The Cranberries found making their final album like "therapy" after frontwoman Dolores O’Riordan’s sudden death last January.
The ‘Linger’ group – whose remaining members are Fergal Lawler and Noel and Mike Hogan – were grieving badly when they entered the studio to complete the last record to feature the distinctive singer’s vocals and have admitted they deeply missed the fun "energy" she used to bring to the room.
The three of them soldiered on and channelled their pain into the songs on the LP ‘In the End’ – which was released last week – and the only thing motivating them was wanting to do their final material "justice".
In an interview with Britain’s The Independent newspaper, Mike said: "It did take our minds off it a bit. Once we’d got past the first week, and put the emotions aside, it was almost like a therapy."
On their difficult return to the studio, Noel recalled: "The first day it’s all you could really think about: that she’s not here and what happened to her.
"You’d put on the headphones and there’s Dolores singing at you again. But the realisation came to us that if we’re going to be moping around like that, we’re not going to be doing these songs any justice."
On the "strange" emptiness they felt, Fergal said: "Dolores would always be here, and you miss that energy she had.
"That is strange."
Noel agreed: "She had a great sense of humour."
The ‘Zombie’ hitmakers added how she would "lighten the mood" with her laugher and jokes and would always "take the p***" out of people who take themselves too "seriously".
They continued: "She was great to lighten the mood in a room because in this business people can take themselves very seriously and she couldn’t really deal with that.
"She used to take the p*** out of people – ‘they’re so straight!’"
It wasn’t until Dolores’ passing at the age of 46, that the rest of the band realised just how much of an impact their music has had and they are proud of the "great legacy" they have created.
Noel – who co-wrote the band’s music with Dolores and also plays guitar – admitted: "We had no idea.
"And then we saw this outpouring of how much of an impact we’ve had. It’s a great legacy to leave behind."
The Cranberries found final album like ‘therapy’ after Dolores O’Riordan’s death
