Relish are a
Northern Irish
Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...
rock band composed of brothers Ken (vocals and guitar) and Carl (drums, keyboards and vocals) Papenfus, and until 2013 Darren Campbell (bass and vocals). They have released three albums: 2001's "''Wildflowers''" (Platinum), "''Karma Calling''" (Gold) in 2003 (both of these were on the
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
Ireland label), and ''"Connected"'' in 2011. "Wildflowers , Karma Calling was released as a double album package by Universal Records (Ireland) in 2015.
The band are perhaps best known for the songs "Rainbow Zephyr" and "You I'm Thinking Of", from their debut album, ''Wildflowers''. The former (a big Irish radio hit in its own right) was covered by
Westlife
Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporarily di ...
with slightly changed lyrics and released as a single "
Hey Whatever
"Hey Whatever" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 15 September 2003 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''Turnaround (Westlife album), Turnaround'' (2003). The song is a re-written version of "Rainbow Zephyr" ...
", which went on to become an international hit.
''Relish'' were fully formed by the mid 1990s when bass player Darren Campbell teamed up with the brothers. The band signed to EMI in 1998 and immediately caught the attention of famed producer
John Leckie
John William Leckie (born 23 October 1949) is an English record producer and recording engineer. His production credits include Magazine's ''Real Life'' (1978), XTC's ''White Music'' (1978) and Dukes of Stratosphear's '' 25 O'Clock'' (1985), t ...
(
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. One of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist I ...
,
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
).
Fans of the band include
Brian May
Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen (band), Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Fredd ...
of
Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
and Larry Mullen Jr of
U2.
History
Upbringing
The Papenfus brothers are sons of South African jazz singer Jane Londis (of Golden City Dixies fame) and doctor of psychology, author and percussionist Stan Papenfus. Their parents fled South Africa whose apartheid system deemed their inter-racial marriage illegal and settled in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
in the early 1970s. The Papenfus' sons early musical upbringing was augmented by their parents record collection of jazz, gospel + world music and 1960s rock; their only possession brought from South Africa.
Early bands and Relish formation
Pre-''Relish'' musical outfits included ''50/50'' (half cover versions/half original) with Steafán Hanvey and grunge + funk metal band ''The Id''. Darren Campbell joined the band and ''Relish'' was formed from the ashes of ''The Id'' after the departure of keyboard player, and vocalist Brendan Kelly. Reduced to a 3 piece outfit, all members took up vocal duties with Ken reluctantly assuming lead vocals and named themselves ''Relish'' in 1995.
After three years of consistent demoing, gigging and building relationships with labels, one demo struck a chord that had record labels visiting the ''Relish'' rehearsal room in their home town of
Downpatrick
Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Its cathedral is said to be the bu ...
.
Releases
EMI years
Wildflowers
Following a series of auditions in the Papenfus' living room in front of a bemused number of record company A&R personnel, the band signed to EMI Ireland in 1998 and began work on their debut album ''"Wildflowers"'' with acclaimed producer
John Leckie
John William Leckie (born 23 October 1949) is an English record producer and recording engineer. His production credits include Magazine's ''Real Life'' (1978), XTC's ''White Music'' (1978) and Dukes of Stratosphear's '' 25 O'Clock'' (1985), t ...
(
Stone Roses
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
,
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
), in UK studios
Rockfield, Air and
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...
. Al Clay (
Stereophonics
Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in the Cynon Valley, Wales. The band consists of Kelly Jones (lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Richard Jones (bass guitar, harmonica, backing vocals), Adam Zind ...
,
Pixies
A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas arou ...
) was commissioned to produce and mix the next phase of recording at BJG and Windmill Lane studios in Ireland. The 2001 release debuted at No 6 in the Irish charts and was well received in both the UK and Ireland. It spawned a top 10 and two top 30 singles, and a No1 in the airplay charts in Japan with ''"You I'm Thinking Of"'' The album, and particularly its lead singles, ''"Let It Fly"'' and ''"Rainbow Zephyr"'', brimmed over with direct soul and gospel influences, soft in tone but with a clear rock edge.
''
Karma Calling
''Karma Calling'' was released in 2003 debuting at No. 8 in the Irish charts. Produced by Al Clay it achieved a No11 Irish hit single with Father, Brother, Lover and Son''. During this period live slots included appearances at Scotland's
T in the Park
T in the Park festival was a major Scottish music festival that was held annually from 1994 to 2016. It was named after its main sponsor, Tennents. The event was held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, until 1996. It then moved to the disused ...
