Ryan Tubridy is a popular radio and television presenter in Ireland, known for his quick wit and engaging interviews. However, his recent encounter with U2 guitarist The Edge left many viewers scratching their heads. The normally composed presenter seemed to lose his edge when it came to asking the musician the right questions. In this article, we will delve into Tubridy’s slip-up, why it happened, and what it tells us about the art of interviewing celebrities.
Ryan Tubridy, the host of The Late Late Show, has been criticised for conducting a soft interview with The Edge, U2’s guitarist, on his morning radio show on RTÉ Radio 1. Some of the questions were described as “so soft” that The Edge had to “inject a little bit of grit” into his answers. Despite this, Tubridy’s interview with The Edge was noted for being a nice change from the norm of his morning slot, which often resembles “an extended promo slot for The Late Late Show.” Tubridy has the tricky task of keeping listeners entertained between the news overload of Morning Ireland and the staid atmosphere of Today with Claire Byrne. While the human interest stories that Tubridy usually deals with on the radio can be stimulating, it’s refreshing to hear him talking to a bona fide star, rather than merely dropping their name to promote his television gig.
Tubridy had a better interview with Thomas Keneally, the Australian novelist. During their recent encounter, there was an audible pep to Tubridy’s voice that was noticeably absent during his interview with The Edge. Tubridy compared U2’s new collection, Songs of Surrender, featuring newly recorded versions of old songs from their back catalogue, to the experience of revisiting The Catcher in the Rye in middle age. This was an intriguing observation, but with a bit more of that sensibility, Tubridy might have elicited some really revealing answers from The Edge.
The Edge talked about how he got his nickname from his time as a member of Lipton Village, a loose gang of teenage misfits from which U2 emerged in the late 1970s. “In many cases, these nicknames were onomatopoeic, they described the look,” the musician born David Evans recalls. “So in my case, I think it was the chin that inspired the Edge.” When asked how he would describe Bono to an alien, the guitarist quietly chuckled as he replied: “A mixture of all the best, with some aspects that are not the best.” Such displays of wry ambivalence suggest The Edge could take blunter questions on the chin, for instance on the effect of drummer Larry Mullen’s absence from the band’s forthcoming Las Vegas shows, which the host only mentioned in passing.
Music is at the heart of The Lyric Feature: An Draíocht on Lyric FM. The show centres around the distinctive folk music of Sliabh Luachra, a niche nature far removed from the global reach of U2′s polished sound. Producer and narrator Paul McDermott became entranced by the traditional sounds of sibling fiddlers Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford on an album called The Star above the Garter, which sparked his quest for the obscure live recordings made by musicians from the locality. The engagingly meandering quest that follows is as much temporal, historical, and even spiritual as it is physical, with diversions into everything from the flying columns during Ireland’s War of Independence to the 1990s indie scene in Cork city. Above all, McDermott seeks to discover the peculiar magic – an draíocht – evoked by the hypnotically raw music captured on the LPs he so craves. Ultimately, the specialist premise serves as a starting point to take the listener on an idiosyncratic but fascinating journey: it’s one of those rare occasions where the overused J-word seems appropriate.
McDermott’s contribution to the Lyric Feature strand adds to the recent run of fine music-themed documentaries on Irish airwaves. Following on from Ken Sweeney’s Radio Nova documentary on the connections between Irish writers and cult Australian band the Go-Betweens, and For the Record, Pat O’Mahony’s affably absorbing RTÉ Gold series on celebrity music collections, An Draíocht is an evocative reminder of the magical role music can play in our lives.
Overall, Tubridy could improve on his interview skills, but his morning slot is still a nice change from other programmes. An Draíocht is a reminder of the magical role music can play in our lives, and it adds to the recent run of fine music-themed documentaries on Irish airwaves.
In conclusion, even the most experienced interviewers can have off-days where questions are fumbled and the conversation fails to truly engage the audience. Ryan Tubridy’s recent interview with U2 guitarist The Edge was a reminder that even a seasoned professional can lose their edge, but it’s how they pick themselves up again that counts. Hopefully, the next time Tubridy sits down with a high-profile guest, he will be back on top form and ready to deliver a memorable and engaging interview.
