Meryl Streek, Ireland’s most outspoken punk agitator, has shared the second single from his forthcoming third album, Stories They Don’t Teach You At School.
Rags To Riches is described by its creator as a song “about taking opportunities as they come and trying things in life while you can.”
“I took a chance with this project and if I had never taken the jump I wouldn’t be here right now,” says Streek. “Things aren’t always as hard as they seem. It’s about having the courage to let go of people holding you back and encouraging yourself that you can do it.”
The single is accompanied by an entertaining video in which the musician appears as a clown trying – and largely failing – to entertain children at a birthday party. Shot in the home of Meryl’s youngest fan ‘Mini Meryl’ with the help of friends and family, the video is intended as a metaphor for how social media and the modern world operate.
“I really feel for emerging bands and artists right now,” says Streek. “It takes a lot of vulnerability to put yourself out there when online ‘critics’ who are usually just projecting their own unhappiness, are waiting to tear you down. The clown in the video represents that struggle: he’s doing his absolute best, but the kids just aren’t interested.”
Watch the video below.
On Stories They Don’t Teach You At School, set for release on October 9 via Venn Records (Bob Vylan, Gallows, High Vis), Streek is sharing his knowledge and experience, uncovering ugly truths and pressing for change. The album champions compassion, resilience, and the importance for community – lessons that, sadly, are too often overlooked in school.
The Dublin-based artist is the subject of a new documentary, Rage Against the Dying of the Light, premiered at Galway’s Pálás Cinema on July 9, as part of the Galway Film Fleadh. The 67-minute film follows Meryl Streek on tour, capturing his uncompromising music, unflinching activism and remarkable resilience in a powerful portrait of protest, empathy and defiance. The documentary is set for wider release in early 2027.
Watch the trailer below.
