We’re looking forward to introducing you to Daniel Oconnor. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Daniel, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
All of us getting together every week and finally playing music.
We all have day jobs and half of us do manual labor so its pretty exhausting. it requires alot of energy and self motivation just to get together to practice after weve been working all day, but once that first note blasts through the PA speakers our stress and anxiety from the week just disappears.
Music is our medicine.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
We are Murphy and the Giant! A 6 piece folk punk band from Salt Lake City, Utah. We play our own style of Celtic punk rock with a horror twist. Weve been playing music for over a decade and weve gone through a few different members but weve finally locked in a solid permanent line up. With Daniel O’Connor on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, Jesus Acosta on lead guitar, Jamie McIntosh on violin, Michael Lugo on accordion, Mitch Shepherd on bass, and Josh Cannon on Drums.
We bring a contagious energy to every performance and try to defy expectation while demanding your attention with chaos, irreverence, and unapologetic authenticity.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
When we first started out we were focusing mostly on irish drinking songs, jigs, reels, and polkas. We would take covers of popular songs and make them sound irish. Songs like “take on me” or “what I got” and then we would just replace lead guitar with violin.
Slowly we started writing our own songs and breaking away from covers all together. Now we’re playing horror themed celtic music because halloween originated from Samhain and that was just a very interesting concept to us.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
We have a bass solo in our new song “autumn moonlight”. Mitch and Josh felt very strongly about it amd insisted a bass solo wpuld really elevate the song and make it have a very unique vibe but the rest of the band weren’t really sold on it.
We worked on it for a month or so but still half of us didnt like it. It lead to alot of arguments and eventually we decided to let mitch have an hour in the studio to work on it and honestly its turned into one of the best parts of the song.
We realized that any idea could lead to something really great so now anyone can suggest anything and we try to have a very supportive practice space to give it a shot.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
We’re all dedicated to having a good time.
If youre looking to make a living in any capacity by playing music youre going to be super disappointed. Especially if its a niche genre like celtic punk rock. Celtic horror punk rock? Youre insane. But the one of the many things we get out of this is free drinks and a good time. And there isnt really any other reason to do what we do. The best we can hope for is that the audience gets infected with our energy and is forced to have a good time with us!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
Performing. Writing music is therapeutic but performing music is cathartic. There really isnt anything like it. Its like the whole world is absorbing all of your negative energy and all your left with is the good. Theres no where else worth being more than that stage at that moment.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @murphyandthegiant
- Facebook: @murphyandthegiant
- Youtube: @murphyandthegiant
- Other: TikTok @murphyandthegiant
Band camp @murphyandthegiant