, the
V Festival, Japan's
Summer Sonic Festival
The , also known as Supersonic, is an annual two- or three-day rock festival held at the same time in Osaka and Chiba, Japan. The majority of the bands playing in Osaka the first day go to Chiba the following day and vice versa. The line-up cont ...
, and by personal invitation by
U2's
Larry Mullen Jr.
Laurence Joseph Mullen Jr. (; born 31 October 1961) is an Irish musician, best known as the drummer and co-founder of the rock band U2.
Mullen was born in Dublin, where he attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. In 1976, he co-founded U2 ...
at Ireland's
Slane Castle
Slane Castle (Irish ''Cáisleán Bhaile Shláine'') is located in the village of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The castle has been the family seat of the Marquess Conyngham, Conyngham family since i ...
.
Post EMI years
Connected
On 19 November 2010 Relish performed their first live gig in five years. It was a charity fund raiser for Brendan Kelly, former band member and ex lead vocalist of ''The Id''.
In October 2011 a new album called ''"Connected"'' received a low key UK + Ireland release on their own label ''Zephyr Sounds'' licensed to US label
Rock Ridge Music
Rock Ridge Music is an independent record label and artist management company based in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 2004, it has signed, managed, and/or promoted artists including Reel Big Fish, Sister Hazel, Rachel Platten, Matthew Perryman ...
/ADA Warners (which included radio hits "Something To Believe In", "Connected" and "Together You") to positive reviews. Written, recorded, engineered, produced and mixed (almost entirely) by the Papenfus brothers, it was a heavily revised version of "Three Times"; a Japanese only release through CCRE Entertainment in 2009.
''Wildflowers , Karma Calling''
''Wildflowers , Karma Calling'' was released as a double album package in Ireland only by Universal Records (Ireland) in 2015. It was released with the inclusion of the bonus track and hit single "Got It Made".
Side projects
Session work
Andrew Strong
Carl Papenfus appeared on drums with
Andrew Strong
Andrew Strong (born 14 November 1973) is an Irish singer and the son of Irish musician and singing coach Robert (Rob) Strong. He grew up in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, (where his father lived while performing with showbands), and Naas ...
at Rockpalast, Bonn in 1995
Players
After parting ways with EMI in 2005, Relish took a hiatus with individual members enjoying other musical projects, most notably the Papenfus brothers collaboration with Damon Minchella (
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene (often abbreviated to OCS) are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Solihull in 1989. They have had five top 10 albums including a number one in 1997. They have also achieved seventeen top 40 singles and six top 10 sin ...
),
Steve White, (
Paul Weller
Paul John Weller (born John William Weller; 25 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame with the punk rock/ new wave/mod revival band the Jam (1972–1982). He had further success with the blue-eyed soul m ...
),
Mick Talbot
Michael Talbot (born 11 September 1958) is an English keyboardist. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Talbot is probably best known as co-founder of the Style Council. He has been a member of Dexys Midnight Runners, the Merton Parkas and ...
(
Style Council
The Style Council were a British band formed in late 1982 by Paul Weller, the former singer, songwriter and guitarist with the punk rock/ new wave/mod revival band the Jam, and keyboardist Mick Talbot, previously a member of Dexys Midnight Run ...
) in "supergroup"
The Players album "From the Six Corners" (2005) supported by a European tour including an appearance at the
Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...
.
=Juno Falls (V2), Paul Brady, Lesley Roy (Jive), Hal, The Answer, Steafan Hanvey
=
Carl appeared as drummer on several projects including "Weightless" (2005) by
Juno Falls (
V2), "The Paul Brady Songbook" (2002) by
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady (born 19 May 1947) is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician from Strabane, Northern Ireland. His work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age.
Initially popular for playing ...
, "Unbeautiful" by
Lesley Roy
Lesley Roy (born 17 September 1986) is an Irish singer-songwriter from Balbriggan, County Dublin Ireland. Roy was signed to an independent Irish label in 2006 followed by a record deal with US label Jive Records. She released her debut album '' ...
(
Jive) in 2008, "The Time The Hour" (2012) by
Hal, "Nuclear Family" (2013) and "Honeymoon Junkies" (2006) by Steafán Hanvey and toured Europe with
The Answer filling in for injured drummer James Heatley on a leg of their support tour with
AC/DC
AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
documented on the accompanying DVD of their live album "412 Days of Rock 'n’ Roll." (2011)
=Paul Weller, Julian Joseph
=
Ken guested on guitar with
Paul Weller
Paul John Weller (born John William Weller; 25 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame with the punk rock/ new wave/mod revival band the Jam (1972–1982). He had further success with the blue-eyed soul m ...
live and on television and is featured on the live dvd "
Studio 150 (2004)" by
Paul Weller
Paul John Weller (born John William Weller; 25 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame with the punk rock/ new wave/mod revival band the Jam (1972–1982). He had further success with the blue-eyed soul m ...
whilst also appearing on the aforementioned Steafán Hanvey albums.
