Irish bands who never quite made it

**Jamjar** · 14/03/2007, 8:29 PM

Originally Posted by The Good Son

Microdisney, Fatima Mansions, Five Go Down To The Sea, Stump, The Blades, Stars Of Heaven, Sharkbait, The Gorehounds, Those Handsome Devils, The Outcasts. Happy days indeed.

Those Handsome Devils......excellent choice. I saw them a couple of times and bought their 3 singles (I think thats all they released). Must have a look for a tape I had with a session they did for Dave Fanning, they were one excellent band. Shark Bait, only saw them once, they were playing support at the last Blades concert.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 14/03/2007, 8:41 PM

Originally Posted by Marked Man

And did the Golden Horde make it or what?

They made a fine, fine album and that's enough for me.

Met Sammy Steiger a couple of weeks ago. Still looks about 20. The c**t!

**stann** · 15/03/2007, 4:11 AM

One our northern comrades might remember - Watercress.
Excellent.

From Belfast I think, norn Iron definitely. They played once or twice a year down here in their heyday, God we used look forward to those gigs. The ex-lead singer was down doing a solo gig recently, stayed in the folks' B&B.

**Magicme** · 15/03/2007, 11:56 AM

I rem Watercress alrite! Mad gits. The beat my ex-hubby's band in the Hotpress Bacardi Unplugged Band Comp!

**Macy** · 15/03/2007, 12:09 PM

There'd be a lot on the list that could've done a Frames or Aslan and remained big in Ireland. The A&R men fill them with stuff about breaking the UK and when it doesn't happen they jack it in (bit like our footballers I suppose).

Whipping Boy were brilliant - Heartworm stands up as one of the great Irish albums. Unfortunately didn't catch their return gigs which were supposedly great. Will endeavour to catch the next ones if they happen, and relive memories of Longford Festivals past...

**Lionel Ritchie** · 15/03/2007, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by stann

One our northern comrades might remember - Watercress.
Excellent.

From Belfast I think, norn Iron definitely. They played once or twice a year down here in their heyday, God we used look forward to those gigs. The ex-lead singer was down doing a solo gig recently, stayed in the folks' B&B.

House Burning Down -class single.

**Countyman** · 28/03/2007, 11:49 AM

Whipping Boy, A House, Emotional Fish, Ghost of an American Airman, Fat Lady Sings, Golden Horde, Something Happens, Cry Before Dawn, Engine Alley...the list from the late 80's , early nineties is endless.

Some of the above were top class e.g. Whipping Boy and some were complete muck..e.g Cry Before Dawn.

Dave Couse desrves a mention for his songwriting ability.

**BohsPartisan** · 28/03/2007, 1:18 PM

Originally Posted by stann

Watercress.

That name rings a bell alright. Presumably Fanning would have been playing them at the time so thats probably where I remember it from.
Did they by any chance play at any of the Feile's?

**Lionel Ritchie** · 30/03/2007, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

That name rings a bell alright. Presumably Fanning would have been playing them at the time so thats probably where I remember it from.
Did they by any chance play at any of the Feile's?

They'd have been a bit later than that ...'97, '98, '99

**stann** · 30/03/2007, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

That name rings a bell alright. Presumably Fanning would have been playing them at the time so thats probably where I remember it from.
Did they by any chance play at any of the Feile's?

Sorry meant to answer this before. Lionel Ritchie is right, I think, the Feile's were later. I still have a copy of their Alligator EP at home somewhere (signed, woohoo!!) so I'll check the date tonight, but am guessing their heyday was about '91, '92?

Don't remember much airplay on Dave Fanning, but they must have been getting it. We knew about them down here from word of mouth and through their top gigs in The Vic and such and such.

**CraftyToePoke** · 30/03/2007, 2:48 PM

What about Lir, anyone remember them? i think the album was Magico Magico, mid 90's possibly.

**Countyman** · 02/04/2007, 1:33 PM

Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke

What about Lir, anyone remember them? i think the album was Magico Magico, mid 90's possibly.

Yes!!!...I got their first ep and was blown away by it and thought these boys were going to be huge. They were unlike anything else in Ireland at that time. It was a bit like Led Zep meets indie. God what happened them.

**BohsPartisan** · 02/04/2007, 1:38 PM

Anyone remember The Pale?

**endabob1** · 02/04/2007, 2:06 PM

Butterfly in the Baggot, those were the days alright. A mate dragged me to see them claiming they would be "bigger than U2 would ever be even in Bono's wet dreams"
Dogs with no tails, great night out but they were never destinied for stardom

**BohsPartisan** · 02/04/2007, 2:30 PM

Originally Posted by endabob1

Butterfly in the Baggot, those were the days alright. A mate dragged me to see them claiming they would be "bigger than U2 would ever be even in Bono's wet dreams"
Dogs with no tails, great night out but they were never destinied for stardom

Heh yeah there was a guy in my class at school who was pimping their demo claiming they were going to be huge.

**stann** · 02/04/2007, 4:13 PM

They played a small music festival down here the summer before last, still great to see live. Made many a gag about people only being there to hear 'Butterfly' and 'Dog with No Tail', all of which were true!

**stann** · 02/04/2007, 4:32 PM

Following up on the Watercress / Feile question...

Turns out, they could well have played there, 'cos the EP I've got is from 1995, seriously still can't believe that, but it's there in blue and silver.
And Feile was held right from the start of the 1990s, I was at one round about '93 meself I think!

**BohsPartisan** · 02/04/2007, 5:23 PM

yeah think Feile in Thurles was 1990-1994, then in Cork 1995 and a not really propper Feile was held in the point Depot in 96.

Was at 1994 and 95 myself.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 03/04/2007, 9:08 AM

Was at Feile 91 myself. A three day event with camping included costing IR�42.50. How's that compare with Oxegen?

I enjoyed a small number of bands but by and large hated it and it has indeed coloured my view of festivals as being the devils work ever since.

Ban the fcuking festivals I say, ban 'em all. Let bands tour properly like they ougth to.

Sorry meant to answer this before. Lionel Ritchie is right, I think, the Feile's were later

erm ...no the feiles were EARLIER. As someone pointed out the last so called feile was 1996. Watercress were a nominee for best new band at the hot press awards in 1998 ...probably meaning they were too late for the feiles.

**tetsujin1979** · 03/04/2007, 9:33 AM

There was a "last trip to Tipp" in '97, the Prodigy headlined with Manics second on the bill, they had to come off early because it rained so heavily!
One of my mates missed the bus back to Limerick and ended up getting a lift off a bunch of girls who happened to mention Limerick as he was passing!