Groove Tube with Cian O’Connell

Shark School were one of the buzziest live acts to emerge on the Galway music scene last year. Built around the songwriting of frontwoman Nora Staunton and bass player Peggy Forde, the Sharks have quickly amassed a cult following and developed a catalogue of noisy, grunge-y punk songs laced with melodic, pop sensibilities.

As of last month, that sound is available on streaming sites. Shark School described their debut single, 411, as a diss track aimed at the local bus route of the same name, running from Knocknacarra to Eyre Square.

Released on Strange Brew records, and mixed and recorded by Galway producer Lushed, it is a song steeped in the fabric of the city.

To celebrate, the group are currently in the middle of an Irish and UK tour. It will finish up on April 4 in the Róisín Dubh as part of the latest edition of A Modern Movement, which also features HAAVK and Vernon Jane.

“It’s quite raw, the single,” Peggy explains. “There’s nothing in the single that isn’t played on stage, between the feedback and the guitars and that kind of trashy bass tone. I think we succeeded in [replicating the live sound] because what you get on Spotify now is what you get live on stage. Like we’ve said before, that’s really important and we’re quite happy that we think we’ve pulled it off.”

“I think [the song stood out] because it was the first song I ever wrote for this band and the first song we all wrote together,” Nora continues. “It’s just made for Galway. That’s where we started and that’s where we wanted to put the first single to.

“We love Galway so it’s nice that everything involved about the single and the recording and the release is linked to Galway,” Peggy adds. “And especially because of the theme of the song as well – it’s very fitting I think.”

The 411 is no random metaphor for delays on public transport. It is a bus that hold particular significance for both Nora and Peggy.

Pictured: Shark School….debut single on Strange Brew records.