Ken also took the lead role in
Julian Joseph
Julian Raphael Nathaniel Joseph (born 11 May 1966) is a British jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and broadcaster.
Biography
Joseph was born in London and attended Allfarthing Primary School and Spencer Park Secondary School in Wan ...
's jazz opera
Tristan and Isolde
Tristan and Iseult, also known as Tristan and Isolde and other names, is a medieval chivalric romance told in numerous variations since the 12th century. Based on a Celtic legend and possibly other sources, the tale is a tragedy about the illic ...
that was premiered in London's
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...
.
=Sing Street (soundtrack)
=
During 2014/15, Ken and Carl Papenfus co-wrote and performed as guitarist and drummer respectively on the soundtrack of the
John Carney movie
Sing Street
''Sing Street'' is a 2016 coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by John Carney from a story by Carney and Simon Carmody. Starring Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Jack Reynor and Kelly Thorn ...
, which was later nominated for a Golden Globe on release in 2017 and to be performed as a stage version on Broadway
Sinead O'Connor
During 2014 and 2015, Ken and Carl Papenfus performed as guitarist and drummer respectively in
Sinead O'Connor's band extensively touring Europe, the USA, Australia and South America and later in 2015 produced and performed her cover version of
Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 – September 18, 1945) was an American gospel blues singer, guitarist and evangelist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930—thirty songs in total—display a combination of powerful "ch ...
's classic "Trouble Soon Be Over"
for the album "The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson" which received two Grammy nominations.
67 Management
The Papenfus brothers went on to form a music management company, 67 Management, managing
Sinead O'Connor who they've represented since early 2019
Production
The Answer,
Marilyn Bane,
Sinead O'Connor,
Grainne Duffy
The Papenfus brothers first collaboration with
The Answer was in producing their first effort ''Breakdown Honey'' (2002).
Ken and Carl Papenfus wrote and produced several songs for Marilyn Bane, runner up in Ireland's talent show "
You're a Star
''You're a Star'' is an Irish music competition series broadcast by RTÉ One from 2002 to 2008. Produced by the broadcaster and Screentime ShinAwiL, the series was similar to formats such as ''Idol'' and ''The X Factor''.
For its first three se ...
" (Irish X Factor) in 2007.
Ken and Carl Papenfus produced and solely performed on
Sinead O'Connor's cover version of
Blind Willie Johnson
Blind Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 – September 18, 1945) was an American gospel blues singer, guitarist and evangelist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930—thirty songs in total—display a combination of powerful "ch ...
's classic "Trouble Soon Be Over"
for the Grammy nominated album "The Songs of Blind Willie Johnson" also featuring Tom Waits, Blind Boys of Alabama et al.
As recently announced in their blog Ken and Carl just finished producing and performing on "Shine" by
Grainne Duffy. Ken and Carl produced several more songs for
Sinead O'Connor during 2020 including the Van Morrison cover "Who Was That Masked Man" for Hot Press magazine's celebration of his 75th birthday, and also "I'll Be Singing" for the soundtrack of the film "Wild Mountain Thyme" nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media Award
Zephyr Sounds / High Altitude Recordings
In 2013, the distribution end of the Zephyr Sounds label was opened to facilitate artists and labels globally through Ingrooves, Fontana.
Relish released their first single of 2015 "Got It Made" on the Zephyr Sounds imprint via
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
(Ireland) which also appears as a bonus track on the re-release, double package "Wildflowers , Karma Calling". The company changed its name to High Altitude Recordings in 2016.
Style
Because of their varying social and political backgrounds, the band members approach song topics considerately, fashioning socialistic messages in a non-too radical yet left-of-centre style. ''Relish'' are one of the first rock bands since
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or some ...
to feature a vocalist who looks as cool as he sings.
Awards
''Relish'' received "Best New Hope" at the Irish
IRMA Awards in 2001
Discography
*''"Wildflowers"'' (2001)
*''"Karma Calling"'' (2003)
*''"Three Times"'' (Japan only) (2009)
*''"Connected"'' (2011)
*"Wildflowers , Karma Calling" (2015)
References
External links
Official SiteZephyr Sounds
{{Authority control
Rock music duos
British musical trios
Musical groups from County Down
Rock music groups from Northern Ireland
Downpatrick