Bipolar Empire

Bipolar Empire is an Irish rock group formed in Dublin in 2007. The original line-up comes from Tallaght and begins with Shane O’Reilly on vocals, Joe Leech on bass and Callum McAdam on drums. O’Reilly has a background in singing and songwriting and spends his teenage years in several school bands, while Leech and McAdam play together from the age of fifteen in a covers band focused on songs by Led Zeppelin and Queen.

Formation and early development

The band forms after the three musicians meet at Oxegen 2007 and decide to start a group of their own. They begin writing original material rather than performing covers, and build a live reputation playing in and around Dublin. Their sound is described as folk-influenced rock and roll, and their performances develop into a tighter and more intense stage act as their audience grows.

Recording and live work

In 2009, Bipolar Empire travel to Los Angeles to record their debut album with producer Pat McCarthy, who has worked with R.E.M., Madonna, U2 and Counting Crows. The band has around thirty songs written before recording begins, and McCarthy helps them narrow the material down. While in the United States they play a number of live shows, including dates at the Continental Club and the Whiskey A Go Go, and they also perform at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

Back in Ireland, the band wins a Hot Press competition to support the St Patrick’s Day Festival in London’s Trafalgar Square, chosen from more than 150 entrants. They then base themselves in London for a period, travelling around the country for small gigs and showcase nights before returning to the London club circuit for a three-month run.

Line-up change and later activity

Bipolar Empire remains a trio for a time, but later adds guitarist and songwriter Mark Maguire as a fourth member. Maguire, a school friend of Shane O’Reilly from Tallaght, previously forms Dublin band The Cades. The band’s debut album is being completed around this period, and the lead single is Tempomanic, which is co-produced and mixed by Lance Hogan and accompanied by a video directed by Kevin Godley.

The group is associated with the Irish live circuit and with events such as Oxegen, where it moves from audience to performer. It is active from 2007 to the present.