What does it sound like?:
There’s a school of thought that Dave McLarnon is underrated – a modest, soft-spoken yet quietly Tiggerish man in a raffish beard (and very often a hat) who was musically intoxicated as a teenager and who has never lost that excitement for it, working within and eventually leading a series of Belfast bands from the mid-70s to the present. Let me be the first in the queue to say that the time is most definitely now for a resetting of the Dave McLarnon appreciation dial – and that this sensational new album by his 1979–82 band of Ulster punk ‘nearly men’ is all the evidence we need.
First, some history… Dave began his musical adventures with a school band in the 70s, Sunset – and their revival in recent years has been entirely down to his own effervescent ringmastering role. Sunset gig two or three times a year and rehearse the odd time in between (often with me sitting in on bass – if Brendan Ten-Bands or Petesy Burns aren’t available) at the sumptuous premises of drummer Chris Loughridge AKA Johnny Dental. They are a fascinating amalgam of almost Dickensian characters bedevilled by various eccentric noms de plume, playing classic and progressive rock.
After Sunset (first time around), in 1978, Dave formed Shock Treatment with future publishing legend (‘Smash Hits’, ‘Empire’ et al.) Bazza McIlheney on lead vocals and a couple of other guys – initially Johnny Dental on drums, until he realised that punk rock might compromise his progress into private dentistry. They played the totemic venues of the Belfast punk scene and, like better-known contemporaries the Outcasts, RUDI, the Undertones and Protex, were offered a single deal on record retailer Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label. Two tracks were recorded but Tezza was short of cash and it took a year for one track – the classic ‘Belfast Telegraph’ – to emerge, on a various artists EP. A second single, ‘Big Check Shirts / ‘Mr Mystery Man’, was released on the band’s managers’ own label in 1981. Good Vibes declared bankruptcy in 1982 and by coincidence Shock Treatment disbanded that same year. Things had moved on.
Somehow, Shock Treatment have been slightly airbrushed, accidentally or otherwise, out of the mythology surrounding Terri Hooley and Ulster punk. They weren’t represented in the ‘Good Vibrations’ film and nor in the otherwise fabulous stage musical of the same name (which played first in Belfast and was revived for a triumphant run in New York last year). They were filmed for John T. Davis’ seminal ‘Shellshock Rock’ doc in 1979 but didn’t make the cut – and until very recently there wasn’t a single photo of their appearance at the legendary Ulster Hall concert staged by Terri in 1980 and featured extensively in the biopic. Happily, that single photo adorns the foldout insert of the new album and also appears in Stuart Bailie’s lovingly crafted new book about Terri and his world, ‘75 Revolutions’. At last, a bit of evidence that Shock Treatment existed and were near the centre of that now legendary milieu!
After the Ulster punk adventure of 1978–82, Dave formed a sort of New Romantic act, Five Boys, and later – while building up a career as one of Northern Ireland’s leading podiatrists – was persuaded to join Peacefrog, an early 90s would-be stadium rock act that managed some local-level celebrity and a few high-profile gigs before fizzling out in 1996. Dave fiddled with feet and drummed his fingers…
He revived Shock Treatment as ‘Shock Treatment 21’ in 2014, featuring former members of Peacefrog and himself as the sole original. Their 2014 album for punk revival label Spit Records was a tad split in focus, comprising mostly material from the Five Boys era plus a couple of original Shock Treatment retreads. However, it introduced Dave at last as a lead vocalist – and one of outstanding quality. He had previously been happy as a co-writer and sideman in previous bands, with big personalities Barry McIlheney and Phil Rossi fronting the original Shock Treatment and Peacefrog, respectively.
With ST21’s keyboardist retiring from active manoeuvres shortly before lockdown, Dave grasped the opportunity to reconfigure the project post-lockdown as, once again, plain ‘Shock Treatment’ – bringing in former Ghost of an American Airman guitar hero Billy Shovel on lead guitar and BVs. Shovel had himself been quietly grafting in the podiatry scene since the collapse of GOAAA (a late 80s act, the Belfast Simple Minds of a sort, with a modest international career). The new unit was a live performance sensation – with tremendous new energy and expanded musical possibilities, not least with three-part vocal harmonies. Think ‘Paperback Writer’ meets 999’s ‘Homicide’ (which they cover onstage) to get an idea of their punchy power-pop sound.
