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Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

“… With their heads held high their rallying cry was ‘Revenge for 1913’ …”

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , on July 16, 2010| Leave a Comment »

My Grandfather, Patrick Devereux, and his sister, Mollyanne, were members of the Irish Citizens Army, and they fought during Easter Week. My Grandfather fought in the Imperial Hotel in O’Connell Streeet (now Clery’s Store), and Mollyanne fought in the College of Surgeons, Stephen’s Green. Christy Moore invited me to sing this song at the Centenary Concert of the SIPTU Union in Liberty Hall December 2009. – Brendan Devereux

I’ve just stumbled upon this catchy ballad on youtube. It’s only been on youtube for a week. No doubt it will quickly spread amongst left-wing and trade unuon circles online. Brenan Devereux has released two albums so far; Copper Alley (1996) and Songs from a Yellow Chair (2005) both of which you can purchase online from CDBaby. For more information on Devereux, you can visit his website here.

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Adebisi Shank.

Posted in Music, tagged , , on July 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Above: Oyasumi by Adebisi Shank, taken from The Richter Collective Label Sampler, which is only a click away from you right now.

Whenever I find it’s hurting my head trying to describe a band to someone, I like to google around and see what music journos think. They’re like me and you, only they make a living loving music. It’s always nice to find the odd gem that stumps even the best of them. NME described this act live as being “baffling, terrifying and utterly riveting.”

Baffling, I’m not so sure. This Is The Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank (see what they did there?) was very well received upon its release in 2007, and came in for praise from those prior mentioned journos from a wide variety of places. That bloody term ‘Robot rock’ has been thrown around, which is probably fitting, but I just think it sounds too silly to use so try not to. Still, if instrumental ‘robot rock’ sounds up your street, or like me you’re not entirely sure what that is yet but still enjoy good music, this gig may be right up your street.

The gig is designed to give Adebisi Shank a chance to try out some new material, with a new album dropping in August. Math rock, robot rock, catchy-as-hell rock, pick the label of your choice. Not Squares, Nialler9 and Gav (SEBP) will be on hand to DJ on the night. Show kicks off at 11.30, and will cost you one tenner note, two fivers, or whatever change in your pocket makes up €10.

Adebisi Shank
The Twisted Pepper, Middle Abbey Street
Saturday 11.30 P.M

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The things you have to do to get your Dole.

Posted in Music, tagged , , on July 12, 2010| 1 Comment »

This is an excellent idea, and we’re 110% behind it. The Facebook group to get Scary Eire ‘On The Dole Quee’ to number 1 this Christmas is located here, join and invite your internet friends. I’d encourage other bloggers to give this a post too.

Firstly, I’m not on the Dole. Yet. These are grim times but, and enough of you are. No doubt someone is reading this from home, in their boxers at 4pm waiting for Maury to come on the box. If so, this one is for you.

I don’t like picking one Sony song over another on the back of a rebel chorus telling people you won’t ‘do what they tell you’. In fact, I don’t really like the idea of pushing for number ones in most cases. Love Will Tear Up Apart on the anniversary of Ian Curtis’ death would have been nice, but that Facebook group failed bad. THIS but, this might be the one.

With the year that’s in it, is there ANY song more fitting for Christmas number one? You might be saying “Jesus H. Christ Donal, I’ve not even gone on holidays yet” but to you people I say this…. it’ll take a lot of work, a lot of word of mouth, a lot of independent radio play and online pushing. When you turn on the radio Christmas Eve, and hear them announce this one, you’ll smile. Plus, it is a top tune. Handy.

C’MON! Get into that there Facebook group, make it happen.

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Joanna Newsom

Posted in Music on July 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »

I really should go to more gigs, as I remarked to a friend post Ted Leo at Whelan’s. Granted, I’ve a ticket to see Leonard Cohen in the back garden of a certain Countess’ Sligo home, but beyond that there isn’t much on the radar for me. Joanna Newsom in Dublin come September is now added to the list. The fact the gig is at the Grand Canal Theatre is just another incentive, owing to the fact I’ve not seen the place yet. All reviews of her sold out Olympia performance suggested I was a moron for spending the money on anything else at the time.

My main interest in the music of Joanna Newsom no doubt comes from the folk influences present, and the sound of the harp is something that one occasionally encounters in Irish traditional music, though nothing like here. I purchased The Milk Eyed Mender on a hunch a few years back, and completely fell for her music from there. Ys, a themed album of songs ranging from around 8 to 12 minutes,was mind-blowing, with the harpist joined by the sounds of an orchestra. The album was well received, even breaking into the Irish Top 50. We’ve great taste, we do.


