Jason O'Mara

Ladies and Gentlemen ...

Top 10 Tunes

Ladies and Gentlemen ... and Australians! Just kidding ... we love Australia here at the Dayglo! Here's a SURPRISE tonight, someone we hardly know really, but we think is terrific, and we suspected would make a top DJ, and by gads we've seen his list, and we were right. Mind you, he comes highly recommended, by our pals Scott, Josh and Andre, the writers of Happy Town (that happiest of jobs) who had written Life on Mars, and loved him. And we really dug that show, and his work on it. A really good leading man a harder job than it looks by the way. And now he is the solid beating heart of Terra Nova, and he is rightly garnering a huge following from that ... we watch it every week here at HQ. So here's one or two things Jason and the Prop have in common Ireland, time travel, and we both run from dinosaurs if needs be, with style and grace. But look, here he is, ready to play his stuff, we are delighted he's here, flown straight from NYC on Two Paddocks Virtual Airways (First Class - Close your eyes and you're there in no time at all), a marvelous actor, and a famously good fellow ... Ladies and Gentlemen ... Jason O'Mara!

1.Sympathy For The Devil - The Rolling Stones

Not only is this one of the greatest all-time songs, but it seems to follow me around and plays randomly (on the radio or TV, etc.) whenever a major event in my life takes place. What that says about me, I don't know. Maybe it's more the irresistible hypnotic samba beat than the clever diabolical lyrics, but I find this song tremendously positive and life affirming. Speaking of feeling blessed to be alive, I just finished Keith Richards' autobiography. Can't believe that guy is still walking around.

2.Love Rears It's Ugly Head - Living Colour

British guitar legend Vernon Reid fused funky jazz with metal in New York City to create this mind-blowingly cool track that represents some of the best the early 90's had to offer. It reminds me of my student days at Trinity College, Dublin. Not that I remember much of it, I was too busy having a VERY good time.

3.Ride On - Christy Moore

Huge in Ireland for many years, Christy Moore is still relatively unknown internationally. He's a singer-songwriter who usually records and performs his own stuff, but ironically he didn't write this - his biggest hit (it was written by another famous Irish songwriter, Jimmy MacCarthy). It's been covered by others may times but there's something about Christy's soulful, raw delivery that deeply affects me. It's also the only song that I'll sing

4.The Rat - The Walkmen

You like your music loud, intense and smart? This'll do it. It'll also get you through the last minutes of a tough workout. Heavy but not heavy metal. Angry but not dark. Can't listen to this too much. What an iPod is for. Love. It.

5.New Years Day - U2

Although supporting "the lads" is considered compulsory by many in Ireland, I have gone through phases of falling in and out of love with them over the years. Ultimately though, their songwriting talent and musical ability is undeniable (we have a phrase in Ireland; 'the cream always floats to the top'). Their gifts are fully utilized in this well known earlier song about heartbreak, reconciliation and hope. I'll probably be a U2 fan until my dying day. I know it's probably missing the point, but I actually have made it a tradition to play it every January 1st. It's a sound from my childhood that I find comforting.

6.Harder Than You Think - Public Enemy

Public Enemy refuse to just go away. To me, this one is an acknowledgement that life and career can be a struggle but it's the struggle that makes it all worthwhile. Fight the good fight and enjoy the journey. Listened to this a lot while waiting out the writers strike in 2007 to find out if 'Life On Mars' (US) was going to be picked up to series. Invigorating stuff from the grandaddys of hip hop.

7.To Build A Home - The Cinematic Orchestra

Listened to this before every show while performing a play at the Donmar Warehouse in London last year. The song (and the play) explores the destruction of a family that falls apart despite their efforts to 'hold on tightly'. What could be more heartbreaking? Exquisite song though.

8.Don't Go - The Hothouse Flowers

This mighty Irish band enjoyed their time in the sun in Ireland in the late 80's, particularly one summer where they played live gigs to stadium crowds (needless to say, I was at one or two of them!). An Irish stew of gospel, soul and jazz. Only the Irish can truly make happy songs out of sad subjects: 'Don't go! Don't leave me now!' By the way, this one instantaneously makes me feel 17 again.

9.Bang - Blur

Of course, I should have 'I Am The Resurrection' by The Stone Roses in this slot, but there's no accounting for taste, is there? The cool sophistication of a young Graham Coxon on guitar in this early effort from 1991 impressed me so much, I became a lifelong Blur fan. It also made me want to move to London (the sound of The Tube in the intro of the track filled me with excitement - I was 19!) By the time I got there in 96, Blur was poised to become the Next Big Thing. Unlike myself.

10.One Day Like This - Elbow

Waking with the one you love to the anticipation and hope of a new day. I was never a morning person until I met my wife, who taught me how to wake up happy. Ok, maybe not EVERY day...

Well now, this is what the Top 10 is all about -- if you didn't know Jason well before, you kind of do a bit now -- a brilliant set of songs, many of which you may not have considered before, but more than that an insight into a life -- growing up in Dublin, moving to the bigger smoke, being in love -- all that good stuff. It seems to me that music is particularly important to many actors because it marks the chapters in our weird random traveling lives, cheers us up in the dark passages, brings a fanfare to our small triumphs, such as they are. Everybody needs a soundtrack. Thanks Jason, please come back to the Dayglo any time -- and bring the Cinematic Orchestra with you -- what a find! And make sure you get here early, I'll tell you my U2 story, but it takes about a bloody half an hour ... Ladies and Gentlemen, a big Dayglo hand for ... Jason O'Mara !