If you haven't checked out the Irish film Cardboard Gangsters yet, you should make a point of downloading it.
The story of a group of friends and drug dealers in Darndale in Dublin, the film has been nominated for five awards in the upcoming Irish Film and Television Awards, taking place on February 15th, and it deserves the success: it's a gritty, heartfelt and absorbingly tense drama, with excellent turns from all the lead players.
On Sunday, two of the lead actors from the film -- John Connors and Paul Alwright -- came into studio to pick out the music for Songs in the Key of Life. While John is well known in the industry -- he co-wrote the screenplay for Cardboard Gangsters as well as starring in it, and was also in Love/Hate -- Paul is a relative newcomer. He's better known for his work in music -- he has performed as Lethal Dialect for several years and has a new album on the way in 2018.
Both say that the arts have helped them through tough times in their own lives.
"My brother suggested doing acting because I was suicidal," John said, speaking candidly about his background as a member of the travelling community, and what it was like to grow up in Darndale in Dublin. "I had an ongoing depression and I came to a point in my life where I realised there were no options. My brother suggested acting because I spent my whole dole on the cinema. Acting was a way of expressing myself. I fell in love with it."
For Paul, the draw towards creativity was similar. "I started writing poetry probably around 13," he said. "But the first attempt I made at music, I was about 16, in Foroige in the youth centre in Blanchardstown. I was there with friends and they were recording in a new studio, and they said, 'Write a rhyme and put it on the song'. I did it and fell with love with it, with this idea that you can evoke some emotion and capture it."
Listen back to the show -- and hear their song selections -- by clicking play on the top right of the screen.
John and Paul's Playlist:
1. God Creative 'Jim Kelly'
2. Sam Cooke 'A Change is Gonna Come' (John's choice)
3. The Verve 'Lucky Man' (Paul's choice)
4.Maverick Sabre 'Come Fly Away' (Paul's choice)
5. Damien Dempsey 'Negative Vibes' (John's choice)
6. Paul Alwright 'Seeds of Doubt' (first play from Paul's forthcoming album)
7. Jennifer Rush 'Power of Love' (John's choice)
8. Shadow feat Loah 'The Scratch' (Paul's choice)
9. Kool and the Gang 'Winter Sadness' (Paul's choice)
10. Peckers Dunne 'Tinkers Lullaby' (John's choice)
11. Garth Brooks 'The Dance' (John's choice)
12. Joe McDonnell 'Eire Og' (John's choice)
