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Ashanti

From: Belfast

Active: 1983-90

Style: Hard Rock

Lineup: (circa 1988)

Bio:

Hard rock trio described in 1988 in the pages of rock weekly Melody Maker as "Ireland's best kept secret"!

Formed as an R&B trio in 1983 with Steven Boyd (guitar/vocals), Davy Stewart (bass/vocals) and Stevie Shanks (drums). Stewart left and the band expanded to a five piece with John 'Harv' Harbinson (vocals), the Count (keyboards) and Russ Nesbitt (bass). The band was playing a Bon Jovi-style AOR at this stage. Russ Nesbitt was replaced by Glenn Kingsmore (ex The Defects, Western Justice). When Harvey left, he wasn't replaced and Stevie and Glenn took over the vocals. Gary Murdoch took over on drums in 1988 and remained with the band until it's demise. This quartet is the lineup which made the recordings listed below.

The band released three singles and recorded an album in 1989 which was never released. (If anyone has details of the third single missing from the discography below please get in touch).

Glenn Kingsmore and Gary Murdoch had been in Western Justice with guitarist Roy McAllister (ex Rabies). Murdoch had also been in Persian Blue. (mid-80s), Rabies (1981-83) and Subculture (circa 1981). Gary Murdoch is the brother of Buck Murdoch, singer with The Defects.

In 1996, Gary Murdoch and Steven Boyd took part in a one-off Defects reunion concert. Steven Boyd and Steven Shanks currently play in Queen tribute band Flash Harry.



Discography

• June / Perfect Day
7" - Crashed Records - ASHANTI 1 - IRL - 1988 - PS


   

Notes: A third track "Temptation" was recorded during the sessions for the debut single.



• Childhood Revisited / How Many More Years
7" - L Street Music/EMI Records - ASHANTI 2 - UK - 1988 - PS





• Real World / September Experience
7" - Polydor Records - 867 870-7 - IRL - 1991 - PS


 


• (unreleased album)
Recorded 1989





Subculture

From: Belfast

Active: 1981

Style: Punk

Lineup:

Bio:

Short-lived Belfast punk covers band who supported The Defects on occasion. Gavin Wright went on to start Culture fanzine. Henry Gribben was replaced by Gary Murdoch, brother of the Defects singer Buck. He and Chris Nesbitt next formed Rabies.




Rabies

From: Belfast

Active: 1981-83

Style: Punk

Lineup:
  • Alan Graham AKA Clint - vocals
  • Roy McAllister - guitar
  • Chris Nesbitt - bass
  • Gary Murdoch - drums

    Rabies photo courtesy Chris Nesbitt

Bio:

A more serious continuation of Subculture, Rabies played a mixture of originals and covers and built a growing live reputation over their 2-3 year existance. According to It Makes You Want To Spit! a good live tape of a gig on 26 Novemebr 1982 exists which bears this out. They continued the close association with The Defects, supporting them on many occasions. Gary Murdoch left for local rock outfit Persian Blue. The band split in 1983. Gary Murdoch later teamed up with Rabies guitarist Roy McAllister in Western Justice. Alan Graham and Chris Nesbitt later formed the Sensitive Boys with Buck Murdoch (ex The Defects) and Glenn Kingsmore (ex The Defects, Western Justice).




Western Justice

From: Belfast

Active: circa 1983-84?

Style: Rock

Lineup:
  • Roy McAllister - guitar
  • Glenn 'Kinky' Kingsmore - bass/vocals
  • Gary Murdoch - drums

Bio:

After a stint with Persian Blue, Gary Murdoch teamed up with ex Rabies guitarist Roy McAllister and Glenn Kingsmore of The Defects who switched from drums to bass. The resultant trio was a forerunner to Ashanti.

Western Justice recorded three demos, the third including "Fashion Show".




Sensitive Boys

From: Belfast

Active: circa 1986

Style: Rock

Lineup:
  • Alan Graham AKA Clint - vocals
  • Buck Murdoch - guitar
  • Chris Nesbitt - bass
  • Glenn 'Kinky' Kingsmore - drums Sensitive Boys (at the Cavalier Hotel?) photo courtesy Chris Nesbitt

Bio:

My thanks to Chris Nesbitt for bringing this band to my attention. The Sensitive Boys were a short-lived outfit who played classic punk covers during the summer of 1986. Alan and Chris were both ex Rabies; Buck (ex The Defects) and Glenn Kingsmore (ex The Defects, Western Justice). Alan Graham moved to New Zealand in 1999.



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.




See Also: The Defects

External Links: Flash Harry



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