RUAIRÍ & THE OWLS – Lucky 7 LUCKY 7 is the feature where we ask artists to name their 6 favourite songs by others, and a lucky 7th song of their own… RUAIRÍ & THE OWLS is the creative output of Irish north coaster Ruairí Connolly. Armed with a selection of Derry musicians from small town Limavady at the helms to bring his catchy well crafted songs alive on stage. Great dynamics, witty lyrics and hooky melodies. You can’t help but get your feet stomping and hands clapping experiencing this bunch of charismatic musicians live. With two albums under his belt there’s plenty to get stuck into. Northern Ireland is a special place for me, vastly different to English pre-conceptions; where majestic mountains and beautiful countryside sweep the lush Irish landscapes. I’m also no stranger to Limavady or its hospitality. I’ve sought its solace when I was too ill to fly home and drank heavily in what must be one of the world’s greatest pubs, Frank Owens. A pub that not only served up the best pint of Guinness I’ve ever had but also dishes out trays of free doughnuts and pastries to its hungry throng of drinkers, all to rapturous applause. It’s also home to one Ema McKay – my very good friend and girlfriend to Ruairí Connolly – a lady who knows the true purpose of a saucepan, can wear the shit out of a dressing gown, makes a mean Malteser and has taken the hangover shuffle to brave new heights. Over to the hugely talented Ruairí with his Lucky 7… 1. BELL X1 – ‘VELCRO’  Heavens above I love this band! One of my all time favourites. They’re incapable of writing a bad tune. Paul Noonan’s poetic informal style of writing lyrics is second-to-none. Honest, direct and laced with witty Irish charm. You can’t help but fall in love with his way with words. Velcro is an absolute gem. Catchy synths, great lyrics and a brilliant video to match. Damien Rice’s departure was the best thing to happen this budding bunch of Irish musicians. 2. DEPECHE MODE – ‘WORLD IN YOUR EYES’ What a track to kick off an absolute cracker of an album. Every song on this record could have been a single. ‘Personal Jesus’, ‘Enjoy The Silence’, ‘Policy Of Truth’ and finally ‘The World In Your Eyes’ were all spawned singles from Depeche Mode’s 7th album ‘Violator’. Hard to believe it’s 3 decades old. I remember hearing the intro synth riff. Immediately I was sold! Producer Flood pumped new blood and ideas into these lads as the 80’s were closing and the outcome in my opinion was Depeche Mode’s finest body of work. 3. THE SMASHING PUMPKINS – ‘CHERUB ROCK’ Jimmy’s tight snare roll, fuzzy overdubbed distorted guitars, then those rasp narly vocals of Billy’s. Right off the bat I was hooked and have been ever since. As a young impressionable teen the pumpkins had everything I was looking for. Siamese dream is a 90’s rock master piece from start to finish.   4. THE BEATLES – ‘A DAY IN THE LIFE’ Picking just one Beatles song was a very difficult task indeed. After a little head scratching I settled on ‘A day in the life’. A Lennon and McCartney masterclass in songwriting. Different pieces of music weaved perfectly together as only John and Paul knew how. I love the arrangement of this song, then that chaotic building crescendo to finish it all off. If you listen intently you can hear Ringo’s chair squeak as the sustained piano chords are fading out at around 4:50. A Little Beatles pop trivia for you there! 5. ELLIOTT SMITH...