Cormac Battle
Encyclopedia
Cormac Battle is an Irish
musician and radio presenter/producer. He is the vocalist and lead guitarist with the bands, Kerbdog
and Wilt as well as the current presenter of RTÉ 2fm
's alternative music programme, The Battle Axe . The show airs each Sunday night from 19:00 - 22:00. He has a son, George.
, Ireland
having moved from Bromley
, UK
at an early age. He spent the summer of 1990 working fifteen-hour shifts as a security guard in South London
, making the daily commute via Tube
from his North London
abode. To get him through the experience he played the Sonic Youth
song "Dirty Boots
" to his ears, saying it made him feel like Travis Bickle
.
. Following two quickfire demo cassettes recorded in Dublin and a short support slot to Therapy?
in 1992, the band was signed to Vertigo Records
in London. The group released their self titled album, produced by legendary grunge
icon Jack Endino
, in 1994. A second album entitled On The Turn
was recorded in 1996, produced by GGGarth, but the album's release was delayed for almost a year indicating troublesome times for the band with their record company. Kerbdog were soon dropped and eventually split up in 1998.
Cormac and Darragh immediately formed another band, along with bassist Mick Murphy, called Wilt. Their music was more pop-rock than heavy metal. Following the release of two albums, Bastinado and My Medicine on Infectious Records
, Wilt split up in 2003 following limited success.
At this point, Cormac began to seriously focus on his DJ career and abandoned his musical pursuits. However, in 2005 Kerbdog reformed for a series of one-off shows. The band is still currently active on a part-time basis and have no plans to write or record new material.
His favourite Oxegen
memory is playing the festival with Kerbdog in 2005.
before being snatched along with colleagues Jenny Huston
and Dan Hegarty
in 2003. Battle's late night show features new and alternative music from acts around the world as well as the 2fm sessions, live recordings, band interviews as well as from other sources. The Wireless is a supporter of the IMRO Showcase Tour. He also offered his voice to the narration of popular live music programme 2fm Live, which was broadcast on Saturday nights between 20:00 and 23:00 before it was axed and reformatted as 2fm XtrAlive. Battle is regularly wheeled out for live coverage of important musical events such as Electric Picnic
and Oxegen
, as well as being sent around the country to present the 2fm 2moro 2our. In 2008 Battle was sent to The Music Show to distribute advice. He has appeared on BBC Introducing
to discuss the state of the Irish music industry. He also contributes to television programmes in Ireland.
, Dublin. He had an SSIA but when his band fell apart he invested it in an education at Dublin City University
. His favourite purchase is his Vespa
scooter
. Battle bought his home in 2005, for €312,000. He describes it as "the worst buy ever", saying he could have bought a "five-bedroom villa in Sardinia
" for the same price. He spends his excess money on first-class train tickets, blaming the Kilkenny train for its "hen party express".
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
musician and radio presenter/producer. He is the vocalist and lead guitarist with the bands, Kerbdog
Kerbdog
Kerbdog was an alternative rock band from Kilkenny, Ireland who formed in 1991. Following two albums released on Mercury Records, the band split up in 1998...
and Wilt as well as the current presenter of RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
's alternative music programme, The Battle Axe . The show airs each Sunday night from 19:00 - 22:00. He has a son, George.
Early life
Cormac is a native of KilkennyKilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
having moved from Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at an early age. He spent the summer of 1990 working fifteen-hour shifts as a security guard in South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, making the daily commute via Tube
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
from his North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
abode. To get him through the experience he played the Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
song "Dirty Boots
Dirty Boots
"Dirty Boots" was the third and final single from Sonic Youth's 1990 album Goo. It was released in 1991 on DGC.-Track listing:# Dirty Boots - 4.49# White Kross - 5.06# Eric's Trip - 3.28# Cinderellas Big Score - 6.34...
" to his ears, saying it made him feel like Travis Bickle
Travis Bickle
Travis Bickle is a fictional character from the 1976 film Taxi Driver, played by Robert De Niro. He is widely considered one of the most iconic characters in film history, and De Niro earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of him....
.
Musical career
In 1991, Cormac, along with school friends Darragh Butler (drums), Colin Fennelly (bass) and Billy Dalton (guitar) formed a heavy metal band called Rollercoaster before changing the name permanently to KerbdogKerbdog
Kerbdog was an alternative rock band from Kilkenny, Ireland who formed in 1991. Following two albums released on Mercury Records, the band split up in 1998...
. Following two quickfire demo cassettes recorded in Dublin and a short support slot to Therapy?
Therapy?
Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar...
in 1992, the band was signed to Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
in London. The group released their self titled album, produced by legendary grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
icon Jack Endino
Jack Endino
Jack Endino is a producer and musician based in Seattle. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands such as Mudhoney, Soundgarden, and Nirvana...
