Bring Your Own Hammer (BYOH) in partnership with Dimple Discs, continues its acclaimed Music and History Series with the release of “Quinn the Adventurer”, a compelling new single performed by celebrated Irish songwriter Adrian Crowley that stands as another striking chapter in this series, bringing an extraordinary true story from Ireland’s past vividly into the present through song.
This previews “From the Tombs”, This barnstorming 21-song double album is a journey through the history of crime, law and order in Ireland and among the Irish Diaspora in the 19th century.
This is the second BYOH album following “My Grief on the Sea”, a collection of songs about the sea, maritime voyages, and migration to and from Ireland during the 1800s, dedicated to Cathal Coughlan (Microdisney, Fatima Mansions), one of Ireland’s most revered artists, who was also involved in this project.
A musical portrait of one of the most remarkable true stories to emerge from the Irish diaspora, “Quinn the Adventurer” tells the extraordinary tale of James Quinn (a.k.a. Tim O’Brien), a young Irish Catholic who left Belfast in 1920 to embark on an astonishing journey across North and South America. By 1924, Quinn had arrived in Hollywood, where he worked as an extra in silent films alongside Charlie Chaplin.
Quinn’s adventure took an unexpected turn when L.A. newspapers reported his arrest upon exhibiting a collection of Amazonian shrunken heads at the Long Beach Pike amusement park. Charged with the theft of the collection (valued at $25,000), Quinn was convicted of first-degree burglary and sentenced to San Quentin State Prison. Yet, thanks to the extraordinary twists of his life, he never served his sentence, instead skipping bail before resurfacing in Panama, on his way to Havana, Cuba.
Adrian Crowley’s rich, unmistakable voice and masterful storytelling transform Quinn’s remarkable journey into an evocative ballad that captures the spirit of adventure, reinvention and myth. The song invites listeners to imagine themselves crossing the Caribbean alongside Quinn, hearing first-hand the stories of a life lived on the edge of history.
One of Ireland’s most distinctive musical voices, Crowley has spent more than two decades crafting music celebrated for its poetic depth, haunting narratives and resonant baritone. An award-winning songwriter, singer and composer, his most recent album “Measure of Joy”, produced by the acclaimed John Parish, received widespread critical praise and radio support.
Bring Your Own Hammer is a masterclass in collaborative artistry that unites historical scholarship and contemporary composition. Curated by Dr. Richard Mc Mahon (lecturer in History at MIC, Limerick and currently a visiting fellow at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge), BYOH explores forms of invented history, rooted in historical sources from Ireland and overseas, with support from Dr. Niall Whelehan (senior lecturer at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, who has written widely on the history of modern Ireland and the Irish diaspora with a focus on the 19th century).
Bringing some of Ireland’s and Britain’s finest songwriters together with historians to create new and original song cycles based on historical sources and to interpret song material rooted in the history of 19th-century Ireland and of the Irish Diaspora. Not a band, nor an ensemble or even a collective, Bring Your Own Hammer is a faction – one that is armed with voices and instruments and dedicated to re-interpreting historical material in song form.
The earlier-released title track ‘From The Tombs’ honours its tragic subject matter through the lens of high-calibre, polished indie-pop craftsmanship. Mike Smalle (Cane141, Augustus & John, B-Movie Lightning), June Miles-Kingston (Fun Boy Three, The Communards, Everything But the Girl) and Bernard Butler (Suede, McAlmont & Butler, The Tears) are joined by Fergal Lawler (The Cranberries), Marcus Holdaway (The High Llamas), Ian Catt (Saint Etienne) and Terry Edwards (Madness, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, The Near Jazz Experience).
Other contributors to this landmark album include Sean O’Hagan (Microdisney, Stereolab, High Llamas), Audrey Riley, Cian Nugent, Linda Buckley, Tony Higgins, SJ McArdle, Michael Walsh, Lisa Lambe, Luke Haines (The Auteurs, Baader Meinhof), Miriam Ingram, Hugh Bunker (Fatima Mansions), Damian O’Neill (The Undertones), Brigid Mae Power, Anne Gilpin (Morton Valence), Lavinia Blackwall (Trembling Bells), Inni-K, NQL. Kelsey Michael, Neil Farrell (Toasted Heretic) and Michael J. Sheehy.
As of July 10, “Quinn The Adventurer” is out on digital platforms, such as Apple Music, Spotify. and Bandcamp, where ‘My Grief On The Sea’ is also available on CD and imited Edition vinyl.
CREDITS
Written Adrian Crowley
Adrian Crowley – vocals, guitars, mellotron
Mixed by maxo
Mastered by Seán Mac Erlaine
Produced by Adrian Crowley
Publishing: Domino Publishing Co. Ltd.
Cover design by Paul Callanan & Richard Mc Mahon
Released by Bring Your Own Hammer & Dimple Discs
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR