 The open day, yeah, and it was great, so many people. It's the first time I've been up with Highland Radio, and we had so many characters from that day, it was great. Well, some characters about this place, I'll tell you. They're coming out of the woodwork. And especially for free food, you know, you want to see them, aren't you? As I say, humorously, the two bishops were on just after me. And that was... You were the warm-up act. I'm the warm-up act for the two bishops. Very good. That's a good claim to him. They put me on before the two bishops. Come here, but it's great to see you. You're a dairy man born and bred. That's right, yes. I've lived there all my life, and I've probably worked in Pelfast for a while, but, yeah, just love it. It's great. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. No, great music city, isn't it? There's always music coming out of the dairy and have been for many, many years. We used to go down there ourselves to the back-de-backs. Do you remember them? One time, the back-de-backs were on. It's what we're on every week. I had to stop them then because of my liver. You raised the money for charity this week, and the charity that week, and the next thing you were... You're right. Two, three nights a week. You know what? They were a good crack. Bremen, you're writing songs. Yes, I am. You've been writing songs for a good while, haven't you? Yes. Good, maybe solidly, and recording them for, maybe, seven or eight years or something. And I really think that's the reason that I get out of it, writing the songs, rather than more than performing them. And the odd time someone performs one of my songs, I really get such a buzz out of it. You put them up on YouTube. You have about 15 or 16 of them up on YouTube, don't you? That's right, yes. Under the monocle of your own name, not Brother Ray. It is under Brother Ray, but there's so many. There are a few of them. And so sometimes they just say to people, just type in Raymond Naisal and it gets you quicker to them. Very good. And growing up music-wise, who would have been your big... who would you look up to musically? Well, I suppose I grew up a good time of great music. The punk era was there and the undertones were there and the moon dogs, all of that. There was a great scene of people just doing butts here and there. And then, as well, a sort of big rock fan with Thun Lizzie and Gary Murr and, you know... You're right what you're saying. That was the cutting edge of the punk era in sort of the 70s, wasn't it? It was just a great time. Everywhere you went, you heard bands and groups of bands and the Orchard Gallery used to be a great place. And weirdly, I suppose it was set up for a place for music that there wasn't drink available, so a lot of our age group that I've went to, it was great. It was a great venue. And do you know what I liked about that punk era, too? That I took a bit of snobbiness away from music. We're ordinary people that have no musical knowledge or background of education. It's so terrible to just get up and bang, bang. And they've all matured on to be good artists, you know what I mean? They probably wouldn't have done that only for the punk era, you know? That's right. And there's no substitute for playing live. Definitely not. It's just a Tardensie and a Cherbensie up on it. Oh, without a doubt. And if you can see the reaction, the crowd is great. Tell you what we're going to do. We're going to go straight into music. So the first song, Riven, what you're going to do for us is... I call it Canaries in a Coal Mine. Right. And I'll explain a wee bit about it. I suppose younger people talk to me and the news is always... There's always bad news here and there and sometimes people take it very personally. So I just thought of it. Someone told me some catastrophic stories and they were really dying about it. And I really thought, trying to say, things are always... I don't know if things are worse, but they sort of stay the same. So this is not about doing them in gloom. It's somebody who's taken the news about too seriously. Serious. Maybe, if I can... Justice. 100%. Whenever you're ready. Go for it. Okay. What's the matter with Joe? He didn't stop to say hello when I met him in passing yesterday. It's not like him. He usually has a funny story. He hardly noticed that I was there. He'd been watching the news. Now he says the world is burning. Now I know what's the matter with Joe. His heart isn't hard to take the world and all it's got to make us all better. Make us all feel more at ease. We're in a cold mind. It's what he says. Can't you see? There's no stopping it now. It's what he says. Coming at a time. Can't you see? Stopping it now. Make us all feel. Stopping it now. Excellent. Lovely. Brilliant. You put these out in video, do you? Every song is up on YouTube. You put it out in a video, do you? Yes. Put them out in a video. I recorded them. I used to do a bit with O'Neill Callaghan. And now I do a fair bit with Paul Keasey. Aye. And both of them have the facility to... The video. They have a few ideas. And I threw it at them. And they scratch their heads. And they come up with an ease video. I used to do, like, found... Found video things and put them up. And then more recently I've put up ones that I actually am. And I'm actually singing them. So I've really enjoyed that. But the Christmas song, especially, was... Some old Christmas song. And it went down quite well because there was an ease video. And we shot it in the Delacroix. And we shot it in the city centre. And, you know, did it quickly and on the cheap. And my great friend, Jerry McMonagle, who's sitting beside me here, played the bouncer. He thought it was being typecast again. As well. As well. So that was filming. But it's really too... It nailed... Recording him nailed them down. I had a... I had an album out just before COVID. And I did a bit of a live thing. Tunnies, at one time, promoting it. And there's sort of different songs. And I suppose I've written five or six more. So I'm just talking to Paul Casey about putting three or four of them together in the package. And put them together with a bit of... You know, like an album. Why not? And get them made out. Yeah, so... You should. You know, that's what it's all about. How do you find the reaction on YouTube and stuff? Well, it's an odd thing. It's hard to promote. There's so much noise out there. But I could really log in with one of my songs, which is called The Eagle of Toledo. Which is about a cyclist. I read this book. That's a great cyclist. I read this book and he's a Spanish cyclist. And he was the first Spanish cyclist to win the Tour de France. For some reason, the book spoke to me. And I wrote a song. And it was last summer. It was just ordinary views that I had everything else in now. I've got 18,000 views. So I cut my nephew. He was quite good. I've gone on and looking to see where people were watching it. And he says most of them were French or Spanish. You could be a big star out there. You don't even know it. I'm definitely a tour there. As long as they pay for my holiday. I think that's it. See, that's a good thing about that. You can tell what countries are listening to you. It is really interesting and it's really good to put it up and you get a little buzz that maybe there isn't that many places that I could play it. I'm on it because the people that do play with or did play with are just not there anymore. So I just have to... Did you play in bands and stuff? I did and we just together as a gang and when we were younger in that punk era we played butts and peases here and there and we played just round and full and on for people here and there but I think I turned into a bedroom guitarist. There's no great... It's great but it's not the same. No, it's not the same. So I think doing this losing my escape from the bedroom. Do you gig much? I do benign and do the open nights because I just busy at the minute and I do the central. Now that I've learned these because I had to do a special version of these I've shortened them and changed them a bit. So I might I'll do those versions but probably we'll do them in those open nights but at the same time if I get this new group of songs together I'll definitely think of promoting it. No better I, of course. And I speak nicely to Paul Kissie and he'll produce me. No better man. No, it's really good and you know, Kealahan was great for me as well and it's amazing the two different producers have totally different sounds out of them but they're both brilliant. That's a good thing about it. If everybody's the same it'd be kind of dull. When you take a song under Paul Kissie, right? Say, for example, Paul will just use them and the song comes out at the far end. Is it much different to what you walk down with? It probably will be about a third different I would say. You have to have the idea that it's sort of a process. You have to do it quickly. So probably a third of a rule for grabs maybe the middle eight would be something and sometimes even recently there's one we've just sort of finished and one of the lines in the verse became the chorus. Sometimes you have to hear someone else sing and you go, that's good or he'll hear me sing and he'll so it's definitely up for grabs. It's good that you leave that trust in them. They do that because it's your song at the end of the day too but you trust them enough to... I think between us we all can throw it out and he can throw it out and I don't think either would take it personally but as you may have imagined his suggestions were pretty good and having someone to talk to about songwriting is really good as well but sort of a... I suppose that's my hobby as much as anything and just having someone there who's done it and he learned from them and he's had that great career with Chris Ray and all the rest of it. Of course he has. He's brilliant and he puts out some great stuff. We've made hopefully a good time with a track from Paul tonight. Come here, the singing or the songwriting, sorry. How long have you been doing the songwriting or has it always been there? I think things used to happen in my life and I'd do a song and that would be one for a couple of years and I'd beat it to death and torture people to play it and then after a while it really got sort of an obsession and then when I started with Owen O'Kellan and then with Paul Kizzie I really think about it all the time and I'm probably finished maybe four a year but doing something, playing them live is the real value and seeing how it goes on but I definitely... and I suppose the good thing Hello Jerry here, meet and greet I do throw some away. Some of them when you do putts and you keep the book of words and all the rest of it and you do them and it doesn't turn out right so they don't become a virile. A lot of people you know are through me time here in this show a lot of people, songwriters that you be talking to I always ask I'm always interested in what makes them tick, you know and a lot of people would tell you they have songs sitting for maybe 10, 15 years and then they go back to it and then it comes out to a different song than the starters, you know does that happen to you? Oh definitely, you'll get a butt or a line and it was a chorus of one song and then it makes a verse of another and sometimes even that one I suppose for some reason the words what's the matter with Joe we didn't start to say hello it was lines that had written down and then I had no idea where it was going so then you have to try and work and make it sense and then make it logical and then make a story of it like a source make a story of it is right if that if that works out and then run it by one of the guys and then they'll I hear this and I hear that or speed it up or slow it down but it's good it's a bit of a sass it was a hobby I think it's not, it's a good one come here we're going to get another song from you this next song is what's it going to be, I'll take a break I'll take a break and then we'll come back what's the next song? it's called Breathing Under Water right after this break don't go away and on the Highland Radio app this is Highland Radio News need help designing or understanding plumbing requirements for your new bathroom is not a problem our experienced staff are equipped to handle any type of bathroom installation from a simple tap replacement to a complete bathroom overhaul call in and see us and view our checklist to make sure you have everything in order it could save you money and a huge amount of hassle McDade's bathroom plumbing towers making things simpler for you not sure where to start with your smart meter? sign up to a Home Electric Plus smart meter price plan from Electric Ireland to see how much energy your appliances are actually using track your usage monthly, daily or even hourly and get tips and advice on how to use less it's a smart start to controlling your energy usage to sign up, search Electric Ireland Home Electric Plus smart meter and online account required features available after four months see electricarland.ie there you go, I'm back I'm going off and we sort of things of my