MacD on Music: (What’s the Story) Morning Glory
Foo Fighters and Snow Patrol influences shape the Derry band's latest studio album.
When I started this column, a big theme in a lot of the newer bands I spoke to was that they’d come together during Lockdown. It’s basically the origin story for a generation of Derry bands, some of which are still going strong six years later. Today, I’m talking to another group that formed during those long ago, plague-infested days, Foreign Mornings.
When I started this column, a big theme in a lot of the newer bands I spoke to was that they’d come together during Lockdown. It’s basically the origin story for a generation of Derry bands, some of which are still going strong six years later.
Today, I’m talking to another group that formed during those long ago, plague-infested days, Foreign Mornings.
The group, made up of Michael Wilkinson (rhythm guitar/vocals), Ben Greeves (bass), Jack McKenna (drums) and Jude Neill (lead guitar), formed in the midsts of Lockdown, have since released two albums (‘4am’ and ‘Beginnings and Endings’) and have been described as “DIY rock at it’s absolute finest”, with a sound described as “honing in on the big stadium guitars of Foo Fighters, the passion of Biffy Clyro and the honest, evocative lyricism of Snow Patrol”.
I caught up with lead singer Michael recently to talk about the group: “Me and Ben are the founding members. We started playing together in school and just kept jamming together post-that.
“Then COVID came around and basically straight after that we met Jack and he started playing drums for us.
“We had a different lead guitarist for a while and were like that for about a year before the guitarist left and we got Jude in, who is Ben’s sister’s boyfriend. We’ve been like this for two years now.”
Speaking about their albums: “We did the first album [4am] ourselves, just recorded it all and mixed it all on our own, more just to see if we could, really. We released another one, ‘Beginnings and Endings’, in November there, which we did in Start Together Studios in Belfast. [The reception has been] really good.
“The first one was probably so-so, but the second album was really well received. We’d love to do a little run of vinyl at some point. We’re doing a tour at the end of the year so we might get some made up for that.”
I asked how he would describe their music: “My biggest influence is probably Foo Fighters, and then Snow Patrol is a big one, being from Bangor originally.
“Our sound is hard for me to clearly define. It’s big guitars and big stadium drums, then vocally I like the more storytelling, melodic side of things. Somewhere between big stadium rock and indie folk, probably more leaning towards the stadium rock.”
Next, I asked about any particularly big gigs to date and plans for the future: “We opened for an American band called Friday Pilots Club a year or so ago, and we’ve played with a few Scottish bands that were really cool.”
“We’re planning to put out a single this year, and record more music. I’d like to do another album, or maybe an EP or something. That’ll come out next March, perhaps. Apart from that, we’ll just keep trying to play across Ireland, and then maybe branch out into Scotland or the north of England. Gotta keep grinding.”
And that’s it from Michael and Foreign Mornings. Their albums ‘4am’ and ‘Beginnings and Endings’ are out now on all good streaming services. They’ll also be playing Belfast Barge on April 18th. Tickets can be found on offaxisgigs.com.
Now, onto other business. First up, we have a new album from Monaghan’s Gráinne Duffy (featured in these fine pages last year). The album, ‘What Am I Supposed To Do?’ was released last Friday and was “recorded in Los Angeles in January 2025 during the fires with producers Marc Ford (Black Crowes) and Justin Stanley (Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow)” and “comprises nine tracks of blues-rock authority: raw, direct, nothing wasted.” The album is out now on all good streaming services.
Next up is Belfast-based YINYANG with her new single ‘Think About It’.
Described as “one of the most distinctive and exciting artists in recent memory” by CLOUT, this new track “is about freedom and mental liberation in a world designed to keep people small, distracted, doubtful and disconnected from themselves. It explores the freedom to express yourself and move how you want without fear, reclaiming your power, and what it feels like to actually try and do that. Use the track as a mirror to reflect your own personal power.”
It’s also out now on all good streaming services.
Last up, we have one of Derry’s most exciting up-and-coming bands taking to the stage in Bennigan’s tomorrow night (29th May), when Sunset Theory headline with support from The Waiting Room Magazines and Sandemos. Sunset Theory will be playing their upcoming EP in full and frontman Finn Tilley promises that it “is going to be the most insane set yet”. Doors are 8pm and tickets are £8 and available at eventbrite.com.
Finally, time for the socials. Sandemos can be found on Instagram @sandemosderry,
The Waiting Room Magazines @thewaitingroommagazines, Sunset Theory @sunset_theory_doire, YINYANG @helloitsyinyang, Gráinne Duffy @grainneduffyoffical and Foreign Mornings @foreign_mornings.