolar Empire – a new world order (or at least the possibility of a bigger, drier tent at Oxegen this year…) www.bipolarempire.com
