The Drays

About us

Stephen Ryan’s first collection of songs since the Revenants Septober Nowonder in 1996 is now rush released for a June 2015 release (smirk). It’s been a while you might say. It has. And it’s been some time since Ryan’s Clothes Of Pride turned up as the double A-side for The Stars Of Heaven Clothes Of Pride / All About You in 1984 but most importantly he’s still here and he’s still got it. And while in a sense everything’s changed, in other ways nothings changed. There are guitar solos here, a tight rhythm section and Eileen Gogan’s beautiful vocals again underpinning Ryan’s bus-stop baritone. A songwriter whose output has been untroubled by a sense of urgency it is in essence the fifth album containing his work, following two albums on Rough Trade with The Stars Of Heaven (Sacred Heart Hotel (1986) / Rain On The Sea & Speak Slowly (1988) with co-writer Stan Erraught))  and two with The Revenants (Horse Of A Different Colour & Septober Nowonder). The Drays sees Ryan relationship with Blades guitarist Conor Brady (who produced the last Revenants album and in his day turned up in The Stars Of Heaven a few times) continue, Brady is a member of The Drays who also feature Paul Byrne (drums) and  Eileen Gogan (vocals) with contributions from Dez Foley, Cian Boylan, Naeem Bismilla, John Wilde and the late Derrick Dalton.