The Divine Comedy

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Biography

Dublin, Ireland (1989 – present)

The Divine Comedy is a baroque pop band now based in Dublin, Ireland, fronted by Neil Hannon.

Neil Hannon, Originally from Derry, has been the only ever-present member of the band, being its founder in 1989 when he was joined by John McCullagh and Kevin Traynor. Their first album, the heavily R.E.M.-influenced and now-deleted Fanfare for the Comic Muse, enjoyed little success though. A couple of equally unsuccessful EPs - Timewatch (1991); Europop (1992) - were to follow, with newly-recruited member John Allen handling lead vocals on some tracks. After the commercial failure of the latter EP, this line-up soon fell apart.

Hannon, however, was not deterred in his efforts and re-appeared in 1993 with Liberation. Featuring a fairly diverse musical outlook that goes from the tongue-in-cheek synth pop of Europop(nearly unrecognisable from the previously-released version) to the classical stylings of Timewatching.

Indeed, it was only some minor success in France that really enabled Hannon to proceed to his second effort Promenade. Released in 1994, this was heavily driven by classical influences, with Michael Nyman’s stylings clearly an influence. Hannon himself acknowledged this when he apparently sent a copy of his new album to the composer, jokingly asking him not to sue. Essentially a concept album about a day spent by two lovers, it also received similar critical acclaim to that which Liberation was afforded. Commercial success, though, was not forthcoming.
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  • aasdfasf

    http://www.thedivinecomedy.com/?p=672 close enough i suppose

    1 May 7:59pm Reply

  • endote

    Would love to hear a new TDC album this year! [4]

    30 Apr 11:03am Reply

  • fredricdafly

    His picture and Scott Walker's are hilariously similar right now.

    30 Mar 5:43pm Reply

  • SilentPoet82

    The Irish Rock League is waiting for your votes to decide the next winners!

    25 Mar 6:39pm Reply

  • Shaaaaaark

    to be honest, it's awful

    10 Mar 2:25pm Reply

  • Osilu

    Tonight seeing Barbra Streisand at the Oscars singing The Way We Were, make me realize how much I would like to see Neil's rendition of the song and of course: Would love to hear a new TDC album this year! [4]

    25 Feb 6:07am Reply

  • enid_coleslaw_

    Mozzarella10, it must be awful to live in this world unable to grasp the concept of irony <---- Even though the song isn't serious and the narrator is supposed to be an asshole, there are still people who actually think like him. It wasn't written in a vacuum.

    14 Feb 1:35am Reply

  • lfsc25

    Would love to hear a new TDC album this year! [3]

    5 Feb 3:04pm Reply

  • IdemPerIdem

    Would love to hear a new TDC album this year! [2]

    20 Jan 12:14pm Reply

  • XDRory

    Would love to hear a new TDC album this year!

    13 Jan 1:22pm Reply

  • IdemPerIdem

    I`m so glad i stumbled upon this awesome band:D This is what i call really good music!

    24 Dec 2012 Reply

  • lfsc25

    Neil has the best lyrics

    8 Dec 2012 Reply

  • waitressboy

    @Mozzerella10 You never realized that "Casanova" is pure irony, right?

    5 Dec 2012 Reply

  • snap2244

    Saw him with Rodrigo Leao and didn't know about this band, now I'm a fan :D

    29 Nov 2012 Reply

  • liver_failure

    damn casanova

    22 Nov 2012 Reply

  • theresawayout

    "lyrics like this is basically euphemising, trivialising, even glamourising rape." LOL WUT??

    12 Nov 2012 Reply

  • Osilu

    Hope to see him at least once; witty at it's maximum.

    11 Nov 2012 Reply

  • Mozzerella10

    okay, after several listens to the "casanova" album, and listening to the lyrics for once, i was disappointed. i hate sexism, and i find lots in it. i suppose i should have guessed, by the title. "oh, come on, everybody knows that no means yes" and "i suggested, she protested, i persisted till she said well okay, and I said wahey" and a song about writing "songs of love" for guys who see schoolgirls as "prey" surprised me. although you might say it's just songs, but lyrics like this is basically euphemising, trivialising, even glamourising rape. maybe neil should learn some good consent, after all, this is a patriarchal society where good consent doesn't even cross some guys' minds.

    9 Nov 2012 Reply

  • Ite_Missa_Est

    saw him last week in Gijon! mesmerizing!

    9 Nov 2012 Reply

  • ikabupini

    Happy birthday, Neil!!! :D <3

    7 Nov 2012 Reply
    • All 480 shouts

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