The former Republic of Loose frontman releases his solo debut album in July

Best known as frontman of the much-missed Republic of Loose, Mik Pyro releases his long-awaited solo debut album ‘Exit Pyro’ in July.

The album has been described as a departure from the Dublin musician’s previous fare, with him calling the collection "rain soaked Country 'n' Irish music."

Ahead of the album’s release on July 14th and its launch show at Whelan’s on July 21st, we caught up with Mik to learn more.

1. What’s the music that you listened to growing up, that you still listen to today?
Blues.

2. In three words, describe the minute before you walk on stage.
Fear. Loathing. Horror.

3. How do you wind down after a gig?
We do a group prayer then go for a jog.

4. What’s the one song (by another artist) you wish you’d written or recorded first?
‘Things Will Never Be the Same’ by Ty Dolla Sign.

5. What is your pet peeve?
The concept of merit. It's just some made up bullshit. It has as much value as aristocratic peerage. Nobody 'achieves' their  societally denoted 'proficiencies.' They are just a function of genetics and as such, just as arbitrarily distributed as 'divinely given'  kingships back in the day. Fuck that noise. Nobody 'deserves' anything except death.

6. Name one record, one book and one film that everyone should hear / read / see.
Record: Mach-Hommy: ‘Pray for Haiti’
Book: Louis-Ferdinand Celine: ‘Journey to the End of Night’
Film: ‘The Sword of Doom’

7. Pick the director and lead actor(s) for a biopic about your life.
Lynne Ramsay as director. Orson Welles as late Pyro, or Colin Farrell in ugly/fatsuit mode. His portrayal of existential moral abandon in ‘The North Water’ is maybe the most compelling and rigorous exegesis of villainy on screen. And let it be known I have been villainous, and I deeply regret it.


8. You’re ordering take-away, what do you get?
Take out is based on money. And I am very poor. As such, I proffer the following: Dino's in Terenure (Phillo's joint) will give ya kebabz that would feed a family for a week.

9. Describe your perfect day off.
Go to the park in the sun. Read literaturez. Then home. Cook Russian meatballz. Then movies, movies, movies. Then some canoodlinz with the one ya love.

10. Tell us, in one sentence, why we should come to your next gig (whenever it may be.)
I'm Pyro, and as such am the engine of all contemporary Irish music culture. And if ya don't believe, go and do some fuckin’ research.

BONUS QUESTION: Recommend a podcast and tell us why we should subscribe to it.
‘The Age of Napoleon;. Great pod. Thorough, limpid and unannoying. The opposite of moi. Plus ‘The Adam Friedland Show’. Hippest shit on earth.

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'Exit Pyro' is released on July 14th. Mik Pyro plays Whelan's, Dublin on July 21st.