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Self Aid
Self Aid was an unemployment benefit concert held in Dublin, Ireland on 17 May 1986. The concert performances were primarily by Irish musicians, although Elvis Costello and Chris Rea, both Englishmen of Irish descent, were designated "honorary Irishmen" for the day; the event was promoted by Jim Aiken. The concert included the last performance by The Boomtown Rats until they reformed in 2013. The purpose of the concert was to highlight the chronic unemployment problem in Ireland at the time, with nearly 250,000 people unemployed. The 14-hour concert was the largest that had ever been staged in Ireland. All musicians that took part donated their time free of charge. All profits from the concert and subsequent album, ''Live for Ireland'', went to the Self Aid Trust. The telethon raised millions of pounds for a job creation trust fund as well as over 1000 job pledges. The song chosen for the finale was "Let's Make it Work", written by Christy Moore and Dublin songwriter Paul Doran. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or sometimes heavy metal. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, met while still in school. Lynott led the group throughout their recording career of twelve studio albums, writing most of the material. The singles " Whiskey in the Jar" (a traditional Irish ballad), " The Boys Are Back in Town" and " Waiting for an Alibi" were international hits. After Lynott's death in 1986, various incarnations of the band emerged over the years based initially around guitarists Scott Gorham and John Sykes, though Sykes left the band in 2009. Gorham later continued with a new line-up including Downey. In 2012, Gorham and Downey decided against recording new material as Thin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Fountainhead (band)
The Fountainhead was an Irish rock band founded by Steve Belton and Pat O'Donnell in 1982. In 1984, the duo won a music contest with a prize of 20 hours of recording time at Windmill Lane Studios. They used this time to record their first single, "Rhythm Method", which they released independently in 1984. After the song became popular on Irish radio, they were offered a contract with China Records. The band's name comes from the novel of the same name by the Objectivist author and philosopher, Ayn Rand. China Records released the band's first studio album, ''The Burning Touch'', in 1986. For touring, Belton and O'Donnell brought in drummer Peter McKinney, bass player Willie Demange, and keyboardist Phil Rennick. The expanded lineup debuted on 17 May 1986 at the Self Aid benefit concert. Their performance of the song "Feel It Now" appeared on the follow-up ''Live for Ireland'' charity album. The Fountainhead began a North American tour in November 1986. Songs from their final ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rory Gallagher
William Rory Gallagher ( ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. Due to his virtuosic playing, but relative lack of fame compared to some others, he has been referred to as "the greatest guitarist you've never heard of", and strongly influenced other guitarists such as Brian May and Eric Clapton. Gallagher was voted as guitarist of the year by ''Melody Maker'' magazine in 1972, and listed as the 57th greatest guitarist of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, and raised in Cork, Gallagher formed the band Taste in the late 1960s and recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His albums have sold over 30 million copies worldwide. His popularity and output declined in the 1980s due to changes in the music industry and ill health. Gallagher received a liver transplant in 1995, but died of complications later that year in London at the age of 47. Early life Gallagher was bor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
De Dannan
De Dannan (originally ''Dé Danann'') is an Irish folk music group. It was formed 1975 by Frankie Gavin (fiddle), Alec Finn (guitar, bouzouki), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh (bodhrán) and Charlie Piggott (banjo) as a result of sessions in Hughes's Pub in An Spidéal, County Galway, with Dolores Keane (vocals) subsequently being invited to join the band. The fiddler Mickey Finn (1951–1987) is also acknowledged to have been a founder member. The band was named after the legendary Irish tribe Tuatha Dé Danann. In 1985 the spelling of the name was changed from "Dé Danann" to "De Dannan" for reasons that have never been made clear. Since 2010, however, Finn and McDonagh have recorded and performed with a line-up named "De Danann", and, since 2012, Gavin has recorded and performed with another line-up named "De Dannan". History The group's debut album was the eponymous ''Dé Danann'', produced by Dónal Lunny and recorded at Eamonn Andrews Studios, Dublin, in 1975 and released on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clannad
Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including folk, folk rock, traditional Irish, Celtic and new-age music, often incorporating elements of smooth jazz and Gregorian chant. Initially known as ''Clann as Dobhar'', they shortened their name to Clannad in 1973 after winning the Letterkenny Folk Festival with the song "Liza". By 1979, they had released three albums and completed a successful US tour. From 1980 to 1982, they operated as a six-piece with their sister/niece Enya Brennan on additional keyboards and vocals, before she left the group to pursue a solo career. Later in 1982, Clannad gained international attention with their single "Theme from Harry's Game" which became a top-five hit in Ireland and the UK. The song was featured on '' Magical Ring'' (1983), which was met with m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous with traditional Irish music. They are regarded as having helped popularise Irish music around the world. They have won six Grammy Awards during their career and they were given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Some music experts have credited The Chieftains with bringing traditional Irish music to a worldwide audience, so much so that the Irish government awarded them the honorary title of 'Ireland's Musical Ambassadors' in 1989. Name The band's name came from the book ''Death of a Chieftain'' by Irish author John Montague. Assisted early on by Garech Browne, they signed with his company Claddagh Records. They needed financial success abroad, and succeeded in this. Career Origins Paddy Moloney was a memb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cactus World News
Cactus World News are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in April 1984. Founded by Frank Kearns (guitar) and Eoin McEvoy (vocals), the first full stable lineup also included Wayne Sheehy (drums) and Fergal MacAndris (bass). They reformed in 2011 with a new lineup of Kearns, Sheehy and MacAndris, with Eoin Scott and Eoin Watkins. Their early influences were the Clash, Ramones, Talking Heads, U2, the Waterboys and R.E.M. Career Their first release, and best known song was "The Bridge", which was produced by U2's Bono, and released on their Mother Records label. They toured the UK with The Cult in 1985 and signed to MCA Records.Henderson, Dave (1985) "Cactus World News Bridge that Gap", ''Sounds'', 14 December 1985, pp. 26-7 They performed at the Self Aid concert in Dublin on 17 May 1986. The band released their debut album, ''Urban Beaches'' in 1986 and gained impact hits with its three singles: "Years Later", "Worlds Apart" and a re-recording of "The Bridge". It is a five sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady (born 19 May 1947) is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician from Strabane, Northern Ireland. His work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age. Initially popular for playing Irish traditional music in a duo with Andy Irvine and later with Tommy Peoples and Matt Molloy, he later turned to a more rock-inspired electric style with poignant political lyrics. Some of his most popular songs are: "Crazy Dreams", "Nothing but the Same Old Story", " The Island", "Night Hunting Time", "Steel Claw" and "Paradise Is Here". Early life Paul Joseph Brady was born in Belfast and raised in the small town of Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, on the border with County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. His father Seán Brady and mother Mollie Brady née McElholm were school teachers. Brady was educated at Sion Mills Primary School, St. Columb's College, Derry and University College Dublin. He is prominently featured i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue In Heaven
Blue in Heaven were an Irish rock quartet from Churchtown, Dublin, Ireland, active from 1982 to 1989 and led by singer Shane O'Neill. They reformed in 1990 as The Blue Angels. O'Neill later went on to form Supernaut with Dave Long from Into Paradise. Blue in Heaven released a few singles on U2's Mother Records before being signed to Island Records in 1985, when they released their first album, ''All The Gods Men'', which was produced by Martin Hannett. Their follow-up, ''Explicit Material'' (1986), saw them team up with Island Records chief Chris Blackwell and Eric Thorngren. Their popularity grew thanks to touring with The Chameleons, Echo & the Bunnymen, and The Damned, alongside achieving a minor hit with "I Just Wanna". Kieran Kennedy joined and they played concerts for two years. They released an EP on the Solid label, ''Rock 'n' Roll R.I.P.'', which was a chronological compilation of their work: a 1983 track ("On and On") produced by The Edge, four from 1987 and a l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Big Self
Big Self are a Northern Irish rock band who formed in 1980. Their line-up consisted of Bernard Tohill on guitars and vocals, Jim Nicholl on guitars, Patmo Sheeran on bass and vocals and Michael Morris on drums. During the early to mid-late 1980s the band were highly praised especially in the UK. However, the band's commercial success never matched their critical success, and they disbanded in 1986. During their career they played at several noted events including Self Aid and recorded BBC sessions for John Peel and Kid Jensen. Their single " Ghostshirts" was featured as the theme song to Dave Fanning's RTÉ TV show ''Visual Eyes'', that aimed to present an entertaining and informative behind the scenes look at the world of popular culture. History Big Self were formed in Belfast and were part of the melodic rock movement that emerged in the aftermath of the punk explosion. They formed in 1980 as a three piece, the early line up of Bernard Tohill, Patrick Sheeran and Michael Morr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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