For ten years, the eye was on the prize; it was all about the Loose. Walking away was pretty tough, but it was something I had to do. It’s a bit like going into a job where you know you’re going to be miserable – do you know what I mean?”

Normally, this happy-go-lucky Hot Presser wouldn’t have a clue (honestly, Mr. Editor!), but CC Brez has picked a good day to discuss departing his former band, Republic of Loose. The hard work of Electric Picnic has left Team HP in full agreement with Bob Geldof as far as Mondays are concerned; thankfully, Brez’s own Stradbally efforts mean he can empathise entirely.
“If I’m honest, I didn’t think through how much work being a solo artist would be!” he laughs. “Even things like getting everybody sorted with wristbands or car passes, you have to be a lot more organised. It’s harder to get things done, but it’s also my decision about what gets done, and I’m certainly happy with that. You can’t really row with yourself!”
Part of the much-acclaimed funk collective for over a decade, it’s as CC Brez that he’s now looking to make a name all for himself. His first EP, Her Alibi arrived earlier this summer, and the debut full-length effort is due for imminent completion; not, he smiles, before time.
“The record has taken the guts of two years as far as writing and recording is concerned,” he reveals.
Indeed, the first ventures towards recording on his Tobler saw Brez change it all up...before bringing it all right back again.
“I needed a bit of a break, so I tried writing different types of music,” he grins. “I stopped writing with the guitar, and tried it on piano instead. Funnily though, most of these tunes are built around how I used to do things; when I started writing two years ago, I found myself going right back to the guitar again.”
The return to old ways is reflected in the music, a decidedly funky take on old-school '70s soul. It’s also on display during rollicking live sets, where eagle-eyed punters may even spot a familiar face or two. “The songs were put together with a live show in mind, and it’s all based around having good musicians. I’ve got two bands worth at this point – about 15 people at the end of the phone! Andre and Dec from the Loose are there, but also some fellas who are barely in their 20s. It’s a nice mix of old friends and new.”
Other old friends, of course, are coming back to town shortly. As we speak, grannies all over Ireland are being listed on eBay, by fans eager to get their hands on tickets for the U2 comeback shows this November. For Brez, it’s a case of been there, done that. “We’d always talked about how great it would be to support the lads,” he confesses, reflecting on when the Loose played with their fellow Dublin heroes. “Over the years we’d met them at various things, but at one point Bono came down to see us in The Academy. We thought, ‘OK, this might actually happen’. It was a surreal moment; looking out from that vantage point on stage at Croke Park is just bizarre.”
With luck, the big stage will be calling CC Brez again soon.