, in 1994. A second album entitled On The Turn
On the Turn
On The Turn is the second and final album by Irish heavy-metal outfit Kerbdog. It was recorded in Los Angeles in 1996 and was produced by GGGarth who had previously worked with Rage Against the Machine. Unfortunately, the album was delayed by almost a year and never sold in great enough quantities...
was recorded in 1996, produced by GGGarth, but the album's release was delayed for almost a year indicating troublesome times for the band with their record company. Kerbdog were soon dropped and eventually split up in 1998.
Cormac and Darragh immediately formed another band, along with bassist Mick Murphy, called Wilt. Their music was more pop-rock than heavy metal. Following the release of two albums, Bastinado and My Medicine on Infectious Records
Infectious Records
Infectious Records is a record label whose bands have included Ash, Local Natives, Symposium, My Vitriol, Seafood, The Paradise Motel, General Fiasco and The Subways. Infectious was established by Korda Marshall after leaving RCA, and became part of Marshall's Mushroom Records UK operation in the...
, Wilt split up in 2003 following limited success.
At this point, Cormac began to seriously focus on his DJ career and abandoned his musical pursuits. However, in 2005 Kerbdog reformed for a series of one-off shows. The band is still currently active on a part-time basis and have no plans to write or record new material.
His favourite Oxegen
Oxegen
Oxegen is an annual music festival in Ireland held since 2004, sponsored by Heineken. As of 2007, 2008, 2009, the festival has been cited as Ireland's biggest music festival. And by 2009, the festival is cited as the greenest festival, being a 100% carbon neutral event in Ireland. It was previously...
memory is playing the festival with Kerbdog in 2005.
Broadcasting career
Battle began life at Phantom FMPhantom FM
Phantom 105.2 is a Dublin based radio station, founded in 1996 as a pirate radio station. Phantom broadcasts under a contract awarded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland ....
before being snatched along with colleagues Jenny Huston
Jenny Huston
Jenny Huston is a Canadian presenter of radio and television in Ireland. She is disc jockey on RTÉ 2fm, an occasional presenter on RTÉ Radio 1 and a television presenter with channels operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann.; Huston presents an indie rock and pop music show on Friday nights and a rock...
and Dan Hegarty
Dan Hegarty
Daniel 'Dan' Hegarty is an Irish radio presenter employed by RTÉ. He presents his Alternative to Sleep show on RTÉ 2fm Monday to Thursday from 11.00 - 1.00. He is regularly dispatched to important musical events such as Electric Picnic and Oxegen for live broadcasting purposes, as well as being...
in 2003. Battle's late night show features new and alternative music from acts around the world as well as the 2fm sessions, live recordings, band interviews as well as from other sources. The Wireless is a supporter of the IMRO Showcase Tour. He also offered his voice to the narration of popular live music programme 2fm Live, which was broadcast on Saturday nights between 20:00 and 23:00 before it was axed and reformatted as 2fm XtrAlive. Battle is regularly wheeled out for live coverage of important musical events such as Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic
The 2005 festival took place on Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September. It is best remembered for Arcade Fire's performance which came before their subsequent mainstream success...
and Oxegen
Oxegen
Oxegen is an annual music festival in Ireland held since 2004, sponsored by Heineken. As of 2007, 2008, 2009, the festival has been cited as Ireland's biggest music festival. And by 2009, the festival is cited as the greenest festival, being a 100% carbon neutral event in Ireland. It was previously...
, as well as being sent around the country to present the 2fm 2moro 2our. In 2008 Battle was sent to The Music Show to distribute advice. He has appeared on BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing
BBC Introducing is the brand for new music programmes across the BBC radio stations, showcasing unsigned, self signed and other emerging musical talent primarily from the UK. Launched in 2007 the Introducing brand brings programming from across the BBC under a unified brand with each show retaining...
to discuss the state of the Irish music industry. He also contributes to television programmes in Ireland.
Personal expenses
Cormac was given a Citreon 2CV by his brother, Greg, in 1998 to deliver Chinese Food. The car lasted just a few weeks because of his overzealous driving around RathminesRathmines
Rathmines is a suburb on the southside of Dublin, about 3 kilometres south of the city centre. It effectively begins at the south side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to the south, Ranelagh to the east and Harold's Cross to the west.Rathmines has...
, Dublin. He had an SSIA but when his band fell apart he invested it in an education at Dublin City University
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a university situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin in Ireland...
. His favourite purchase is his Vespa
Vespa
Vespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian.The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A...
scooter
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
. Battle bought his home in 2005, for €312,000. He describes it as "the worst buy ever", saying he could have bought a "five-bedroom villa in Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
" for the same price. He spends his excess money on first-class train tickets, blaming the Kilkenny train for its "hen party express".