The Cranberries: Old flames die hard

Cranberries find new chemistry after nine-year break.

PARIS: Tired of non-stop touring and hurting for inspiration, The Cranberries, which consisted of vocalist Dolores O’Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler hung up their guitars in 2003. Nine years on, the Irish rockers say the chemistry came right back for their new album Roses, to be released on Monday.

The quartet shot to fame in the 1990s with hits like “Linger” and the politically-charged “Zombie”, lifted by the powerful voice of O’Riordan. They sold 40 million records worldwide, becoming one of the flagship bands of the decade, but by 2003, they had hit a dead end.

And that could have been the end of the story, were it not for Trinity College, Dublin, which invited O’Riordan to become an honorary patron of its philosophical society in 2009. Asked by the university to perform for the occasion, she looked up her old companions and that’s how the question of getting back together came up.

“It felt like yesterday, even though after meeting them after six-and-a-half-years,” states O’Riordan. “We went to the pub and over a beer Mike (Hogan) said we should do it now because we’re not getting any younger.”

And that was how the tour that O’Riordan was about to embark on for her second solo album was turned into a Cranberries comeback tour, playing 107 dates around the world. “My shock was to see young people in the audience,” says guitarist Noel. Once the tour was over, the four decided to book into a studio but with “no contract, no management, no record company”, he adds.

The album born of those recording sessions, Roses, is instantly recognisable as the work of The Cranberries, with soft, airy melodies backing up O’Riordan’s distinctive voice. The Cranberries kick off a world tour on March 15, starting in New Zealand.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2012.