Bell X1

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Bell X1

Rock group

Bell X1's lyrical, radio-friendly rock became a staple on the Irish airwaves after the group released its 2005 multiplatinum album Flock, which hit the Irish pop charts at number one. Shortly thereafter, Bell X1 gained notoriety on the other side of the Atlantic after its songs were featured on the popular United States television shows The O.C. and Grey's Anatomy. In 2008, Flock was released in the United States in conjunction with a coast-to-coast tour aimed at gaining a foothold in the United States market. Back home in Ireland, Bell X1 is a stadium act—second only to U2 in audience draw. Bell X1 hopes to one day succeed on the international level just like fellow Irish rockers U2. Bell X1 frontman Paul Noonan told Billboard's Katie Hasty that he believes the band's live act will help draw in new listeners, "We've reached a tipping point with America," Noonan said. "We live in an online era where music is devalued, so doing shows and making the live experience more special is the place for us to win over new crowds."

Bell X1, which hails from eastern Ireland, got its start in 1991 and was originally known as Juniper. Damien Rice fronted the band, which included Brian Crosby on guitar, Paul Noonan on drums, and Dominic Phillips on bass. The foursome had been childhood friends since their school days in Kildare County. They honed their skills playing weddings, parties, and bar mitzvahs. When the group started out, their repertoire included a lot of covers, specifically Roxette and Neil Diamond. Within a few years, Dave Geraghty joined on guitar and the band became popular among local pubgoers. Juniper eventually signed with Polygram and released two singles in 1998—"Weatherman" and "The World Is Dead." Though "Weatherman" became a Top 10 hit on the Irish charts, the singles failed to garner much attention.

Within months, Rice quit the band to pursue a well-documented solo career. Rather than split up, the remaining members decided to forge a new identity. The band changed its name to Bell X1. At the time, Noonan was reading about United States Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager who became the first pilot to break the sound barrier—while flying a jet called the Bell X1. At this point Noonan, originally the drummer, stepped out from behind his kit to become the lead singer. In an interview on NPR's World Cafe, Noonan acknowledged that he felt exposed in his new role. "Standing out front I did feel quite naked for awhile but I think I did grow into the role."

Noonan was 13 when he began to dream of making music. Lying in bed snuggled up under the covers and listening to Life's Rich Pageant by REM, Noonan had a sudden epiphany during which he realized music carried the powerful potential to awaken people to their lives. "That's what I wanted to do," he told the Irish Times. "To be in a band writing songs that people would take to bed with them when they were 14 or 15 and listen to on their Walkman and feel alive."

Found Music in Their Mouths

Within six months of Rice's departure, the newly minted Bell X1 cranked out a debut album, Neither Am I, in 2000. Complete with grinding guitar rhythms and bittersweet melodies, the album topped out at number 30 on the Irish charts. Some of the album's songs were leftovers penned by Rice, while others were fresh tunes created as the band sought to establish a new identity. After the album's release, music critics compared the band to Coldplay and Radiohead.

Overall, Bell X1 members felt satisfied with the hastily-crafted album but decided they wanted to take more care on a follow-up. In 2001, they began work on a second album, spending three weeks living together at a seaside house on the Irish coast. Released in 2003, Music in Mouth takes its name from a verse written by Irish poet Austin Clarke. In an interview with Shane McDermott of the Irish indie webzine CLUAS.com, Noonan said he believed the album revealed a bit more self-confidence despite a lack of purity in their evolving style. "This record, to me, is one of love songs in drag. They're songs of love and loss presented in a celebratory, joyous way. It sounds a bit contradictory but I think we knew when we were making it that it's a bit all over the shop. Some time in the future I'd love to make a very definite record with a definite sound, like a hip-hop record does, or a folk record."

Well-received at home, Music in Mouth peaked at number 15 on the Irish charts. With songs like the mid-paced "Eve, the Apple of My Eye" and the dreamy, soft ballad "I'll See Your Heart And I'll Raise You Mine," the album examined serious emotions but also contained quirky, upbeat songs like "Snakes And Snakes" and "Alphabet Soup." Music in Mouth spawned several top 40 singles. After the album's release, Bell X1 toured Europe alongside Keane, Starsailor, Aqualung, and Snow Patrol. Two songs from the album—"Eve, the Apple of My Eye" and "In Every Sunflower"—were featured on the teen drama The O.C. "Eve" played during a scene that featured a controversial lesbian kiss.

Flocked to Studio

After another group songwriting retreat, Bell X1 hit the recording studio in 2005 and by year's end had released its chart-topping album Flock. The album was considerably more upbeat than Bell X1's previous offerings. Noonan told InsideBayArea.com's Roman Gokhman that was their intention, "We tried to do joy, which we've never done before. We've always found it very easy to do mopey, but a lot harder to do happy."

