Can't Take My Feelings Away

Brendan O'Hagan was born in Coleraine Northern Ireland, the youngest of five children. He began playing music when he was thirteen and the following year started song writing, influenced strongly by The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

A multi-instrumentalist he formed a band called the Xdreamysts who later signed to Polydor (they recorded City Girl for their debut album) but he had to leave them, for personal reasons. Under family pressure he joined his three brothers (as drummer) in their band called The O'Hagan Brothers and, at the age of 16 toured England and Ireland. Then in 1973 with brothers Robert and John he moved to London whilst his other brother Willie moved to Dublin (and later Canada).

In London he soon joined an Irish showband, this time on keyboards and guitar, but continued to write original material. During this time he teamed up with the top British country act called Rainbow Country Sounds who starred in Opportunity Knocks with Hughie Green and because of the vagaries of the entertainment world were beaten into second place by a performing dog.

Brendan then worked with Ed Welch who is an English television composer (such as the music for Blockbusters, Knightmare, One Foot in the Grave, That's My Dog, Catchphrase and The Hoobs. In 1971 Ed recorded an album, Clowns, including songs he had co-written with Tom Paxton, and session musicians including Mike de Albuquerque and Cozy Powell. He also composed the score for the 1978 version of The Thirty-Nine Steps. He writes the songs for the new format of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, including Engine Roll Call. Welch is credited as a co-writer of the 1995 Icelandic entry to the Eurovision Song Contest (with Björgvin Halldórsson).

But let's get back to Brendan!

It was at this point in time that he met Andy Titcombe of Loose Records - a long-lasting connection that has recently been renewed. Brendan recorded about 12 tracks with his brothers, Robert and John, exclusively for Loose Records as well as playing on many sessions at the time.

Moving on from Loose he had songs published by Acuff Rose and KLO (Kenny Lynch Organisation). In the mid-eighties he was working on his own and continuing to record original material with Matthew Fisher, of Procul Harum fame, engineering the sessions. After these sessions he joined an Irish showband touring the USA and spent time in New York. The band received a great response but Brendan needed time to continue writing and recording his own material so decided to return to London.

Another detour along the way was when he joined THE QUIREBOYS in summer of 1986. They played headline gigs at The famous London Dingwalls and Marquee Club as well as doing the 'toilet-circuit' of UK clubs before signing a headline-making contract with EMI of £500,000. Sadly financial constraints had prompted Brendan to leave shortly before the money rolled in.

Then in 1995 he took the decision to return to his roots and go back to Ireland with his wife and children where he still lives.

Still writing and playing in his familiar style and hoping that new opportunities afforded by the Internet will open his music to the wider audience it deserves. Loose Records are more than happy to team up again with Brendan O'Hagan, blending his old and new recordings and say "Take time to listen to a unique singer-songwriter whose music and vocals will touch your life -if you give him the chance".