Anybody that has been hovering around the local music circuit over the past few years would be more than aware that Sea Dog aren't exactly a punch of pretentious arty blokes; after all, they are named after a particularly potent brand of Jamaican rum.

Nonetheless, despite their own admissions of haphazardness and proclaimed hobbies of disco dancing and boozing, the trio of Ivan Pawle, Damien Mullane, and Scott Warner have steadily become one of the most arresting acts to come out of Limerick in a very long time, and are now set to launch their debut long-player, 'Wizards Of The Coast'.

First appearing in 2006, Sea Dog's formation stretches back to the heady times when drummer Scott and guitarist Ivan were in school together in Co.Kerry over a decade ago: "We were in bands together, and we got a few bits and pieces together, but we never really did anything with it. Then he went to college in Dublin, and I went to Waterford, so we didn't really get anything going again until both of us had moved here," explains Scott.

While Ivan had spent time in Dublin-based outfits Estel and United Bible Studies, both Damien and Scott never really played in a proper band, surprising considering both would have been in their mid to late twenties. As the Kerry part of the equation were living together, and with an underground community as minute as it is in Limerick, it was perhaps only a matter of time before the three came together.

However, when it came to inspiration, a surprising figure united the band. "I think Prince had a lot to do with it. We wanted to be a grunk band, where we mixed funk and grunge but that never really happened. Two-and-a-half years ago was prime Prince time for a lot of people!" acknowledges Damien. Despite the influence of the purple one, and occasional Prince covers popping up in Sea Dog's sets, they've managed to dish up an exhilarating platter of groovy riff-laden instrumental music, which weaves psychedelic and classic rock with the band's penchant for irony-free metal. "Yeah, I grew up listening to heavy metal; I used to have long hair then!" says the now follicly-challenged Scott laughing.

Perhaps not the most prolific of bands in terms of song output, Sea Dog do have the advantage of having their practice space in their own home. However, as Damien puts it, this can also have its drawbacks: "The internet has a lot to answer for! We'd end up playing video games and going on it and after two hours, it'd be too late to practise." Ivan adds: "I think we take it for granted, we don't practise enough. We are lazy and unreliable!"

Unreliable is not a word one would use about Sea Dog much – their live reputation is increasingly soaring around the country, and they've already notched up appearances with the likes of Comets On Fire, The Redneck Manifesto, and Sunn O))). Obviously, things don't always go so smooth, including a recent support slot in Cork, which the band reckons was their worst show yet. "It was like we were playing a football match and let in an own goal in the first few minutes, and never recovered from that," says Ivan.

On the other hand, Sea Dog's jaunts around Ireland have seen them play their home city less and less. They agree that a significant lull in live activity of their ilk, coupled with decreasing regular gig-goers, has had some impact.

"Limerick is pretty crappy at the moment. Things have definitely seemed to have taken a downward turn in the last year and a half, and I'm sure it'll recover, but it is disappointing really. Trying to book gigs for here has been a bit of a hassle to be honest," points out Ivan.