About Hinterland
Hinterland was the collective name for Gerry Leonard and Donal Coghlan a musical partnership based in Dublin between the years 1987-1994. Although both had been in a verity of local bands during the Eighties, Leonard and Coghlan did not get to know each other until they moved to Copenhagen in 1986.
Coghlan had decided on Denmark because he had spent the previous year in Dublin going in and out of hospital until he was diagnosed with M.S. and he felt he had to escape the "intensive care" he had found himself in after he had left hospital.
Leonard moved to Copenhagen in pursuit of a romantic affair. Leonard had been given the word that another young Irish musician was recently resident in the city and, one night, turned up on Coghlan's doorstep. It was the start of a friendship which soon turned to musical matters.
From 1978, Coghlan had been in The Departure, a popular Dublin band much influenced by XTC and The Stranglers. Four years later he quit the local rock scene, vowing never again to play live in this way. He opted instead, to concentrate on song writing and bought one of the first Porta-studio's which he operated from his bedroom. One of his first clients, co-incidentally, was a band featuring Gery Leonard. This was in 1984, two years before their friendship was properly cemented.
Leonard meanwhile was also involved in the Dublin burgeoning rock scene. Soon after leaving school he landed a job as tape operator in a twenty four track studio. During the subsequent three years he worked his way up the ladder, becoming a studio engineer.
At the same time Leonard was playing with Dublin outfit The Spies also attending the local school of music studying guitar. After The Spies broke up he joined a group called Above the Thunderclouds
When Coghlan and Leonard returned to Dublin they decided to get a musical partnership together and to cut a long story short Hinterland was formed. Having caused quite a stir in the music business with own produced demos they singed to Island Records and publishing in 1989.
The group spent a lot of time in the USA promoting there first release on Island records finally parting company with the label in 1994. (Adapted from bio by band member Donal Coghlan from http://indigo.ie/~joed/)
Donal Coghlan passed away in 2016 after his battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Gerry Leonard became both a member of Suzanne Vega’s band and David Bowie’s musical director and also had his own solo project called "Spooky Ghost".
Video
Hinterland - Stanley's Minutes
Comments
Michael Poullie wrote on 2023-08-10 00:00:00:I agree with the previous speakers. A fantastic album and forever one of my favorites. Completely underrated and incomprehensible that it remained with this one collaboration. Ich schließe mich meinen Vorrednern an. Ein fantastisches Album und für imme
Cath McG wrote on 2023-04-27 00:00:00:
Kissing the Roof made its way down to New Zealand and imprinted on my soul - coinciding with my independence as a young adult. As a musician I think it is so very underrated.
Tony D wrote on 2022-07-22 00:00:00:
I just now bought missing link Desert Boots 7" on Discogs. Have had both of their 12" singles and the lone LP for decades. Those songs, the amazing riffs echo through time unmatched for me, and this appears to be their only vestige on the web too.
pixiep wrote on 2021-01-12 00:00:00:
The album Kissing the roof of heaven is one of my all time faves. Fantastic music and I love the cover. Sadly extremely underrated.
Frits wrote on 2020-07-11 00:00:00:
The rumble in 'Galway Bay' gives me the shivers
Bigfitch wrote on 2019-06-29 00:00:00:
Just revisited kissing, it is the best record I've ever heard period.
joe early wrote on 2015-05-22 00:00:00:
desert boots-what a fabulous song
bara de burca wrote on 2014-10-04 00:00:00:
This ban Hinterland , wipe U 2 off the map as far as im concerned ...period...
Alan Halford wrote on 2007-01-23 00:00:00:
Hinterlands album Kissing the Roof of Heave is the most underated album is Irish Music history! Perfect, and I don't say that lightly!
Joe Dolan wrote on 2006-10-30 00:00:00:
great gutair but leonard will never be a star ! great singing!but Coghlan will never James doubtful!
Would you like to contribute additional information to the Hinterland page?
We can set you up with access to edit this page if you are involved with this artist or are knowledgable about this artist.
Alternatively, if you just have a small tidbit of info to add or a correction to our content, you can just mention it in the comments above.
|