Above: The Roots feat. Joanna Newsom, didn’t see that coming either.

Folkies like myself will no doubt mingle with the hipest of the hip for the night, and I’m personally hoping for a set that leans more towards her earlier material, though her latest effort is still most worthy of praise, an impressive triple album.

See you there.

Joanna Newsom at the Grand Canal Theatre, 14th September. Tickets from €33.60 including booking fee from Ticketmaster.ie

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The Atrix Singles

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 23, 2010| 17 Comments »

Great band. Great name. Great singles.

Their first The Moon Is Puce came out in 1979 on Mulligan Records. It was produced by Philip Chevron, then a member of The Radiators From Space and later of The Pogues. This is the first time that the B-Side Wendy’s In Amsterdam has been uploaded online.

In 1980, the band signed to DoubleDee Records. Their second single Treasure On The Wasteland was produced by Midge Ure. Again, this is the first time that the b-side of this single, Graphite Pile, has been uploaded online.

Lyrics, Treasure On The Wasteland.

Their first and only album, Procession, was released in 1981 on Scoff Records. The single Procession and the B-Side The 11th Hour was issued with it.

 

For more information on the band, check out their Irish Punk & New Wave Discography entry here.

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D.C. Nien

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , , on June 19, 2010| 21 Comments »

D.C. Nien, who took their name from the postal district Dublin City 9, were one of the biggest bands in the Dublin Punk & New Wave scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

D.C. Nien in action at the Central Bank, Temple Bar (?). l-to-r. Brian Seales, Damien Gunn and an elderly fan. (Taken from http://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/dc9.html)

Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine has remarked that “when (he) was at school there were two bands at the time, U2 and D.C. Nien.  At the time they were equal on a level of popularity”.

The definitive book Irish Rock (1992) had the following to say about the band:

“D.C. Nien combined a truly awesome live sound with a tough skinhead image. Fronted by singer Damien Gunne, the band married danceable sounds with thought-provoking lyrics, and treaded the same boards as U2 in the late 1970s and early 1980s.”

(Both these quotes were taken from Joey Cashman’s website. Cashman played Sax with D.C. Nein and their successor The Tokyo Olympics. He is currently Shane MaGowan’s manager)

D.C. Nien  recorded and released only one single. For the first time online, here are both the A and B sides.

Cover of 'Nightclub'

Lyrics to 'Night Club'

D.C. Nien – Nightclub (1980)

Cover of 'Things Japanese'

Lyrics to 'Things Japanese' and Sleeve Notes

D.C. Nien  – Things Japanese (1980)

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Glen E. Friedman exhibition at The Lighthouse.

Posted in Events, Music, tagged , , , , , , on June 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Without me even knowing it for a number of years, Glen E. Friedman had long been one of my favourite photographers. I only came to realise it was one bloke behind so many of my favourite images when I was given a copy of his work on Fugazi, the wonderful Keep Your Eyes Open.

Some of his images made their way to my teenage wall, and others featured inside magazines strewn across a bedroom floor. Images of Public Enemy, RUN DMC, Angelic Upstarts, The Misfits, Beastie Boys and Black Flag among others. Iconic images. Even if one isn’t familiar with the music of the artist featured on occasion, the images are wonderful in their own right.

Most of Friedman’s work covers the subcultures of skateboarding, hip hop and punk. To snap acts as diverse as Minor Threat and RUN DMC, but perfectly capture the rebellious spirit of both, is Friedman’s skill. His anti-war exhibition at New York City, featured in the excellent boingboing video posted above, was a new departure and acclaimed in it’s own right.

The exhibition of Friedman’s work is taking place as part of the Photo Ireland Festival.. It will host more than twenty completely free exhibitions. Excellent.

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Do you know Bono?

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , , , on June 12, 2010| 4 Comments »

Classic 1986 comedy record from Dermot Morgan, one of Dublin’s most beloved stand up comedians. The song was arranged by Stepaside’s guitarist Mark Costigan and produced by Horslips’ Barry Devlin.

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to digitalize the b-side Alsation Once Again, a brilliant tongue-in-cheek take on The Wolfe Tones barstool republican scene. If anyone has better luck, please send it on.

Front Cover

Back Cover

Dermot Morgan – Do you know Bono? by matchgrams

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Car Boot Sale Records: ‘Tore Up’ – Dave Maher And The Rockets

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , , , on June 7, 2010| 2 Comments »

Tore Up (A Side) – Dave Maher And The Rockets (Bus Records/1984)

An interesting rockabilly record purchased recently at the Harolds Cross car boot sale. The cover swung the deal, but a quick look at the back revealed it to be a Bus Records release, a label I hard previously spotted listed on the excellent Irish Punk and New Wave Discography irishrock.org From there, I established that the label was based in Inchicore, West Dublin.

