Spotlight Sounds; Episode Eighteen with Stop Throwing Lemons

Welcome back to Spotlight Sounds, a series by Secrets Behind the Sound celebrating the vibrant world of Irish music. Dive into the blend of tradition and innovation that characterises Ireland's contemporary music scene, featuring both established and emerging artists. Explore the influences and experiences shaping Irish musicians and join us as we delve into their creative processes, stories, and journeys. Through in-depth discussions, Secrets Behind The Sound recognises the groundbreaking contributions of Irish artists to global creativity. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, Spotlight Sounds invites you to explore the captivating realm of Irish music—a journey into the stories, sounds, and enigmas that make up Ireland's music scene.

Stop Throwing Lemons is a four-piece alt-rock/indie band hailing from Galway, Ireland, featuring two Jacks and two Liams: Liam Carton on vocals, Jack Qualter on guitar, Jack Silke on bass, and Liam Liddane on drums. With the playful motto “Jacks on strings, Liams on other things,” the band is affectionately referred to as "cheesy but necessary." Initially a trio since their secondary school days, they expanded to include Liam Liddane during their college years, fully immersing themselves in Galway's vibrant music scene. In August 2023, they recorded three songs, marking the beginning of their journey with debut singles. Having just released their third and final single of their debut releases, I caught up with Jack to discuss all things Stop Throwing Lemons.

Photo credits: Darragh Silke

Can you start by introducing your band and your musical background?

Hey, we’re Stop Throwing Lemons, a 4 piece alt rock band from Galway, Ireland. We consist of two Jacks and two Liams, with the description “Jacks on strings, Liams on other things”.

Liam Carton (vocals), Jack Qualter (guitar) and Jack Silke (bass) have been friends since primary school. We all played music individually, and started jamming together when we were around 17 (circa 2018). Our friend Brian joined us on the keys during this time also. This era of the band consisted mainly of covers and music practicals, until the pandemic, when the lockdown put a halt to the band.

During college, we met Liam Liddane-Dillon (drums), who filled the drummer-sized hole in our lives, and we started jamming together again. Liam L had previous experience gigging down in Limerick, and provided much needed wisdom... Sadly Brian moved to Dublin in pursuit of his medical career, and so we remained a 4-piece. We eventually got our ducks in a row, and played our first public gig as STL in February 2023.

How would you define the genre you as a band primarily identify with, and how do you incorporate other influences into your sound?

I think we categorize ourselves as primarily alternative rock and post-punk, but it’s hard to label it exactly. We feel that three singles that we recorded together all sound different from each other, which reflects the different vibes of how we were feeling when we wrote them. We all love listening and playing along to different genres in our own time, and learn songs we love to incorporate in our own playing. There’s no one lead songwriter in this band, we all jam together with our influences and see what comes from it. We find this to generally be the most fun way to create music.

How do you think Irish music has progressed through the years?

 I think the industry is making good steps towards becoming a more inclusive space. Female, non binary and LGBTQIA+ acts are being given a larger platform to thrive and it's great to see local bands like the Cliffords, Shark School, I Dreamed a Dream, Adore, etc. making shapes in the scene. I think the general public has been a bit slow on the uptake to fill that space though as the industry is crying out for more of these artists to join the ranks. I'm also really loving the surge of trad influence in the alternative music scene in the last few years and I'm very excited to see how that continues to progress. 

How did the idea of Untethered come about, and what was the creative process like for this single?

The intro riff for Untethered came about from randomly noodling on the guitar in some stage near the end of the pandemic. We all liked the riff, a few lyrics were written for it, and then not much happened afterwards. We were stuck on what to do next, and we were all quite busy, so we promptly moved on with the thought of visiting it again in the future. About 8 months later we jammed what is now the second section, and to our infinite wisdom we thought “hey why don’t we just add these two riffs together and see if it sticks”, and wow, how lucky were we? What we recorded was very similar to how we were playing it in gigs before, but we had fun adding different bits and ideas since it was our first time ever recording when we did Untethered and the rest of our singles.

