Staff WriterFocail: Lara Ní Chuirrín
Tá Shampain (Cóilí Collins) ag dul ó neart go neart le cúpla bliain anuas, le stíl uathúil a thógann tionchar ó “classics” cosúil le the Prodigy nó Daft Punk, ach nach bhfuil sáinnithe san am atá caite. Tá fuaim Shampain úr agus lá le fuinneamh. Bíonn sé ag casadh go minic ar Rinse FM, agus le déanaí bhí gig aige i Rex Club i bPáras – is cinnte gur réalta nua Éireannach é Shampain.
Fear dícheallach agus paiseanta é Cóilí, le go leor tionscnamh difriúil ar siúl aige – faoi láthair tá sé ag cruthú fuamriam nua don scannán cáiliúil Nosferatu, tá clár teilifíse á dhéanamh aige le TG4, bíonn sé ag scríobh go minic (VSN World blog) agus bíonn sé ag giggáil ar fud na hÉireann agus na hEorpa.
Is as Indreabhán an bheirt againn – cheantar Gaeltacht i gConamara, agus labhair muid faoin saol agus muid ag fás suas faoin tuatha, agus na buntáistí agus míbhuntáistí ar fad a ghabhann leis. Cé gur féidir leis a bheith deacair mar dhuine óg cairde a dhéanamh leis na spéiseanna céanna, tá sé soiléir ag caint le Cóilí go bhfuil áit speisialta ag Conamara agus ag an teanga ghaelach ina chroí. D’fhás a chuid spéis sa cheol agus sa scríbhneoireacht ag an am céanna, nuair a thosaigh sé ag scríobh as Gaeilge sna comórtais Gael Linn, ar scoil.
“Is cuimhin liom, bhí comórtas ann i gConamara, comórtas scríbhneoireacht le Gael Linn. Bhíodh póstaer acu taobh amuigh go seomra na múinteoirí. Cuireadh daoine isteach filíocht nó píosaí iriseoireacht nó aiste scríofa as Gaeilge…Dá mbeadh sé go maith, gheofá duais. Gheofá ceapaim 15 euro nó 25 euro (nílim cinnte) One for All Voucher… Is éard a dhéanfainn ná scríobhfainn ailt faoi Armand Van Helden, nó faoi Ed Banger, cineál “fan pieces” a bhí mé ag scríobh as Gaeilge… Gach mí bhí mé ar cheann de na buaiteoirí agus rachainn díreach isteach go HMV. An chéad uair, Shíl mé go raibh cuma iontach ar albam The Prodigy agus cheannaigh mé é. Ansin fuair mé gach uile albam Daft Punk. Ansin fuair mé gach uile albam na Chemical Brothers, ansin fuair mé Groove Armada, Massive Attack srl. Tá sé saghas greannmhar an chaoi ar tháinig an ceol ón scríbhneoireacht.”
Feictear an nasc seo idir cultúr agus teanga Ghaelach ar lámh amháin, agus ceol leictreonach ar an lámh eile arís agus arís i saol Chóilí. Feictear an nasc seo sa tionscnamh a rinne sé an bhliain seo caite sa Taibhdhearc nuair a chuir sé fuamriam le Man of Aran – scanánn a rinneadh i 1934 faoi shaol crua mhuintir Oileáin Árann. Ba thionscnamh dhúslánach agus thar a bheith tairbheach é seo.
“Bhí sé go deas rud a dhéanamh agus go raibh mise i mo cineál shainn-eolaí. Ní raibh duine ar bith in ann a raibh liom cén chaoi gur cheart dom é seo a dhéanamh. Anois, níl mórán taithí agam féin ar na Oileáin Árainn, ach tá níos mó taithí agam orthu ná DJ ar bith eile!”
“Bhíodh mé ag déanamh drámaíochta ar scoil in Indreabhán. Níor thaitin sé liom i ariamh aisteoreacht a dhéanamh trí Bhéarla, bhí sé i bhfad níos éasca é a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge – tá níos mó mothúcháin ann. Dom féin, bhí nasc ann i gcónaí idir an Ghaeilge agus an drámaíocht, agus bhí nasc eile le bheith ‘cool’ i mBéarla. Tá sé sin beagán ‘crude’ ach tuigeannn tú mé… [Le Man of Aran], bhí mé in ann rud éigin ‘cool’ a dhéanamh i nGaeilge. Ar ndóigh ní raibh focal ar bith ann, ach bhí an cultúr gaelach sin ann.”
Le tionscnamh cosúil le Man of Aran an bhliain seo caite, agus anois arís le Nosferatu, is é an dúshlán ná cothromaíocht a fháil idir fanacht dílis don ábhar, agus do leagan féin a chur air.
