From a street music band to one of the biggest music phenomena of the eighties and nineties. The Kelly Family filled halls, venues and later entire stadiums. 13 years after their last album, they are making a comeback with new music and a European tour.
The Kelly Family is cult. With their unmistakable appearance and their music, they have made it from a street band to the really big stages. While they initially sold their albums on the street, their big breakthrough came in 1994 with "An Angel". After the death of father Dan Kelly in 2002 and a less successful reorientation in 2004, things became quieter around the family with Irish roots. Until now. Angelo Kelly reveals in an interview that they hadn't expected such a positive response to their comeback.
Ticketcorner blog: 13 years after your last album, you're making a comeback. Why now?
Angelo Kelly: The wish had been there for many years, but many attempts didn't work out. This time we simply wanted to play a concert in the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund. It was sold out within eight minutes, which totally blew us all away.
And now you're going on a whole tour.
Exactly. After we announced two additional dates in Dortmund and they were also sold out, we knew that the fans wanted to see us. We received a lot of feedback from fans who couldn't get tickets for Dortmund. That's why we decided to make a tour out of it after all.
And there's even a new album!
Exactly, with new songs, but also our greatest hits reinterpreted. These songs have stayed with us and the fans, and now they sound bolder and newer.
What did you pay attention to in the studio?
It was important to us that all the songs came closer together. The original recordings sound very different because some of them are from different decades. Bringing the old songs into the present day was exciting. And I think we succeeded very well.
"As a solo artist, I sing about different topics than I do with my whole family."
And how did it go with the new songs?
We didn't plan them that way at all. It was clear that we wanted to re-record the old ones, but somehow we also tried out new songs in the studio. It was just important that they fit in with the Kelly Family. As a solo artist, I sing about different topics than with my whole family. In the end, we had new songs that fit in well on the album and also sound like us. We didn't expect that at the beginning.
What has changed in the way you work together?
In the past, we didn't just work together, we also lived together. Today, everyone has their own life and we work together because we want to. In the past, there was no question of that because we grew up in the band. Everyone has to put some projects on hold for the comeback, that's not a given. At the same time, you can see that as one of our strengths: We are no longer spring chickens, but we bring experience with us.
Paddy and Maite Kelly are not part of the comeback. Why?
Maite is very successful as a pop singer, which makes me very happy for her. She has worked hard on that. And Paddy also has his solo career. I personally think it's a shame, but everyone has to make that decision for themselves. The door remains open for both of them, we just wanted to seize the opportunity to reunite the Kelly Family. We had been talking about it for over two years.
Were there anythoughts of expandingthe Kelly Family with the new family members, with your children ?
It doesn't necessarily have to be mixed, you don't have to fill the stage just because another family member isn't there. With children, you shouldn't plan anything fixed, but make sure that the children have their freedom and can do what they want. On the record, my daughter Emma sang "An Angel" with me, which was great. On tour, it will probably be more spontaneous.
What does the rest of the year look like until the tour?
Until December, each member will be doing what they normally do in their own lives. I'm traveling with my family until December. We've done this once before, when we drove around in an old motorhome for three years.
How will you be traveling on the tour? Together in the tour bus?
We don't know yet. At the concerts in Dortmund we stayed in a hotel, but on tour it depends on how extreme the schedule is and how long the distances are. There are always a lot of different factors involved.
You will be performing in Zurich on March 11, 2018 and at Stars of Sounds in Murten on July 5, 2018.
I have many great memories of Switzerland. In the summer of 1994, we played our first big rock festival in Switzerland, in front of Aerosmith and 40,000 people. That was unique, I'll never forget it. At first, everyone in the audience sat on the floor and rested, not knowing who we were. After an hour, everyone was going wild and clapping.
Will the Kelly Family continue after the tour?
For now, it's a one-off thing, we don't want to think that far ahead yet. Each member has built up their own life and you can't expect us to put it all to one side overnight. The aim is to spend a year with the Kelly Family and achieve and enjoy as much as possible.
