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Written by Bob Tallent

Parent Category: Entertainment-Arts-Other News

Category: Music . . . . .

Created: 30 March 2012

Last Updated: 05 January 2016

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The most diverse jumble of musical chameleons ever to share a stage

Bob Tallent
29th March 2012

Jerry FishThis week, I’m going to introduce you to an Irish artist, relatively unknown on the international scene, but well known in Ireland.  His previous band supported U2 in 1993 on their Zoo TV Tour.  Their music is described as 'lounge lizard, schmooze and mariachi passion'.  It is a spectacular concoction of soul, jazz, lounge, swamp blues and good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll.  It’s where Leonard Cohen sings Dean Martin.  As the band says “What do you get when you cross Tom Waits with a Circus Showband, when you mix Jacques Brel with Mink DeVille, when you lock Dr John, Dean Martin and The Fun Lovin' Criminals in the same room?”

The answer is Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club, the most diverse jumble of musical chameleons ever to share a stage.  Don’t be tempted to use the clichés “are you codding me, something fishy going on here, fish out of water, plenty of fish in the sea”.

Jerry Fish was born Gerard Whelan and is as Irish as they come even though he was born in London.  He was brought up in Darndale, a working class area of North Dublin.  Incidentally, this is very close to the area the four lads from U2 were from.  Around 1987, he auditioned as a singer for a band that included Enda Wyatt. He got the job, but the band broke up soon afterwards.  After the breakup, Jerry and Enda performed alone. Jerry brought David Frew and Drummer Martin Murphy into the band and it became known as An Emotional Fish.

I met Jerry and the lads around 1988/9 in Wexford on a sunny Sunday afternoon in a little pub in the middle of nowhere called Pegs Bar. They were chilling out and managed to jam on their guitars.

In 1989 they signed with U2’s label, Mother Records and released two CDs - Grey Matter and Celebrate. Celebrate went into the Irish top 10 and hit number 46 on the UK charts and number 5 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.  They moved to Atlantic Records who re-released their albums, but they didn’t really do too well.  They then recorded Junk Puppets (1993) and Sloper (1994), but they didn’t do too well in UK and US, either.

Around 1996, the band broke up. They ended up in court with their record label, an experience which Jerry can only exasperatingly refer to as 'heartbreaking'.

Jerry then took a break and began to get to know himself.  He did a bit of traveling, fell in love, restored motorbikes and had babies (not necessarily in that order).  He went back to music in 2002.  In an interview for Hotpress, Jerry said “I’ve always thought I’m just one jammy, lucky f***er.  It’s because I’m forever counting my blessings. I love the fact that I’ve shoes on my feet.”

In 2002, Jerry formed a new band with a new style 'lounge lizard schmooze, mariachi passion and punk Latino'.  The band consisted of Jerry Fish, Conor Brady (guitar), Simon Farrell (bass), John Wilde (drums), Stefano Stallion Muscovi (trumpet, harmonica, background vocals), Mischa Langemejer (saxophone), and Pat Corless (trombone, tuba, background vocals).

They released the full-length album “Be Yourself” (2002) and the Top 20 hit single "True Friends."  True Friends was used in an advertisement by Vodafone and stayed in the Irish charts for over three months.  It included contributions from Damien Rice, Anuna, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Bronagh Gallagher, Josie Doherty, and an international brass section comprised of Mischa Langemejer, Felim Gormley and Stefano Muscovi,  Follow-up singles included "Upside Down," "Anyway the Wind Blows," and "Be Yourself."  “Be Yourself” also included contributions from Damien Rice.  In 2004 they recorded a live album at the Palais de Glase Spiegeltent, Live at the Spiegeltent – floating on the River Liffey.  It was part of the Dublin Fringe Festival.

In 2009, they released their second album “The Beautiful Untrue”. It was a Top Ten hit on the Irish albums chart. The album includes the single "Back to Before," and duets with indie singer Carol Keogh (The Low Babies and The Plague Monkeys) and amazing rockabilly singer Imelda May from the Liberties in Dublin.  The “Beautiful Untrue” hit number 7 on the Irish charts.

Also in 2009, Jerry recorded an album, which has not been released, with the actors Michael Madsen, David Carradine and Harry Dean Stanton, and the singer Iggy Pop, with the contributors reciting poems written by Madsen. Jerry and Michael signed a deal to make three records together to be released on Jerry’s new label "The Mudbug Club".

In 2003, Jerry was given an Irish Music Award at the 2003 Meteor Awards for best Roots/Country Artist (much to the bemusement of Jerry) and went on to present the second series of the music television programme Other Voices produced by Phillip King that same year.  I was at the Meteor Awards that year.

They toured in Ireland and UK during 2002, 2003 and 2004, including sell-out shows at the Olympia.  They played in many festivals like Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, V Festival, T in the Park, Oxegen, The Electric Picnic and Witness.

In 2010, the song “Back to Before” from the album “The Beautiful Untrue” was featured in  television and radio advertisements in Spain and Portugal for the department store chain El Corte Inglés.

In 2011, The Beautiful Untrue was released in Spain by Warner Music.

Over the years, Jerry has sung with people such as Sinead O'Connor, Cerys Matthews, Something Happens, Engine Alley, Lir, Republic of Loose, Iggy Pop, Damien Rice, Imelda May, Kate Moss, Camille O’Sullivan, Aslan, Sharon Shannon and Carol Keogh. As Jerry says of his band “I have some of the best musicians in the world working with me, Conor Brady and Simon Farrell and John Wilde on drums. I went to see the Rolling Stones, and I’ve a better brass section. And we all love what we do in the Mudbug Club”.

Jerry (he has An Emotional Fish line-up with him this time) is playing the Olympia this Friday 30^th March in aid of Barretstown.  He has Sinead O’Connor, Something Happens, The 4 of Us, Republic of Loose, Engine Alley, Lir and Ham Sandwich with him.  I think it’s just about sold out, so if you want tickets, get them now.

Rock on Jerry!

Lets start the videos this week with TRUE FRIENDS

Now hit the blue NEXT button below & go to the next page for 18 more videos and a list of his songs and albums

Albums

• An Emotional Fish, 1990 - UK #40
• Junk Puppets, 1993
• Sloper, 1994 (UK), 1996 (US)
• The Beautiful Untrue
• Live at Speigeltent
• Be Yourself

Live albums

• Celebration Live, 1991
• Live Bait, 1991

Videos

• An Emotional Fish, 1990 (VHS edition)
• Live at Spiegeltent

Singles

"Cry Like a Baby"

"Grey Matter"

"Celebrate"

"Lace Virginia"

"Blue"

"Grey Matter" (remix)

"Rain"

"Time Is on the Wall"

"Aeroplanes"

"Superman"

"Summertime"

"The Hole In The Boat "

"True Friends"

"Upside Down"

"Anyway the Wind Blows"

"Be Yourself"

"Stand by Me"

Other Stuff

Even Better Than The Real Thing (Vol. 3)

Embraces

Other Voices - Songs from a Room

Dave Fanning's Festival Sounds

The Genuine Collection

Pure Irish

Other Voices - Songs from a Room 2

The best of Strawberry Alarm Clock

Live & Rare Vol. 1

The Definitive Irish Rock Album II

Copyright © 2012, DPNLIVE – All Rights Reserved

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Written by Bob Tallent

Parent Category: Entertainment-Arts-Other News

Category: Music . . . . .

Created: 23 March 2012

Last Updated: 05 January 2016

User Rating: 0 / 5

A Powerful Force in Music and his Influence will Last Forever.

Johnny Cash

This singer/songwriter, actor and author was born in Kingsland Arkansas on 26^th February 1932 and died 71 years of age on 12^th September 2003. He was 50 years in showbusiness. I have seen many documentaries on his life and looked at the film of his life, Walk the Line starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.  He has been described as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.  His music was mainly country, but he also sang gospel, blues, folk, even rock and roll.  He had a chequered life, drank heavily and became addicted to drugs, mainly amphetamines and barbiturates.  His signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm" and "Man in Black". He also recorded amusing songs, including "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue"; a duet with his wife, June Carter, called "Jackson"; as well as railroad songs including "Hey, Porter" and "Rock Island Line".

Read more: Man in Black, Johnny Cash Biography

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Written by Bob Tallent

Parent Category: Entertainment-Arts-Other News

Category: Music . . . . .

