Pierce Turner is an unfairly neglected artist though the insistence of certain sections
of the Irish media (i.e. Hot Press) to compare him favaouraly with James Joyce is bollocks
of the highest order and does him a disservice.
Turner is an interesting artist but this sort of praise is ludicrously out of proportion.
Despite this hype, his career never really
took off and his major label solo records are to be found in bargain bins the world over.
Turner's early history is not well documented. He certainly played with
Paul Raven AKA Gary Glitter in Germany and also had a stint with the
Arrows Showband in Dublin, appearing on one of their singles.
His musical partner for most of the 1970s was Larry Kirwan. Turner and Kirwan both grew
up in Wexford Town. They recorded a
single as Aftermath circa 1971 which is quite hard to find now. They moved to New
York City in the early 1970s and became Turner & Kirwan of Wexford,
playing the Irish pubs and clubs around the city. They developed a style which
mixed Irish traditional folk music with full-blown progressive rock,
creating an odd folk-rock Frankenstein in the process.
They eventually released an album in 1977 which is will worth hearing. The
cover of "The Travelling People" is a good illustration of their strengths.
The LP was released on Polydor in Ireland but easier to find is the US
edition on the Peters International Cosmos series, rubbing shoulders with
German and Italian progressive (and the first Gary Moore LP!)
In 1978 they began gigging with
Copernicus, with Turner acting as
the backing band's musical director. Both he and Kirwan appear on several
Copernicus albums. The first of these is by far the best.
Turner also appeared on an obscure release by a duo called Trinity II
during the NYC period in the late 1970s. There may be other guest appearances from this era.
Around 1979 the duo changed musical direction and became the
Major Thinkers scoring some success in the
early 1980s, mainly it must be said because American record companies seemed
fairly clueless about "new wave". And yet this led to an association with Philip
Glass, and when Turner & Kirwan split in 1985, Glass contributed to Turner's
debut solo LP.
Since then Turner has pursued a solo career, first with Beggars Banquet (via
RCA in the USA) until he was dropped in 1991, and subsequently on his own
label. He performs regularly in Ireland.
For more details of his solo career, check out the official website
(see links below).
Kirwan meanwhile was involved in Chill Faction
and then formed another NYC-based band called Black 47 with
Chris Byrne. Both bands involved several ex Copernicus musicians.
Black 47 pander to American ideas of 'Oirishness'.
See Kirwan's entry for more details.
Solo Discography (1986-1991)
• How It's Shone
7"/12" - Beggars Banquet - BEG 169 - 1986
Arrows Showband (1969)
• Mercy / See Saw
7" - Target - 7N17756 - 1969
The only Arrows release to feature Pierce Turner.
Aftermath (1970-71)
• We Have No More Babies Left / Neck And Neck (original version)
7" Polydor Records - 2078 004 - IRL - 1971?
Turner & Kirwan of Wexford (1972-79)
• Neck And Neck (new version) / When Starlings Fly
7" - Thimble Records - TS-006 - US 1973 - no PS, promo and stock copies
• The Girl Next Door / Warts And All
7" - Peters 900 - USA - 1977 - no PS, unreleased
7" - Polydor Records - ???? ??? - IRL - 1977 - no PS, unreleased
This single was withdrawn, apparently; a Goldisc labs white label was offered on
ebay for $100 in April 2008; there were no takers.
• Absolutely and Completely
LP - Peters - PILPS 9021 - USA - 1977 - inner sleeve
LP - Polydor Records - 2908 038 - IRL - 1977
• Bootleg
LP - Cabbage Records - TKLPS1984 - USA - 1984?
Live/unreleased tracks; unclear if this is associated with the NYC Cabbage label.
• The Book Of The Law / ?
7" - label? - ??? - USA - 1980 - PS?
Details known. By 1980 Turner & Kirwan had already turned into the Major Thinkers (1979-85).
Copernicus (1980s)
• Nothing Exists
LP - Nevermore/Ski Records - SR2085 - USA - 1984
• Victim of the Sky
LP - Nevermore/Ski Records - SR2086 - USA - 1986
• From Bacteria
LP - Dead Man's Curve Records - DMC 017 - UK - 1987
UK remix compilation
• Deeper
LP - Nevermore/Ski Records - 2087 - USA - 1987
• Null
CD - Nevermore? - ??? - USA - 1990
Features Larry Kirwan only
• No Borderline
CD - Nevermore? - ??? - USA - 1993
Trinity II
• Trinity II
LP - Coby Records - CB 1006 - 197?
Trinity II were a folk duo formed in 1972 by Chris King & Mike O'Brien.
Coby Records was an NYC-based label. Pierce Turner is credited with piano & moog
on this LP. He does not appear on their "On Campus" LP (Coby CB1019) from 1980.
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.
