This is a letter we wrote to Mr. Lang requesting the permission to use his picture.

 

 

22/07/2023

 

Rirà

Irish, Romanian, French neo-folk group

 

Madalina Obreja: Violin/Vocals

Brian Holmes: Guitar/Percussion/Vocals

Yann Hollier: Banjo/Flute/Harmonica/Percussion

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Dear Mr. Lang,

I am writing to in relation to one of your photos from ‘The Emancipation of Judy’.

I came across this photo when I started searching for ideas for one of the songs of our first up and coming EP which will hopefully be released in November of this year.

The name of the song is called ‘Rubber Dolly’ and the story behind it came about when I started to think about things I used to talk about with the lads over a couple of pints in the pub in my late teens. I come from a small village called ‘Blackrock’ in Co.Louth, Ireland. 

I can remember there was this long period during the summer where we couldn’t manage to get any girlfriends. There we were three of us, just sitting there in the pub saying to ourselves,

“Wouldn’t it be great if we all bought rubber dolls, dressed them up and brought them down the town”.

 And that was it, we laughed our heads off and spent the summer chatting about our dolls. We never bought them of course but I can remember that period like it was yesterday.

I am 51 now and started up, about a year and a half ago, an ‘Irish trad group’, well that was what it was supposed to be in the beginning but as the months passed, we kinda ditched the idea of trad and started writing our own songs in a similar style. We are based in the Baie de Somme in France. 

So, after searching hundreds of rubber doll concepts, I came across your photo, and it was perfect, amazing. I did up a rough poster image as a potential photo for the song, showed it to the other two musicians in the group and they loved it.

  

And that brings us here, that is, asking your permission if we could use this photo as a representative of our song ‘Rubber Dolly’. 

We are not a controversial band by any means we just like to be a bit bold, direct, and a little punk from time to time. 

Please see attached a copy of:

1. Lyrics 

2. Photo concept

3. ‘Rubber Dolly’, mp3 – pending release.

 

We wish you well on your continuation in life and if by any chance this letter reaches you, we thank you in advance for giving it a read and wait in pure excitement that you will reply and say ‘Yes’. 

 

Best regards,

Brian, Maddy and Yann