Lingüa Brütallica - Episode 49: Joe McGuigan and Philly Byrne of Gama Bomb (Northern Ireland)

Lingua Brutallica

Speaking with Joe McGuigan and Philly Byrne, this episode takes as its point of departure a tweet written by Philly about Gama Bomb's lyricism, stating “interesting fact: most metal people who criticise us for being 'un-serious' or 'goofy' didn't grow up during a *civil war* like we did. Go ahead and write your wee songs about hatred and murder: must be great to be a tourist”. As the interview progresses, we see how well this initial tweet encapsulates Gama Bomb's guiding ethos, reflected in their lyricism. Many of Gama Bomb's lyrics are certainly humorous, with songs about zombies, ninjas and even Kurt Russel. But these references to popular culture are neither arbitrary or meaningless as each is connected to some aspect of Joe and Philly's real lives, reflecting, for instance, the films that first bonded them as kids and the local Irish colloquialisms they use in daily life. In this way, though some might call them 'unserious', Gama Bomb's lyrics share a genuine connection to the real world.

To connect with Gama Bomb, go to: https://linktr.ee/gamabomb