Anyone know anything about this banger? The List, from Northwall,is a piece of Dublin inspired-techno I landed on by accident over on YouTube earlier. I’d welcome information on this, and wonder if our own in-house musical connoisseur jaycarax might know a bit more. Not every day a tune mentioning the Progressive Democrats, Youth Defence and Lillies Bordello pops up.
YouTuber fpittion, who booted this onto Youtube, noted: ‘Was given this back in 98-don’t know anything about it Funny lyrics in it-Anyone know who did this? I presume it is from Dublin’
The Blades (original line up) from 'Black & White' fanzine, 1979. Scanned up by Brand New Retro blog.
(Please note, we ask you to support local artists and record companies. Buy the fantastic Blades boxset from Reekus records here)
In the short, five years spanning 1980 to 1985, The Blades released six of the finest singles ever made by an Irish band or any New Wave act from the period.
Finally, for the first time these singles (both A side and B sides) are available to listen to on Youtube.
Credit to P.G. and J.R. for designing. Bob Doyle image, credit to Indymedia
Symbolising everything we’re proud of: Dublin, left-wing politics, reggae, punk and soul.
From left to right, Paul Cleary from Dublin’s finest 80s New Wave band The Blades; Mikey Dread, legendary Jamaican reggae singer and producer; Bob Doyle, last surviving Irish member of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War; unnamed rude boy.
The Punky Reggae Party (PRP) has been putting on gigs since October 2009. We’ve played in the UCD student bar, Seomra Spraoi, Murray’s, Ruta Live, Twisted Pepper, Phoenix Bar (Dalymount), Toners and even exotic places such as Belfast, Bilbao and Greystones!
The Heatwave are the UK’s number one bashment sound. Everywhere they go it’s a carnival, from their weekly Rinse FM show to raves all over the world. When The Heatwave touch down it’s a madness: pure hype and energy.
Punky Reggae Party are going to be holding down The Loft with sets from myself, Antrophe, Paul V and Andy Culture.
Admission: €8 | Doors: 11pm | Twisted Pepper, 54 Middle Abbey St.
Facebook event here | More info see here
Jungle Boogie! will be hittin Dublin the 20th August in Ruta Live on the corner of Capel St and North King St
It’s a night of Vinyl only turntable bashin Jungle, UK Hardcore and Old School Badness brought to you by hardcore Junglists from the 4 ends of the land.
Our friends at No Bother, the skinhead and ska clothes shop, are having a launch party this Friday at Ruta Live (the venue formely known as O’Byrnes) at 199 Capel Street. Expect tunes, finger food and 15% off everything.
No Bother, Dublin's skinhead/mod shop and gig promoters.
Sleepless Nights Soul Club have been putting on monthly Northern Soul nights in the city since April 2002. Their next one will be Friday August 19 in The Good Bits on Store Street.
If you can’t wait till then to get your fix, you’ll be happy to hear that our friends over at No Bother are kicking off a new weekly Northern Soul and ska night tonight with DJ Shane Walsh at Anseo on Lower Camden Street. So, if you ever need somewhere to go on a Tuesday night for good tunes from here on in, head down to Anseo.
I’ve previously written about 1980s Dublin New Wave band Autobop and specifically their one and only fantastic 1983 singleSecrets with boasts an even stronger b-side Advertising.
Now, their guitarist and vocalist Damien Callaghan (aka Damien O’Ceallachain) has uploaded some great footage of the band onto Youtube.
The 60 seconds advertisement, which was produced to “commemorate the career of ‘O Fenomeno’, Ronaldo, in the wake of his final game for Brazil”, was uploaded onto Youtube on 07 June 2011.
At approximately 0:35 seconds, the camera focuses on a bedroom. The decor, vinyl and retro cassette player is made up to suggest its from the early 1980s.
On the wall, beside a poster for Ironman, is a (homemade?) gig poster for The Blades playing in the Baggot Inn! If you blink, you’d have missed it.
Screengrab of the Nike ad
Now, if the advertisement was made in Ireland, perhaps, it would make a bit of sense. A nostalgic ad man wanted to slip in something Dublin/Irish for the ad that would be beamed around the world. I’d have bought that. But that can’t be the case, as it was made by an advertisement agency in Argentina!
So, perhaps it’s an ex-pat over in sunny South America slipping in it for a chuckle or perhaps it’s an Argentenian music anorak, who as Sweeney pondered, “… went to the trouble of creating a tribute to his favourite long lost Dublin band by sneaking them into…”, the promo.
I’d love to know. Answers on a postcard. (Paul Cleary himself has no idea but, as you would imagine, is “intrigued” by the whole thing!)
Either way, fair play to the gentleman or lady behind it.
Added bonus: Our friends at Fanning Sessions have uploaded a 9 song live broadcast of The Blades from April 1985. Listen to it here. This is the first live stuff I’ve heard of the band. Been a long time waiting.
Released by Hot Press in 2006 to mark the 20th anniversary Philip Lynott's death.
I always loved Phil Lynnot’s Dublin but I’m embarrassed to say that I only came across this previously unreleased version online this evening. I’ve replayed it six times now. It was originally recorded at Trend Studios in 1970 and ‘remained hidden in the vaults’ until 2006.
After our affair
I swore that I’d leave Dublin
And in that line I’d left behind
The years, the tears, the memories and you
In Dublin
At the quays friends come and say farewell
We’d laugh and joke and smoke
And later on the boat
I’d cry over you
In Dublin
How can I leave the town that brings me down
That has no jobs
Is blessed by God
And makes me cry
Dublin
And at sea with flowing hair
I’d think of Dublin
Of Grafton Street and Derby Square
And those for whom I really care and you
In Dublin
The song always gets to me. What beautiful, haunting lyrics. This version has now become my favoruite.
The ‘Derby Square’ in the song refers to a small alley (80ft along according to one poster on Dublin.ie) that used to be off Werburgh Street, just beside Burdocks chipper. It was redeveloped in the early 1990s.
Entrance to Derby Square from Werburgh Street, Dublin (1969). NLI.
For an added bonus, here is a spoken word version from the BBC. Date unknown:
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
