Grunkle Funge

THE LORE:

"Essentially its like funky grunge" Andy frustratingly explains whilst casually pacing in the smoking area of Ballyfermot colleges media building. The small group of Rock School students throw possible project names for a sound thats cooking up in Andys head."Grunkle Funge" Joshua Staples states.
Rocking back and forth, drowning in a pool of nerves, its a been an hour. One or two people had joined with head nods only exchanged. The hallway with a chairs linned up along the wall; an empty chair, an empty chair, chair taken, an empty chair, an empty chair, chair taken. Its quiet.
"Aw hey guys!" comes around the corner, a big tall friendly giant holding a small amp and an electric guitar. Dylan on the opposite end of the scale, Andy was not in the mood for cheeriness. Successfully loosening the worry in the hallway, Dylan trys his attempt with Andy; "I can imagine youre nervous, but music is great and you'll meet great people, dont worry". In that moment it was seed, Andy didnt feel it, yet.
In the Arts Block, Eamon Brady is introducing the Rock School course to the new students and what to expect. Whilst in the mist of choosing which example of live performance video that they create, Luke Jackson a former sound engineer student had transferred to be a Rock School student mentions he saw Callous Crows. Andy nervous and lost, suddenly gets hit with a smack of a thick octaved fuzzed out Stratocaster that has this deliberate slight out of tune sound that reminded Andy of his passion and attitude. Supporting it with a solid bouncing blaring drums that created a force of uplift and drive : Callous Crows - Hurt So Good physically smacked Andy across the face demanding him to wake up and remind him why he started music.

In the start of the year, the tutors organise projects through auditions and student voting, Placing them into Bands. The Pickpockets; Siofra Jordan and Lucy Ryan create the sound of angels working out vocal lines with Luke Jackson adding soul with his voice and rhythm on guitar, Conor Boland drumming tight like metronome with groove so powerful and just so happens Andy on lead guitar and Dylan on bass. Bringing Andy and Dyl closer, this incites them to organise a their own rehearsal, their own project.

"Will I do it.." Andy thinks in his head, walking out of the arts block front door, he sees Neil with a group of friends and after a quick thought Andy decides to approach Neil McDonnell
"Hey man, Callous Crows right?"
"yeah?hah""Eamon was showing us the video of your performance, it sounded incredible"
Behind Neil on the steps was a singing talking almost like poetry with rap and humour with attitude vocal that was riding along top of a palour guitar playing again that odd deliberate out of tune sound, This was the ingenius song writer Jamie Leigh of Pack Of Howling Wolves.
This out of tune chords/sound had haunted Andy, he wanted to achieve that same feeling, that same sound. It was a hunger that took over. After weeks of obsessing over the fretboard, spending hours on guitar, searching out for his own out of tune sound, from his room he managed to find two riffs - Step By Step and Powerism.

Inviting Fionn Kavanagh with his pumpin' Tool like low end bass and Philip Woodhouse with his tight rockin' riffs, Dylan and Andy meet in The Arts Block. Plugging in their instruments, Andy with his cheap 75 euro Harley Benton style telecaster and Dyl plugs in a small toy like keyboard. Andy starts to explain the sound in his head whilst Dyl starts playing the organ setting, cutting off Andy.
"okay hold on, yes, can you play this Dylan"
And for the very first time, Dyl, Andy, Phil and Fionn jam Step By Step playing the Grunkle Funge sound.

Its not until after covid, 2022 Andy comes back from Italy after ending a 6 year relationship that he starts to write full complete songs in the key of Grunkle funge. With the encouragement, knowledge and support of Dylan and Fionn, Andy organises the first Grunkle Funge rehearsal in 5 years. Inviting Harry Phox who then invites the powerful voice of Cathy Jackson. Fronting the band for two years Cathy Jackson had stepped down through complicated issues. Grunkle Funge couldn't of grown so much without Cathy.