Frequently Asked Questions

Thanks to Seán O'Sullivan for his help with compiling these.

Q: Where is Damien from?
A: Damien is from Celbridge, Co. Kildare in the Republic of Ireland.

Q: Who is the girl that sings with Damien?
A: Lisa Hannigan sings with Damien on his albums O and 9. However, Lisa no longer sings with Damien and is currently recording her debut solo release. You can read more about her here.

Q: Who else plays with Damien?
A: Damien plays with various cominations of

Vyvienne Long - Cello / Piano / Vocals
Shane Fitzsimons - Bass
Tomo - Percussion / Backing Vocals
Joel Shearer - Guitar
Brendan Buckley - Drums
Cora Venus Lunny - Violin

Q: Does anyone else in the band have their own record?
A: Vyvienne Long released her debut EP 'Birdtalk' in Ireland in October 2006.

Q:Where are they from?
A:Damien is from Celbridge, Co. Kildare
Vyvienne is from Castleknock, Co Dublin
Shane is from Coolock, Co. Dublin
Tomo is from Upstate New York

Q: Has Damien Rice always been playing in a band?
A: The group was formed gradually between 1999 and 2001, and by the time "O" was recorded the band were a permenant feature at Damien's shows, and will remain so for the forseeable future. The band is structured so that a Damien Rice concert can take place without all five members present.

Q: How young is Damien?
A: Damien was born on December 7th, 1973.

Q: How young is Lisa?
A: Lisa was born on February 12th, 1981.

Q: Where can I find the songs that are listed on the lyrics page?
A: These are unreleased songs which Damien sometimes plays live. Look out for them on future releases. Please don't ask me for recordings of them as I can't help you.

Q: Where can I find unofficial recordings/ bootlegs of Damien's gigs?
A: You don't have to buy these online, you can visit the trading forum and arrange to trade for some.

Q: Where can I find videos of Damien?
A: There is a list of videos available online here.

Q: When will Damien's next album be out?
A: Damien is currently taking a break following a worldwide tour in support of his second album, 9.

Q: Why is this site called Eskimo Friends?
A: Damien has a song called Eskimo, one of the lines from which goes "I look to my eskimo friend..."

Q: Who or what is a "Blower's Daughter"?
A: She was the daughter of Damien's clarinet teacher.

Q: Who are Juniper?
A: Juniper is Damien's old band. You might remember them from their hit single "Weatherman". When Damien left the band the rest of the band continued on as Bell X1. Bell X1 will release a new album called "Flock" in June on Island Records.

Q: Where can I get the guitar tabs for Damien's music.
A: You can get most of them here.

Q: When and where are the band touring?
A: Any shows that are announced will be posted in the gigs section of this site, or in the 'live' section on Damien's official website. Often when the band will announce a show, the tickets will go on-sale very soon afterwards and usually there isn't a long wait between the tickets going on-sale and the show taking place. Also the band are known for their insistance on playing small venues, so the best idea is to check the websites every so often if you'd like to see them.

Q: When was 'O' first released?
A: On the 1st of February 2002, 'O' got it's first official (irish-only) release.

Q: Why is it called 'O'?
A: One day, after trying and failing to think of a name for the album, Damien went for a ride on his bike and the name popped into his head.

Q: What kind of guitar does Damien play?
A: "His guitar is a Japanese made Lowden, built between 1980 and 1985, it looks like an S10 which the modern day equivalent of a Lowden O10 or indeed a Mahogany / Cedar O35." ~ George Lowden

Also Lisa plays a sunburst Fender Telecaster which Damien sometimes uses.

Q: What does the Finnish part in 'Eskimo' translate to?
A: kosketa minua - Touch me
älä käsilläsi - Not with your hands
vaan niin että tunnen sinut - But the way I can feel you

kosketa minua - Touch me
älä käsilläsi - Not with your hands
mutta sielussasi - But within your soul

minä kaipaan eskimo-ystävääni - I look to my eskimo friend

Q: What does the Latin part in 'Baby Sister' translate to?
A: It's a prayer, and it's called 'Ave Maria' (meaning Hail Mary).

Q: Who the hell is this 'Wheels' character eh?
A: It seems that no-one will ever really know for sure.

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