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Annas Anchor Signal Tower Video Release

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Annas Anchor Signal Tower – Pictured above: Marty Ryan of Anna’s Anchor
Limerick native Marty Ryan, the solo artist behind alternative meets indie punk act Anna’s Anchor, is very proud of his country. Currently on a tour from Ireland’s most Southerly to Northern-most point, he will have literally travelled the length and breadth of the country, playing in his own words: “places no punk band has ever gone before and ever will (for good reason)!
The run itself was inspired by filming for the video ‘Signal Tower’, which sees release this week. Marty explains, “We said we’d go to as many landmarks as possible in 4 days. We filmed for 14 hours straight each day, travelled 1300 miles and visited 200 locations. It’s the ultimate Irish road trip incorporated into one short music video!
Location-hoping is a recurrent theme throughout Anna’s Anchor’s history, with last summer seeing completion of ‘The Island’s Project’. Marty describes, “In a nutshell, last Summer I visited 8 remote islands over an 8 week period. I played a gig on each island, wrote a song on each and then returned home to record and release the song each week. 8 weeks, 8 islands, 8 gigs, 8 songs.”
Certainly not afraid to travel, the beginning of the year also saw Marty flying back and forth to England it record his forthcoming debut album, which is slated for an Autumn release via Struggletown and Never Meant Records. With more details to be revealed soon, Annas Anchor Signal Tower appropriately marks the new beginning. Thought it clocks in at under two minutes, it’s an addictive introduction to Anna’s Anchor, Marty’s plaintive vocal melodies sitting atop a lush bed of ringing guitar chords that evoke vintage Idlewild and revered US acts such as Elliot and Into It Over It.
“I wrote this song while visiting a super small island off the coast of Ireland called Inishturk,” Marty recalls; “It only has a population of 50, so there was nothing to do on the island other than take a step back, which is something I’m not used to. I usually get really agitated if I’m not as productive as possible, but out there I had no choice but to take it all in. I sat down at this look out point beside an old signal tower and spent a couple of hours writing the song about that very sentiment, how I don’t give myself a break and that’s not always the best way to be for yourself, your health and loved ones. The song is about being grateful for this gift of taking a step back to think about the important things but ultimately coming to the conclusion that it won’t last for too long because it’s not the way you’re built to function.”
Catch Annas Anchor On The Road on the Mizen to Malin Head tour:
May 13th – Levis’ Ballydehob , Co.Cork
June 6th – Joe Watty’s – Inis Mór, Aran Islands
June 9th – The Secret Garden – Galway, Ireland
June 12th – Mullarkey’s Clifden, Ireland
June 17th  -Tricky McGarigles – Sligo, Ireland
 June 18th – Ursa Minor Bakehouse – BallyCastle Co.Antrim, Ireland

 

Anna’s Anchor Debut Album Coming Autumn 2016 via Struggletown and Never Meant Records
Take a look at Anna’s Anchor Signal Tower below.
 
Find Anna’s Anchor on Facebook here and Twitter here
Read more about Anna’s Anchor here

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.