

Anyone can make a mistake and this website is no exception.
Several bands were incorrectly listed as Irish on this site in the past, in most cases because they were described as such in some other source. The purpose of this page is to correct such errors. I'm also including bands who are regularly incorrectly described as Irish for various reasons.
Of course there is a very large grey area, with so many Irish musicians joining or forming bands in the UK. The (loose) criteria I use is that the band must have been initially based in Ireland or is comprised of all Irish emigres. I realise this excludes the Gogan sisters (The Passions, Prag Vec) and a good case can be made for both, but I can't justify their inclusion (yet!). Besides both bands already have excellent websites.
Please remember I am not trying to make some nationalistic point here, it really doesn't matter! I started this site to document bands because they were not being documented elsewhere, not because of their origin. Their origin is simply the theme.
Aftermath [Derby, UK] Indie punk. 7" The Freedom Fighter / All The Others / 1990 (private S/81/CUS1217, UK 1981) (PS)Agony Column [Leeds, UK] 7" (I Had It) All Worked Out/Good Grief (Tyger TYG 2, UK 1979) 7" Love In The Head/Free Of Love (Back Door DOOR-8, 6/1980) (PS) 7" Love is a Blank Expression/Only U/Missing Person (Lightbeat LIGHT003, 1982)
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Ako [USA] Previously suspected as and now confirmed as a US release. The band name is actually Ko, not Ako, and they were probably from Kentucky. One review compares them to the Weirdos. 7" Suitcase Bomb // Worried World / Out Of Control (Wow Records WOW1, US 1979)
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Armed Force [Manchester, UK] Post-punk with female singer, a sought after single these days. I've seen this listed as N.IRL punk, but this is incorrect. The band came from Moss Side in Manchester. 7" Popstar/Attack (Armed Force AF01, 1979) (PS) [500]
lp v/a - Bloodstains Across the UK #4 (boot, 1999) track: Attack cd v/a - Messthetics #5 (Hyped To Death #45, US) track: Popstar Baby Snakes [Sweden] Sixties-styled mod/R&B band. mlp Impudent Reptiles (Unicorn Records, 1987) Bears [Watford, UK] The Bears were on Good Vibrations International series, which many don't realise was specifically set up for non Northern Ireland bands. 7" On Me / Wot's Up Mate (Live At Waldo's Jazz Club Watford) (Waldo's Records Jazz Series JS-001, 1978) (PS) +insert 7" Insane / Decisions (Good Vibrations GVI-1, 1978) (PS) recorded 22/10/78 lp v/a - Farewell To The Roxy (?) w/"Fun Fun Fun"
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The Blades [Oklahoma, US] Mod revival bandm though I'm not sure if both singles listed here are by the same band. 7" Close Shave EP (SPS 584) (PS) 7" Don't Shoot/Without Lovin' You (self-released 403024) (PS)
Blood Donor [UK] Poppy new wave with keyboards 7" Rubber Revolution/Chemical Babies (Arista ARIRV-262, 1979) (PS) red vinyl
7" Rice Harvest/Something Happened (Arista ARIST 279, 1979) lp s/t (Arista SPART 1089, 1979) 7" Dr.Who/Soap Box Blues (Safari SAFE-29, 6/1980) Blue Zoo [UK] (1980-85) English pop wave/synth-pop/dance-funk outfit on Magnet Records, undoubtedly an inspiration for Kajagoogoo. 7" Modern Jazz - I Shoot Sheep (1980?) 7" Forgive And Forget/Shine (Magnet, 1981?) w/poster 7" I'm Your Man (Magnet MAG 224) (PS, 1982) 7" Cry Boy Cry/Off To Market (Magnet MAG 235, 1982) (PS) 12" Cry Boy Cry/Off To Market (Magnet 12 MAG 235, 1982) (PS) 7" Somewhere In The World There's A Cowboy Smiling/ Don't Walk Away (live studio version) (Magnet MAG 250, 1983) (PS) 12" Somewhere In The World There's A Cowboy Smiling/(instrumental version)/ Don't Walk Away (live studio version) (Magnet 12 MAG 250, 1983) (PS) lp Two By Two (Magnet, 1983) 7" Loved Ones An Angel/These Days (Magnet, 1983) 7" Love Moves In Strange Ways/Chameleon Waves (Magnet, 1983) Crocodile Tears [UK?] A different outfit to either the band from Omagh or the pre-Coletranes band from Dublin, but I don't know any more details about them. Their 12inch was produced, engineered and mixed by P.Sampson & A.Hardy. 12" Love Car / Punch and Judy (Frantic Records DODG4, 19??) Detonators [UK] 7" s/t EP (Local Records LR-1, IRL 1978) tracks: Need Love Tonight/Great Big Ghetto//Shooby Shooby Do/Give Me A Helping Hand 7" The Dance EP (Big Blast, 19??) (PS) tracks: Don't Talk/Opening A Modern Art//Restless Kids/Passe Flasher [UK] Pressed in Ireland, but Flasher were a UK band. Great packaging but fairly uninteresting music (rock/pub rock/funky rock). lp Secret in the Cupboard (Rabbit RRUK8197900, IRL 1979) gimmick foc + insert, pressed on red vinyl 7" Tight And Nasty Mean And Dirty (Rabbit RRUK81979000, IRL 1979) (PS) red vinyl