Recorded in Belfast by studio wizard Victor Bronzini-Fulton, with some support from Arts Council NI – not to be sneezed at in these revenue-dry times for creative artists – ‘Exclusive Photos’ is maximum old-school magic: 10 tracks / 38 minutes of blistering hook-laden punk / power-pop music that, had it been recorded in 1979, would be fondly remembered as a classic of its kind. Early Blondie and the Buzzcocks are the obvious reference points, with odd riffs or ideas bringing to mind the Skids, the Pistols, the Motors, the Ruts and, of course, local heroes SLF. If I had to reach for one reference point, I’d say that anyone with a soft spot for the muscle, melodies and attitude of the first two albums by the Motors will find a wealth of similar fare here. The arrangements are razor sharp, riff/melody hooks abound and Vic’s production brings 21st century clarity and sheen to the sound without compromising the pulverising analogue heft of the band and the era that’s being brilliantly homaged.
Although the booklet text is silent on the matter, six of the songs (tracks 1–¬4 and 6–¬7) are original-era Shock Treatment repertoire, with only the classics ‘Belfast Telegraph’ and ‘Big Check Shirts’ having been released at that time. Sensationally, original vocalist Barry McIlheney appears on the album fronting three songs, ‘Belfast Telegraph’ among them – a stone-cold classic in its original form and now reborn in heavyweight armour, its topical headline lyrical content now taking the form of an ancient papyrus. Who, one wonders, was Joyce McKinney anyway? Only a passing reference to Boris Johnson reveals the slight hand of rewriting.
Bazza’s husky roar suits the songs he appears on, but one suspects that even he would agree that Dave’s late-blooming vocal power is a revelation. Any one of the four original-era songs that have not previously been recorded/released could have been, in my view, hit singles in the 1978–79 era. Maybe ST, first time around, were just a year or so behind the Sham 69 / 999 / Rezillos / Buzzcocks curve in crafting immortal pop-punk classics that opened the door to ‘Top of the Pops’. Not *everybody*, Fay, was on ‘Top of the Pops’…
The rest of the album comprises one number from the Ghost of an American Airman canon – their classic anthem ‘When the Whistle Blows’, which has something of a Big Country feel to it in this arrangement. It fits well into the live act and just about works in the context of this album – though it’s the only song (even with the three new McLarnon songs included) that doesn’t feel like it comes from / could have come from the late 70s.
The three new songs in old style are tracks 8–10. ‘Belfast City / Belfast Punk’ features ‘the Belfast City punk choir’ (a gang of local 70s punk personalities) and features repeated references to Terri – Dave writing opaquely about the whole Belfast punk thing and, perhaps, the rollercoaster phenomenon of the Hooley mythology. Musically, it’s somewhere between ‘Eton Rifles’ and Father Abraham’s ‘Smurf Song’. I’ll leave it to others to figure out where Dave stands on the ‘revisionism’ question that seems to fascinate Ulster punks and commentators! ‘We’re Still Alive (The Kids Were Alright)’ is another Delphic rumination on times passed and times now, with a bit of a ‘Down in the Tube Station’ feel. Dave finally gets out of his own head with ‘You Can Change It (DUPed again)’ – turning his attention, and his fire, at the perpetual cesspit of NI politics and tribalist crap. A nod to Blondie’s ‘Atomic’ underpins a compelling litany and dark, Bowie-esque groove with slashing guitars – still somehow fitting into that late 70s glove yet also recalling Dave’s lockdown project The Auld Gods: an album of electronic rock with a couple of collaborators associated with the Psychedelic Furs. After the wonderfully reheated punk soufflé, it’s a masterstroke to finish on something that speaks powerfully to the here and now.
Dave McLarnon has proved two things with this masterpiece album: (1) Shock Treatment had the guts of a great album in them back in the day and are ripe for a reappraisal and new opportunities on the international punk revival scene; (2) Shock Treatment still have something to say – and anything that calls out tribalism, corruption and incompetence deserves hearing.
