from=25th January 1997
By Stephen Dalton
For the past two years, The Corrs have been Irish pop's biggest global success story - everywhere but Britain, that is. They have sold over two million copies of their 1995 debut album, 'Forgiven Not Forgotten', sales spread evenly across the world from Japan to Germany. In Australia, where the record has gone nine-times platinum, they play sold-out shows to 5,000 people a night. In Spain, they win more awards than Oasis and U2. The secret formula of this strikingly beautiful family foursome - three sisters and one brother - is pretty simple: classy MOR anthems with a dash of Irish traditionalism, mercifully free of twiddly-dee leprechaun mysticism. This is not misty-eyed folk music for sentimental beer commercials. This is mainstream pop.
So why have they proved so massively popular around the world? "Why? That's like saying why does your hair grow!" laughs violinist Sharon Corr. "I think it's new in a way because it's pop mixed with traditional Irish music, but it's not so traditionally Irish that it's not accessible. Irish music is very inspirational and honest, it has that optimism to it which appeals to everyone, whether you're Irish, English or Japanese." Which bodes well for the band's newly released second album, 'Talk On Corners', which sold half a million copies in four weeks. Not only is it co-produced and co-written by Glen Ballard, who struck gold in the US with Alanis Morissette, but it also seems likely to break the band in the UK. "Everybody wants pop success in Britain,' Sharon insists, 'it's like the Wimbledon of music."
Even before this current bloom, The Corrs were no strangers to showbiz acclaim. Encouraged by parents who ran a covers band in their hometown Dundalk, the siblings enjoyed their first taste of fame when they landed roles in Alan Parker's film The Commitments. Sharon, her pianist brother Jim and drumming sister Caroline all had cameos, but singer Andrea landed the plum role as Jimmy Rabbitte's younger sister: "Saying a few rude words and blow-drying her hair in the mirror." So impressed was the director that he specifically requested that Andrea play Peron's mistress in his recent film version of Evita. By now The Corrs were a busy touring band, but they found time for Andrea's screen sideline.
"She definitely showed an aptitude, but then lead singers often do," nods Sharon. "She's the drama queen of the family - but not in a derogatory sense." With a heavy schedule already crammed for at least the next six months, surely it gets stressful touring so long with your siblings? "I'd be dishonest to say it doesn't," admits Sharon. "Trying to get to grips with constant hotels, constant radio stations, can cause stress among any group of people. But now we've matured a bit and we're more confident with our roles in the band. I don't know if it's all that different to being with a band who are not kin. If it was just me, you and two other people on a bus together for six months, we'd probably be killing each other."
VOX Issue 88 February 1998.
THANKYOU STEVE FISHER FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!!