Fontaines D.C.

Biography

Fontaines D.C. is an Irish post-punk band formed in Dublin in 2017 by five members who met while studying at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM) in The Liberties: Grian Chatten (vocals), Carlos O'Connell (guitar), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), and Tom Coll (drums). They bonded over a shared love of poetry, releasing two collections—Vroom, inspired by Beat poets like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, and Winding, drawing from Irish poets such as Patrick Kavanagh and James Joyce—before forming the band initially as 'The Fontaines'. The name was inspired by Johnny Fontane, the singer character from The Godfather portrayed by Al Martino, with 'D.C.' added for Dublin City to distinguish from another band.

The band self-released early singles like 'Liberty Belle' in 2017, a homage to Dublin's Liberties neighborhood, and 'Hurricane Laughter / Winter In the Sun', building a local following before signing with Partisan Records in 2018. Their debut album Dogrel, released on April 12, 2019, captured Dublin's gritty street life in vivid, poetic lyrics over post-punk and garage rock, earning widespread acclaim including Album of the Year nods from Rough Trade and BBC Radio 6 Music, plus nominations for the Mercury Prize and Choice Music Prize. They toured extensively, supporting acts like Shame and IDLES, and headlining festivals such as Glastonbury and Roskilde.

Subsequent albums A Hero's Death (2020) and Skinty Fia (2022)—produced by Dan Carey—saw the band evolve sonically while deepening Irish identity themes, with Skinty Fia topping charts in Ireland and the UK, securing a 2023 Brit Award for International Group, and prompting relocation reflections as members settled in London. Known for rapid output and shutting out external pressures, Fontaines D.C. blend punk energy, literary influences, and Irish roots into a distinctive post-punk sound.

Fun Facts

• The band's name derives from Johnny Fontane, the crooning godson of Vito Corleone in The Godfather, with 'D.C.' added for Dublin City after discovering a conflicting band name in Los Angeles.
• Carlos O'Connell grew up in Madrid, Spain, before moving to Dublin at 18 to explore his Irish roots and attend BIMM music college.
• Grian Chatten was born in Barrow-in-Furness, England, but raised in Skerries, Co. Dublin; other members hail from Castlebar (Coll and Deegan, Co. Mayo) and Emyvale (Curley, Co. Monaghan).
• Their debut single 'Liberty Belle' pays homage to The Liberties, the Dublin neighborhood where many members lived and studied at BIMM.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Jack Kerouac - Beat poet inspiration via poetry collection Vroom (Vroom poetry collection)
• Allen Ginsberg - Beat poet inspiration via poetry collection Vroom (Vroom poetry collection)
• Patrick Kavanagh - Irish poet inspiration via poetry collection Winding (Winding poetry collection)
• James Joyce - Irish literary influence via poetry collection Winding (Winding poetry collection)
• Dan Carey - Acclaimed producer for first three albums (Dogrel (2019), A Hero's Death (2020), Skinty Fia (2022)) [2019-2022]

Key Collaborators

• Grian Chatten - lead vocals (all albums) [2017-present]
• Carlos O'Connell - guitar (all albums) [2017-present]
• Conor Curley - guitar (all albums) [2017-present]
• Conor Deegan III - bass (all albums) [2017-present]
• Tom Coll - drums (all albums) [2017-present]
• Dan Carey - producer (Dogrel, A Hero's Death, Skinty Fia) [2019-2022]

External Links

• Spotify