Kitsch Is Rich (1986)

I honestly don’t understand how we’ve gotten this far without posting on one of, to my mind at least, the great lost Irish bands. Winners of the Smithwicks Rock & Pop Award in 1985, Kitsch Is Rich were a 4 piece band from Derry featuring the talents of Colum McKeever (guitar/vocals), Tony Morrison (guitar/vocals), Paul Edwards (bass/vocals) and Tommy Alford (drums). They can be seen on on YouTube performing this track for ‘Visual Eyes‘. Irishrock.org mentions a session for Radio Foyle and we know of a live recording broadcast by Colm Arbuckle of that same station. If you have any band recordings (was this track released as a single?) or memories of seeing/hearing them please get in touch.

Kitsch Is Rich ‘Million Miles’ (1986)

Mickey Bradley Record Show moves to Friday

Update: Apologies are in order, looks like the MBRS lives on, this is simply a move to Fridays, rugby permitting. Will probably delete this post but to avoid unnecessary confusion leaving in place for now.

After 6 years the Mickey Bradley Record Show on Radio Ulster is no more. The final show was on October 15th and it’s fair to say Tuesday evenings won’t be the same. He makes way for a new Monday – Thursday show from fellow Derryman and respected music head Stephen McCauley. Mickey will host some further Friday evening shows until January but after that who knows what the future holds. Another casualty of the latest deckchair rearrangement and one which will possibly cut deeper is the cancellation of the BBC Northern Ireland Arts Show to which Mickey was also contributor.

Mickey will be appearing this weekend at Dún Laoghaire Vinyl Festival
where he will discuss ‘Music & Life in 70’s & 80’s Derry‘ with fellow Undertone Damian O’Neill and author Geraldine Quigley.

Mickey Bradley – Tom Dunne Interview

We’ve long been fans of Mickey Bradley both as musician and DJ so when we heard he had written a memoir we were head of the queue. The book is a great read although despite all the humour we found it a little sad. ‘Teenage Kicks: My Life as an Undertone’ by Michael Bradley is published by Omnibus Press. The Irish Times has an extract here. Mickey was recently interviewed by Tom Dunne on his Newstalk show. The Mickey Bradley Record Show is broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster every Tuesday 8-10pm

Mickey Bradley – Tom Dunne interview (2016)

Ben E. King – Mickey Bradley Interview (1986)

Sadly Ben E. King recently passed away at the age of 76. To commemorate Ben here’s an interview he did with Mickey Bradley back in 1986 when the soul legend visited Derry.

Ben E King – Mickey Bradley Interview (1986)

Stuart Adamson – Mickey Bradley Interview (1986)

In 1986 Big Country toured Ireland stopping off in Derry’s Templemore Sports Complex on the way. Stuart Adamson took time out from the sound check on December 2nd 1986 to speak to Mickey Bradley for his Radio Foyle show Mickey’s Monkey. Stuart Adamson sadly passed away in 2001.

Stuart Adamson – Mickey Bradley Interview (1986)

That Petrol Emotion – Mickey Bradley Interview (1986)

If pushed to chose our Desert Island Discs ‘Manic Pop Thrill’ by That Petrol Emotion would be on the list. We are excited to hear that 4/5 of that band are about to release a new record. As an excuse to plug the efforts of The Everlasting Yeah to fund ‘Anima Rising‘ here’s an archive interview with one Mickey Bradley from 1986. Mickey’s very first radio show ‘Mickey’s Monkey‘ featured an interview with the band in the very first episode. This particular interview with Ciaran and Raymond was broadcast on the Radio Ulster show ‘The Bottom Line’.

Mickey Bradley Interview (1986)

The Mickey Bradley Record Show on BBC Radio Ulster

We’ve long been fans of Michael Bradley on the radio. Since Mickey’s Monkey the man has been essential listening for his choice in music and his witty repartee. Mickey moved on to ‘The Bottom Line’ and most recently was to host ‘After Midnight’ where he revisited punk and refused to countenance anything released after 1989. We were saddened at the demise of that show but thankfully all has been rectified with the recent announcement of a new show. Mickey has thankfully repealed the 1989 embargo and broadened his musical theme and if the first show is anything to go by will become essential listening. The aptly titled ‘The Mickey Bradley Record Show‘ goes out every Tuesday from 8-10pm and you can tune in via your wireless if you are in the UK or the BBC iPlayer for the rest of us..

“I can’t wait to start the new show, a chance to play those rockin’ little records, as Chuck Berry once said. And unlike my last BBC Radio Ulster show, I have thrown off the self-imposed time constraints – so I can play records from this century as well as the last. What have they got in common? They’re all meaty, beaty, big and bouncy – another borrowed phrase.

