Lir (band)

LiR is an Irish rock band. Their sound has been described as "a fusion of funky progressive rock, folky mysticism and savvy pop". The band formed in the late 1980s in Dublin, firstly under the name The Spontaneous Frogs, then Uproar. They released their first EP, 'All Machines Hum in A', in 1992. In 1993, they released their first LP, 'Magico Magico!' under the label Velo Records (Velo was an Irish Indie) in Ireland. In 1994, they re-released 'Magico Magico!' to the US, under the independent record label What Are Records? (W.A.R.?). The new version of the album saw a revision to the track listing. LiR would release their second album, 'Nest', exclusively with W.A.R.?, the following year, in 1995. Around this time, they were notorious for playing constant live shows in Whelan's Bar, on Wexford Street in Dublin. The support act was regularly by another Dublin band called Dragonfly (the lead guitarist of Dragonfly later became LiR's second guitarist, after the departure of keyboardist David Hopkins). The LiR song 'Temple Child' appeared on the What Are Records? Ammunition compilation album, a music sampler of various independent artists. In 1997 the band appeared on the soundtrack for the movie I Went Down, with the song 'There Are More Things'.

LiR went on hiatus from 1997 to late 2000s, reuniting to play only a few shows a year in Dublin. In 2006, the record label behind their US presence, What Are Records? released an album of tracks from LiR's early recording days, called 06/93 Acoustic Sessions. The acoustic album was made available in mp3 digital format, via online download only. Their latest release Lir Live came out on October 4, 2008, under the independent record label 1969 Records. This album would be their first LP release in 13 years, since 1995's 'Nest'. They were also sued by their manager for breach of contract after an aborted unsuccessful tour of the U.S. Their college art teacher once gave them this advice : 'best of music in the luck business'; sadly, luck never played its part and LiR's music failed to reach a major international audience.

A documentary on the band, directed by Shimmy Marcus and entitled "Good Cake Bad Cake: The Story of LIR" was released in 2011. It can be viewed here: http://vimeo.com/83920234

Discography:
All Machines Hum in A - 1992
Magico Magico! (Velo Records - Ireland + EU only) - 1993
Magico Magico! (What Are Records? - US release) - 1994
Nest (What Are Records? - US release) - 1995
This Appeared - EP (Velo Records - Ireland + EU only) - 1995
7000 Apes 600 - EP (Velo Records - Ireland + EU only) - 1997
I Went Down: Music from the original motion picture soundtrack (Prophecy Ent.) - 1997
06/93 Acoustic Sessions (What Are Records? - US Release) - 2006
Lir Live (1969 Records - UK only) - 2008