Nine Lies Band Biography
Nine Lies is an alternative rock band from Belfast in Northern Ireland.
Nine Lies was formed in Belfast in 2003 by singer Stevie Mann with guitarists Nick Black and Dave Kernohan. Drummer Stephen “Stoogie” McAuley joined in spring 2004, when the band was still called Last Giants, and bassist John Rossi completed the line-up that still plays together today.
Across three studio albums – Behind It All, 9 Lies (2015) and Endemic (2020) – Nine Lies have built a sound that mixes post-Britpop melody, the weight of grunge and a darker post-punk edge. You can read each member’s story in their own words on the Nine Lies team page.
Nine Lies are:
Stevie Mann - Lead Vocals, Lyrics & Production
Dave Kernohan - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Nick Black - Guitar
John Rossi - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Stoogie (Stephen McAuley) - Drums
Nine Lies have had incredible success since their inception, realizing milestones that most unsigned bands can only dream of. Their determination and drive set them apart from the crowd, and this has been borne out in their achievements:
- 143,000 downloads of the single “Slippin Away”
- over 80,000 video views of the Nothin Left for Me Music Video
- The Nothin Left For Me Video played worldwide on An Lar TV Internet TV station
- The Song “Blind” licensed to Warner TV
- The Song “Behind It All” licensed as the theme tune to TV program ‘Our Prisoner’ in the USA.
- The Song “We R1” licensed to Techno Sweat
- The Licensing of several tracks to PC Games Development and Publishing for “Trucker 2″
- The song “Slippin Away” selected by ASCAP for excellence in song writing award at Music Expo in L.A.
- Legendary Producer Stuart Epps working with Nine Lies on the “Someone” EP
- Nine Lies were invited to play at Times Square, NYC for St Patrick’s Day 2011
- Being the Headline Act on the Unsigned Stage at Lark in the Park 2011
- Being invited back to play FMI Music Festival, Brazil 2011
Interesting facts about Nine Lies:
- Nine Lies Bassist John Rossi was originally in a little known band called Snow Patrol.
- Lead Singer Stevie Mann is the second Cousin of Singer/Song Writer Damien Rice.
- Nine Lies Recorded the B Side to ‘Someone’ with Legendary Producer Stuart Epps (Oasis/Robbie Williams/Elton John), but in an odd move produced the A side themselves.
Nine Lies Stats:
- 19,111,00 registered fans across Social Networks
- 66,676,84, known listeners, and potential fans across Social Networks
- A Total Figure of: 85,787,84 total listeners/fans across Social Networks
(figures taken from Next Big Sound)
The Nine Lies story so far
Early years and the debut album
Nine Lies spent their first years playing the Belfast circuit and writing the songs that became their debut album, Behind It All. The title track went on to be used as the theme tune for the US TV programme Our Prisoner, and the band soon became an international act – including a slot at the Vena Music Festival in Łódź, Poland, alongside Sugababes and Fun Lovin’ Criminals. In 2009 Celtic Music Magazine called them “absolutely brilliant”.
Someone, Nothin’ Left For Me and Tragedy (2010–2012)
The single “Someone” (2010) gave the band a UK radio airplay hit; its B-side was recorded with legendary producer Stuart Epps, while the band produced the A-side themselves. In 2011 Nine Lies played Times Square in New York for St Patrick’s Day, headlined the unsigned stage at Lark in the Park and returned to the FMI Music Festival in Brazil.
The Nothin’ Left For Me EP followed on 25 June 2012. Its video passed 84,000 YouTube views and was shown on An Lar TV, and the EP picked up a Best Rock award before it was even released. That year the band also played the Dublin Castle in Camden, London, appeared in the BBC Northern Ireland digital switchover campaign playing the Beatles with Gloria Hunniford, and released the Christmas single “Tragedy” on 3 December 2012, with all profits going to the RNLI.
9 Lies (2015)
In 2013 the Huffington Post listed Nine Lies among the top 10 bands from Northern Ireland. Their second studio album, 9 Lies, was released on 6 July 2015 on the band’s own label, Evil Twin Records, produced by Stuart Epps and Stevie Mann. The single “Save Me” was mixed by American producer Beau Hill, and Kildare FM made 9 Lies its album of the day in October 2015.
Endemic (2020)
The third studio album, Endemic, was released on 7 September 2020. Before release, BBC radio gave a world exclusive play to track 11, “Insomnia for the Man”, praising its “tightly wound, anxious energy”. The first single, “Blind” (track 6), entered the Official European Independent Music Chart at number 18. Endemic is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and all major outlets – see the Nine Lies sound page for links.
The Nine Lies sound
Nine Lies are usually described as alternative or indie rock, with roots in the post-Britpop and grunge scenes and a newer post-punk influence on Endemic. Bugbear Bookings summed them up as “funk tinged alt rock/pop with one foot in Zep and another in Kasabian”. Stevie Mann writes most of the lyrics and records and mixes most of the band’s music, while the other members bring in everything from 90s indie to metal and film scores. Read more reviews on the Nine Lies reviews page.
Revolution: the Nine Lies fan site
Nine Lies also run a fan site called “Revolution”, which aims to put fans in the driving seat, using their influence and energy to develop more audio and visual content for the fan base and the wider community. Find out more on the Nine Lies community page.
Nine Lies discography at a glance
- Behind It All – debut studio album
- “Someone” – single, 2010
- Nothin’ Left For Me – EP, 25 June 2012
- “Tragedy” – Christmas charity single for the RNLI, 3 December 2012
- 9 Lies – studio album, 6 July 2015 (Evil Twin Records)
- Endemic – studio album, 7 September 2020
Frequently asked questions about Nine Lies
Where are Nine Lies from?
Nine Lies are from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Drummer Stoogie is from Ballycastle on the north-east coast.
Who is in Nine Lies?
Stevie Mann (vocals, lyrics, production), Dave Kernohan (guitar, backing vocals), Nick Black (guitar), John Rossi (bass, backing vocals) and Stephen “Stoogie” McAuley (drums).
How many albums have Nine Lies released?
Three studio albums: Behind It All, 9 Lies (2015) and Endemic (2020), plus singles and EPs including “Someone” and Nothin’ Left For Me.
Where can I listen to Nine Lies?
On Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Bandcamp and YouTube. The media section has music, videos and photos.
How do I contact Nine Lies?
Email the band at NineLies@Europe.com or use the contact page. Journalists can also visit the press area.