“The programme will feature the likes of The Who, The Sex Pistols, Dusty Springfield, The Clash, The Shangri-Las, Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Them – as well as the bands who will never have a documentary made about them on BBC Four!”

Undertone Mickey Bradley to present new music show on BBC Radio Ulster

St Vitus Dance – The Silence (1986)

 

Formed in 1981 in Belfast, St Vitus Dance are Noel Burke (vocals, guitar), Haydn Boyle (keyboards), Phil Freckleton (guitar/bass), Peter Hesketh (drums), Damien Magee (guitar, mandolin, button accordion) Kevin O’Neill (lead guitar). They released ‘Meet Mohammed’ on flexi-disc via Good Vibrations in 1986 followed by an album ‘Love Me Love My Dogma’ on Probe Plus in 1987. The album was re-released in 2005 and is available on iTunes. The band recently reformed and in 2008 released a new album ‘Glypotheque‘

The Silence (1986)

Big Self

From Belfast Big Self were Bernard Tohill (guitar, vocals), Jim Nicholl (guitar), Patrick Sheeran (bass, vocals) and Michael Morris (drums). This single was released in 1981 on Reekus Records but it also features on the upcoming 2 CD compilation ‘Too Late To Stop Now‘. Reekus Records was founded by Elvera Butler who was recently interviewed on Culture Cafe on RTE 2FM and 2XM where the show has a weekly slot. This particular recording was from Mickey Bradley’s ‘After Midnight‘ show which just celebrated 5 years. Mickey’s show has only one rule – he won’t play anything released after 1987. Incidentally Reekus is also the home of ‘It Makes You Want To Spit‘ the definitive story of Northern Irish punk a copy of which no self respecting home should be without. Incidentally Big Self’s ‘Ghost Shirts‘ was the theme tune for RTE’s ‘Visual Eyes‘ in 1985. Big Self recorded a Fanning session on 24th June 1985 featuring tracks ‘Swim’, ‘Guilty’ and ‘The Blue Boat’.

Surprise Surprise (1981)

Mickey’s Monkey

Mickeys Monkey was a short lived radio show on BBC Radio Foyle in Derry hosted by Michael Bradley, then ex member of The Undertones who had called it a day in 1983. The show started in July 1986 and ran for 6 months before Mickey moved on to host a series ‘But Is It Art?’ for BBC Radio Ulster. The first guests were That Petrol Emotion just as Manic Pop Thrill was released and other interviewees included Ben E King (The Drifters), Michael Schenker (Scorpions) and Stuart Adamson (Big Country) all of whom played in Derry during that time.

It came about when I returned to Derry in 1985 and the boss of Radio Foyle at the time, Joe Mahon, saw me in reception while I was waiting to see a producer called Maureen Gallagher. I was kind of hoping to do something on radio, as I had nothing else to do but attend the Tech in Derry. Maureen showed me how to operate a desk and a tape recorder and Joe Mahon obviously thought it would be worth giving me a wee show as I was a former Undertone. I enjoyed it a lot, although it was nerve shredding as I had to operate the desk and the whole show was live.

Mickey went on to host the Friday night edition of ‘Across The Line’ on BBC Radio Ulster. Mickey’s current show ‘After Midnight‘ is transmitted on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursdays at midnight and can be heard for 7 days online. Read his playlists and blog here.

Mickey’s Monkey (Intro) (1986)

Hex Opera (1986 Demo)

From Derry, Hex Opera were Sean Campbell (lead vocals, guitar), Gary Hume (backing vocals, guitar) Jeff Beales (bass) & Brian McMonagle (drums). According to Mickey Bradley‘s introduction they disbanded in 1986. I’m guessing the demo dates from the same year but if anyone knows better please let me know. The tracklisting on the demo was ‘Wasted’, ‘Rosanna’ and ‘She Said’. Thank you Jeff for the photo.

Wasted (1986)
[removed by request]

Fear Of Gods (1986 Demo)

Fear Of Gods hail from Derry and feature from what I can gather Karl Dunnion (vocals), Jim Curran (bass) and Marty Melarkey (drums). This particular recording is of a demo played by Mickey Bradley on his Radio Foyle show Mickey’s Monkey. Marty Melarkey is currently director of The Nerve Centre in Derry where Jim Curran is Video Department Manager and course tutor. Both were instrumental in the formation of that organization. If you have further details on Fear Of Gods please get in touch.

Flowers In The Dark (1986)