PUNK legends The Undertones are pleased to announce their 40th Anniversary Belfast show at The Limelight 1 on May 20.
The Northern Irish four piece, known for their hit single, Teenage Kicks will be celebrating their 40th anniversary with a variety of scorching live performances at festivals and clubs throughout the world along with some very special record releases.
The Undertones emerged from Derry in 1976, the result of five friends learning how to play basic rock and roll.
Practicing in their bedrooms eventually led to the band recording Teenage Kicks in 1978 on Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label in Belfast. The legendary DJ John Peel received a copy and liked it so much he played it twice in a row on his radio show.
The Undertones signed with Sire Records and Teenage Kicks was re-released, resulting in the band’s first appearance on Top Of The Pops.
Over the next five years, John O Neill, his younger brother Damian, Feargal Sharkey, Billy Doherty and Michael Bradley crafted further numerous punkpop gems such as Here Comes The Summer, Jimmy Jimmy, My Perfect Cousin, You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It) and Wednesday Week. They also recorded four highly acclaimed LPs. Indeed, they almost enjoyed the life of professional musicians.
In 1983 Feargal Sharkey left the band to pursue a solo career and the remaining members decided to call it a day. The Undertones were to remain silent for the next sixteen years.
In 1999 The Undertones reconvened, without Feargal Sharkey, to once again perform their two-minute, three and a half chord songs to a new generation of fans in Derry. Fellow Derryman Paul McLoone replaced Sharkey on vocals and his vocal prowess and electric onstage presence soon convinced any doubters that he was more than capable of doing the job.
After much consideration the band released an album of new songs called Get What You Need, which was critically acclaimed by Q magazine, Uncut, Rolling Stone and Hot Press. Songs like Thrill Me, I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be and Everything But You showed that the art of writing short, sharp songs had not been lost over the previous two decades.
In 2003 Thrill Me was released as a limited edition 7” vinyl single and found its way to John Peel’s turntable. He introduced it on his show commenting: “And these are words I thought I would never be saying on radio again, a new single from The Undertones”.
He liked it so much he played it twice, just as he did with ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978.
In 2007 the band recorded and released another collection of pop nuggets under the title Dig Yourself Deep on the Cooking Vinyl label. The LP was described by Allmusic as “a true return to the classic sound of The Undertones”.
Both Get What You Need and Dig Yourself Deep had their digital release in December 2011.
Tickets on sale Friday December 11th at 9am from www.limelightbelfast.com, www.ticketmaster.ie Katy’s Bar & Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. Northern Ireland customers 0844 277 44 55 & Republic of Ireland customers 0818 719 300