A Year in Music – 2018 – Paul Page (ex-Whipping Boy) – by Killian Laher

What are your favourite albums of 2018?

Kathryn Joseph’s ‘From When I Wake the Want Is’ was fantastic.  As was Adrianne Lenker’s ‘abysskiss’.  Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever released one of the best debut albums in recent years. Saw them live in Dublin earlier in the year and they are the complete package.  Hedge Schools, Arctic Monkeys, Amen Dunes & Jon Hopkins all made great records in 2018.

Any artists you discovered this year that you can’t be without?

IDLES.  Only discovered their debut album in 2018 and their follow up was just as good.  They are the most exciting band I have heard in a long time. Real edge to what they do.  Missed out on tickets for their show, and they sold out their Vicar Street show virtually overnight – they are building real momentum.  Not so much a discovery, as a re-discovery but I have listened to Frightened Rabbit’s music more than any other act this year. Scott Hutchinson was such an incredibly gifted songwriter- his untimely death had a big effect on me for some reason.

Are there any personal highlights, musical or otherwise from 2018?

This might be a little thing, but hearing Whipping Boy’s music played at Dalymount before games on a Friday night was such a big thrill.  I was a Bohs supporter as a kid, I grew up near the ground and about 5 years ago I started going to the games again. I have such fond memories of Dalymount and my time in the band – to have them linked in that way was special.  On a personal level, getting a personal best in the Dublin Marathon and competing in my first adventure race were big highlights.

What inspires you these days?

I am inspired by people who do great things against seemingly insurmountable odds. Whether that is in music, the arts, sport, or just daily life it is just something that blows me away.

How about next year, what’s ahead?

Getting to that time in life where you don’t look that far ahead! Next year will take care of itself, we will see what happens.