Kodaline

Two years ago, Steve and his childhood friend Mark Prendergast helped each other through respective recent break-ups by shaping their thoughts into songs about love and loss. “Break-ups make it really easy to write,” laughs blonde-haired Steve. “When we write music, the first thing we think of is, it’s therapy for us. Then we think of how we can use that feeling to touch as many people as possible.”

Teaching each other the principles of songcraft, the music they came up with isn’t wan or introspective or self-serving. Currently maintaining an air of understated mystery (their Facebook bio states, merely, “we’re four lads in a band”), Kodaline are soon set to unveil themselves to the world with the four track The Kodaline EP - recorded with Steve Harris (producer for Dave Matthews band, mixer for U2); four tracks that are bold, epic and stirring and the perfect introduction to a band who aren’t afraid of grand gestures.

Steve and Mark met aged eight, when they were the only boys in the school choir. “We were there to pick up girls, of course,” jokes Mark. The pair though grew up in houses just two minutes away from each other in Swords, a working class town near Dublin airport.

Six years later, at a youth retreat, Mark and Steve were placed in the same house and both took guitars. A musical bond was formed over late night singalongs. Returning to Swords, they recruited another childhood friend Vinny. “Swords is a small place, for a big town,” says Steve, and the three of them set about forming the first of myriad bands.

It is with Kodaline though that Steve, Mark and Vinny – all aged 22 and 23 – have been working towards for much of their young lives, with the line-up being recently completed by bassist Jason Boland. Having spent two years doing nothing but writing, with just a belief in their talent keeping them afloat, Kodaline is their be-all and end-all. “I dropped out of college and my parents were just freaking out saying, What the fuck are you doing?” says Steve. “There was no deal in place and no money, we just thought, Fuck it, let’s have a crack at it.”

The band’s name, incidentally, means absolutely nothing for the moment – they wanted something they could take ownership of. “We made it up ourselves, but we later found out it’s a character on fuckin’ World Of Warcraft,” says Mark. “I promise you, we’ve never even played the game. It’s just a bizarre coincidence.”

Mark and Steve clearly have a strong friendship. “We can basically read each other’s mind at this point because we’ve known each other so long,” says Steve.
Music isn’t the only thing that unites the foursome. “We also like cliff jumping and pier jumping,” says Mark. “I don’t know, each to their own I suppose.”

Currently planning another EP for early next year, plus live dates in November/December and – further down the line – a debut album, Kodaline are now hoping their music will provide therapy for others too. “Music should have a purpose, you know,” says Steve, “Our purpose is honesty”