Jonathan Donahue, the vocalist of Mercury Rev, reflects on the band’s deep-seated connection with Ireland, recounting a gig at Cork’s Village venue in 1992. The event remains indelible in his memory, particularly due to his severe heroin addiction at the time and the crowd’s reaction to their performance, attempting to tip the tour bus from side to side afterward. He regards the event as legendary, beaming with anticipation of similar enthusiasm, albeit more subdued, in their upcoming performance at the inaugural In the Meadows festival in Dublin.
This festival presents another chance for the band to connect with the Irish crowd, offering a unique mix of folk-tinged indie music in a calendar typically saturated with generic corporate festivals. Boasting a roster including acclaimed Irish traditional act Lankum, post-rock band Mogwai, and avant-garde orchestral assembly Black Country, New Road, it promises to be an extraordinary event.
The concert at Royal Hospital Kilmainham marks a fresh phase for Mercury Rev, renowned for their critically-acclaimed 1998 album Deserter’s Songs. Often hailed as one of the greatest alternative records ever made, it has solidified their status in alternative pop music. Donahue expresses his excitement for the band’s upcoming release, hinting that this is merely the start of their new musical chapter.
Born as an Irish-American in the Catskill Mountains, north of New York City, Donahue leads a relatively secluded life when not on tour, finding solitude away from the hustle of city life. Consequently, the global lockdown in 2020 didn’t disrupt his routine as the tranquillity he experienced was already integrated into his everyday life.
Surprisingly enough, the pandemic didn’t bring much change in my life. With an introverted personality living in the heart of mountains, a reclusive lifestyle is more of a standard practice than an imposed situation. This unexpected global shutdown made everyone retreat to their homes and inner selves, which is exactly where they found me, in my solitude.
The first electric guitar I ever laid hands on was from a pawn shop in Belfast. It was a Hondo, less expensive than but just as resonant as a Les Paul Gibson – a cherishable artifact from Jonathan Donahue’s life.
Donahue fostered an engrossing interest in his long lost homeland from early adolescence. Saving every penny, he embarked on a solo journey to Ireland one summer, boarding the CIÉ, carrying nothing but wonder and excitement.
His father’s ancestry traced back to Cork, having migrated to the Catskills during the famine and settled there since then. Traditional Irish music, especially droning through the house from the Clancy Brothers CD’s his father would play, had a strong influence on him. His father may not have been a musician, or even an ardent follower of Wolfe Tones, but he certainly pointed him towards his calling. In 1984, when Donahue was just 18, he took upon himself to explore Ireland and Northern Ireland, funded by his own hard-earned money.
The Ireland of 1984 was nothing like the glossy pictures on postcards. A touch of despair and desolation hung heavy in the air, with poverty rampant. Nevertheless, this journey played a pivotal role in shaping up Donahue’s life.
Recalling his life-shaping journey outside the United States, he remembers staying in budget accommodations and immersing himself in a historic past he had only ever felt present but never spoken to. In Belfast, he made a significant purchase – a Hondo, a more economical version of a Les Paul Gibson electric guitar, from a second-hand shop. He recollects the weight of the guitar and his naivety in carrying it everywhere he went. His time by the riversides in Donegal and west Kerry was spent understanding the basics of the guitar, which later came to light in Buffalo where he studied.
His initial expedition to Belfast offered him distinct memories. He describes hearing the sounds of loyalist marching bands and his strolls along the Falls Road. Encounters with locals occurred frequently, who would question his presence there. He admits to being clueless about his own intent, except that his surname was Donahue and he sought to explore.
Caught in the midst of the Troubles in the 1980s, he reflects on the intensity of the political conflict during the time. He admits to being fearful, as the drumbeats he heard were an ominous reminder of the situation he was caught in.
His time in Buffalo was also notable as it was where he, along with fellow students Sean “Grasshopper” Mackowiak, David Fridmann and Dave Baker, formed the band Mercury Rev. His role was initially confined to being one of the three guitarists, while Baker was chosen as the lead vocalist due to his extroverted personality.
Their early music was a unique concoction of chaos, blending elements of punk and psychedelia. Their 1993 debut album, Yerself Is Steam, received high praise from the Chicago Tribune particularly for its “sleepy-eyed vocals”, striking psychedelic effects, and the use of “three heavily distorted guitars”.
In 1995, amidst personal and creative disagreements, Baker departed, with Donahue and Mackowiak left to hold the fort, as Fridmann had already diverged to pursue a career in music production, later collaborating with Irish singer Gemma Hayes. With Donahue now taking lead, heavily immersed in drug use and battling depression, it was a turbulent shift for the band Mercury Rev. Matters escalated further in 1995 following a tour of their first album without Baker – See You on the Other Side. After which, Mackowiak took off for a five month reclusive journey in a monastery and Donahue suffered a severe mental breakdown.
Instead of signalling the end of Mercury Rev, these adversities became a crucial turning point. The tumultuous events triggered Donahue’s resolution to fight his addiction and confront his inner turmoil. Channeling this newfound determination, he became engrossed in the crafting of Deserter’s Songs, creating hit tracks like Goddess on a Hiway and Holes. Launched on September 29th, 1998, the album was received as a sublime creation instantly.
Deserter’s Songs was Donahue’s outlet of expression for the suppressed emotions he had been grappling with for years. “I was confronting my emotional issues, possibly through the perspective of a child at the time. I was recovering from not just the drug addiction, but more critically from a mental breakdown”, he confessed. He metaphorically equated the experience to withholding tears; the surge of overwhelming feelings flooding him despite trying to resist.
Donahue admitted, “I was trying to hold back tears, feeling them well up in my eyes, awaiting the moment they would spill out. I know it might not seem very ‘rock n roll’, but that was the reality.” Despite overcoming his sour affair with drugs, the personal collapse took a more significant toll on him. He added, “It wasn’t just about moving past the drug issue, the breakdown was what truly rocked my world. It would leave anyone shaken to the core. Everyone has experienced that helpless feeling of being rattled and having nothing to cling onto. For me, it was the music that kept me grounded.”
One of the prominent places that first appreciated Deserter’s Songs is Ireland. Jonathan Donahue fondly reminsices the moment they showcased in the Red Box venue in Dublin in early 1999. The spark came alive when they noticed a shift in the energy of the crowd. The vital indication that something magical was taking place emerged during this Irish tour. “There’s a change here, in the atmosphere” they said.
Ireland has a special place in his heart that’s still very much alive.“The moment we arrive in Dublin, Grasshopper and I don’t sit still, we explore everywhere. My memories of this place dig deeper than nostalgia; it’s a distinct and direct link with the country itself. The moment the wheels of the plane touch the ground, a sigh of relief escapes my lips. Regardless of where in the world you are, there’s always that special spot, outside of home, where on landing, you take a breath you haven’t taken in quite a while.”
The sounds of Mercury Rev will be resonating In the Meadows at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, on the 8th of June. Meanwhile, Born Horses, their latest album, will be released by Bella Union on the 6th of September.