How the 3-year break changed The Script

MANILA, Philippines — The three-year hiatus from the music scene has served The Script well. 

The Irish pop-rock trio, comprising of lead singer Danny O’Donoghue, 38, guitarist Mark Sheehan, 41, and drummer Glen Power, 39, was on a career high, producing another No. 1 album with No Sound Without Silence, when they had to take a break in 2014. 

With these so-called breaks becoming many a time a precursor for the break-up of a band, speculations were then rife about the reason for their move after hits like We Cry and The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, four full-length albums and five world tours, including the Philippines. It turned out Danny had to undergo a vocal cord surgery.

The Script talked about  the time off during a brief interview prior to their fourth Manila concert mounted by Midas Productions at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena over the weekend. The members were all one in saying that it was what the band needed.  

According to Glen, “I think we wouldn’t have taken that break, only that Danny had to save his voice. I think it kind of gave us a chance to digest what we had done all through the years that we’ve played. Because when you’re working, it’s like you’re in a treadmill. You’re constantly going and going. I think it gave us the chance to sit back and realize how fortunate we have been, and the success that we had. We had some time to have gratitude for that.”

“Without the break, you could have run into the wall, you know,” Danny said. “I think, the break was the best thing because we recharged the batteries and set the course for another how many hours.” 

Glen further said that they’re the kind of band that doesn’t want to stop and be idle. And then, “we were kinda forced to stop, so the universe was kinda looking after us in that sense. ‘Let’s make these guys stop otherwise, they’re going to implode on their selves.’ It was a good thing.”

“We’re all really just grateful to come back and have everyone show up and see us play,” he added.   

The breather also allowed them more time to bond with their families and friends. Such opportunties are hard to come by when they are on the road. 

Glen added that it gave them the chance to breathe and live life a little bit, and more importantly, bring the hunger back for playing music. True enough, not long after, they started missing performing on stage again. 

“The hunger came back  to do more shows,” said Glen. “If you just keep doing shows all the time, it will go to your head. You need to have a break as well to let you breathe and soak some life so you have something to talk about. I think the break was really good for us and I’m ready to go for another 10 years.”

“Our families also got sick of us,” Mark joked, “(They were like), go back on the road, you’re driving us nuts, hahaha!”

Lead singer Danny O’Donoghue

To mark The Script’s return, the band’s fifth record titled Freedom Child was released in September 2017. They described it as their “extrovert” album, because contrary to previous ones where they wrote about personal stories and experiences, here, they’re singing as well about what’s happening in the world, in the news, and issues they care about.    

“I think, releasing this record, we feel like a new band again in some ways. I think we are definitely enjoying ourselves more. We appreciate our position more than we ever appreciated it,” Mark said.  

“When you do work so much, you lose perspective. When you do have a little perspective, it’s hard to see what you truly have in front of you. When you do take a break, it gives you (back) perspective ­— the reason you get the hunger back. The reason why we’re doing this is because we love music. We love writing music! I think we have that passion and love, and it’s stronger now than it has ever been.”

“It feels amazing to be back here again. You know, I underwent vocal surgery. So, there was a point where you kinda question will you get back on the road again? Then we wrote the album,” Danny recalled. 

Drummer Glen Power

They would have moments wherein they would ask themselves, “Will the people still like us or still want us” because time has passed so long and it felt like they were making their first album again.

“You really didn’t know if you’re going to chart well or no,” Danny said. 

But the album easily debuted at No. 1 in the UK and other countries, erasing doubts over their comeback.

Danny said, “(The band) seems to be stronger, better and bigger than ever. We’re playing new territories, places we’ve never been before so it feels really good.” 

Guitarist Mark Sheehan