Posts Tagged ‘The Undertones’

The Undertones celebrate 35 years of their debut long player by performing the album in full on their Winter Tour, I caught them The Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth….

I can only imagine that somewhere around Jump Boys, drummer Billy Doherty must have been thinking, ‘I wish we had written a bloody ballad!’ such is the pace and ferocity of The Undertones tonight it is exhausting just watching them.

Singer Paul McLoone commands the stage like a feral cross between Morrissey and Johnny Rotten, easily dispelling any lingering thoughts of the other chap who used to sing these songs.   As a fan of the first two Undertones albums, particularly the debut, it was always going to be hard not to compare the two, especially as the first half of tonight’s show is a run through of the first album in full.

‘Family Entertainment’, ‘Girls Don’t Like It’ and ‘Male Model’ go by in a blur and as an opening salvo it makes for a breakneck introduction.  The Singles ‘Here Comes The Summer’ and ‘Jimmy, Jimmy’ still sound as fresh as ever but it is the album itself that shines through brightest.  Playing an album, especially a debut, in full is a brave move; usually there is a weak link somewhere along the line.  But as punk/new wave (delete as applicable) goes, The Undertones first really is a timeless example of the power of simplicity.    

‘Casbah Rock’ ushers in the second half of the show but the boys are in no mood to let the momentum slip and if anything they move up another gear.

Greeted like a long lost relative, ‘My Perfect Cousin’ gets the front row faithful in a stupor, pogoing with sweaty abandon, many clearly old enough to know better but having scant regard for ageing limbs they throw themselves around wildly.  Throughout Paul encourages the throng like a slightly maniacal ring leader, clearly loving every minute of it.    

Tonight marked the first time I had ever seen the band live and therefore the first time I had witnessed ‘Teenage Kicks’ performed by the band that actually wrote it.  The song has far transgressed the band, covered by virtually every punk rock band at some point it is easy to forget just how good it actually is.  Painfully simple but devastatingly effective, tonight it is played as it was written and is breathtakingly fantastic.

Highlights are numerous; ‘Hypnotised’ and ‘There Goes Norman’ remind you that the debut album was no fluke and that the sophomore record hides plenty of gems too and whilst the early part of The Undertones catalogue features heavily this is not an evening purely for the nostalgia trip.  ‘Dig Yourself Deep’, title track of their 2007 album sits comfortably alongside any ‘hey day’ release and shows there is still plenty of fire left in the belly, even if it has a little middle age spread for company.

As the night draws to a close Michael Bradley jokes that the band tried to write a ‘selection box’ concept album but only got as far as ‘Mars Bar’.  Always a firm fan favourite, it still zips by with youthful exuberance and is a cheeky end to a storming night. 

So, celebrating 35 years since the release of that first long player much has changed in those intervening years but one thing remains the same, The Undertones are still marvellous.

Jules

They were one of John Peel’s favourite bands, wrote one of the most instantly recognisible punk tracks of all time in ‘Teenage Kicks’ and are about to hit the road once more to play their entire debut album in full to celebrate their 35th Anniversary.  The Undertones released a string of hit singles in the late 70s/early 80s with original vocalist Fergal Sharkey before disbanding in 1983.  They finally reunited in 1999 with new singer Paul McLoone and have been touring together ever since, releasing two new studio albums in the process with ‘Get What You Need’ in 2003 and ‘Dig Yourself Deep’ in 2007.

Bassist Michael Bradley kindly took the time to answer a few questions ahead of their December tour to talk about touring, Teenage Kicks and John Peel….. just don’t hassle him about a new album OK?!

How has it been playing the entire first album in full at gigs?

I love playing the first LP – thirty odd minutes of thirteen fast punk songs – someone once said that every song could have been a single – I think they’re right – although whether they would have been hit singles is another matter.

Looking back on it now are there any aspects you’d like to have changed at the time?

I sometimes think the sound of the record could have been a bit more open, less compressed and limited – those are technical studio terms, by the way.  But I think being in the band means you’re less qualified to talk about what would make it better.  A lot of people like the record, so that’s good enough for me

With Paul stepping into Fergal’s shows in 1999, how long did it take for him to get settled and feel like a part of the band instead of just a stand in?  Did he find it hard to win the fans over? 

Of course the obvious answer to that is ‘Don’t know, ask him yourself’ but from the point of view of the bass player standing beside him, I think he immediately fitted in.  It helped that he was from Derry, and that he knew most of us already – I think only Damian didn’t know him.  He is also a huge music fan, loves Iggy Pop and David Bowie, and is a great singer.  He’s tall as well which I like in a singer.  It was a very difficult job replacing Feargal, but from the first night (at the Nerve Centre  In Derry) he won them over.

Have the band found it hard to break out of the ‘nostalgia act’ pigeon hole and get fans to accept the new material?

I sometimes think that the lines are blurring between ‘nostalgia act’ and plain old rock and roll bands.  If we’re in that pigeon hole then I don’t mind – there’s little a band can do to change perceptions of the audience, although when we play new songs they’re usually well received.  I wouldnt ever think we’d start getting precious about preferring new songs over old songs.  I know when I go to see a band, I love it when they do their greatest hits.  Maybe unadventurous, but great to watch.

Teenage Kicks is a classic song and has been covered by so many bands, both big and small.  You have a pretty extensive list on your website of all the versions but what are the best and worst / weirdest versions you have ever heard?

