MacD on Music: Reel Gone Kid channels Springsteen and Marvin Gaye on new record

For decades, Bruce Springsteen has been a key influence on countless Irish artists. From Stockton’s Wing taking their name from a line in ‘Backstreets’ (Slow dancing in the dark on the beach at Stockton's Wing/Where desperate lovers park, we sat with the last of the Duke Street Kings) to Glen Hansard covering ‘Drive All Night’, Bruce has been a driving force behind a lot of the best Irish music since that first greeting from Asbury Park.

This week, I’m talking to another disciple of Bruce, Ben Reel, who’s about to release his 12th studio album, ‘Spirit’s Not Broken’, this Friday (January 23). Ben has been making music for over thirty-five years now, starting with his band Promised Land (guess where the name came from) before embarking on his solo career with his first album in 1999.

I caught up with Ben to talk about the album and how he got to where he is today: “My first band started when I was seventeen, just out of school. It was a few schoolmates, and we started in 1989 from Crossmaglen High School. I’d only started playing guitar when I was fifteen.

The catalyst was when I discovered Bruce Springsteen when I was thirteen. I went to see him in Slane in 1985. That was the big moment that said, ‘I want to do what he’s doing’. We started off playing Springsteen, U2, Beatles but I always wanted to write because Springsteen was my hero, and I loved his songwriting. Two years later, by the time I was nineteen, we had a full set of our own material.”

“That band was together until the mid-nineties, and we nearly made the breakthrough. We toured around Ireland. It was harder back then, but we did have a few labels scouting us at the time. When it all fell apart, I was disillusioned for a while, but about two years later I came back and launched a solo career as Ben Reel. In a band situation, with four band members, you have a quarter control. I wanted to be a dictator [laughs].”

Next, I asked how he would describe his music: “It’s hard to really put in a box because I’ve been influenced by so many different styles of music over the years. Everything from rock to jazz and all in between. All of my albums are in different styles, so I’m not particularly pitching a hole in one style. It’s probably not good as a career move, but I just follow the muse.”

I asked about the new album: “It’s definitely got more of a soul vibe. There’s a touch of Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding there. A bit of Van Morrison, that sort of thing. Some of the songs are even on the pop side of things. Probably a lot of these songs I’d written during COVID, so to me the songs are nearly as old as time. It took that long to get it out that I’m nearly more focused on what’s coming next.”

Finally, I asked what’s coming next: “I’ve been threatening to go into the studio now shortly to start on songs for the next record. Start the process all over again. It’s just getting into the right head space to start it. Then I’ve got a few album launches coming up.

READ MORE: MacD on Music

"I’ve one in Dublin the day the album comes out, on January 23, in Arthur’s Jazz and Blues Club. I’ve one in the north as well in Chandler’s House in Rathfriland on January 24. The following week I head to Germany and Holland. I’ve a lot of stuff there this year. There’s a Dutch label actually putting out the record. I play more in Holland and Germany than I do in Ireland, if I’m honest with you.”

And that’s it from Ben Reel. His new album ‘Spirit’s Not Broken’ is out this Friday on all good streaming services and physical copies can be found on his website benreel.com.

Now, onto other business. First up, Hard to Explain will be making their much-anticipated return to Bennigan’s this Saturday (January 24) following the release of their debut album ‘Hell to Pay’ (out now). The gig features support from Asylum Road, Stitch and Sanctum. Tickets are £5 and are available at hardtoexplainni.bigcartel.com.

MacD on Music: A look back at musical highlights of 2025

Derry music scene was defined by a thriving saxophone-led "gig of the year" from Polar Bolero and tessio., the emergence of Dylan Bradley & the Heat following the end of local staples Parker, and a powerhouse rise for Cora Harkin

MacD on Music: H.B.Roe

Roe has been making a name for herself these past few years with the release of her debut album and with her song ‘Etc Etc’ being featured on the soundtrack of Tig Notaro’s film ‘Am I Ok?’ on HBO Max

Also, last week saw the release of ‘Galactic Tides’, the latest from Donegal singer/songwriter Seán Feeny and title track of his upcoming debut album (out February 6).

“A collaboration with fellow Donegal singer, songwriter and musician Ruairí Friel of Silver Winged They Fly, ‘Galactic Tides’ began with a set of lyrics Feeny wrote, an imagined journey through cosmic drift as a metaphor for emigration. When he shared them with Friel, the project took welcome shape in musical form”. It’s out now on all good streaming platforms and keep an eye on these pages for more from Seán in the coming weeks.

Finally, time for the socials: Sean Feeny can be found on Instagram @seanfeenymusic_, Sanctum @sanctum_derry25, Stitch @stitch_band_official, Asylum Road @asylum_road, Hard to Explain @hardtoexplainofficial and Ben Reel @benreelmusic.