Tag Archives: You May Remember This

Mama’s Boys – Needle In The Groove

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Friscondo has a thing for Fermanagh hard rock trio Mama’s Boys, who featured brothers Pat, John and Tommy McManus.

This single originally appeared on their 1982 album Plug It In and was re-recorded for their 1985 album Power And Passion.

Friscondo says:

“I’ll never understand how Mama’s Boys didn’t have a Top 10 US or UK hit with Needle In The Groove. Great tune, great video and great hair. Fermanagh never sounded so good.”

Nick says: Boys keep swingin‘.

Mama’s Boys

Pugwash – It’s Nice To Be Nice

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, Andy Pipkin leads the applause for Dublin power pop supremos Pugwash, led by the inimitable Thomas Walsh.

This single is from their 2005 album Jollity.

Andy Pipkin writes:

“A sentiment that I was taught from an early age and is still embedded in my DNA… especially in these strange times.”

Nick says: Nice one.

An Emotional Fish – Grey Matter

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader axelf pins his colours to the mast for An Emotional Fish – one of many bands dubbed “the next U2” in late 1980s Dublin.

Signed to U2’s Mother Records, they toured with Bono and the lads and Simple Minds.

Singer Ger Whelan (above second right) went on to transform into the consummate showman Jerry Fish.

Grey Matter was a single from their debut eponymous 1990 album.

Axelf writes:

“A lovely ’80s video of a snowy Dublin and lyrics like ‘I drilled a hole in my head to let the sun shine through’. What’s not to love?”

Nick says: Thrills, gills and bellyaches.

That Petrol Emotion – Creeping To The Cross

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Eamonn high-fives Derry/Seattle politically engaged rock quintet That Petrol Emotion (who included the O’Neill brothers from The Undertones as well as charismatic frontman Steve Mack).

Eamonn chooses a song from their second album Babble (1987).

He writes:

“The last time I got a bloody lip in a moshpit was leaping around like a lunatic to this lot in a venue in The Angel, London.”

Nick says: It’s a gas.

That Petrol Emotion

Stoat – Oh Happy Day

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Fez holds a torch for longstanding indie veterans Stoat, led by Cormac Parle. This single is from their 2002 album Future Come And Get Me.

Fez says:

“Oh Happy Day is unbelievably good. It’s criminally underrated. It’s an amazing song – not just an amazing Irish song. It’s catchy but lyrically gifted.”

Nick says: Super furry animal.

Stoat

Scullion – Eyelids Into Snow

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Paulus puts his hands together for folk veterans Scullion, who came of age at the 1980 Lisdoonvarna festival.

Eyelids Into Snow is taken from their second album Balance And Control released in 1980 and produced by the late, great John Martyn.

Paulus writes:

“This is the original line-up with the late Greg Boland, Philip King‘s high harmonies and gentleman-troubadour Sonny Condell.”


Nick says: Snow business.

Scullion

The Idiots – Pinned

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960 (unearthed by our recent Golden Discs music competition ), reader Tarfton Clax points us in the direction of 1990s Dublin indie guitar acolytes The Idiots, led by Brian Mooney.

Tarfton writes:

“A lovely ditty about sharing a squat with a heroin-addicted rentboy who overdosed on a number of occasions.”

Brian Mooney’s most recent project is The Next New Low album ‘And As For Loss‘ – a masterpiece.

Nick says: A tale told by The Idiots.


Cry Before Dawn – Gone Forever

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Ross Mac has a soft spot for 1980s Wexford rockers Cry Before Dawn.

The video for this single from 1987 was shot in Dun Mhuire, Wexford.

Ross Mac writes:

“A great emigrant’s lament. A fantastic recognisably Irish tune and certainly underrated.”

Nick says: Dawn chorus.


The Fat Lady Sings – Arclight

Continuing our series on underrated Irish music since 1960, reader Brother Barnabas doffed his cap to this 1989 single from The Fat Lady Sings from their Twist album.

Fronted by Nick Kelly (top second right) – great name but a different guy to yours truly – they were based in London but generated a real buzz here in the 1980s on independent radio stations such as Capital who championed their early singles Fear & Favour and Be Still.

Nick went on to a fruitful solo career, garnering a Choice Prize nomination for his 2005 album Running Dog, and also records under the name Alien Envoy.

An acclaimed film director in his spare time, Nick also sometimes performs live with his friend Sean Millar in Dublin supergroup The Unelectables.

Nick says: Nick gets my vote.

Bawl – Glen Campbell Nights

Continuing our series of underrated Irish music since 1960, reader John Lawrence eulogises about Dublin indie guitar heroes Bawl, who were led by ace tunesmith Mark Cullen (above left).

John writes:

“Year Zero (1996) for me, is right up there as one of the best Irish albums ever made. From the very start to the finish Year Zero is a triumph of creativity in terms of observational songwriting and soaring guitar/drum combinations.”

Bawl had to change their name to Fixed Stars for legal reasons, and singer Mark Cullen went on to form Pony Club and to collaborate with the Lightning Seeds‘s Ian Broudie.

Nick says: Mark of distinction.