and Sweet Orchestra disbanded, James, my brother and I had
been playing together for fun in between and then re-emerged
as Cranky George. We eventually added noted music producer,
Brad Wood, and Sebastian Sheehan – somehow we all just fit.
C u l l e n : Y o u g u y s a r e s o t i g h t . E v e r y t h i n g . T h e h a r m o n i e s .
J a m e s j u m p i n g a r o u n d w i t h t h a t a c c o r d i o n s t r a p p e d t o h i m s e l f .
I n a n o d d , w o n d e r f u l w a y , t h e n a m e o f t h e b a n d i s s o m e h o w
p e r f e c t . H o w d i d y o u a l l l a n d o n C r a n k y G e o r g e ?
Dermot: There was a moment when we were playing with Mark
McAdam and a couple of other guys, where we were called
Mossback George. “Mossback George,” it's from Capra’s "It's a
Wonderful Life," because that's what they called George Bailey,
who stayed home. He had that trick ear and couldn't go to the
war. "Aw, Old Mossback! Hee haw, how are ya?" Our pledge to
one another was to have a band that didn’t have to tour,
because of our already busy lives, which is really what killed
The Low and Sweet Orchestra in the end. Over time the name
morphed and we became, Cranky George. That's where the
George came from. It's really George Bailey, believe it or not.
Dermot: That's well put. I so consider it a vice. In fact, I find it,
you know, distracting, disorienting at times. Music that I'm
hearing or I have a tune that I'm working on or thinking about.
And I don't mean irritating in a way like, you know, a
commercial jingle when they get viral in your head. I just mean
I'm always thinking about it. I started playing more music in the
house again. I'll play piano every day, just because it's there
and it's open. It's sitting there. Maybe guitar. Those are my best
momentsWwhere I don't have other worries and real life stuff
kind of melts away.
C u l l e n : W h e n y o u a n d I a r e a c t i n g , w e ' r e n o t s u p p o s e d t o s h o w
o f f . O r w e ' r e n o t s u p p o s e d t o s h o w t h a t w e ' r e “ a c t i n g . ” H o w
d o e s y o u r b r a i n s w i t c h , o r i s i t e v e n a c o n s c i o u s t h i n g , t h a t y o u
a r e a l l o w e d j u s t t o s h o w o f f a n d j u s t h a v e t h i s g r e a t t i m e w h e n
y o u ’ r e u p o n s t a g e w i t h C r a n k y G e o r g e ?
Dermot: It's funny; I usually look back at a live performance and
think, "Was I too show off-y?" It's just really fun, and the way I
play the mandolin is so aggressive compared to how it's kind of
known, that it sticks out anyway.
C u l l e n : L i k e I s a i d , y o u b r e a t h e f i r e w i t h t h e m a n d o l i n . I k n o w I
d e f i n i t e l y s a w s m o k e . ( l a u g h t e r ) . T h a t s h o u l d b e y o u r n e x t
a l b u m c o v e r – s m o k e c o m i n g o f f o f y o u r m a n d o l i n . L o n g l i v e
C r a n k y G e o r g e ! ( l a u g h t e r ) M a n , t h i s h a s b e e n s o g r e a t t o t a l k .
I t ’ s s o i n s p i r i n g t o s e e s o m e b o d y g e t t i n g t o d o w h a t t h e y l o v e
f o r a l i v i n g . W e ’ r e v e r y l u c k y , y o u a n d I . E v e n o n t h e b a d d a y s I
w o u l d n ’ t t r a d e t h i s c r a z y b u s i n e s s f o r a n y t h i n g .
C u l l e n : I g u e s s m a y b e I ' m l e a d i n g t h e w i t n e s s h e r e , b u t w h e n Dermot: It’s a Wonderful LifeW.
t h i n g s h a v e b e e n a l i t t l e s l o w o r m a y b e w h e n l i f e h a s n o t b e e n
C u l l e n : I s e e w h a t y o u j u s t d i d t h e r e – v e r y n i c e . ( L a u g h t e r W )
a s g r e a t , i s m u s i c a s o l a c e f o r y o u ? I s t h a t y o u r v i c e ?
C u l l e n : I ’ v e s e e n y o u p l a y t h e c e l l o , a n d b r e a t h e f i r e w i t h t h e
m a n d o l i n , a n d a c o u p l e o f o t h e r i n s t r u m e n t s ?
Dermot: Guitars. Piano, but not out of the house, I just play for
myself. I taught myself the baritone horn one time. It’s like a
little tuba. I also play the glockenspiel, some percussion and
slide guitar on a couple of our songs.