COOLOCK, DUBLIN

1985 - 2009

OVERVIEW Saville were one of the great bands on the Dublin scene throughout the late 1990s and 2000. The group that became Saville was formed in 1993 as Nijinsky. The band centred Ken O'Duffy [Vocals & Guitar], Tosh Flood [Guitar, Keyboards & Vocals] and Vin Duffy [Bass Guitar & Vocals]. All of the band were from Coolock on Dublin's northside - in fact, Ken and Vin were brothers. Ken had been active on the scene for a number of years having performed with Proles and The Experiment before briefly taking over vocal duties with Light A Big Fire. As Nijinsky, the band released one demo, 'Relive That Darndale Moment'. The demo featured 'She Rings My Bells', 'Don't Take The Poison' and 'Vaseline And Vermillion' and was voted Demo Tape Of The Year by Hot Press magazine. In 1995, the band decided on a name change and became Saville. The name was derived from a line in the movie 'Withnail And I' and is a reference to Savile Row tailors in London. The fact that the band's name has a second 'l' is down to a clerical error! In 1996, the band recorded a 4 track session for The Dave Fanning Show. The band were backed by the Maynooth College Student Orchestra who enhanced the sound with the addition of violins, trumpets, cellos and trombones. The band's connection with Maynooth continued when they contributed the track 'Vinyl' to the 'With The Bosnians' compilation. A video for the track was, subsequently, shown on BBC's Top Of The Pops 2 - making Saville the first unsigned band to appear on the show. The band is booked to headline the Lebrija Music Festival in Andalusia, Spain. Saville end up headlining each night of the four-day festival. The band's performance is broadcast on local TV and they end up headlining the Festival for the following 3 years. The band's debut EP, '4 Play' was also released in 1996 with Irish Independent journalist, George Byrne, describing the band as 'Dublin's best kept secret in years' on the back of the rhe release. A second single, 'Two Steps' followed in 1997. The band's debut album 'Is Anybody Happier Today?' was released in June 2000 to critical acclaim. The band signed with Reekus Records prior to to the release of their second album, 'Somnambular Ballads' in 2003. The band's final album, 'Nostalgia' was released in 2009. The band came to an end by the middle of the year. Ken spent some time in the UK and performed as The Citizen. Tosh played with Liverpool-based, Irish-bred The Dynamo Hymn before collaborating with Canice Kenealy [Engine Alley] under the banner of The Sound We Make. Tosh was also a mainstay of Thomas Walsh's Pugwash. As chance would have it, in 2014, the ex-members of Saville were asked perform at a friends wedding. Ken shared some of the songs he had written and The Citizen became The Citizens. 1995 - Saville form in Coolock. - First venture into the studio results in 'Re-live that Darndale Moment' being voted demo tape of the year by Hot Press, Irelands most prestigious rock magazine. 1996 - Saville record four songs for 'The Dave Fanning Show', which is broadcast on Irish national radio. The songs are augmented by violins, cello, trumpets and trombones, which are performed by the Maynooth College Student Orchestra. - Saville headline each night at the four-day Lebrija music festival in southern Spain, playing to over 2,000 people. Saville's performance is broadcast on local TV. An acoustic session is also recorded for local radio. Saville go on to headline the Lebrija festival for the next three years. - Saville donate the track 'Vinyl' to 'With the Bosnians', a compilation album recorded in aid of the War Child charity. A low budget video for 'Vinyl' is broadcast by BBC's 'Top of The Pops 2' music show, making Saville the first unsigned group ever to appear on the programme. - Saville release a limited edition of the 'Four-Play' ep on their own 'Brian One' label. George Byrne, Irish Independent journalist, reckons Saville are 'Dublin's best kept secret in years'. 1997 - Saville release the 'Two Steps' single on 'Brian One'. The record is instantly made 'single of the fortnight' by Radio Ireland. Saville gig extensively to promote the record. 1999 - Saville record their debut album. The eclectic mix of songs on the record reflects the group's wide musical interests and influences. Common throughout the album, however, is a melodic pop sensibility, which is central to the group's musical vision. 2000 - 'Is Anybody Happier Today' released on the 'bdb' label in June to universal critical acclaim. September, the "Last Day of Summer" single released to universal acclaim. 2003 - Release of 'Somnambular Ballads' album 2004 - Release of 'What's On My Mind' single 2008 - Release of 'Symphony Of Sound' single [18 July] - Release of 'Nostalgia' album [22 August] 2009 - Release of 'Stop Telling Lies' single