Some songs have a way of taking you back to a time you didn’t realise you missed until it was gone. For Galway four-piece Talllon, that feeling sits at the heart of their single ‘Go Back Again’, a track built around fading friendships, childhood memories, and the universal longing for simpler times.
Photo Credits: Dean Naylor
Formed through Galway’s School of Rock programme in 2023, the band have spent the past three years carving out their own space in Ireland’s rock scene, moving between melodic ballads and chaotic, high-energy riffs. The band describe themselves as “your standard 4 piece rock band with many different genre influences”, but there is already something distinctive about the way they approach their music. Even their name comes with a little extra character: “We call ourselves Talllon with 3 Ls, trying to mimic the marks of a claw.”
Their first indication that they might be onto something special came at a gig in Galway’s Róisín Dubh. Despite having only two songs released at the time, they found themselves listening to a crowd singing back the lyrics to their debut single, ‘Memories’. It was, as the band recall, “the first moment that I thought there was something a bit special with this band”. Since then, they have continued playing gigs around Ireland, with ‘Go Back Again’ marking another significant moment in their journey.
The song's emotional core, however, means something slightly different to every member of the band. For Cian (bass), it takes him back to his teenage years, when seeing his school friends every day was simply part of life. “It brings back memories of friendships that have faded away,” he explains.
Eoin (drums) approaches the song from a broader perspective, describing a longing for a time when things felt easier and life seemed to hold more meaning. Rather than referencing one particular memory, he sees it as “almost like a wish that things would just return to how they were before”. Liam's (vocals) inspiration came from watching relationships change over time, writing about “growing apart from certain people in my life” and wanting to return to when those relationships were stronger, and everyone was perhaps happier with who they were.
For Ultan (guitar), the song reaches even further back. “I think the song can apply to any moment of a positive remembrance of the past, which is why I think it resonates well with so many people,” he says. “For me, I'd say it reminds me of my childhood, back when there wasn't a single worry in the world.”
It is this openness that gives ‘Go Back Again’ its appeal. Rather than tying itself to one particular experience, the song leaves room for listeners to find their own memories within it. Whether it is the people we have lost touch with or the feeling of being younger and less burdened by the world, nostalgia has a way of making the past feel closer than it really is.
That connection became apparent almost immediately. Talllon played ‘Go Back Again’ live on the very same day they finished writing it, and the response was impossible to ignore. “We could immediately tell that it stuck with the audience,” they explain. “After the show was over we received countless questions about the song and where it came from, and about its meaning.” Beyond the conversations that followed, the band noticed how quickly the track raised the energy in the room, something they say “continues to do so regardless of the crowd”.
Yet ‘Go Back Again’ carries a significance for Talllon that extends beyond its themes of nostalgia and lost connections. Following the passing of their drummer Adam in 2025, the band have had to find a way to continue without leaving behind the person who helped build what they have today. When asked how carrying on became a way of honouring him rather than simply moving on, their answer is immediate and unwavering.
“We knew how hard Adam worked and how much effort he put into the band and it would’ve been an injustice to him and his memory if we hadn’t kept going. We know this is what he wanted us to do. To keep going was never a choice. It was something we had to do.”
It is a sentiment that makes the presence of Adam's drumming on ‘Go Back Again’ all the more meaningful. Hearing those tracks again brings back memories of the ordinary moments that made up their lives together: eating during breaks at band practice, or travelling together on the way to gigs. “It feels refreshing to be able to hear those tracks again,” the band explain, adding that it also feels great to “still release new songs with his drumming to a new audience”.
There is something especially poignant about those memories. The song itself is about looking back at moments that have passed, while its recording preserves a part of the band's own history. Adam's contribution is still there, woven into the music and reaching listeners who may never have had the chance to see him play. For Talllon, moving forward does not mean leaving him behind.
Photo Credits: Dean Naylor
That sense of togetherness also extends to their songwriting. The band describe their creative process as relatively civil, with everyone open to suggestions and willing to experiment with new ideas. There is, they say, “an aspect of peacefulness when just sitting down, immersed in the ideas being thrown around”. The chaos tends to come later, usually when someone attempts to play an idea they wrote while feeling a little too confident, only to discover they can no longer manage it. As the band put it, “most of the chaos comes from the frustration and cursing when trying to play an idea you wrote when you were too cocky and can't seem to play it anymore”.
Over time, that collaborative process has become more natural. Where they were once hesitant about suggesting changes or adding new parts to a song, they have learned that everyone is receptive to new ideas. “We've become aware that everyone is pretty accepting of suggestions,” they explain, “and that in return has helped our music become more collaborative and everyone is happy with the end product.”
Musically, Talllon draw from a range of influences, including Muse, BASH! and Sum 41. But there is another name that deserves a place in the conversation: Thin Lizzy. Their guitar harmonies and basslines proved particularly influential, especially when it came to writing for a band with two guitarists. “Their guitarist harmonies and fun bass lines were so inspirational to me,” one member explains. “Having two guitarists in a band I just had to write riffs with harmonies.”
With a couple more singles planned and hopes of securing additional studio time to finish their debut album, Talllon are already looking towards what comes next. Alongside the recording process, they are keen to keep growing their audience, playing more gigs across Ireland, and hopefully returning to stages abroad in the near future.
GO BACK AGAIN OUT NOW.
Words by
Marie Müller, 2026.