Author:Richard Lawrence Jordan
This lengthy book takes a very detailed look at the music that emanated from Northern Ireland during the mid to late seventies, against a background of political and cultural upheaval and suburban violence. The punk movement seemed to provide the seeds of hope and perhaps an alternative revolution for those in their youth that largely eschewed politics. The book devotes a good deal of space to the work and influence of Terri Hooley and the Good Vibrations label, and bands such as The Undertones and particularly Stiff Little Fingers feature heavily and really form the epicentre of the book. That’s not to say that lesser bands are ignored – there are many others, such as The Defects, whose star shone briefly but brightly before being extinguished completely who now get their long overdue moment in the spotlight. The author also delves into the social history and political background of Northern Ireland, which personally I found less interesting, although I suppose this background is essential to even begin to understand the context of what was going on during these turbulent times. The author provides a very in depth look at the social, political and cultural climate which formed a backdrop to the new breed of music being produced. It has an academic feel almost as though it’s a university paper, which can make it hard going at times for the casual reader such as myself, but that doesn’t detract from the sections concentrating on the music which are the book’s strongest point for me. I suppose though that the two topics are inextricably linked. Overall, this is a book that is well worth investigating if this is an area and era that you’re particularly interested in learning and understanding more about.
Length of Read:Long
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
The music that came pouring out of these difficult circumstances.
One thing you’ve learned
It’s always a joy to listen again to The Undertones and SLF.
Paging @colin-h
Ulster punk… the well that never runs dry! I’ve never heard of this chap but he’s an academic, certainly. This is presumably an academic book that he couldn’t place with an academic publisher (it’s privately printed). He’s written books on Ian Paisley and alcoholism/music (two books – not one covering both!): https://syracusepress.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/author-spotlight-richard-lawrence-jordan/
There’s another book on Troubles/punk out more recently – ‘Wild Colonial Boys’ by Paul Burgess, a member of Good Vibes band Ruefrex. (You’ll be tickled to know, Retro, that I’m reprising ‘Northern Ireland Politicians’ with a load of Ulster punks at a book launch/concert event with Paul B on March 22!)
I haven’t read it yet, but here’s the blurb:
Ruefrex were one of Northern Ireland’s most popular and uncompromising punk rock bands.Emerging from the Belfast street-gang culture of the late-1970s, the group, inspired by The Clash, enjoyed a turbulent, decade-long career. They played for millions on CNN and Channel 4, toured with The Pogues and recorded the controversial ‘The Wild Colonial Boy’, which attacked American donations to Northern Irish terrorist organisations. Throughout it all, founder member, songwriter and spokesperson Thomas Paul Burgess ensured the band remained faithful to their Protestant, working-class origins. This candid memoir take us on a journey from the streets of Belfast to encounters with U2, Shane MacGowan, The Cure, The Fall and Seamus Heaney. From the strife-torn 1970s Belfast and bohemian London, Wild colonial boys tells the story of a punk band who refused to give up and stayed true to their punk roots.
And from a slightly wider well (but also includes Ulster Punk) there is Stuart Bailie’s Trouble Songs: Music and Conflict in Northern Ireland
Indeed – proofed by yours truly, as was the recent Tezza Hooza book by Stuarty B. 🙂
Colin: The reason that the “The Troubles, with music” is self-published and did not go through an academic press, was my choice. Having dealt with them for several books, I did not want to wait for an extended period of time (up to 2 years before it appears in their catalogue) or have my book available at the exorbitant academic price.
I was in the music business (owned 2 labels) and am know trying to figure out independent publishing. Thus, “The Troubles, with music” is a learning experience.
