Irish Alternative Rock Band: Kodaline

By Jill Tsai

       

Do you still remember your childhood passion? Steven Garrigan and his friend, Mark Prendergast, studied at the same secondary school and shared their love for music. They teamed up in many music battles, and then they met Vincent May. They formed a band called 21 Demands, and entered the Irish talent show “You Are a Star” in 2006. Since then, they gained recognition on the show. Their single “Give Me a Minute,” another big break for them, ranked top one on the Irish Charts. 21 Demands was the first band in the Irish charts that went up to number one without getting signed by any record label. Furthermore, they were only 15 years old at that time. After some competitions and small gigs around the county, their bassist, Conor Linnane, left them and his position was replaced by Jason Boland. In 2012, they changed their band name to Kodaline.

        Steven is the vocalist in the band; Mark, the lead guitarist; Vincent, the drummer; and, Jason, the bassist. The genre of Kodaline is alternative rock or indie folk. Most of their songs are lyrical, centering around love and life. While listening to their songs, you’d feel as if you were relaxing in a warming sun. Their songs can get across feelings so vivid, encouraging that move you to tears. If you are having a tough time and really want to be cured by a great song, Kodaline would be your best choice.

        One of their famous songs is “All I Want”, included in “The Kodaline EP”. This song became a hit when their first extended play (EP; 迷你專輯) released. The song was featured in an American drama, Grey's Anatomy, and picked as the background music for Google's International Year in Review Video for 2012. In 2014, it was also used in the soundtrack for the box-office movie, The Fault in Our Stars. “All I Want” is about losing love and longing for somebody to ease the loss. It is a typical Kodaline song, soft and comfortable.

        In one interview with Kodaline, they said, “You don’t want to look back in a couple of years and be like I wish I did this.” Their philosophy of life is apparently expressed through their music. Although they are quite successful now, it does not mean that their career is smooth and without any predicament. It can still be difficult for them to get a gig as a less known band. On the road to fame, you have to experience many rejections. However, their passions for music supports them to go through every struggle and make more and more beautiful songs for their audience.