With the re-release of THE UNDERTONES classic second album ‘Hynotised’, with extra tracks, videos and a 20 page booklet, Vive Le Punk gets a small insight into the albums story from ‘Tones bass player Michael Bradley. For the whole story pick up the album.
MORE SONGS ABOUT CHOCOLATE AND GIRLS
Obviously a reference to the Talking Heads LP of 1978. When we supported Talking Heads at a festival in Scotland in September of 1979, we were in the dressing room next door to them. A band that we held in high esteem (Sire label mates of course) they had just released ‘Fear Of Music’. Great record. Fantastic title. Being of yahoo tendency, we were making a lot of noise in our room. This was the afternoon, there was no alcohol, certainly no other substances, but just us – shouting at each other, slagging each other, and probably producing loud and elaborate farting routines to amuse each other. An employee of Talking Heads, presumably their tour manager, came into our room and told us off for making such a racket. Not being from Derry, he didn’t realise that the only possible response from us, once he went away, was to increase the level of the racket immediately.
A short while later, the door opened again. It was David Byrne. The head of the Heads. ‘Hi,’ he said: ‘I like your album’.
I was in the chair nearest the door. What could I say to him? “Yours is great too’ was the best I could come up with. He said bye and left us sitting there, quiet as – well, not church mice, more like the congregation just as the priest starts mass. On our knees, praying for forgiveness.
Back to Damian’s song. This was, of course, about the quandary we had found ourselves in. The difficulty in coming up with songs for a second LP.
It has some great lines, especially the opening of the second verse. “Sit down relax and cancel all other engagements/It’s never too late to enjoy dumb entertainment” And yet again, a lovely wee riff .
Michael Bradley 2009
TEENAGE KICKS, TOP OF THE POPS, AND DERRY’S 3 CHORD KINGS!!!
The Undertones were John Peel’s favourite band and they were mine too. They also bagged 11 Top 100 singles, the highest charting being ‘My Perfect Cousin’ from ‘Hypnotised’, which reached number 9 in 1980.
* "Teenage Kicks" (1978) UK #31
* "Get Over You" (1979) UK #57
* "Jimmy Jimmy" UK #16
* "Here Comes The Summer" b/w "One Way Love" and "Top Twenty" (1979) UK #34
* "You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?)" (1979) UK #32
* "My Perfect Cousin" (1980) UK #9
* "Wednesday Week" (1980) UK #11
* "It's Going To Happen!" (1981) UK #18
* "Julie Ocean" (1981) UK #41
* "Beautiful Friend" (1982)
* "The Love Parade" (1982) UK #97
* "Got To Have You Back" (1983) UK #82
* "Chain Of Love" (1983)
* "Teenage Kicks" (1983) - re-issue UK #60
* "My Perfect Cousin" - re-issue (1983) UK #88
* "Save Me" (1986)
* "Thrill Me" (2003)
Albums
* The Undertones (1979, Chart #13)
* Hypnotised (1980 Chart #6)
* Positive Touch (1981 Chart #17)
* The Sin of Pride (1983 Chart #43)
* Get What You Need (2003)
* Dig Yourself Deep (2007)
*Hypnotised (2009-RE-RELEASE)
Live
* The Peel Sessions Album (The Undertones) (1989)
* Listening In: Radio Sessions 1978-1982 (Live) (2004)
Compilation albums
* All Wrapped Up (1985)
* Cher O'Bowlies - The Pick of the Undertones (1988)
* The Very Best of The Undertones (1994)
* True Confessions (Singles = A's & B's) (2000)
* The Best of The Undertones (Teenage Kicks) (1993)
* The Singles Box
* An Anthology (2008) Salvo records
Still playing regularly today-the Undertones are the ultimate pop punk band. Seek em out!
Eugene Big Cheese
