Roisin gig marks debut album for slow burner Ian

Date Published: 07-Nov-2008

IAN Whitty and The exchange come to the Róisín Dubh on Sunday next, November 9 as part of nationwide tour to promote The Lucky Caller No.9.

Ian’s debut album has been a long time coming – the Cork based songwriter has been playing solo shows for the past 10 years and has been writing even longer than that. “I’ve always been sort of a scribbler,” he says. “From the age of 13 I was always writing little bits of lyrics or nonsense poems. I always knew that I wanted to write songs, that the scribbling would all tie together sooner or later.”

Ian’s first gig was a support slot with Paddy Casey. Although Whitty’s a seasoned performer now he admits his first few outing were beset by nerves.

“The first few times you do a solo show is quite a nervewracking experience I think,” he recalls. “I really think you make a mess of the first few shows you do because it’s sort of a necessary thing that happens.

“For me the belief in the songs grew and that’s where the confidence came from,” he adds. “After that, if you’re nervous you’re just getting in the way, more of a hindrance to the songs than a help.”

It seems remarkable that it took Ian so long to release his debut but the songwriter was determined not to rush things. “I always had a fairly solid idea of what I wanted it to be,” he asserts. “That’s why I waited so long; I could havemade the record at any point in those 10 years but I don’t think it would have been the record that it is.”

Ian’s band, The Exchange, make a significant contribution to the sound of The Lucky Caller No.9. having the group with him allowed Ian to flesh out and explore the songs before they were committed to tape.

“We had been …