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The Fuze [UK] A new wave "ethno forgery" release 7" Falklands/Follow Me Home (Relentless Records RS 100, 1982) The Fuze [UK] Different band to the above. 7" Blue Sky (1983) The Gas [UK] The Gas are a relatively well known UK band who released several snappy powerpop records on Polydor and their own Good Vibrations label. The latter has nothing to do with the legendary Belfast label and is undoubtedly the source of the confusion which leads to them being described as an "Irish mod band". Though this is a link with Good Vibrations in Belfast: The Gas manager in 1981 was Bob Johnston who also manged The Ruts and who helped organise gigs in England for Belfast band the Bank Robbers in September 1981; when Good Vibrations relaunched the following year, it released the Bank Robbers debut single which had been awaiting release since mid-1981. Polydor singles: "Ignore Me" (1981), "Treatment" (1981), "The Finger" (1982) and "Breathless" (Polydor, 1982). LP "Emotional Warfare" (1982) Dell Vickers (bass/vocals), Donnie Burke (guitar/vocals), Les Sampson (drums). 7" From The Cradle to the Grave / Look What Love Has Done To Me (Good Vibrations GAS001, UK 1983) unreleased, test pressings exist lp From The Cradle to the Grave (Good Vibrations GASLP1, UK 1983) Gorehounds [Portland, Oregon/US] This garage band used a jug (like the 13th Floor Elevators) and released the "Halloween Everywhere" LP plus a single. Their website is here. G Squad [UK] 7" In My Mind (Squid Market Times SMT007, 1981)
Guernica [Italy] A late 80s/early 90s Italian pop duo who recorded for RCA. There were also Spanish and Japanese bands using this name, and most recently what looks like some underground metal variation reminiscent (in packaging at least) of Neurosis. lp s/t (RCA PL 71920, Italy 1988) Guernica [Japan] A Japanese synth band a la YMO. Guernica [Spain] High Society [UK] This was post Hudson-Ford band, like the Monks ("Nice Legs, Shame About The Face"). They released two singles ("I Never Go Out In The Rain" and "Gotta Get Out Of This Rut") on Eagle Records in 1980-81 and a self-titled LP on Stately Home in 1984. Check the related groups section of the official Strawbs website. David Ireland [UK] Sometimes offered as "minimal synth" and described as Irish, David Ireland was in fact English and was probably based in Holland in the late 70s. He co-wrote a song on dutch progressive pop-rock band Kayak's Starlight Dancer album in 1977. Kayak mainman Ton Scherpenzeel produced this single the following year. I'm sure I've seen a self-released dutch-press solo LP from around the same time (I should've nabbed it and stuck it on ebay, eh?) 7" Zoo Games / Nuclear Love (Polydor 2650 512, 1978) (PS) The Jets -- see The Tee Vees Megaton [London] An obscure NWOBHM trio who single was well received but the band petered out. Guitarist Jeremy Nagle was from Cork. He left in 1980 for London where he joined Megaton. He later returned to Cork in 1982-83 to join Driveshaft. Other members of Megaton were: Torvak, J. Gartland 7" Aluminium Lady / Die Hard (Hot Metal Music HMM 69, UK 1981) (no PS) Moondogs [Liverpool] lineup: David Gough, Ian Irvine, Paddy Colohan, Tony Dolman (d) 7" Heads I Win / Two's A Crowd (Moondog LT 002, 1979)
7" Hooray for the English / When You Fly (1980) Moral Support [Canada] Canadian synth-pop duo 1982-86, comparable to Midge Ure-era Ultravox. 12" Living With Passion (TGO Records TGO-107, Canada 1983) 12" Strange Day For Dancing (TGO Records TGO-111, Canada 1983-84) (PS) lp Insanity (TGO Records, Canada 1984) Natchband [Liverpool] Pub rock/punk. Often listed on eBay as an Irish band (and in Henrik Beck Poulsen's book "77: The Year of Punk and New Wave") because the single was pressed in Ireland but the band was most probably from Liverpool, the home of their label Far In Records, which was distributed by Lightning Records. Some copies include this label flyer insert. lineup: Phil Roberts (v/g), Colin Pritchard (g), Ian Mallett (b), Micky 'Smiffy' McAlinsky (d) 7" Cadillac (Made in USA) / Being from the Sky (Far In FARS 01, IRL 1977) (PS) +insert
