“By In Large Ireland Does Not Rock”
Dr. Rox Remember When?
Article #133 March 2022
By: RL Schwinden aka MrZerr0
As I am 33% Irish (my Great Grandfather Charles came from Cork (so I was told) I had my DNA done in 2019, just to make sure, and is Mr. Zer0’s 13th St. Patrick’s Day here in Roseville 55113, I was thinking how many bands or singers came out of “Conservative” Ireland (it wasn’t until Feb 1985 that contraceptives could be sold in Ireland) It’s like Colm Meaney said in “The Commitments” Aug 1991 “Is this the band then? I bet the U2 are shittin themselves”. So this time I thought I would think back to the Irish bands I knew of, and how I discovered them, and what I knew about them. Shall we begin?
*Them*
Formed in April 1964 Belfast, N. Ireland they released; 7 Albums, 11 Singles. Thier most well known songs: “Baby, Please Don’t Go” “Here Comes the Night” “Mystic Eyes” “Gloria”. The band consisted of; Van Morrison, Alan Henderson, Ronnie Milling, Billy Harrison and Eric Wrixon. An interesting bit of trivia, Alan Henderson died on 9 April 2017 in Big Lake, Minnesota, at the age of 72, I was driving several times a week through that area about that same time. So the first time I heard of ‘Them’ was through Jimi Hendrix on a Promo 7″ Single of “Gloria” where I read the name Van Morrison.
*Van Morrison*
George Ivan Morrison 31 August 1945 born in Belfast N. Ireland (so British really) he went solo from ‘Them’ in 1967,
he ended up releasing some 60 Albums, 77 Singles, with his most famous songs being “Brown Eyed Girl”
“Crazy Love” “Into The Mystic” “Wild Night” “Bright Side Of The Road”. I would have to say I first heard of Van’s solo material, like most music back then in my life, at my Grandma Marge’s living room on her table top radio tuned into KMNS. I do remember liking “Domino” quite a bit.
*Thin Lizzy*
Formed in 1969 in Dublin, Ireland. Releasing 16 Albums, 4 EPs, 32 Singles, their most popular songs being “Boys Are Back in Town” “Whiskey In The Jar” “Cowboy Song”. The band members: Phil Lynott, Brian Downey, Eric Bell, Scott Gorham, Brian Robertson, Gary Moore, Snowy White, John Sykes and Darren Wharton. Hands down my favorite on this list, however I must add that most of the band members were born in England including Phil, himself. I first heard this band at the roller skating rink in Sioux City, funny thing when I went there, I was mostly paying attention to the music they were playing over the P.A.
*Clannad*
This family band formed in 1970 Donegal, Ireland. They have released some 23 Albums, 30 Singles, with their most well known songs: ‘Harry’s Game” “Of A Lifetime (with Bono)” “I See Red” “Newgrange” Their members: Ciarán Brennan, Moya Brennan, Pól Brennan, Noel Duggan, Pádraig Duggan and Enya (Brennan). I vividly remember discovering this band. I was at my friend Ron’s house and he put on the VHS of “U2: Under A Blood Red Sky” (Aug 1983) and the intro to this concert video was “Harry’s Game” I remember how haunting it was, I just loved it and so I sought out some Clannad releases.
*Enya*
She was born Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin on 17 May 1961 in Donegal, Ireland. She left Clannad and went solo in 1983. Since then she has released 12 Albums, 24 Singles, with her most well known songs being “Orinoco Flow” “Only Time” and “Evening Falls”. It is unfortunate that when a song like “Orinoco Flow” attains such global success as it did it becomes something to joke about very quickly, well like anything that’s “In Style” i suppose.Even so I really loved that song when it came out.
*U2*
Hailing from Dublin formed 1976, this band has released some16 Albums, 4 EPs, 62 Singles. The band consisting of: Bono, Larry Mullen Jr. The Edge and Adam Clayton. Ok, i have to say if you haven’t heard of this band you must have been living on a deserted island with no internet reception what so ever. I remember the first time I heard of this band, I was on tour with ‘High Fever’ summer of 1983 somewhere in South Dakota, as we were setting up our gear, the club we were performing in, as playing MTV on the main screen, the song was “Sunday Bloody Sunday” I remember liking the drum style of Larry Mullen Jr.
*Sinead O’Connor*
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor born on 8 December 1966 in Dublin, Ireland. She has released 13 Albums, 2 EPs, 32 Singles, her most famous songs being “Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince cover)” “Emperor’s New Clothes” “Heroine (with U2)” “I Believe In You (Bob Dylan cover)” I first heard about Sinead in 1987when a regular customer was looking to collect everything “U2” he had me loo up the Soundtrack for the film “Capture” released in 1986. Later of course I heard the Prince cover when I was working in Phoenix.
