About
Michael Babington is a singer songwriter from Blarney in County Cork in Ireland and music was always in Michael's blood, his mother Eliza was known for her singing and his grandfather Pop Callis was a multi instrumentalist, as a result music was always played in the house. He got his first guitar a Takeraru 12 string as a birthday present from his dad David, which was bought in Kelly's music shop on the Grand Parade. At the age of 15 Michael began to play music for the first time. With the help of friends Kieran Corcoran a classical guitarist and Derek Burke a jazz guitarist Michael played his first gig at the Cork Golf Club for a New Year's Eve Party, it was his first time to play and sing in front of a live audience so he just stood there facing Derek and followed everything Derek was doing all night long.
His first big gig was the Cork Opera House, it was a wonderful experience, and he has played there a number of times since. Michael has toured all over the country performing with different bands and groups. One memorable night was when a massive brawl broke out during the gig, the owner came running up to the band shouting "Play the National Anthem for fuck sake", or we'll never get out of here alive", so they did and to their amazement everyone stood up and stopped fighting, we must have played the anthem for a good twenty minutes without stopping, giving the owner time enough to call the guards and clear the place out says Michael. Up to 2000 he played in different bands as a singer, guitar and keyboard player. Then in the summer of 2000 he released as a singer/songwriter his first e.p. entitled "These Days" on Ciara records. It received a lot of airplay on independent radio stations, Cork's 96fm, Radio Kerry and others around the country.
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He has appeared in the Cork Opera House, Triskel Art Centre, The Lobby, The Cork Midsummer Festival, summer seasons in the Blarney Park Hotel, 96FM's Green room and on the 19th of September (2007) he appears in The National Concert Hall in Dublin in conjunction with RTE Ireland's national broadcaster. Some of the musicians that have worked with Michael in the studio and live are Gerry Kavanagh Bass guitarist, (Van Morrison and Mary Black) Mark Gispt drummer (The Corrs and Jacobs Ladder) and Mandy Murphy Vocals (Paul Brady and Mary Black). He is currently working on an Album at the moment with some tracks recorded at the famous Grouse Lodge studios in Co. West Meath, Claycastle Studios in Cork and Michael's own studio the Music Room.
When asked what is his motto as regards the music business Michael says, " Don't copy what someone else is doing because if you do You are only number two so keep trying to do your own thing" . And his motto on life "Never fear any man or woman because they have the same amount of bones in their arse as you and I". (David Babington)
