Named after a Dublin suburb, Stepaside were formed in 1976 from the ashes of
Deke O'Brien's pub rock band
Nightbus. O'Brien was an early member but left
in 1978 after the debut single, taking Paul Ashford
and the Mulligan recording contract with
him, which is probably why the second Stepaside single on Mulligan was cancelled.
Stepaside contined with Mark Costigan on board, and Paul Ashford later returned
to the fold.
Stepaside played energetic, R'n'B infused rock which more-or-less fit the new
wave bill but which owed as much to Bob Seger as it did to Elvis Costello. They
weren't considered authentic new wave in some quarters though they'd have fit
in on Chiswick or Stiff easily enough.
They self-released a decent LP which also came out on Gale Records in the UK
(anyone know anything about that label?). They made many TV appearances before
disbanding in late 1980 or early 1981.
Guitarist Brendan Bonass led a new lineup in 1981
with Mick O'Hagan (bass/vocals), Denis Woods (keyboards) and Niall Power (drums).
They were managed by boyband impresario/svengali Louis Walsh.
They did some very glam, heavy on the eyeliner publicity photos and recorded
a single for Spider Records which barely came out when the label crashed.
This single is now the hardest Stepaside release to find.
Singer/bassist Paul Ashford fronted The Sharks in 1981
and later released mediocre solo material. He currently fronts a cabaret band.
Discography
• Good Morning Little Schoolgirl / Deep Feeling
7" - Mulligan Records - LUNS 007 - IRL - April 1977 - no PS
Some sources claim this was to be the second Stepaside single "Too Long
On The Road" in which case it probably never existed as a Mulligan release
as the band issued it themselves in April the following year; another theory
put to me by someone close to the band is that it was a repress of the debut
single given away with initial copies of the Nightbus LP, but as that came out
in 1976 this seems very unlikely!
See Deke O'Brien for more details.
• We've Got You Surrounded / Too Long On The Road
12" - World Records - STEP1 - IRL - April 1979 - PS (printed inner bag)
Issued in a very fragile printed bag, like an LP inner sleeve,
and very hard to find in good nick as a result.
• Sit Down And Relapse / Mail Order Love
7" - Sidestep Records - SID 001 - IRL - November 1979 - no PS
7" - Gale Records - GALE-2 - UK - April 1980 - no PS
• The Last Resort / Yellow Chair
7" - Sidestep Records - SID 002 - 1980 - no PS
• The Last Resort / Give Me Something
7" - Gale Records - GALE-7 - UK - 1980 - no PS
• Sit Down And Relapse
LP - Sidestep Records - STEP 001 - IRL - 1980 - laminated (slick) cover
K7 - Sidestep Records - STEPC 001 - 1980
LP - Gale Records - GALELP 01 - UK - 1980 textured matt cover
CD - Break Music - BREAK 002 - IRL - 199?
K7 - Break Music - BREAK 003 - IRL - 199?
CD - Chart Records - CHCD093 - IRL - 2003 - digitally remastered
side one:
Sit Down And Relapse
I Just Want Your Money
Give Me Something
Get Out Of Dublin
Always Loved You
side two:
Last Resort
She's Got A Sister
Mail Order Love
Every Inch Of You
Big Star
Yellow Chair
Notes:
All CD reissues to date are on budget labels and sound it, so be warned! The
Break Music CD is reputedly awful - I haven't heard it, but if it sounds
anything as bad as the cassette, the people responsible need horse whipping. The
digitally remastered Chart Records issue doesn't sound right either in my opinion.
Whether its a remastering problem or a manufacturing defect I cannot say, but it
sounds tinny, thin and trebly, and gets worse with each track. It's particularly
noticeable on "Last Resort" which sounds diabolical IMO. It was re-mastered by
Robin Robbins of Bob Seeger's Silver Bullet Band in his studio and apparently
sounded terrific at the time, but it hasn't translated well to the finised CD
for some reason.
At time of writing (June 2008), there is no substitute for an original vinyl LP
pressing.
• Classic Irish Rock
2xCD - Chart Records - CHCD093/CHCD0?? IRL - 200?
The blurb says: Two Great Irish Rock Albums In One Box. One disc is
the Chart Records issue of Stepaside's Sit Down And Relapse album.
The other disc is Brush Shiels "Fields Of Athenry" album.
• Scoff at the Sportsman's EP
7" - Scoff Records - DT005 - IRL - November 1980 - PS
Split live single with Male Caucasians, recorded at The Sportsman's Inn, Dublin.
• Yellow Chair (new version) / Play The Game
7" - Spider Records - WEB 044 - IRL - 1981 - PS - 500 copies
New version of the A-side recorded at Windmill Lane by the 1981 lineup of
Mick O'Hagan (vocals),
Brendan Bonass, Dennis Woods (keyboards) and Niall Power (drums).
500 copies were pressed and were due for release when Spider Records went bust.
The records were then dumped at the back of Warner Bros offices in Dublin, so
it was never officially released. Copies are in circulation however, so it did
go on sale. Even so it's a tough find these days.
• various artists - Stock 'N Trade
LP - Scoff Records - DTLP30 - 1983
See Compilations section for full track listing.
tracks: (I Love You) Zelda
Help!
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more
information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can
use, or spare copies of any releases,
then please get in touch.
