The Blizzards

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The Blizzards

Background information
Origin Flag of Ireland Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland
Genre(s) Ska-Pop
Years active 2003 – present
Label(s) Universal Music Ireland
Members
Niall Breslin
Justin Ryan
Dec Murphy
Aidan Lynch
Anthony Doran

The Blizzards are an Irish indie band from Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland formed in 2003. They have released one album, A Public Display of Affection in 2006.

Contents

[edit] Members

The band consists of:

  • Niall Breslin (lead vocals & guitar)
  • Justin Ryan (lead guitar)
  • Dec Murphy (drums)
  • Anthony Doran (bass)
  • Aidan Lynch (keyboards and acoustic guitar)

[edit] Career

The Blizzards' indepedently-released debut single "First Girl to Leave Town" went to No. 11 in the Irish charts in 2005. In July of that year, the band performed at the Oxegen festival.[1] The following year the band signed a recording contract with Universal Music Ireland with the band's second single "Trouble" reaching No. 6 in the Irish Singles Chart in spring 2006. The single stayed in the Top 40 for four weeks. Follow-up singles "Miss Fantasia Preaches" and "War of Words" were released in August and October 2006 respectively. The Blizzards returned to Oxegen in July 2006, moving up the billing to perform on the NME stage.[2]

The band's debut album, A Public Display of Affection, was released in November 2006 and debuted at no. 4 in the Irish Albums Chart.[3] Although critical responses to the album were generally positive, [4][5] the album remained in the Top 50 for only three weeks. However, the band's growing popularity saw the album re-enter the charts early in 2007. A Public Display of Affection reached No. 21 in the Irish Albums Chart[6] and remained in the Top 50 for eighteen weeks from January to June of 2007. Two further singles, "Fantasy" and "On the Right Track" were released in 2007 before a Main Stage appearance on the Sunday of Oxegen. A second album is currently being worked upon.

The Band are headlining the Jamboree Festival in Killinkere, County Cavan on Sunday June 1

[edit] Awards

On February 15, 2008, The Blizzards won in the "Best Live Performance" category for their Oxegen 2007 performance at the Meteor Awards in Dublin.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Title Peak chart position
2006 A Public Display of Affection 4

[edit] Singles

Year Title Peak chart position[7]
2005 "First Girl to Leave Town" 11
2006 "Trouble" 6
2006 "Miss Fantasia Preaches" 9
2006 "War of Words" 25
2007 "Fantasy" 16
2007 "On the Right Track"
 -

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1] Official Oxegen 2005 line-up
  2. ^ [2] Oxegen 2006 Line-up @ http://www.rte.ie
  3. ^ [3] Retrieved from http://www.chart-track.com (week 44, 2006)
  4. ^ [4] http://www.entertainment.ie
  5. ^ [5] http://www.sputnikmusic.com
  6. ^ [6] http://www.irma.ie
  7. ^ [7] http://www.irishcharts.ie

[edit] External links

v • d • e
The Blizzards
Niall Breslin • Justin Ryan • Dec Murphy • Aidan Lynch • Anthony Doran
Albums
A Public Display of Affection
Singles
First Girl to Leave Town • Trouble  • Miss Fantasia Preaches  • War of Words • Fantasy • On the Right Track
Languages