Seán Griffin takes his Irish heritage seriously. Born in Danbury, Connecticut, and now living in Kingston, New York, Griffin formed The Ruffians back in the late 90s, and their “Celtic Rock” songs saw them referred to as “Y-Generation Pogues”, by Tim DeGrogatis, in The Chicago Sun Times. Now Griffin has embarked on a solo project, and the first single, ‘People Are Mad’, is a shimmering gem of lyrical genius.
Griffin’s debut solo album is packed full of tracks filled with the same Celtic spirit and storytelling as The Ruffians, and fans will have their opportunity to hear them performed live when he tours across North America, the UK, and Europe, later this year.
Recorded at Old Soul Studios, in Catskill, New York, Griffin teamed up with Grammy Award winning producer, Kenny Siegel, and audio engineer, Matthew Cullen. The final polishes were given to the record by alt-rock mixer Paul Kolderie, best known for his work with Pixies, Radiohead, and Morphine, and mastered by the legendary Greg Calbi. It’s a collaborative effort, that’s overflowing with character, and humour.
With ‘People Are Mad’, Seán Griffin turns a familiar phrase into a mantra perfect for today’s chaotic societal climate. Earwormingly charming, Griffin’s talent for lyricism is blended effortlessly with a bouncy, shuffling beat and infectious banjo melody, as he evokes a sense of collective frustration, putting into words that which many of us as thinking as we see what’s going on in the world around us With soaring harmonies lifting the track, he reminds us that it’s okay to laugh a little, even more so when the world feels like it’s going to hell in a handbasket. Even though we may feel like there’s nothing we can do, we can still take comfort in the idea that people are, and always have been, mad – “from the moment they’re born till they’re pushing up daisies”.
Leaning into the track’s playful atmosphere, the music video for ‘People Are Mad’ is jam packed with whimsy and fun, encouraging us to appreciate the absurdity around us. Filmed by a longtime friend, the ‘People Are Mad’ music video sees Griffin wandering through a Victorian cemetery in Kingston, New York, surrounded by the headstone of those long past, reminding us of those daisies we’ll all someday be pushing up. Intersperse with this we see him zipping through a crowd of protesters, having the time of his life riding a shopping cart. In the final shot, Griffin’s youngest daughter holds out a bouquet of daisies to us in the audience, letting us know it’s okay, and that we’re all a little mad, so why shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves from time to time.
Let your inhibitions go with the music video for ‘People Are Mad’ below, and find out more about Seán Griffin and his music online on his official website, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