Not a subject I know much about if I’m honest, but I hope you’ll forgive me if I mention something that caught my attention in a book I read a couple of years ago. It was ‘Anatomy Of A Killing’ by Ian Cobain, an in-depth account of just one of the viscious atrocities carried out in NI. I don’t have it to hand, so I’m paraphrasing – He mentions the brief rise of punk in Northern Ireland and how it was seen (or should have been seen) as a force for good in bringing young people of either or all communities together when there was little else to celebrate at the time. He recounted a story of an RUC patrol stopping a group of teen punks who were on their way to a gig. When they took names and addresses the RUC men were bemused to find the group were from diverse areas of Belfast, who would not normally be known to socialise together. Does that sound like the way it was Colin? Or was he looking at a rose-tinted past?
As someone who was a Harp Bar regular (and played in one of the earliest Belfast punk bands) it’s not really how I remember it. As far as I recall, the Harp, and other venues, were essentially neutral spaces. There wasn’t much aggro in the venues, but it could flare up on the way to, or from, the gig. I’m not saying there was no ‘cross community’ mingling, but it wasn’t as universal an experience as the rose coloured specs wearers would have you believe.
I was in primary school at the time, but as Gary says, the impression I get was that it wasn’t as happy & cheery as the rose-tinters would have you believe, but more a case of ‘don’t mention the war… let’s just all jump around instead for a while and forget about it…’
Burgess makes the point in his book (haven’t read it, but I was at an author event in the Linen Hall Library that he did a couple of weeks back) that his band, Ruefrex, were ‘anti-sectarian’ while the general Ulster punk scene was ‘non-sectarian’. He makes a lot from the fact that his crew were working class protestants in background (a relative rarity).
Thanks, both…
I should know more about it as a Hot Press reader at the time but I confess punk held little interest for me and I would have skipped over the many articles about the NI scene
Hence the semi-known adage ‘Dublin never got into punk, Belfast never got out of it’.
Aside from the Undertones (minus Feargal), there are three Good Vibes label bands still performing: The Outcasts (on a remarkably prolific world tour the past couple of years, but only one EP of new material since their 1985 bow-out); Shock Treatment (more selective local gigs, but a stunning new album last month – their second ever – featuring three original members). ST track about the Belfast punk era below (set to photos from their album launch show in Bangor); and Protex – literally in Memphis as I type, having just finished their second US trip in six months.
But… to that list we can add very occasional gigs (two in the past three months) by ex-Rudi frontman/current Sabrejets lifer Brian Young performing Rudi numbers (as Shame Academy or the Brian Young Band – with Petesy Burns & Greg Cowan, both Outcasts alumni. Also, this month Ruefrex lyricist/drummer Paul Burgess will be performing Ruefrex songs for the first time in 40 years at one of his book events, backed by various old punks. (A previous book event was notable for pithy interjections from the floor by Clarkey, former Ruefrex frontman, who is unhappy with aspects of his portrayal in the book – though I understand that two other former members of the band are more relaxed about it/complimentary.)
Of the Xdreamysts, Robert Butcher plays occasional cabaret shows (for fun) with a trio in Portstewart, featuring country-rock guitar hero Chris Probst, while Docherty ‘Doc’ Docherty plays lead guitar with boogaloo pub-rockers Villiers & His Villains in County Down and thereabouts.
As for other non-Good Vibes acts of that era, I believe the Defects are still going (having revived and recorded since 2010 – though their activities will be limited as mainman Ian Murdoch replaced Petesy Burns on lead guitar in the Outcasts a year or more back (and he also runs a ska band).
Shock Treatment (studio track 2024):
Brian Young plays Rudi (with Petesy & Greg), December 2023:
Stiff Little Fingers still touring and will be playing Glagow Barrowlands for the 31st St Patricks night later this month. And returning to Custom House Square in August with Terri Hooley DJ set on the bill too. The Undertones were on the bill last year. Previous support acts include Defects, Outcasts, and Starjets.
The Damned and The Skids supporting this year.
And here are the Pros in the US last September. People keep ringing Aidan up. You’d think they’d have got the message by now… Two of the Pros are also in Shock Treatment these days (only the drummer in this clip – the bass player was a stand-in on this US jaunt), and one of the other two has been known to grace Bourgeois Fury/Legends of Tomorrow projects…