Barry and The Visitors

Barry O’Connor grew up in Belfast in the 1970s, was educated in Liverpool and now lives in London.

A songwriter since his teens, inspired by early rock ‘n’ roll, glam rock, Elvis Costello and The Clash he spent many years doing other things. He’s worked in pubs. And Wormwood Scrubs. But recently he’s turned his focus back to music, releasing a debut album, Days Between Stations, as Barry and The Visitors in 2024. O’Connor, along with drummer and guitarist Paul Hickson wrote and recorded 30 songs over a three-year period during and after lockdown, working with musician and producer Sean Read at Famous Times studio in Hackney.

Read (Dexys, Pretenders) has now produced the follow-up release My Wave Is New. On this album O’Connor and Read are joined by two of The Hanging Stars, Patrick Ralla on guitars and Paul Milne on bass, both bringing harmonies and a further dimension. Stephen Gilchrist (Graham Coxon, The Damned and many others) is on the drums.