Niall Stokes was a songwriter and guitar-player in a number of Dublin bands, before joining forces with his songwriting brother Dermot and Garry O'Briain in Eyeless, one of the leading local acts of the mid-'70s, with Neil Jordan featuring on saxophone and banjo. In 1977, he founded Hot Press and has steered the magazine's course over 40 years, during which it has provided a launching pad for a huge number of the country's leading writers and media activists. In 1991, he was a member of The Brothers, releasing the acclaimed album Torch. In 1993 he was appointed Chairperson of the Independent Radio and Television Commission. He was the lynchpin of the six-part history of Irish music From A Whisper To A Scream. Named editor of the Year on a number of occasions, he is also editor-in-chief of Best of Ireland and Best of Dublin magazines and of the Hot Press Yearbook. Other books include Philip Lynott: Still In Love With You; U2: North Side Story and Covered In Glory: The Hot Press Covers Book. In 2015, he accepted the Headstrong Award for the outstanding coverage of mental heath issues in Hot Press and was also the recipient of as Lifetime Achievement Award from Magazines Ireland, and a Meteor Music Award for his contribution to music in Ireland. He devised and curated The Philip Lynott Exhibition and the Hot Press Covers Exhibitions. In 2017, Hot Press celebrated its 40th Anniversary. Brian Boyd is a highly respected music journalist and feature writer for the Irish Times.