own this evening here for some reason but I'm only listening to eleven minutes after nine o'clock Monday night sessions of course and Raymond Nisles with us and he goes on to the name of brother what were the brother rake come out of? I think when I was doing the album and I thought something about me I don't like using my name sometimes when other people don't have their name I quite like the sound of it I was watching Game of Thrones and Ian McShane was in it and there was a one-off thing and he was called brother Ray in it and I thought it was part of my name and I quite liked it but I played it because sometimes it's not always just me it's sometimes people come along and they'll sing or play with me so that entered me it's called brother rave as long as I'm there and I'm doing my own songs they might be more than one person I like that, very good I'm awake Ian this next song is called breath in and underwater I just hadn't really thought about the story but it was one of those nice old days of mental health or something I remember driving the car and there were some amazing people on I suppose although it's I suppose that's what made me read it so you'll hear it, just a bit I hope alright, love to hear that okay When shadows fall upon me and light is far beyond me and I'm sinking day by day and I'm not quite with you I'm somewhere in the depths beneath you and I can't see the sky over sons and daughters reach up my hand and I grab for dry so let me try many songs I have recorded what's the plan? are you gigging much of your much on you've told me you're not gigging sorry but have you much planned for the rest of the year or anything happening? I'll definitely try to keep myself short by going to Pennegan's and going to St. Albert that album, when we get that together I'll definitely play out live but it means, not in a bad way it's a good thing I'll have to get a couple of strays and waves and get them to play with me because it's really nice if someone else could play a guitar and I can do e-buts in between or they can harmonise so it's a fuller, more rounded sound of course who, like much if you're out doing something like that is it all your own music you play or you know it's always if I'm out it's my own music it's what drives me out to do it I suppose I've always done cover songs but they're more for the house and for parties and this that and the other all of that and that's where the sheer joy of it but there's a lot of opportunities to play covers but the real drive is to try and get a song out and I can maybe a five song with me and they're singing it that's such a buzz I had a couple of guys playing at Pennegan's with me as well and they did a really nice electric version of one of the songs as well so I think that's really the drive it's just above the little cadre of people and play along with them it's a much nicer sound more relaxed too probably putting yourself under pressure with stuff if people want to get in touch with you and how can they do that my album The Eagle of Toledo was on Spotify the YouTube under Brawler Ray was probably easier to type Raymond Naisal and the Facebook as well the Facebook is really just I don't have a Facebook for there's other things I just have it for music and there's one not the one you're playing but there's one coming out in a couple of weeks time and I'll put it up and usually I get a few hundred views and that and that gets the answers going but it's nice that as I say because you can look back and you can look at that and you're leaving a good body of work there which is great you know listen long may I continue we're going to take a now break are we doing a third song Jimmy one off the system here all right we'll take a quick break right and we'll be right back after this don't go away right welcome back we are live as always in the monday night I don't forget coming up after us tonight as always among the golden year Aiden Murphill will be on between the and also the and also the and also the and also the and also the and also the and also the more feel a bit on between 10 and 12. We can't get that to fire up for some reason but we're working on it as we say. Could you give us another one live if you don't mind? Push this one and see how it goes. Oh yeah push it live. On the principle of doing and like my songs to be different as they can so I always wanted to do the song about cowboys so although it's um yeah it's like following it and it's not following cowboys song but I always wanted to. Something long out of length. Listen when you're ready. Well I kept my eye fixed on the sheriff's gun as the deputy. He looked the other way handed by the light. He didn't stand a chance as I took his gun, as I took his gun. All that smoke and gun to live my life without hurting any man. Old sheriff knew that I hadn't robbed the stage but he hit me with his gun until I said I had. Until I said I had bridges lost in those these stations. Well done Rimmins. Thank you very much indeed. Absolutely brilliant. Well done indeed. And that's the man with the full body of songs there and they deserve to be heard. Get them out there. And this final song we've got here. Rimmer's in a small town. Tell us about that. Oh yeah that's really just just just funny. Stare at him. Poor kids and I sat down and you can hear and I do remember one of the funnier things that did with Paul and he's such a gifted musician. And the start of one of the last songs I says it's a pity someone couldn't play Mouth Organ harmonica. I says oh I can't play him so I had no idea. So I made him play it on this song as well. It's a great intro to it and he and I we've kicked this around and this was one where maybe part of the verse became part of the chorus. One of those great journeys. So I really like it. It's got a wee dance-y vibe to it that I don't always get. So thanks very much for playing it. It's been great hearing. Well we're going to give it a spin here now. I just want to say to yourself the pleasure's been ours. Thank you very much indeed for coming up to see us and we enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed it. Yes when I listen back I'll say it. I was I was wondering you know you seem to be nervous but you're no call to be nervous because you know we mean as I always say nobody listens to us. But come here. Let me continue. Keep doing what you're doing. Keep writing and writing good stuff and Jerry thank you for coming up as well. Jerry part time actor and doorman. Doorman the funny oh yes and still getting the money for it. Good man. That's a that's a secret.