Purple Pussycat

• Gerry O'Donovan - vocals, guitar
• Dave Murphy - lead guitar, organ
• Donie Devaney - sax
• Paul Matthews - bass
• Jimmy O'Brien - drums

Bio:

North Dublin (Glasnevin) band who formed in the late 1960s as Dead Centre but changed their name to the Purple Pussycat on the advice of manager Peter Selwood and influential DJ Pat Egan.

The band played pop and soul. They were a very popular live band. They were led by Eamon Gibney and Gerry O'Donovan who would continue to work together in various projects over many years (Alyce, Gibney & Donovan Band, The Allies).

Eamon Gibney left to front The Arrows circa 1968-69. Other members who passed through the ranks include Maurice Walsh (ex Bye Laws drummer/singer), Tommy Moore (guitar), Scott Mulvey (organ), Shay Murphy (drums) and Peter Carr (drums), who joined circa 1969 from Some People and who went with Gibney & Donovan into Alyce during its first few months in the summer of 1970.

The band was invited by Pye Records to contribute two tracks to the "Paddy Is Dead And The Kids Know It" sampler of Irish bands released on the Golden Guinea imprint in 1969. Neither track is particularly memorable though "You've Made Me So Very Happy" is easily the better of the two. The lineup above is the one that recorded these two tracks.

They split in 1970 when Gerry O'Donovan formed Alyce, reuniting with Gibney who'd lost the Arrows to Dickie Rock. Dave Murphy joined a showband (the Pacific, and later the Memories); Shay Murphy joined The Gentry. Dave Murphy left for Canada (not sure about this).

In 1973 there was almost a Purple Pussycat reformation with Gibney, Donovan, Dave Murphy (recently returned from Canada) and Shay Murphy, who came together with Brian Harris to back Gibney in a new band, but it was decided the name was a bit dated sounding. Then Gibney became involved in the Skid Row reformation and the band found itself looking for a direction. They split.

Dave Murphy went solo and played the folk circuit alongside people like Barry Moore and Rita Connolly, playing Dylan, Donovan and Leonard Cohen covers. Murphy is probably the "second best-known black Irish musician after Phil Lynott." He'd played in the Artane Boys Band (trombone) and sat in with various showbands at various times. The Purple Pussycat was his main band. He describes their sound as progressive soul, influenced by Blood, Sweat & Tears.

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