What does it all *mean*?
Post-Covid, live audiences were down in NI – from singer-songwriter gigs to punk revival gigs – and it’s perhaps only recently that the latter have shown healthier signs. The Outcasts, for example, fronted a sold-out Good Vibrations night at Belfast’s Black Box before Christmas, with enigmatic RUDI frontman/writer Brian Young – a diehard rockabilly rebel since his punk days, with the Sabrejets his main vehicle – playing his RUDI songs with a one-off trio and Tezza Hooley DJing/enjoying the glory. RUDI are rare in the Ulster punk pantheon in never having reformed. Currently, the Outcasts, Undertones and Protex are all playing internationally – and even second-leaguers the Defects have toured Japan.
There is no reason Shock Treatment should not be getting these international opportunities – even a spot at Blackpool’s Rebellion beano, for heaven’s sake. For there can be few 70s-era punk acts that still pack a punch in concert like Shock Treatment – and few with such a hook-laden repertoire.
Goes well with…
Storming the citadels of regional mis-government.
Release Date:
January
Might suit people who like…
Any of the acts mentioned above – the Motors, Buzzcocks, Blondie, 999 etc.
Colin H says
I’ll put a sales link here when the album is released sometime in January. I should also have mentioned that, like Bazza McIlheney, original ST drummer Chris Loughridge/Johnny Dental also guests on the new record. The regular line-up – all of whom feature on the record – is Dave McLarnon (vocal/guitar), Billy Shovel (lead guitar/BVs – retaining his mystique by appearing in the band photos but not in the album credits! 😀 ), John Rossi (bass/BVs) and Gordie Walker (drums).
Shock Treatment launch the album in Bangor, NI at Donegan’s Bar, Friday 26 January. I believe a Belfast launch is also in the offing very soon. It can only be legendary. A couple of promo videos of album tracks will appear soon. Meanwhile, here’s a bijou representative sample of the Shock Treatment sound – from a soundcheck a year ago, albeit a song not on the album.
Kaisfatdad says
Shock Treatment do indeed sound wonderful in that clip
And you are on fire @Colin.
This amused me no end!
“After Sunset (first time around), in 1978, Dave formed Shock Treatment with future publishing legend (‘Smash Hits’, ‘Empire’ et al.) Bazza McIlheney on lead vocals and a couple of other guys – initially Johnny Dental on drums, until he realised that punk rock might compromise his progress into private dentistry. “
Colin H says
As an aside, here is some now classic footage of Dave’s Sunset band in 2019, featuring Waldo Comfy (vocals), Dave ‘The Hat’ (lead guitar), Cosmo Serious (also lead guitar), Barry Brickhouse (rhythm guitar), Johnny Dental (drums) and punk legend Petesy Burns (bass).
Vulpes Vulpes says
That SPIT T-Shirt has given good service hasn’t it?
Colin H says
AS has Billy Shovel’s OGWT T-shirt – seen here when Bill jammed with Sunset that same night. Amazingly, Petesy Burns sang WITJ from memory – ‘playing the record in my heard’, as he put it… Before Waldo Comfy took over on ‘Gloria’.
retropath2 says
That you with the beard, Col?
Colin H says
😀
Colin H says
A sensational performance last night at Donegan’s bar, Bangor from Shock Treatment featuring Dave ‘The Beard’ McLarnon and cheery guitar hero Billy Shovel. 🙂 It was the launch of their new album – now available online from Spit Records. The initial print run is almost sold out.
Here are album designer Mark Case’s photos from last night in a montage with one of the album’s tracks, ‘Belfast City / Belfast Punk’ – Dave’s reflection on the Terri Hooley era, which features backing vocals from Petesy Burns and other fellow travellers from that scene. The show last night also featured a guest turn from original ST drummer Johnny Dental (AKA Chris Loughridge). Dave is pictured below with one of his biggest fans, who grooved throughout and joined the chaps on the chorus of ‘Belfast City / Belfast Punk’ last night (presumably by invitation).
Colin H says
That Spit Records link: https://www.spitrecords.co.uk/