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THE FREE LANCE-STAR
aFTER PLAYING in the same band for more than half their lives, the members of Rubyhorse have had their share of ups and downs.
Having achieved peak popularity in their hometown of Cork City, Ireland, vocalist Dave Farrell, bassist Declan Lucey, guitarist Joe Philpott, drummer Gordon Ashe and former keyboardist Owen Fegan moved to Boston in 1997 to seek their fortunes.
They spent months crashing on couches and floors because they didn't have a proper place to live, but they received three Boston Music Awards after a year in the city.
Rubyhorse released a critically acclaimed album, "Rise," through Island Def Jam Records in 2002, only to be dropped from the label before they could record a second disc.
After a slew of personnel and management changes--including Fegan's departure--and a re-evaluation of how much the music means to them, Rubyhorse is going strong. The band has a new album and American tour, which includes a show at the Iota Club and Cafe in Arlington on Saturday.
"It's such a parallel universe when you're on the road," Farrell said by phone from Provincetown, Mass., "It really is like life in a bubble, you know?"
Spending the summer traveling hundreds of miles and playing a show almost every night is grueling, but Rubyhorse always looks forward to going on tour, Farrell said.
"We've been playing together since we were 15, so we're very used to touring," he said.
The hard part, he added, is the week or two before the tour until the band settles into their so-called "bubble" lifestyle.
Touring is especially rewarding in a country as large as the United States, Farrell said, with its "fascinating" cultural differences from coast to coast.
Despite a few setbacks, America has been good to the lads of Rubyhorse, who left Ireland because they felt like they needed a bigger challenge.
Here, Rubyhorse has received attention from major record labels and attracted rabid fans who don't think twice about traveling to different states to see the band in concert.
Losing their record deal even proved fortunate for the band because Farrell, Lucey, Philpott and Ashe now have the freedom to make music on their own terms.
The band's second CD, "Goodbye to All That," which was released in June, is pure unadulterated Rubyhorse. The album serves as a sort of time capsule of what the band has gone through in the recent past.
"It's definitely the most personal record we've made," Farrell said. "I think by recording this record, we saved ourselves a fortune in psychiatrist bills."
"Goodbye" sounds like a pleasing mix of fellow UK bands Coldplay and Starsailor with essences of Oasis, U2 and even the Beatles. The songs seem bleak initially, but they always include elements of hope.
Now that the members of Rubyhorse are in their 30s, they're in it for the long haul. They've dreamed of being rock stars since they were teenagers, and they've invested too much of their lives to give up now.
"We're very fortunate to find something that truly moves us," Farrell said. "Nothing else gives that sense of achievement or reward.The good times and the great memories far outweigh the bad."
To reach EMILY GILMORE: 540/374-5426 egilmore@freelancestar.com