Created: 16 March 2012

Last Updated: 05 January 2016

User Rating: 0 / 5

Breakups, Lawsuits, Big Egos and Great Music

By Bob Tallent

The EaglesThis all American country rock group was formed in 1971. They were originally put together as the backing musicians for Linda Ronstadt and they gelled together so well that they decided to form a band after their first gig in Disneyland.  Their early sound was a combination of country music and Surf Rock. Their first album, which was released in 1972, was a million-seller.

Read more: The Eagles Biography

Details

Written by Bob Tallent

Parent Category: Entertainment-Arts-Other News

Category: Music . . . . .

Created: 09 March 2012

Last Updated: 05 January 2016

User Rating: 0 / 5

U2  had to reapply for the job of best band in the world

By Bob Tallent

U2These five North Dublin 14 year old school kids started their band in the latter half of 1976 and called themselves Feedback - one drummer, one bass guitar, two guitarists and one singer.  One of the guitarists left to join another Dublin group called the Virgin Prunes.  They didn’t like the name Feedback and changed it to the Hype.  They began rehearsing on weekends and after school as often as possible – doing Stones and Beatles covers, forming genuine friendships and developing an unquestionable chemistry in the process. After nearly 18 months of rehearsing, the band's big break came at a talent show in Limerick, Ireland, on St Patricks Day 1978. Jackie Hayden, from CBS Records, was judging, and the lads won the contest, getting a prize of £500 and studio time to record their first demo.

This was the start of the largest rock group in the world – U2, Larry Mullen (born 31^st October 1961) on drums, Adam Clayton (born 13^th March 1960) on bass, Paul Hewson (initially nicknamed Steinhegvanhuysenolegbangbangbang later "BonoVox of O’Connell Street" then 'Bono Vox' – cockeyed Latin for 'good voice' and eventually just "Bono", born 10^th May 1960) on vocals, and Dave Evans (later nicknamed "The Edge", born 8^th August 1961) on guitar. Dave's brother, Dick, also played guitar for a while and left.  Larry is the one responsible for starting the band.  In 1976, he got a drum kit and needed someone to practice with. So he put a notice on the school notice board asking people to audition for a new band.

On a sidebar here: Bono’s mother died of cerebral aneurysm while she was attending her father’s funeral.  He was 14. He never got on with his father, Bobby, whose unspoken message to his children was "to dream is to be disappointed."  Perhaps this is the key reason for his forming such big ambitions and becoming even more determined to follow his dreams.  Bono married his childhood sweetheart, Alison Stewart, on 21^st August 1982.  30 years later they have four children and are still together today.  That has be a record in the music industry, no pun intended!!

They changed their name to U2 for the contest.  After the contest, they convinced Paul McGuinness to manage them. When they were 18, they left school and played as many gigs as they could in order to build up a fan base.

In September 1979, U2 released their first Irish single called "U2:3" which topped the national charts. In December of that year, they travelled to London for their first shows outside Ireland, but struggled to get attention from music fans and critics.

They returned to Ireland, did more shows, continued to build their fan base, brought out their 2^nd single and then signed with Island Records in March 1980.  They then introduced their first album called Boy in October 1980.  This album achieved rave reviews in Ireland and UK. They then did tours outside Ireland and UK and the album got good reviews in the US where strong club shows helped driveBoy briefly onto the U.S. album charts.

In 1981, they brought out their second album called October.  Both albums had a Christianity feel to them.  Bono, The Edge, and Larry attended regular prayer group meetings and Adam was not a Christian.  Due to these meetings, they questioned their rock and roll and band lifestyle.  The Edge, in particular, was considering leaving.  They eventually decided to continue.

In 1983, they brought out their third album, War, which included Sunday Bloody Sunday.  This album achieved international acclaim and it included their first major hit single New Years Day hitting number 10 in UK and 50 in USA. Bono wrote this song and it refers to the movement for solidarity lead by Lech Walesa in Poland. After this was recorded, Poland announced they would abolish martial law, coincidentally, on New Year's Day, 1983.

