Bio

Biography
Singer/Guitarist Jay Garrigan and drummist Shawn Lynch have played together for over eleven years, and are familiar with the trials of many touring bands while they were in Charlotte NC’s indie rock outfit Poprocket: new loves, unwavering fans, lasting friends, weddings, divorce, death, poverty, pawning equipment, record deals gone bad, and exploding bass players. Many people think Jay and Shawn are brothers, not because they look alike, but because they treat each other like brothers – always seemingly finishing each other’s jokes, or having the license to talk shit and simultaneously defend each other.

Jay and Shawn met both CR Rollyson and Jason Atkins through the annual Fools Brigade benefit concert, where some of the best players of original music in Charlotte get together and play an annual concert for charity. Around the time of the 7th annual Fools Brigade, Spectra Records signed Jay Garrigan to a licensing and publishing deal based on his catchy, weird songs. Shawn and Jay quickly recruited CR and Jason, and four practices later were playing shows.

Mark Lynch soon joined to fill the bottom-end. Many say that Mark was the missing link in the Garrigan line-up, with drummist Shawn having spent both a decade with Mark and Jay in separate bands. Mark and Shawn Lynch (no relation) both were founding members of alt-country legends Lou Ford. Mark has the been the cornerstone of many rock bands over the years, either as a bassist or producer, and has been a roadie for bands like REM.

Mike Garrigan – an acclaimed songwriter, producer, performer and brother of Jay Garrigan has also joined the group as a bassist. Jay has been recording and writing with Mike, so it only made sense to him that Mike also joined the band. This also gave Jay greater flexibility in terms of being able to play gigs, as both Mark Lynch and Mike Garrigan have very busy schedules. Historically speaking, Mike Garrigan is best known as the former frontman of the rock band Collapsis, which, in 2000, reached the #28 slot on the Billboard Modern Rock charts with the hit song “Automatic”. He was also the second and final lead guitarist for the North Carolina-based band Athenaeum. He has over ten releases under his belt, and he will be releasing his fifth solo album “The Return of Spring” this summer!

You could say that the members of Garrigan collectively have been in some of the most successful and interesting bands Charlotte has seen: Jay Garrigan (2nd Skin, Violet Strange, Laburnum, Poprocket, Garrigan Bros, Transmission Fields), Mike Garrigan (Collapsis, Athenaeum, solo artist), Shawn Lynch (Lou Ford, Mitch Easter Band, Temperance League), Mark Lynch (Lou Ford, The Chalkies, David Childers & The Modern Duan Juans, Temperance League), and Jason Atkins (who has probably played with every major songwriter in town, from Benji Hughes to Reeve Coobs).

Instrumentation
Jay Garrigan – Vocals, Guitar
Shawn Lynch – Drums, Vocals
Mark Lynch – Bass, Vocals
Mike Garrigan – Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Jason Atkins – Synths, Vocals

Discography
“Deep Sea Wishing” – 2010, Spectra Records. Digital Release.
“Kiss This Broken Star” – to be released in 2011

Links