The best is also the weirdest – its by Union Avenue, and they do it as if its an early Johnny Cash song.  In fact, they do the mariachi style horns from Ring Of Fire.  Someone sent me a copy of it and it was taken by one of the presenters at BBC Radio Foyle, where I work.  He’s been playing it ever since.

I imagine over the years the band have been asked many times if tracks can be used for adverts/films etc.  What are the strangest things you’ve been asked if your tracks can be used for and did you allow it?!  Have there ever been any that you’ve refused?

We don’t get asked as much as I’d like to be honest.  Nothing strange either, but I think ‘Here Comes The Summer’ is quite popular.  It was used for Irn Bru, which as you know is the finest man made drink ever invented.  We had hoped they would send us some free samples as a mark of appreciation, and they did when we played in Scotland.  I am still waiting for ‘You’ve Got My Number’ to be used for phone directories.  Some songs (My Perfect Cousin) don’t really lend themselves to adverts though.  Unless its family counselling services.

You are currently trying to track down members of the original Rocking Humdingers Fan Club.  With the advent of the internet the good old fashioned Fan Club has died out.  Do you feel that Facebook and social networking sites are a good replacement to interact with fans or do you miss the exclusivity that the official fan clubs used to provide?

I’m not a Facebook/Twitter expert but even I can appreciate the power of them.  Whether they have the same attraction as getting a letter in the post is another thing, but you can’t argue with the immediacy of instant communication.

Fergal Sharkey has just stood down from his position as the Head of UK Music, would you ever consider gigging together again?

That’s a great question – to which the answer is probably ‘no’.   When we got back together again we didn’t ask Feargal.  We guessed the answer would be no anyway but I don’t think it would have been half as enjoyable as it is with Paul singing.  Its a difficult one for some people to understand but for us its the importance of the song writers being involved.  If Feargal had written any of the songs, I think it would be strange for someone else to be singing them.  Which means, I guess, that if John O’Neill wasn’t involved, then it wouldn’t happen.  I always put it like this – we didn’t ask Feargal, and he didn’t ask us why he wasn’t asked.

The last album ‘Dig Yourself Deep’ crams in 14 tracks, with none of them over three minutes long.  Was this a conscious effort to keep them punchy?  Do you feel that a message in a song should be able to be conveyed in under three minutes otherwise it isn’t worth expressing?

Well I do believe that the three minute rule is worth keeping to.  Although that doesn’t mean that if its over three minutes , its no good.  Its amazing how short a song can be though, if you leave out things like introductions and repeating of verses.  Keep guitar solos out of music, I say.

Whilst the last album is punk at heart, there feels like a lot of other influences going on (indie/Mersey beat/even a little psychedelic creeping in).  How has your approach to song writing changed over the years?

Bear in mind that I dont write the majority of the songs, but I have co-written ‘My Perfect Cousin’ – what a song, eh?  Its more difficult to write songs now because I am constantly thinking ‘has this been done before?’   Influences now are actually based around the first Undertones LP – any song I try, I subconsciously aim at making it sound like one of our early songs.  Is that cannibalism ?

The relationship between The Undertones and John Peel seemed to be a very special one, he was a real crusader for new music (and music in general), do you feel people like this are missing in the industry today or do they just go unsung?

I think there are hundreds of John Peel’s out there, on various radio stations and websites.  John had the great fortune (deservedly so) to be the only one with taste on Radio One when Radio One was the most important music station in the UK.  What marked him out as different was that he never lost his love of new music – most people, myself included, tend to regress to the music they liked when they were teenagers as they get older. Or is that just me?

Do you listen to much new music?  Which new bands/artists do you think have the potential to be celebrating their 35^th anniversary in years to come?

I have absolutely no idea who is good and who will still be worth listening to in 35 years time.  2046 ? Will we still have electricity to play the records with?

Have you started work on a new album? What are the plans for 2012?

Stop nagging, we’ll get round to a new album soon, I promise.

As told to Jules.

You can catch the band live during December and we will be reviewing the Portsmouth show so plenty more Undertones action to come!

01/12/2011 Inverness Ironworks

02/12/2011 Darlington Inside / Out

03/12/2011 Leamington Spa The Assembly

04/12/2011 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms

08/12/2011 Gloucester Guildhall

09/12/2011 Leeds Cockpit

10/12/2011 Brighton Concorde 2

For more information visit: www.theundertones.com

Seminal Derry band The Undertones continue to celebrate their 35th Anniversary with more shows scheduled for December 2011, following the success of their April 2011 shows. 

It’s been a long road from their first show in February 1976 at St Mary’s Scout Hall in Derry but 2011 has seen resurgence in interest in the band with shows in the UK, Europe and America. 

As in April the band are keen to reacquaint themselves with members of their former fan club, the ‘Rocking Humdingers Club’, and have put out a Missing Persons Search.  Mickey Bradley of the band said: ‘‘We recently came across the original membership book from 1982 containing the names of the Rocking Humdingers and thought it would be good to see them again. The response in April was great and as some members could not make the shows we hope they will be able to this time”.

The band hope to hear from these long-time fans and has promised the first 50 who get in touch free entry into a show of their choice, a copy of ‘The Very Best Of The Undertones’ and a tour t-shirt.  They should contact the band via at: andy@theundertones.com (This offer is not open to those who did come in April)

01/12/2011 Inverness Ironworks

02/12/2011 Darlington Inside / Out

03/12/2011 Leamington Spa The Assembly

04/12/2011 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms

08/12/2011 Gloucester Guildhall

09/12/2011 Leeds Cockpit

10/12/2011 Brighton Concorde 2

For more information visit: www.theundertones.com