Copyright 1993 The Irish Times
The Irish Times
SECTION: SOUND AND VISION; HOT LICKS; Pg. 10
HEADLINE: Dublin is Dead
BYLINE: By BRIAN BOYD
BODY:
THAT was the year that wasn't for Dublin. The only interesting (and successful) music this year came out of Antrim, Limerick and Cork, but have we seen a corresponding shift in the Irish music industry to accommodate this? No we haven't. Get it together.
The year started with Cork becoming Corkchester (for the statutory 15 minutes) as The Sultans and The Franks set idiosyncrasy to music and came up trumps. The Franks are now living back in Cork, still off the cider and promise an indietastic new album in the new year. The Sultans, who were brusquely dismissed by those who know no better as "a novelty band", ended the year strongly with their Michiko single, off the new album. "From Holborn to Holloway..." Tell me about it, Niall.
Over in Limerick, The Cranberries released Everybody Else... in March and surprised everybody (except themselves and me) when it went on to sell one million copies; people who know about these things say it will top two million by the summer. I don't want to get all showbizzy on you, but I've heard half of their second album and it's stronger than the first. Watch out for one song in particular, Ode To My Family, the best song they've ever written. Respect to The Cranberries, the year belonged to them.
Up in Galway, The Stunning and The Sawdoctors ran into record company problems beyond their control and both have ground to make up. Look out for Galway Crusty band, Big Bag Of Sticks, in the new year. Over in Fermanagh, the 23 year old Neil Hannon (aka The Divine Comedy) released something very special in Liberation. The album is astonishing, and here's hoping that he doesn't fall into the critically lauded but commercially ignored category. Remember the name.
Up in the North, it was hats off to Therapy? who had three hit singles in a row in Britain and their Hats Off To The Insane album dented the charts in the US; now that they have been picked up by college radio and are being "rotated" on MTV, we're looking at another band who are going to do serious damage in the US. And Europe. And Australia. The new album is called Troublegum and is out in February.
Back in Dublin, An Emotional Fish got back on the right track with Junk uppers, Something Happens are shaping up nicely for their post-Virgin album, Blink released a brace of great singles and are going to be BIG in the new year, Rollerskate Skinny skipped off to London and released the thunderously brilliant Shoulder Voices album, The Revenants (Best Unsigned Act in this column last year) more than fulfilled expectations with Horse Of A Different Colour and coming up very strongly are: Puppy Love Bomb, Sack and Pet Lamb. Plenty of evidence, show us the proof.
- Best Irish Album: Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We by The Cranberries. They got what they deserved. Second and third are Liberation by The Divine Comedy and For No One by Into Paradise.
- Best Irish Single:
Screamager by Therapy? Brilliant hardcore pop. Second and third are Move Over by Into Paradise and Michiko by The Sultans Of Ping.
- Best New Band: Puppy Love Bomb.
- Love Of The Year: Pirate radio stations, especially Radioactive/Industrial Music/ Negativland for fighting the power.
- Loathe Of The Year: 98FM and FM104 for being unfailingly crap. Over to you Niall Stokes and please no Brothers.
- Venue Of The Year: The Rock Garden. No "celebrities" (or what passes for them in this city) and no "international stars" (i.e. British tax avoiders). A loose and groovy place with a friendly and intelligent door policy. Great music.
- DJ Of The Year: Dave Fanning of 2FM. By a mile.
Here's the thank-yous:
Arminta Wallace (subbing/positive vibes) the helpful people in the London office, all the Dropout heads, Arrested Development for their kind words, Lyndsey Holmes, 4AD Records. The headlines throughout the year have been a joint Brian Boyd/Michael Cunningham production.
The Irish Times
SECTION: SOUND AND VISION; HOT LICKS; Pg. 10
HEADLINE: Dublin is Dead
BYLINE: By BRIAN BOYD
BODY:
THAT was the year that wasn't for Dublin. The only interesting (and successful) music this year came out of Antrim, Limerick and Cork, but have we seen a corresponding shift in the Irish music industry to accommodate this? No we haven't. Get it together.
The year started with Cork becoming Corkchester (for the statutory 15 minutes) as The Sultans and The Franks set idiosyncrasy to music and came up trumps. The Franks are now living back in Cork, still off the cider and promise an indietastic new album in the new year. The Sultans, who were brusquely dismissed by those who know no better as "a novelty band", ended the year strongly with their Michiko single, off the new album. "From Holborn to Holloway..." Tell me about it, Niall.
Over in Limerick, The Cranberries released Everybody Else... in March and surprised everybody (except themselves and me) when it went on to sell one million copies; people who know about these things say it will top two million by the summer. I don't want to get all showbizzy on you, but I've heard half of their second album and it's stronger than the first. Watch out for one song in particular, Ode To My Family, the best song they've ever written. Respect to The Cranberries, the year belonged to them.
Up in Galway, The Stunning and The Sawdoctors ran into record company problems beyond their control and both have ground to make up. Look out for Galway Crusty band, Big Bag Of Sticks, in the new year. Over in Fermanagh, the 23 year old Neil Hannon (aka The Divine Comedy) released something very special in Liberation. The album is astonishing, and here's hoping that he doesn't fall into the critically lauded but commercially ignored category. Remember the name.
Up in the North, it was hats off to Therapy? who had three hit singles in a row in Britain and their Hats Off To The Insane album dented the charts in the US; now that they have been picked up by college radio and are being "rotated" on MTV, we're looking at another band who are going to do serious damage in the US. And Europe. And Australia. The new album is called Troublegum and is out in February.
Back in Dublin, An Emotional Fish got back on the right track with Junk uppers, Something Happens are shaping up nicely for their post-Virgin album, Blink released a brace of great singles and are going to be BIG in the new year, Rollerskate Skinny skipped off to London and released the thunderously brilliant Shoulder Voices album, The Revenants (Best Unsigned Act in this column last year) more than fulfilled expectations with Horse Of A Different Colour and coming up very strongly are: Puppy Love Bomb, Sack and Pet Lamb. Plenty of evidence, show us the proof.
- Best Irish Album: Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We by The Cranberries. They got what they deserved. Second and third are Liberation by The Divine Comedy and For No One by Into Paradise.
- Best Irish Single:
Screamager by Therapy? Brilliant hardcore pop. Second and third are Move Over by Into Paradise and Michiko by The Sultans Of Ping.
- Best New Band: Puppy Love Bomb.
- Love Of The Year: Pirate radio stations, especially Radioactive/Industrial Music/ Negativland for fighting the power.
- Loathe Of The Year: 98FM and FM104 for being unfailingly crap. Over to you Niall Stokes and please no Brothers.
- Venue Of The Year: The Rock Garden. No "celebrities" (or what passes for them in this city) and no "international stars" (i.e. British tax avoiders). A loose and groovy place with a friendly and intelligent door policy. Great music.
- DJ Of The Year: Dave Fanning of 2FM. By a mile.
Here's the thank-yous:
Arminta Wallace (subbing/positive vibes) the helpful people in the London office, all the Dropout heads, Arrested Development for their kind words, Lyndsey Holmes, 4AD Records. The headlines throughout the year have been a joint Brian Boyd/Michael Cunningham production.