Can you share any interesting stories or challenges you faced while recording Untethered?

Recording Untethered was a fun but challenging process. Building and maintaining the right amount of energy throughout the song was probably the most taxing and challenging part of the recording process. After a good few attempts, and with some extra guitar recording bits, we achieved the take we liked. For most of us, it was our first time in a recording studio, so it was a bit daunting at the start, but we quickly got into the groove and loved the process in making these singles.

Photo credits; @daisychainphotos

In your opinion, what role do live performances and venues play in the Irish music scene today?

Live performances are the most important aspect of the local music scene, being the key factor which propels the scene as a whole forward.

This was particularly evident in Galway during our early college years, around 2021/22. The lockdowns lifted, and the local music scene absolutely exploded. The energy and atmosphere at gigs during this time was unmatched, and dozens of new bands launched into the scene. Small, local venues, especially Áras na nGael, were particularly important during this period, providing a safe, accessible place where any band could showcase their tunes. 

Gigs are effectively a melting pot for the scene, where musicians can meet each other, and get inspired by one another, forming a community. In our opinion, it’s the intimate nature of these live gigs and venues which has led to Galway having such a tight knit music scene.

Diversity is an important aspect of any music scene. How do you think your music contributes to the diversity of the Irish music scene?

Diversity in its purest form surely comes from every voice (and instrument) being able to fully express itself. Our writing process is very collaborative, everyone focused on expressing themselves through the medium they know best and never with an imbalance of power in deciding how a song should go. 

Everyone has their own distinct and maybe even contradictory influences to how they play and I think there’s something really unique that emerges from that creative collision.

We scratch a certain itch, we fill a certain niche in the Galway scene. What exactly that niche or itch might be I don’t quite know but as long as we’re being honest in how we play, I’m confident we’re always going to be bringing something new to the scene.

As an Irish band, what advice have you got for other artists trying to navigate the industry and find their unique voice?

Bringing a 'we're all in this together' mindset to the music scene is a huge thing I think. Sometimes competition can creep into the industry and cause a divide between artists in a scene and I think it's important to try to keep that out of the music space and nurture the community you're involved in. There's nothing sexier than bands building each other up.

 In the vein of finding a unique voice, I think it’s important to disregard the notion of creating music with the explicit notion of becoming successful and instead seek to create to feed your soul not your ego. 

What can listeners expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming releases, collabs or projects you’re excited about?

Untethered is the third and final single of our debut releases, which were recorded last summer in Hellfire Studios. This is our last release for a while, as we begin work on writing some new tunes.

We are just back from our festival debut, at Éalú Le Grá, and we are looking forward to a summer of live gigs! We’re playing a fundraiser gig in the Róisín Dubh on 27th of June with A Modern Movement, in support of Palestine. We’re also very excited to play in Cuba on the 7th July, hosted by Free House. Free House gigs have been a cornerstone of the Galway music scene for years, and were a key factor in inspiring us to get gigging with STL. It’s surreal to now have the opportunity to get to play at one ourselves.

If your music were a superhero, what superpowers would it have and what would its name be?

Hairwhip! He has the superpower of expressing his discontent with the world and himself by headbanging. It doesn’t help fight crime but at least he feels a little better.

Stop Throwing Lemons is an exciting and dynamic addition to the Irish music scene, poised to make waves in 2024. With their unique blend of alternative rock and post-punk, combined with diverse influences and a collaborative approach to songwriting, this four-piece band from Galway brings a fresh and genuine sound that stands out in today’s music landscape. Their journey, from school friends jamming together to playing live gigs and recording singles, demonstrates their dedication and passion for music. As they prepare for a summer of live performances and new projects, Stop Throwing Lemons is definitely a band to watch. Their commitment to inclusivity, community, and authentic expression makes them not just musicians, but contributors to the vibrant and evolving Irish music scene. Keep an eye out for their electrifying performances and innovative music in the coming year.