“Déanann tú dearmad agus tú ag breathnú [ar scannán] cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an ceol…agus cé mhéad uair sna scannáin is atá an ceol mar cheann de na príomh rudaí ann. Ar bhealach tá tú in ann an scéal a athrú beagán”.
“Bhí mé ag iarraidh breathnú ar an scannán agus feiceál cén sórt slí a dtéan sé…agus ansin bhí mé ag iarraidh é a chasadh ar bhealach éigin. Mar is é an rud ná – tá muid ag plé le scannán gan aon chaint…Nosferatu – tá sé chéad bliain d’aois! Ní chuirim an mhilleán ar dhuine má fhaigheann siad leamh é, tá sé thar a bheith sean! Tá [mé] ag iarraidh daoine a bheith suite ann ag rá “holy shit, I’m on the edge of my seat!”.”
Beidh Nosferatu á thaispeáint ar 23ú Feabhra, sa Complex i mBaile Átha Cliath, agus beidh Cóilí ann ar an oíche, ag mixáil fuaimriam nua. Maíonn Cóilí gur cuireadh oscailte é seo, ní amháin do na “ravers”, ach d’aon duine a bhfuil spéis acu i rud éigin difriúil.
“Má tá suim agat i gceol leictreonach nó má tá suim agat i rudaí atá saghdhas difriúil nó beagán artsy nó beagán cool…b’fhéidir nach dtaitníonn spásanna club leat níos mó , nó airíonn tú go bhfuil tú ró-shean le bheith sna clubbana nó go bhfuil rudaí ag dul ar aghaidh ró dheirneach nó rud éigin mar sin – seo seó atá inrochtana do chuile dhuine. Seo cuireadh – tar ann agus scaoil amach do “inner freak” nó “mosher”! Má tá am caite agat riamh i Millenium Park nó a leithéide – seo hé an seó duit!”
Cé go bhfuil sé ina chónaí i Londain faoi láthair, tá a cheangal le Éirinn láidir i gcónaí, le neart “gigs” agus tionscnaimh fós ar siúl anseo. D’aistrigh sé go Londain mar gheall go raibh sé ag iarraidh oibriú go crua ar ghairm DJáil. Cé go bhfuil áit speisialta ag Gaillimh ina chroí, níl an oiread sin deiseanna ann faoi láthair. Tá easpa clubanna i nGaillimh le roinnt blianta anuas, agus tá sé seo crua ar DJs áitiúla, agus faraor ní shásaíonn imeachtaí “pop-up” nó “DIY” riachtanais ar fad na ravers agus DJs i nGaillimh.
“Tá sé ina chiseach faoi láthair i nGaillimh. Is mór an peaca é nach bhfuill na spásanna ann, agus na spásanna atá ann níl tú in ann iad a úsáid. Na daoine go bhfuil venues acu, ní thuigeann siad [an ceol ná na daoine], agus níl aon dochar iontu an chuid is mó den am, ach ní thuigeann siad. Is gnáth úinéairí gnó iad, le foirgneamh – níl aon ghá eolas a bheith acu faoin gceol leictreonach nó an rave scene! Dá dtiocfadh duine éigin chugamsa ag caint faoi pheil ghaelach I’d be like – I dunno! Níl mórán daoine in Éirinn atá ag obair sna earnóla ealaíne nó ceoil a bhfuil forgnimh nó spásanna acu…is dóigh gurb é an fáth leis sin ná go n-imíonn gach uile dhuine amach mar níl aon cheo le déanamh sa chéad áit!”
Is fear dóchasach é Cóilí, áfach, agus feiceann sé deiseanna i ngach áit – b’fhéidir gur deis é an easpa ionaid ar athmhachnamh a dhéanamh ar an gcaoi a bhfuilimid ag tabhairt faoin gchltúr club in Éirinn.
“Bíonn daoine ag iarraidh ‘Club atmosphere’ a chruthú in Éirinn…cén uair i ríomh a chuaigh aon duine chuig club in Éirinn agus gur mhothaigh sé mar go raibh sé i mBeirlín?! Cén fáth nach féidir linn glacadh le céard atá againn? Céard faoi rud éigin cosúil leis na dance halls a dhéanamh? Nó, má smaoiníonn tú ar na ravers sna hochtaidí agus sna nóchaidí, bhí siadsan ag damhsa in áiteanna nach mórán meas bheadh ag daoine inniu orthu! Cén fáth nach féidir linn oibriú leis an rud atágainn?!”
