Author Archives: Nick Kelly

Energy Orchard – Hard Street

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960 unearthed by our Golden Discs music competition last week, reader Charger Salmons states the case for 1990s Belfast Celtic rock act Energy Orchard, who were led by the late Bap Kennedy.

Charger says:

“A staple of London’s Irish pub rock scene for years, Energy Orchard were a fabulous live band who never quite matched their early promise thanks to (alleged) terrible management by their record company.

“But on a Saturday night when the Mean Fiddler {North London venue] was jammed and they were on fire there was no-one better. Happy days.”

Nick says: How d’ya like them apples?


Dr Millar & The Cute Hoors – Happy Can Be

Continuing our series of seriously underrated Irish music since 1960, prompted by the treasure unearthed during last week’s Golden Discs competition, reader Rosette Of Sirius plumped for cult Dublin singer/songwriter Seán Millar.

Rosette said:

“The supremely gifted songwriter Seán Milllar aka Dr Millar released an album called The Bitter Lie (top) in 1990. Almost every song tells a tale of growing up in the aftermath of Dev’s Ireland from the 60s to the 90s..

” The songs A Good Little Country and St Stephen make me rage ever so slightly. Alcohol Problem lives true even today and Your Not Paranoid speaks to his humour.

But Happy Can Be (above) is a quirky but gorgeous little love song that is so perfectly Irish. The fella should be a household name.”

Nick says: It’s Millar time.

Seán Millar

Looking for rubble, in fairness.

Meanwhile..

In fairness.

Earlier: For The Way We Live Today

Level 5 heroics to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Level 5 Heroics’

LiR – Wickerman.

Thanks to all our readers who entered last week’s Golden Discs music competition to find the most underrated Irish music since 1960.

This week, we will be featuring some of the entries that almost but didn’t quite make the cut for the Top 3.

Andy Pipkin chose this song by the “totally underrated” 1990s Dublin band LiR (top) from their 1995 album Nest.  Alas, LiR split up after falling out with their management.

Dave McGuinness went on to helm the I Heart… tribute band; bassist Rob Malone played with David Gray; and drummer John Boyle joined The Frames.

Nick says: King LiR.