Sun Merchant Unveil Debut Single “Hold My Sober”With Music Video
Sun Merchant is the new creative project from Stephen McGrath (Crow Black Chicken) and Aury Livingstone (The Underscore Orkestra).
Crossing paths in Cork in 2023, the musicians had an instant connection, exploring the strengths and diversity of their individual skill sets and soon beginning to carve original material. Two years on from creating music together and gigging on the live circuit - which has seen the genre-defying duo captivate audiences with their eclectic blend of alt-rock, blues and gypsy jazz-influenced spontaneity - the now trio, completed and given a new drive by drummer/percussionist Jamie Ryan, proudly present their debut single, “Hold My Sober”.
Drawing from a diverse palette of influences, Sun Merchant’s sound is both familiar and refreshingly unique, featuring oriental and balkan-style motifs that are skillfully moulded into an alternative rock framework, dashed with prog and grunge.
Earning praise after their recent appearance at Tipperary festival When Next We Meet, a typical Sun Merchant gig unfolds from passages of improvisation on electric guitar, Oud Taqism over synchronised grooves in 7 / 8 , and at other times, some straight-up power trio staples.
“Hold My Sober” is taken from the band’s soon-to-be-announced debut album, which will quantify the band’s expansive, dexterous style in full glory. On his collaboration with Livingstone and the new single, bassist/double bassist Stephen McGrath said:
“‘Hold My Sober’ is about growing up in a society that tries to bring you down to the low levels of addiction and failure, and how easy it is to fall into the trap—because it's almost tattooed on your body that you're going to fail to rise above. So it's like an anthem of rising above and overcoming the expectation of failure”.
He continues, “This was the first co-write myself and Aury did together, and the drums were recorded in the School of Music with Evan McGinty, with all other parts recorded by ourselves in my studio. The track was mixed by Christopher Hockey, who is making waves in the Cork scene as the go-to mixing engineer”
About Stephen McGrath
Stephen is an Irish bass player known as a member of Crow Black Chicken who have performed on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury, released 5 albums and even supported ZZ Top at the Marquee in Cork. He is also the host of his own bass podcast “Stephen McGrath’s Basscraft”. He is very active on social media with a loyal following on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube, where he posts lessons, interviews and short musical pieces that showcase his unique bass playing style.
He joined Music Generation Tipperary in 2020 and is now the head of the rock and pop department. In this role he oversees the various hubs around the country, runs the rock camps every summer and organises various showcases to give the young bands in the programme a chance to perform in front of a live audience. Stephen completed a performance masters in bass at the Cork School of music in 2023. Artists Stephen has collaborated with include Liam Ó’Maonlaí, Philip Donnelly, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Matt Owens (Noah and the whale).
About Aury Livingstone
Born in Durban, South Africa, Aury’s passion for the guitar was ignited at an early age, being influenced by local legends like the late Steve Fataar of The Flames and Blues guitar icon Dan Patlansky. Throughout his teenage years, Aury honed his skills in the blues and folk-rock genres, performing alongside Fataar and as a soloist at numerous venues. His early career saw him on stages such as the Splashy Fen Festival, Durban International Blues Festival, The Catalina Theatre, the FIFA 2010 World Cup FanFest, and the South African Broadcasting Commission.
Now based in Cork, Aury has evolved his musical focus towards the vibrant sounds of European hot-club style gypsy jazz and Balkan-influenced guitar and the Arabic oud—which he picked up during his recent travels in the Middle East. He is a member of the internationally acclaimed bands The Underscore Orkestra and Mesopotami.
Since relocating to Ireland, Aury has become a respected figure in the World Music and Jazz scenes, averaging over 100 gigs per year. He has performed at notable Irish festivals such as The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, All Together Now Festival, Ballydehob Jazz Festival, and Clonmel Busking Festival, as well as at numerous local venues in Cork and surrounding areas. Aury continues to captivate audiences with his dynamic blend of musical influences, making his mark as a versatile and innovative guitarist on the international stage.
About Jamie Ryan
Jamie Ryan is a drummer from Cork, Ireland, with over 20 years of experience in drumming and percussion. He began playing in pubs before he was even old enough to legally stay in them, going on to perform with cover bands all over Ireland. These days original music is where his passion lies, having played with artists such as Pethrophia and Erin & The Lens over the years sharing bills with well-known Irish acts opening for the likes of Paddy Casey, Ham Sandwich, and The Coronas.
Jamie teaches drumming to students of all ages while continuing to perform with as many groups as he can reasonably manage to keep his skills sharp.
SUN MERCHANT TOUR DATES
Sep 26th - Clonmel - Applefest
Nov 1st - Dublin - Arthurs
SUN MERCHANT SOCIALS