“An fáth gur fhág mise ná go raibh rudaí ag dul go maith dom i dtaobh an cheoil de, agus dúirt mé liom fhéin, b’fhéidir gur cheart dom breathnú an mbeadh mé in ann gairme a dhéanamh as. An rud is fearr faoi bheith i do DJ nó i do ealaíontóir nó rud ar bith mar sin ná go bhfuil saoirse agat rud nua a dhéanamh. Bhíodh mé ag obair mar ghruagaire chomh maith agus tuigim go maith cé chom sáinnithe is féidir a bheith i bpost. Agus níl rud ar bith mí cheart leis sin, agus ar bhealach taithníonn sé sin liom freisin, ach bhraith mé gur cheart dom dul ‘full hog’ [ag an DJáil] anois, an fhad is atá mé óg.”
“Ach an phríomh fheidhm atá agamsa ná dul ar ais go Gaillimh nó go hÉirinn, agus níos mó rudaí a chur ar fáil fadtéarmach do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh oibriú sna hEalíona. Níl a fhios agam cén chaoi a ndéanfaidh mé é sin, ach ní athríonn aon cheo mura ndéanann duine éigin iarracht é a athrú. Tá an oiread sin daoine cumasacha a thagann as Éirinn agus ní bhíonn mórán acu ag teacht ar ais ag cruthú spásanna, ag rá “seo áit ba bhreá liomsa a bheith agam nuair a bhí mé óg”. Ceapaim garb é sin ceann de na príomh fhadhbanna. Mura ndéanann daoine áitiúila é, ní dhéanfaidh aon duine eile é. Le cúnamh Dé, tá mé ag iarraidh neart oibre a dhéanamh anseo, ionas go mbeidh mé in ann níos mó oibre a dhéanamh sa bhaile.”
Ag deireadh ár gcomhrá, labhair muid faoi ghigeanna atá le teacht agus faoi na rudaí is mó atá Cóilí ag tnúth leo i mbliana.
“Tá mé tar éis seinnt i Rex Club i bPáras, le Miley Serious, agus bhí sé sin mar cineál “bucket list” gig, mar nuair a bhí mé óg in Indreabhán bhíodh mé i gcónaí ag éisteacht le Daft Punk agus Justice srl. Bhí mé i bPáras, i lár Fashion Week, ag seinnt sa chlub is sinne sa chathair, leis an DJ is fearr sa bhFrainc. Ba bhuacphointe mór é sin.”
“Beidh mé ag déanamh seó le GTown records i nGaillimh ar an 8ú Aibreán, an lá tar éis mo bhreithlá.
“Tá mé ag súil go mór leo sin ar fad!”
Shampain (Cóilí Collins) has been on the up-and-up on the Irish music scene for the last few years, with a sound that draws on classics like the Prodigy but is no way stuck in the past. There is something satisfyingly punk in Shampain’s mixes, something that refuses easy categorisation. With a regular spot on Rinse FM and a recent gig in Rex Club during Paris Fashion Week, Shampain’s place amongst Ireland’s latest top talent seems truly solidified.
A hard working and passionate guy, Cóilí has multiple projects on the go and in the pipelines including re-scoring the silent classic Nosferatu, an upcoming TV project with TG4, writing regularly (check out VSN World), as well as gigging regularly in Ireland and Europe. It’s clear his creative projects feed him (he reckons he “could be doing MORE things to fill [his] time”! ), and chatting with him is an inspiring rollercoaster.
Both hailing from Inverin, a gaeltacht area in Connemara, we chatted about growing up in rural Ireland and the highs and lows of life outside the cities. While it can be hard as a young person to find an alternative scene in somewhere like Inverin, it’s clear that Cóilí’s relationship with Connemara, and to the Irish language is important to him. Cóilí’s interest in music evolved alongside his skills in writing, spurred on by an Irish language writing competition which he happened upon in school…
“I remember there was this competition in Connemara, a writing competition with Gael Linn. They had posters outside the teachers room [in school]. I would write these paragraphs about Armand Van Helden, or Ed Banger, kind of fan pieces that I would write in Irish. If it was good, you’d win a prize, I think it was something like a 15 or 25 euro One for All voucher. Every month, there would be like ten winners and every month I’d be one of the winners and I’d go straight into HMV. The first time I won I went in and I thought the Prodigy album cover looked cool so I bought that. Then I got all the Daft Punk albums. Then I got all the Chemical Brothers albums, then I think I got Groove Armada, Massive Attack and so on. It was this kind of symbiotic thing between writing and dance music…it’s kind of funny how the music came from the writing”.
