The Blizzards

The Blizzards

The Blizzards are an Irish indie rock group from Mullingar, County Westmeath, active since 2003. The line-up centres on Niall Breslin, also known as Bressie, on lead vocals and guitar, with Justin Ryan on lead guitar, Dec Murphy on drums, Anthony Doran on bass, and Aidan Lynch on keyboards and acoustic guitar.

Career

The band forms in 2003 and builds an early profile in Ireland through live appearances and chart success. Their debut single, First Girl to Leave Town, reaches No. 11 in the Irish charts and is described as the biggest-selling independent release in Ireland in 2005. In July 2005 they play the New Bands Stage at Oxegen in front of 2,500 people.

In 2006 they sign with Universal Music Ireland. Their second single, Trouble, reaches No. 6 in the Irish charts and stays in the Top 40 for seven weeks. That July they return to Oxegen, this time on the NME Stage, playing to 10,000 people.

Albums and singles

Miss Fantasia Preaches follows in August 2006, before the debut album A Public Display of Affection arrives in October and enters the Irish album chart at No. 4. The album later achieves platinum status in Ireland. Their second album, Domino Effect, is released in 2008 and peaks at No. 2 on the Irish Albums Chart. The lead single, Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, reaches No. 2 on the Irish Singles Chart and goes to the top of the download charts.

Style

The band is associated with ska and pop influences, although it also appears in an indie rock context. Niall Breslin and the group are said to have performed one song described as ska, while denying that they are a ska-pop band.

Other meanings

The name The Blizzards is also used by a 1960s German beat group from Stade, Germany, known for garage beat music, radio and television performances, backing work for artists including Davy Jones, Tony Cavanaugh, Drafi Deutscher and Howard Carpendale, and a later re-formed touring line-up. That group splits in 1969.