Nerves [UK] 7" TV Adverts / Sex Education (Lightning GIL-520, 1978)
Nerves [US] Famous for recording the original version of "Hanging On The Telephone" later covered by Blondie. Nerves [unknown] An unknown band who self-released a 12-inch circa 1983. This may be an Irish release but there is no information on the cover. See the Help Needed section for more details. No Sweat [London, UK] Though guitarist Brian Willoughby was from Northern Ireland, this band is listed here. Brian had been playing in the same London folk clubs as Dave Cousins (pre Strawbs) and had already toured the world as guitarist for Mary Hopkins before becoming involved in No Sweat, who recorded one single for Pete Townshend's Eel Pie label. Brian then joined the Strawbs in 1979 and has been involved with them ever since. See www.strawbsweb.co.uk for more details. 7" Work On Her/Gimme Some Action (Eel Pie EPS002, 1978)
Oxy & The Morons [UK] A UK band from Hackney, East London who played in Belfast several times and are often mistaken for a Belfast band. They were included in It Makes You Want To Spit! as a joke. "Dirty Harry on the Falls Road" is a great song title! And of course there was a Northern band called Music For The Deaf . . . 7" Nice To Be Back / Dirty Harry on the Falls Road (Music for the Deaf MFD1, UK 1981) (PS) 7" Work / The Good Life (Music for the Deaf MFD2, UK 1982) (no PS)
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P45 [UK?] Powerpop. 7" Right Direction/B.I.N.Y.C. (Jet 190, UK 1980) Pretty Boy Floyd [Edinburgh, Scotland] 7" Look At Her Dancin' / Take Me I'm Yours (Heavenly Sound HSP-4, 2/1981) (no PS) lp v/a - Battle of the Bands (RCA Records RCALP5015, UK 1981) track: Take Me I'm Yours Ra Bears [Glasgow, Scotland] Probably toured in Ireland, resulting in the single on Release. They followed this up with an LP which featured the Kick Horns horn-section-for-hire. 7" Artist / Spain (Release RL970, 1979) (company PS) A=awful / B=good guitars
Revolver [Liverpool] Black Maria re-christened for an EP of Lennon/McCartney covers. 7" One And One Is Two (Rox, 1979) (PS) Revolver [Scotland] See Steve LDK's excellent blog for details. 7" s/t EP (Ellie Jay, 1981) (PS) Sacre Bleu [UK] lineup: Steve Alcoran, Nick Miller, Trevor McBride, Josh Kirby 7" In This Mood/Somehow I Doubt It (SB 1, UK 1980)
(The) Shapes [Leamington Spa] This band's second single was released on Good Vibrations in the main GOT series instead of the GVI series usually used for 'international' bands (i.e. from outside Northern Ireland). 7" Wot's For Lunch Mum? (Not Beans Again!) / College Girls // (I Saw) Batman (In A Launderette)/ Chatterboks (Sofa SEAT-1, 1979) (no PS) +insert 7" Blast Off/Airline Disaster (Sofa/Good Vibrations Seat 002/GOT-13, 1980) (PS)
(The) Shy [US] Detroit garage band. 7" I Found Out/It Ain't Easy (US 1984) (PS) Spider [US] LP on Dreamland Records. Different band to the Belfast Spider. Spider [UK] NWOBHM band with releases on Alien Records, Nik Records and RCA. Different band to the Belfast Spider. Spider King [UK] this is incorrectly listed as being by Spider in several sources and is often attributed to the Belfast band. The picture is from an ebay auction and confirms that this is not the case. 7" Do You Want To Die For England?/ Animals (Test Pressing TP-2, UK 1980) (PS)
Stalin Staccato [Denmark, Copenhagen] Danish band who had a single released on Scoff Records, licensed from TIR. This came about probably through John Borrowman, who moved to Copenhagen after The Atrix split for the first time. Stalin Staccato toured Ireland in June 1988. The Atrix had a single released on TIR Records in Denmark under the name Afghan Trucks. lineup: Kenneth (v/g), Michael (g), Lars (b), Gert (d). 7" Civilised Guy / Ocean Of Life 7" (TIR, Denmark 1988) 7" Civilised Guy / Ocean Of Life 7" (Scoff DT043, 198?)