This close link between Irish language and culture on the one hand, and electronic music on the other has continued throughout his career. His recent project re-scoring Man of Aran – a 1934 film depicting the struggles of life on the Aran Islands – is a good example of this. The experience of reworking an Irish cultural classic with a more contemporary twist was both challenging and extremely rewarding.
“It was great to do something where I felt like a bit of an expert…Nobody could really tell me how I should be doing it. Now, I’m not very experienced with the Aran Islands, but I probably have more experience than any other DJs!”
“I did drama in school in Inverin. I never liked acting in English, I always found it easier to act in Irish – there’s more emotion in it [the language]. For me, there’s always been a connection between Irish and drama, and another connection between being “cool” and English. That’s a bit crudely put but you get me. [With Man of Aran] I was able to do something cool in Irish. Obviously there’s no words, but there’s that Irish culture”.
With projects like Man of Aran, and now Nosferatu, the challenge lies in finding a balance between staying true to the material, and putting your own twist on it.
“We forget when we watch films how important music is and how many times in a film that music is the main thing. In a way you can alter the story. For me it was about watching the film and seeing what direction it’s going in and then shifting it slightly. I’m not trying to do anything too drastic. But at the same time, these are old films – Nosferatu is a hundred years old. I don’t fuckin’ blame somebody if they’re bored by it because it’s really fuckin’ old! So, I want to make it so people are sitting there like “Holy shit, I’m on the edge of my seat!”
Nosferatu will be screened on February 23rd, in The Complex in Dublin, with Shampain mixing a new soundtrack live on the night. Cóilí insists that this is an open invite, not just for ravers, but anyone with an interest in alternative scenes.
“If you’re interested in electronic music or if you’re interested in anything that’s a bit different or artsy…maybe you don’t like clubs anymore, or you feel too old for clubbing or things are going on too late for you – this event is accessible for everyone. This is an invite: come down and let your inner freak out! If you’ve ever spent time in Millenium Park or the likes, this is the show for you!”
Although he currently lives in London, his relationship with Ireland is still strong, with plenty of gigs, events, and projects still percolating in Ireland. His recent move to London was mostly motivated by a desire to devote himself more fully to DJing, and although Galway has a special place in his heart, the lack of a regular club night in the city over the last few years has been hard on local DJs, and pop-up or DIY events don’t satisfy all the needs of Galway’s ravers and DJs.
“It’s a mess in Galway at the moment. The problem is that the spaces aren’t there and the spaces that are, you can’t use them. The people who have the venues, they don’t understand, and it’s not even a malicious thing, they just don’t get it, they just own a building like. They’re not supposed to understand this avant garde bullshit like! And that’s fine. If someone came to me and asked me about Irish football I’d be like – I dunno!”
“There’s not many people working in the arts or music who have venues, and most of the reason for that is that everyone moves because there’s nothing to do!”
Cóilí is an optimist though, and sees opportunity everywhere – perhaps the lack of venues in places like Galway is an opportunity to rethink how we approach club culture in Ireland.
“People often talk about wanting to create a “club atmosphere” in Ireland…but when has anyone ever gone to a club in Ireland and felt like they were in Berlin or something? Why can’t we accept what we have? What if we did something like the old dance halls?! Or like, think of the ravers in the eighties and nineties – they were dancing in places that we’d probably consider shit holes. Why can’t we just actually lean into the way that it is?”
“The reason I left is because things are going good for me music-wise and I said to myself maybe I should see if I can actually make a career out of this. The best thing about being a DJ or an artist or anything like that is that you have the freedom to do anything. I used to work as a barber as well and I understand completely how much you can be tied down to a place or a job. So I decided to go full hog with the DJing now while I’m younger and have the freedom to move about.”
“What I really want to do though is go back to Galway or to Ireland and try to put things in place that are long-term for people who want to work in the arts. I don’t know how I’d do that but nothing changes if you don’t try! There’s all these superstars that come out of Ireland and not many who come back and say “here’s a place I wish I had when I was younger”. If you’re from there and you don’t do it, nobody else will! So the plan is to put in the work here, and then go home to do the work that needs to be done there.”
Wrapping up our conversation, we chatted about upcoming gigs and what Cóilí is most looking forward to this year.
“This year I really want to focus on DJing. I love all the other projects I do, but this year I’m looking forward to really focusing on that! I just recently played in Rex Club, in Paris, with Miley Serious, and that was a kind of bucket list gig, because of course when I was growing up I was always listening to Daft Punk, Justice – all these French acts. And there I was, in Paris, in the middle of Fashion Week, playing in the oldest club in the city, with the best DJ in France! So that was a real highlight.”
“I’ll be doing a show with GTown records in Galway on the 8th of April (the day after my birthday!), which i’m really looking forward to!”