The A Side is a catchy number, Tore Up of course being a bit of a Rockbilly staple. The video below is just one example of many available online.

Here is the B-Side, Ready Teddy. Another good rockabilly number. The back of the record includes an image of the band, does anyone know anymore? This kind of thing is right up jaycarax’s street, so we’ll see if he can shed any more light.

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Dublin Rap – The Corporation (1982)

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , , , on June 2, 2010| 4 Comments »

According to the (fantastic resource) Irish Punk & New Wave Discography, The Corporation were a “once off recording project” comprising of Imgmar Kiang and Johnny Byrne (1956-97) who were both in the early Dublin punk group the New Versions and later went on to form the band Max.

Their single “Dublin Rap” has several guest artists including writer, playwright, actor and politician Mannix Flynn, journalist and Horslips drummer Eamon Carr  and backing singers Marian Woods and Billi Webster.

Billi Webster remembers that the music video was produced by Dave Heffernan and was “partly filmed in the house that (she) was living in at the time in Monkstown.” She played a ban garda.

Released in the same year as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s classic ‘The Message’, this is the first time the Dublin Rap single has been available online. Thanks to John Fisher for letting me borrow the record. Enjoy. (Apologies for the minor jumps in the song, the 45 single was quite scratched)

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Dublin Punk & New Wave Venues (1976-84)

Posted in Dublin History, Music, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2010| 296 Comments »

Continuing my research into the social history of Dublin youth subcultures in the 1970s and 1980s, I’ve been trying to compile a comprehensive list of venues that were used for punk and new wave gigs from c. 1976 – 1984.

Name / Address / Status

  • Baggot Inn (Baggot Street. Still there but unrecognisable)
  • Dandelion Market (Developed into St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre)
  • Ivy Rooms (Parnell Street. Now Fibber Magees.)
  • Magnet (Pearse Street. Renamed ‘Widow Scallons’ and then developed into a Spar)
  • McGonagles (South Anne Street. Demolished. Rebuilt and now Hackett London store.)
  • Moran’s Hotel (Talbot Street. Now O’Shea’s Hotel.)
  • Olympic Ballroom (Pleasant Street, Dublin 8. Closed but building still standing.)
  • Project Arts Centre (East Essex Street. Temple Bar. Still in use.)
  • SFX (Upper Sherrard Street. Demolished and developed into flats.)
  • TCD Student Bar (Exam Hall)
  • Toners (Baggott Street. Still there.)
  • Top Hat (Dun Laoghaire. Developed into Roller Disco, Fun Factory and now apartments)
  • TV Club (Harcourt Street. Demolished (?) and developed into Garda HQ)
  • UCD Student Bar. (Demolished.)
  • Underground Bar (Dame Street. Now Club Lapello)

Can you think of anymore?

Other places that I’ve heard about include The Youth Expression Centre (Temple Bar), The New Inn (New Street), The Loft, Slattery’s (Capel Street) and Bruxelles (Harry Street). Do they fit the bill? Or did they come a bit later?

Notice for upcoming U2 and The Blades gig at The Baggot Inn, 1979.

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No Time To Be 21 (January 1981)

Posted in Music, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 21, 2010| 1 Comment »

An interesting find. A radio documentary on the Dublin punk scene from 1981 presented by the late Gerry Ryan and produced by Ed Mulhall, the current Managing Director of News in RTE.

Opening with the classic new wave single ‘Over 21’ by Berlin, the show has interviews with members of Irish Punk bands The Threat, The Peridots, the Nun Atax, Microdisney, the Virgin Prunes, the Vipers, Revolver and Berlin. Unfortunately there’s no introductions for the interviewees, so there’s no way of knowing who’s who. The only people I can recognise are Dave Fanning and Bob Geldof.

There’s particularly interesting points made during the program about the idea of bands ‘selling out’, the role of ‘class’ in the punk movement and the relationship between punks and violence.

You can listen to the radio documentary by clicking on the link in the first line of this post. Below, I’ve uploaded the song which the documentary takes its name from, ‘Over 21’ by Berlin.

Berlin – Over 21 by matchgrams

The Sounds of Ireland Festival in London, 1981. As you can see 'Berlin' were ahead of U2 on the bill.

The Sounds of Ireland Festival in London, 1981. As you can see Berlin were ahead of U2 on the bill.

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