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the sticker reads "Viking Week" Subterraneans [Sweden] Alt/hard rock band. 12" Underground īNī Round EP (Rain Records RAN 100, 1987) Subterraneans [UK] Early 80s band featuring well known music journalist Nick Kent 7" My Flamigo/Veiled Woman (Demon, 1980) (PS) The Sussed [Birmingham] Mod band from Birmingham. 7" I Like You / Tango / The Perv (Shoestring LACE 002, 1979) (PS) 7" I've Got Me Parka / Myself, Myself & I Repeated (Graduate GRAD 7, 1980) (PS)
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Tee Vees [Luton/UK] A later incarnation of The Jets (UK). This is the second 'international' single (after The Shapes) to be released on Good Vibrations in the main GOT series. 7" The Jets - Original Terminal/The Iceburn (Good Vibrations International GVI002, 1979) 7" Doctor Headlove / War Machine (GOT-11, 1979) 7" v/a - The Voxhall Tracks - Luton (Pink INK-1000, 1979) w/"War Machine"
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Three Hands [Boston, USA]
This Boston band released three singles on Scoff Records circa 1985-86. The lineup included guitarist Paul Lebel (ex Museum Directors), whose website states that the first two A-sides were recorded at Normandy Sound studio in Rhode Island and were produced by Deke O'Brien. The lineup may also have included Irishman John Farrell. Further details to clarify the catalogue numbers appreciated but I am not holding my breath. 7" No Change / Running in Circles (Scoff TH-002, 1985-86) 7" Can't You See / Troubled Land (Scoff ?, 1985-86) 7" What to Do / Mysterious Danger (Scoff ?, 1985-86) Tweed [France] Reputedly fine mod/powerpop from France. 7" s/t EP (Smap Records SM 4502, 1979) (PS) tracks: Fashion / I Need You / Haunted Castle 7" Collection de Choix / Tu Ne Fais Que Rever (?) (PS) 2nd single
The Waterboys [Scotland] Mike Scott (ex Another Pretty Face) formed the Waterboys in the early 80s. After a number of acclaimed records, he recorded a more roots-based LP in Ireland called "Fisherman's Blues". This album was a paradigm of fake nostalgia, full of ludicrous lyrics about standing on windswept clifftops and sailing the seven seas and all the rest of it. Utterly fake in my opinion (can you tell I didn't like it?) but very influential in Ireland, spawning the so-called raggle-taggle bands and rotting the impressionable minds of many of my contemporaries. Wishing Stones [Glasgow] C86 band from Glasgow circa 1986-1992 who recorded for Head and Sub Aqua Records and have appeared on the Leamington Spa compilations. 7" Beat Girl (Head Records HEAD 2, 9/1986) 7/12" New Ways (Head Records HEAD 6, 4/1987) 7/12" The Old Road Out Of Town (Sub Aqua AQUA 1, 6/1988) 12" Dead's Man's Look (Sub Aqua Records AQUA 5, 11/1988) lp/cd Brian School Of Dancing AKA Wildwood (Heavenly Recordings HVN LP 04, 1991)