In 1984, they changed direction when they brought out their fourth album The Unforgettable Fire inspired by a series of paintings drawn by survivors of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  It included songs like Pride (in the name of love) – written for Martin Luther King, Bad – written as a result of the drug problems in Dublin.  Pride hit number 5 in UK and 50 in US. In order to promote Unforgettable Fire U2 expanded its tour itinerary to more countries than ever before, and they played to sold out sports stadiums in the U.S. for the first time. Rolling Stone magazine named U2 its "Band of the 80s," saying that "for a growing number of rock-and-roll fans, U2 has become the band that matters most, maybe even the only band that matters."

On 13^th July 1985, when they were 25 year olds, they headlined the Live Aid Concert in Wembly when they played to over two billion people and Bono danced with one girl from the crowd during the 12 minute song Bad. I bet that memory will live her all her life.  Apparently, she was being crushed by the crowds and Bono motioned to security to pull her out. As they were attempting to free her, Bono jumped down from the stage to help and ended up slow dancing with her in the area between the stage and the crowd. The audience loved it and photos of Bono embracing the girl were all over the newspapers the following day. However, the rest of the band weren't so happy as they later said they had no idea where Bono had gone. They played on regardless and were very relieved when the singer eventually returned to the stage. Their performance turned out to be one of the highlights of the day. Only Queen's set could be said to have had the same sort of impact.

From here the band took off like a catapult, they released many more albums and singles, performed and sang with some of the best names in the world and created some of the most lavish shows the world has seen.

They had mixed reviews in 1989 to the Pop album and the Lovetown tour and they decided to take a break. In late 1990, after they had to "go away and dream it all up again," as Bono said during a Dublin concert in late 1989, they regrouped in Berlin and declared they were “reapplying for the job of best band in the world”.  They recorded a new album called Achtung Baby which delivered a brand new sound. It was their most adventurous to this day, bringing industrial guitars, feedback, altered vocals, and electronic dance beats together.  The fans and critics loved it.  They were back on top.  At the end of a show in Giants Stadium, New York, The Police (the band) took off their instruments and handed them to U2 - an act which to many people symbolised that they were now taking over as the 'biggest band in the world'.

New world tours, new albums, new singles. More people to perform with.  There is hardly anybody of any credible standing left in the world that they haven’t played with, e.g. Johnny Cash, Green Day, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, B.B. King, Lou Reed, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Wim Wenders, R.E.M., Salman Rushdie, Anton Corbijn, the Corrs, to mention a few.

U2 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. By that year they had won 22 Grammy awards, a historic record surpassed only by Stevie Wonder.

U2 continues their work for charity and social action. They headlined the Self Aid concert at the RDS stadium in Dublin, which was a benefit for Ireland's unemployed. They also played the six concerts on the Conspiracy of Hope tour organised by Amnesty International in the US, promoted the Northern Ireland Peace Accords, raised money for the survivors of the Omagh bombing, played in devastated Sarajevo following the war there, helped strengthen the shaky economy of New York City by playing there following the September 11 terrorist attacks, participated in the Live Aid and Live 8 series of concerts to relieve Third World debt, and continue to promote the Make Poverty History campaign. Bono has become prominent in efforts to end poverty and seek relief from AIDS and promote trade for Africa. He has become quite celebrated for these efforts apart from his music and he often finds himself publicly fraternising with presidents and finance ministers to promote these charitable ends.

U2 are on top of the world.  They are unquestionably the best band in the world today.  They are up there with The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, and ABBA.  While the Beatles are reputed to have album sales of 600 million to 1 billion, U2 have only sold 150 million.  But their stage performances are spectacular and you can see that in our article on the Top 25 Highest Earning Musicians of 20011, part 1 and part 2.

U2 are far from over and have a long way to go yet

Here is a video for you to watch. There are 14 more on the next page along with a list of their albums. Just hit the blue 'next' button below. 85 minutes of pure enjoyment.

Copyright © 2011, DPNLIVE – All Rights Reserved

No Line On The Horizon (2009)	No Line On The Horizon (Deluxe) (2009	How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004
All That You Can't Leave Behind (2001)	Pop (1997)	Zooropa (1993)
Achtung Baby (1991)	Rattle and Hum (1988)	The Joshua Tree (1987)
The Unforgettable Fire (1984)	Under a Blood Red Sky (1983)	War (1983)
October (1981)	Boy (1980)