Working on this album, band members also took a new approach to songwriting, with members working together to co-create the tunes. In the past, Noonan or Geraghty had penned the songs. This time, they joined together, jamming collectively to find catchy melodies or grooves they could build on. As those came into place, Noonan added lyrics to fit the mood or tell the story they were trying to sell. Speaking to the Toronto Star's Ben Rayner, Noonan described the process. "The songs originated more with the four of us playing in a room, as opposed to Dave [Geraghty] or I bringing a song kind of ‘crafted in the bedroom’ to the band. We wanted to make it more about a piece of music and then we would crowbar a song into that."

Flock delivers a full range of emotions told through slow-burn ballads and foot-stomping anthems. The opener, "Reacharound," is high-energy, whereas the closer, "Lamposts," is an epic seven-minute track complete with a sweeping chorus and romantic lyrics. Many of the songs tell stories. "Rocky Took a Lover" tells the tale of a homeless man who beds down with a woman one night. "Flame," with its retro-funk beat, describes what it is like to be attracted to someone yet to feel so imperfect in their presence. The album spawned three top 20 hits on the Irish singles charts—"Flame," "Bigger than Me" and "Rocky Took a Lover." Flock went on to receive platinum certification five times over.

Flying Solo

Despite the heavy touring schedule, members find time for other endeavors. In 2006, Crosby traveled to Tanzania on a visit with Oxfam Ireland, a charity that works to eradicate poverty and injustice around the globe. In Tanzania, Crosby visited AIDS clinics and farmers. Oxfam funds AIDS clinics in Africa and has also launched a Make Trade Fair campaign, which seeks to open free-trade agreements for underdeveloped economies. After the visit, Crosby felt inspired to help produce a charity album, called The Cake Sale, to help the organization raise money.

In 2007, Geraghty struck out on his own and released an impressive solo album called Kill Your Darlings. Geraghty said that although he was pleased with Bell X1's success, he felt he wanted to do more. Speaking to Mick Heaney of the Sunday Times, Geraghty put it this way, "From a very young age I've always wanted to do music, to hone the skill of being a songwriter or musician, just live the life of it. It used to drive my career-guidance teacher insane at school: ‘Would you not be like your father and be an engineer?’ No, I want to be a rock star." Geraghty went on to say that about the time he turned 30, he realized he had not reached his personal goal of creating an album that really left a personal mark on the world, so he began the solo endeavor.

For the Record …

Members include Brian Crosby (born c. 1973), guitar; Dave Geraghty (born c. 1976), guitar, keyboard; Paul Noonan, vocals, drums, guitar; Tim O'Donovan, drums (for live performances); Dominic Phillips, bass.

Group formed in Kildare County, Ireland, 1991; was initially known as Juniper with Damien Rice fronting the band; signed deal with Polygram and released two singles, 1998; saw departure of Rice with Paul Noonan stepping up to helm the band, 1998; changed name to Bell X1, 1999; released Neither Am I, 2000; released Music in Mouth, 2003; released the multiplatinum seller Flock, 2005; launched first tour in United States, 2008.

Addresses: Publicist—Matt Hanks, Shore Fire Media, 32 Court St., Ste. 1600, Brooklyn NY 11201. Record company—Yep Roc Records, P.O. Box 4821, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4821. Web site—Bell X1 Official Web site: http://www.bellx1.com.

As for the future, Geraghty believes he can remain loyal to both Bell X1 and his solo career. "The intention is to tell people that these songs have always been there and that it's not just a project to keep me busy between Bell X1 records," Geraghty told the Irish Times. "It's something I certainly want to continue—I already have plans for album No 2, so I see it as being part of a solo career worked very much in parallel with the work I do in Bell X1. That's the way I'm looking at it and that's the way I ideally want it to exist."

Bell X1 thumper Tim O'Donovan also has a solo career. O'Donovan is a part-time Bell X1 member—he joins the band during live performances. Noonan covers drums during songwriting and recording; however, when the band tours he relies on O'Donovan to play drums so he can stand out front and sing. O'Donovan performs as a one-man synth-pop act call Neosupervital. When O'Donovan goes onstage as Neosupervital, he dons a dark suit and dark glasses. He got the idea from showbands and new wave bands, whose members often dress up to perform. O'Donovan also tries to have fun. As he told the Irish Times: "Too often I've been at gigs where I wanted to believe the band or the artist were having fun, but they just seemed miserable … If you're surrounded by people having fun then you'll have some fun yourself, so I always aim to put on a show that I would like to go and see, and play music that I would like to hear."

In 2008, Bell X1 launched its first tour on United States soil following the release of Flock in the United States. Besides beefing up its fan base with live concerts, the group made the television rounds, playing on late-night television with Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, and Craig Ferguson. In an effort to appease fans hungry for another album, Bell X1 released Tour de Flock in 2007. The compilation includes a 13-track live CD paired with a 16-track live DVD. Fans yearning for fresh tunes should not worry. Bell X1 members plan to continue making music for years to come. As Noonan told the Irish Times: "Huge parts of what we do are as tedious as ----, but there are moments when you get that tingling joy all over again. You might get it when you land on a hook for a song or listen back to a mix and … you know you've cracked it or you're having stupid adolescent fun on the road. It's a life we have led for a while and I think we love it too much to stop now."