*Boomtown Rats*
They were formed inDublin, Ireland in 1975. They released some 8 Albums, 19 Singles, with their best known songs “Lookin After #1” “Rat Trap” “I Don’t Like Mondays” and “Diamond Smiles” The band consisted of: Bob Geldof, Pete Briquette, Simon Crowe, Garry Roberts, Johnnie Fingers and Gerry Cott. I am not sure where I first heard the song “I Don’t Like Mondays” but I do know this is how I first heard of the this band.
*Bob Geldolf*
One Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof was born 5 October 1951 in Dublin, Ireland. He left the ‘Boomtown Rats’ and went solo in 1986 releasing some 7 Albums, 17 Singles, and his most well know songs “The Great Song of Indifference” “This Is the World Calling”. I remember seeing him as “Pink” in Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” film from July 1982, which I was completely Unimpressed with this film as well as the music, and of course Geldof was responsible for “Live Aid” July 1985. I kind of remember my old Boss Matt, liking Geldof’s solo CDs.
*Stiff Little Fingers*
Formed in 1977 in Belfast N. Ireland (so British), this band released some 8 Albums, 3 EPs, 12 Singles, with their best known song “Suspect Device” being used in the film “high Fidelity” from March 2000, I have to be honest, I had never heard of this band before then. The band consisted of: Jake Burns, Henry Cluney, Ali McMordie, Jim Reilly.
*The Pogues*
Formed in London in 1982 – 1996. I have to give this band a honorable mention. As I personally feel they don’t get much more Irish sounding than this band, so I was shocked to find out they are in fact, NOT Irish. How I found out about them, their 1988 promo poster for the CD “Should I Fall From the Grace Of God” was unusual looking I had to give it a listen, I do remember Matt loved this one.
*Loreena McKennitt*
A solo artist from 1985 hailing from Manitoba, Canada. Again I am blown away this is NOT an Irish artist. I just loved her CD “Mask And Mirror” from March 1994, and later “Book Of Secrets” from Sep 1997. I was working at RecordShop #66 at Southridge Mall, and the promo CD of “Mask And Mirror” came in, I put it on and just fell in love.
*B*witched*
from Dublin, Ireland formed in 1997 to 2002
By twin sisters Edele and Keavy Lynch with Lindsay Armaou and Sinéad O’Carroll
They released 3 albums, 8 Singles, with their most popular songs being; “Cest La Vie” “Rollercoaster” “To You I Belong”.
I found out about this group while working at DiscJockey in Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines, I can’t say I was a huge fan, hailing from that ‘Spice Girls’ era but I kept the CD because they are Irish.
*My Bloody Valentine*
From Dublin, Ireland formed in 1983. The band consisted of; Kevin Shields, Colm Ó Cíosóig, Belinda Butcher and Debbie Googe. The released 4 Albums, 5 EPs, 9 Singles, with their most popular songs being; “Soon” “To Here Knows When” “Only Shallow” Now this one is an interesting story as I found out about them when I worked at DiscLand in Bloomington, in 2006, at the time I thought they were a newer band, but in writing this I found out they had been around for awhile
*Cranberries*
Wow, finally a band NOT from Dublin or Belfast, they came from Limerick, Ireland formed in 1989. Releasing 11 Albums, 7 EPs, 23 Singles, and their most popular songs being; “Zombie” “Dreams” “Linger” The band members are:
Mike Hogan, Noel Hogan, Fergal Lawler, Niall Quinn and Dolores O’Riordan. I first heard of this band back when I worked for Wherehouse Ent. in ’93, again I can’t say this music really grabbed me, I do remember thinking when ‘Bad Wolves’ released their version in 2018, “Hey, I know this song”
Check out my “St. Patrick’s Day PsychoGello Show” Episode #185
at www.MrZeroS.Com -Podcast:
Containing:
“When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” Bing Crosby: 1952
“Cypress Avenue” Van Morrison: Nov 1968
“Dublin” Thin Lizzy: Aug 1971
“Give Ireland Back To The Irish” McCartney & Wings: Feb 1972
“Luck Of The Irish” John Lennon: June 1972
“Sunday Bloody Sunday” U2: Feb 1983
“Blood Of Emeralds” Gary Moore: Jan 1989
“Belfast” Elton John: Mar 1995
“Whisky In The Jar” Metallica: Nov 1998
And so there you have it, fans my musing about bands from Ireland, Happy 13th St. Patrick’s Day form Mr. Zer0’s
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