INTERVIEW | Amble member Ross McNerney about his Longford beginnings and band

Amble is one of Ireland's biggest bands. From Co Longford, Ross McNerney was raised with music at a young age, playing guitar and mandolin. With international acclaim, Amble have played sold-out shows in Ireland, the USA and the UK. Their record label is Warner Records, and they are playing again at Electric Picnic this year. Ross McNerney previously played in Brave Giant, and has also been a teacher. He came to chat to 'Longford Leader' about his career.

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Would you tell me where in Longford you are from?
I am from Moyne, in Co Longford, so the very northern end. I'm two minutes from Moyne school, near the Cavan border. I went to Moyne Community School, too.

What was your first experience with music?
For me, music was always in my house, and very much so. It was traditional Irish music to start out in. We would’ve all played in the Fleadh, Community Games. It was definitely something that my mother wanted. She had us play an instrument and she kept me and all of us at it. And then I went to school. I played a lot in secondary school, and college. I slid from the trad and went to do my own thing eventually but it started off with the Fleadhs.

You have been in two popular bands now, Amble and Brave Giant – that is impressive – how has that been for you?
Yeah, I think I’ve been very fortunate to have learnt an awful lot. When I was in Brave Giant, I was younger and in college. The four of us were, really. We didn’t have a clue what we were at–the industry and how all that stuff works. I was very fortunate to meet the two lads in Amble and bring this knowledge and information, and not fall into some of the same pit traps in Brave Giant as we didn’t know any the wiser. I’m very lucky in that aspect to have that knowledge. We all went to the same secondary school, we were best friends. Brave Giant taught me an awful lot.

How do bands usually go from normal gigging to getting signed with Warner Records? Is it that people get noticed, reach out, or another way?
It’s mad. I was teaching in Mel’s and living in Carrick. I remember when we got an email in the middle of the night from a man in Warner LA. I thought it was a scam, we all did. He saw a clip of one of our songs on Tiktok and wanted to get on Zoom with us. That was how we got signed. There were months of paperwork and meeting him and all that stuff. The actual initial sign was a stumbling across a track on Tiktok. It was mental. Then I went to Mel’s, teaching a normal day. Rob was teaching as well. Six months later, we were signed and gave it everything.

Is there anything about performing that you love the most?
I love it all. I love gigging and I love playing live, but I suppose, again, being very fortunate, I love that you’re bringing people together. I love seeing groups of people, families, and friends. You don't know them but you’re essentially bringing people together for a night for a gig. Amble’s music is often about escapism. We try to allow people to escape a bit from the real world. It’s evident at gigs when there are people having a good time. Singing back the words–you never get used to that. They’re all feelings that you don’t think about when you’re on the stage. If you did, you’d probably stop playing. When you watch the video back or sit down after a gig, that’s the highlight of any gig, the community spirit.

After Brave Giant finished, and before Amble, when the Covid lockdown ended, did you have that desire to get back into the music scene?
No. I think I fell out of love with music for a while. Covid kind of did funny things to lots of industries. I didn’t really play at all. I went back to sports and went back to football. Oisin, from Amble, reached out to me on Instagram.
We didn’t know each other at all. He said that he had a song, and that they had a little gig in Leitrim, so to come along. I liked the song, and he said I should just play. When I met these two men, straight away I got the bug for music and I wanted to play again. I think that’s a lot of the reason. We didn’t know each other but are the same people. There were no arguments about what music we were playing because it was clear. I couldn’t have imagined what it led to, genuinely. When we played with Amble, it was an escape and a beautiful hobby. It was to create music, play the odd gig. There wasn’t an aim to go back and make this my job. I just wanted to enjoy playing music and I still am.

You were at this year’s Fleadh and performed with Ed Sheeran, too. Are those sorts of experiences surreal and extraordinary?
Yeah. They’re mental when you get that message or email that you want to come to Wexford and meet Ed Sheeran. The other side is when you meet him and realise he’s just a very normal man. He’s lovely. That’s a normal part of it, too. We’ll never get used to meeting someone like that. You saw in person one of the biggest acts in the world and what that meant to people. And you saw how he carried himself and it was lovely. It was a day when you were one hundred percent going to Wexford. I wanted to go to the Fleadh anyway, so this was a win-win!

Have there been any highlights so far with Amble?
There are so many. Genuinely every gig we play, we often go ‘that was the best yet’, and it just keeps happening. To pick them, we all kind of say Electric Picnic last year. We played in the Electric arena and it was a huge thing. 14,000 people in a tent singing back our songs. It was on a completely different level. We’d played Whelan’s and wonderful events around Ireland then got EP. It’s always been a highlight for us! Another highlight is the Hozier gigs. We were asked to support Hozier in America in Fenway Park. You’re getting to see these beautiful parts of America and these stadiums. That was a moment, and just being on that stage was unbelievable. The number one highlight for me was releasing our debut album “Reverie”. Even though it doesn’t have the same euphoria as some of those gigs, it’s there for life. The album is there. It’s always going to be there. That takes time to acknowledge that as a moment. It’s very special to have it out. To see people liking it. We always wanted it. When we met but didn’t know each other, the aim was to make an album–nothing else–not a festival. To do that and have more coming are definitely the highlights.

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Have you got any advice for Longford musicians who would like to become a successful band in Ireland?
I don’t know if I’ve great tips. The main thing is to enjoy it! I tried all types of music and came back to the music I’m playing in Amble. That’s the music I love. That’s it, finding what music genuinely makes you happy. Nothing else matters.
I’m in a very privileged position to say that. I’m so lucky to play these gigs, but at the same time, playing music is about enjoying it, whether it be in your bedroom or a stage. I wouldn’t take on any musical endeavour with pressure on ‘how successful I want it to be’, I’d put pressure on myself to simply enjoy it.