SnO – So, 30 Years of The Mahones! How are you celebrating?

Finny- We are doing amazing and better than ever. So crazy right? We are all glad to be alive and rocking all over the world. We managed to have two albums released, 30 Years and This Is All We Got To Show For It (Dec) and Unplugged (April) in 2020 on Canada’s best (and one of the world’s best) record labels, the legendary True North Records which has been around since the 1960’s. All the Canadian legends are on that label, so we love it there. It’s been a great year record wise in 2020 for The Mighty Mahones!!!!

SnO –Tell me more about the new album?

Finny – It’s a 30 year retrospective of all our best work, I really had a great trip down memory lane when we were remastering all those classic Mahones songs for this album in Toronto at the legendary Telejet Music Studio. One of my favorite studios in the world. Love that place. Anyways, it’s now my favorite Mahones album and the only one I listen to hahahaha, but I say this every time we release a new album. I just love it. A very happy album and It’s also our very first album on coloured GREEN VINYL!!!!

SnO – There are 10 songs on the new vinyl album. Do these songs represent the true sound of The Mahones?

Finny – Awww jayzuz I hope so, as we wrote them all. I think it really represents of the sound of The Mahones in 2020. Our are always trying making better music on every new album we do. It’s all killer and no filler brother. Turn it up loud to eleven!!!

SnO – Out of all the 100’s of songs in The Mahones back catalogue, what was the deciding factor on what songs to choose?

Finny – Well I find it very easy to make this kind of album, so I really go first with the fan favourites every time as this is what they really want. That’s what the music business is all about really, looking after your fan base and trying to spoil them with some really amazing albums for their music collections. I also go with my favourites and check to see what the fans are listening to on the internet on sites like Spotify and Apple Music. You can see there what you fans are streaming etc., so that’s also a very handy new too for us bands and songwriters these days. I do love the internet for what we can do with our music these days. So much easier than back in the 90’s. We now have access to the entire world.

SnO – This new album is on vinyl and cd. How are you liking the new vinyl resurgence?

Finny – I LOVE IT. Let me just flip over my new David Bowie Pin Ups picture disc now. OK, I am back. I think it’s really great and I think we should put out our award winning Black Irish Album on vinyl now too as it’s the 10th Anniversary of that Mahones classic. We just sold out of the new Mahones 30 Years album in 2 days, so YES I love the new vinyl resurgence. It’s AMAZING!!!!

SnO – Beyond the new retrospective album, how have you been keeping busy during Covid?

Finny – We I have been very busy cancelling and postponing gigs and tours with our amazing agents at MAD Tourbooking since March this year, so that has been very terrible, tough and messy. The Mahones are supposed to return to touring Europe in Feb 2021, but I believe that tour will probably also be moved to fall 2021 now, but one again I am not sure so stay tuned.  It’s our fecking 30th Anniversary Tour too, so it would be nice to do it one day. Anyways, The Mahones will return in 2021 as soon as we are allowed to play live again and we have booked a recording studio for two weeks next summer 2021 in Berlin, Germany to record  our next studio album. That’s exciting news.

SnO – It must be difficult for The Mahones being a full time gigging band?

Finny – Yes, this whole year has be a huge disaster for everyone in the music business from musicians to technicians, road crew, clubs, venues, pubs, promoters, agents, managers, merch companies, festivals etc you name it. We all have to just stay strong, help each other and get through this together and wear a mask until this virus is shut down in 2021. Such a hard time for everyone mentally, financially and stress wise also. I really think when live music comes back, everyone will appreciate it more this time than ever and show more support as the entire world just got a taste of what it’s like to have no live music. It’s horrible. Here’s to a better future and 2021 for live music all over the world!!!!

SnO – I see you have been doing solo gigs. How have they been going. Different material?

Finny – Yes, I have also been doing a solo acoustic thing for the fist time since 2005. That was my last mini break from The Mahones touring cycle. The solo show is 50% non Mahones stuff and the rest is acoustic versions of Mahones songs and deep cuts with stories added.  I did a short 10 date tour in Europe which was sold out and got amazing reviews, and then the Canadian tour was postponed by the second wave of Covid19, so I am locked down in Toronto again right now. The good new is, I am always working on something, so I have been in the studio working on a new “Finny McConnell – Live in Hamburg” solo acoustic tour live album. Hopefully I can make it sound great and release it to the public in 2021. 

SnO – Plans for 2021. We will see you back in the USA?

Finny – Well, like I said we are still moving tours and dates around so looks like yes we will try to make it back into the beautiful USA in 2021. We sure miss you all down there. Fingers crossed, wear your mask, wash your hands, stay safe and see you all in 2021. We can’t wait to get back on the road for our 30th Anniversary World Tour. Slainte everyone!!!