Dave Fanning’s Irish Show (March 1983)

Today we have a treat, a 45 minute recording of the Dave Fanning show from March 1983 courtesy the Irish Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Dave announces he is playing Irish tracks only and plays a number of sessions and even a demo we’d never previously heard from Blue In Heaven. There is one track we haven’t been able to identify so if you know your 80s Irish rock then please put us out of our misery. Updating year from 1984 to 1983 based on Evan’s comment.

u2 – surrender
max – song number 6 (session)
undertones – you’re welcome (live)
the outcasts (1981 session)
auto da fe – bad experience
some kind of wonderful – do you read my letter
pop mecanics – round & round (1984 session)
blue in heaven – say (demo)
blades – revelations of heartbreak
cuba dares (session)
?
microdisney – hello rascals
gerry cott? – ballad of the lone ranger

Re-energize by Gary Mitchell (music composed by John and Damian O’Neill of The Undertones)

Written by one of Northern Ireland’s leading playwrights Gary Mitchell, ‘Re-energize’ is set thirty years after ‘Punk-tastic’ success of ‘Energy’, where a wannabe punk band rehearsed, bickered and tried to get their act together for that all-important first gig.

Now with music composed by John and Damian O’Neill of The Undertones, and under the direction of the highly esteemed Conall Morrison, the band members re-unite to do one last gig to prove to themselves, each other, their annoying teenage children that they could have been somebody…

Derry is currently UK City Of Culture 2013 and The Playhouse is presenting Re-energize a play written by Gary Mitchell and directed by Conall Morrison. The show runs from Monday 13th May until Saturday 18th May at 8pm. Paul McCartney, himself a veteran of the punk era (Graffiti, Bam Bam & The Calling) reviewed the play for Radio Foyle show Pure Culture and as he says get down the street and see it!

Pure Culture review by Paul PJ McCartney (15th May 2013)

John Peel plays ‘Teenage Kicks’ twice in a row (1978)

I saw ‘Good Vibrations‘ a second time and enjoyed it just as much as first time round. Favourite scenes include Terri’s first listen to ‘Teenage Kicks’ and John Peel playing said record. Congratulations to all who played a part in making the movie a reality. As a tribute here’s something I came across recently..

It’s been well documented over the years both in magazine articles and various TV interviews that John Peel played this record twice in a row stating, ‘I’m going to do something I’ve never done before’. This is also what he says in the excellent ‘Good Vibrations’ film. It’s sort of gone down in Undertones folk law. Interestingly though (unless he played it twice in a row on two occasions which I don’t think he did) he didn’t actually say that – as this clip proves. I believe there are two reasons why this misconception has arisen. Firstly, as far as I am aware, this sound bite has not been available to hear since its broadcast in 1978 and, secondly in subsequent interviews Peel stated that he played the record twice in a row and hadn’t ever done that before. So this statement became part of what he actually said at the time with nothing to prove otherwise.

It’s all semantics of course. All that matters is that he played this awesome record twice.

Here Comes The Summer: A BBC Four Undertones documentary

Photograph: Fin Costello/Redferns

I finally got round to watching the recent BBC4 documentary ‘Here Comes The Summer: The Undertones Story‘ and a very enjoyable experience it was. Directed & produced by Chris Wilson and narrated by actor James Nesbitt it features interviews with all band members bar Feargal Sharkey. Of particular interest were the interviews with friends and family members including the Kevin of ‘My Perfect Cousin’ fame. I found it enlightening and poignant and a worthy addition to the Undertones canon. Music agent Paul Charles makes an appearance, testifying to the power of the band’s live show. Rebroadcast on BBCFour on the eve of St Patrick’s Day 2018.

 

The Undertones (In Concert)

Formed in Derry in 1975 by Feargal Sharkey (vocals), Damian O’Neill (guitar), John O’Neill (guitar), Michael Bradley (bass) and Billy Doherty (drums). The Undertones debut single ‘Teenage Kicks’, was released on Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label in 1978 and so enamoured Radio One DJ John Peel that he declared it his “favourite record of all time”.

when saturday comes
i don’t know
the love parade
untouchable
teenage kicks
chain of love
lets talk about girls
conscious
jump boys

In Concert (1983)

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)