What Happened to "The Next U2"?

OU812

When did Irish music decline? I'm not talking about the likes of traditional which is always moderately popular, but in the late 80s/early 90s, there was a huge Irish music scene, even if it was limited to Ireland.

Bands like:

Blink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpvIcnH0S-E

The 4 of us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJV7ACsBVDw

An Emotional Fish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jeg4mQMVGNg

The Stunning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvPv7nOQtZE

The 4 Of Us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP9cVgDiQYM

The Fat Lady Sings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlcSZotpAhE

Something Happens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUJJ1cc4Pto

The Cranberries

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Kspj3OO0s

I could go on posting youtube videos, but the point would be the same. At some point (when?), Irish music seemed to die off for a while, almost totally. Venues closed & bands broke up. There's been a small resurgence in recent years mostly lead by the likes of:

The Script

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS9o1FAszdk

Damien Rice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YXVMCHG-Nk

Glen Hansard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8mtXwtapX4

Ryan Sheridan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Gpul2E3pE

All of the above have been very successful internationally & are leading the charge, but none (apart from maybe The Script), give off the vibe that they're going to be truly global (Make it in America & you're made for life) superstars.

Is it rose tinted glasses (or headphones)? Leaving aside the likes of U2 (who you either love or hate), Aslan (world famous in Finglas [I think they're fantastic also]), Jedward/Boyzone/Westlife (sorry, I don't care how successful you are, if you don't write them yourself & play the instruments, you don't count).

Hell there were even smaller support bands that were bubbling under like:

The Honey Thieves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-6AL1_PpAY

The Brilliant Trees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE1S0-zpDEI

I think there should be a broadcasting regulation like canada where there's a requirement for 25% of music broadcast to be home sourced.

Freddy Smelly

louis walsh happened and the music industry died

NuckingFacker

Downloading music for free happened. That knocked A&R on it's ar5e and labels don't want to invest in anything except a "sure thing" like Boy-bands. Ones that will sell more merchandise than CDs. That tends to stunt the creative juices, the whole "not making a living" thing.

LETHAL LADY

Mic Christopher was a real talent, what a powerful voice. RIP.

Frosty McSnowballs

Boyzone ruined it for everyone

Skid X

Some great videos there.

There was a music circuit until the early 90s where the bands you mentioned could get experience playing live around the country, and make a few quid.

It mostly died out, I think the licencing laws were liberalised and people could drink later in regular pubs and nightclubs. DJ Culture took over and live music suffered badly.

Once the 'critical mass' of live venues went, it became more difficult for bands to make a living and build up a live following.

Lenin Skynard

Same for music the world over. There are very few good bands these days from any country. The Villagers are a very good current Irish band, I like everything I hear from them. They won't be successful though unless Louis Walsh takes over their management and burns their instruments in a fire.

FearDark

It's all boybands and X-Factor bollocks now. We used to be known world over for producing some of the greatest musicians ever! Right now our most famous musician is that rat faced weasel whatshisface in One Erection.

For shame.

Frosty McSnowballs

Too many clips keeps crashing my iPad....damn you OP!

What about Brendan Kilkenny?

Eathrin

Bell X1
The Coronas
Republic of Loose
Delorentos
Wallis Bird


Plenty of good modern Irish bands if you ask me.

Stojkovic

Why are people paying to see bands from the 80s and 90s ?

Because music since then is ****e !!!

Simple.

The Backwards Man

Buggles was right. Video did kill the radio star. And not just any video, this is where the rot started; MTV and yokes killed the music business.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1UZacLEUDs

SV

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Buggles was right. Video did kill the radio star. And not just any video, this is where the rot started; MTV and yokes killed the music business.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1UZacLEUDs

Ahh stop, that's a tune

HighClass

My Bloody Valentine put out one of the best albums this year. Other newer Irish bands that put out great stuff this year: Little Green Cars, The Strypes, Villagers, Girls Names, Come On Live Long. Lots of other good bands around as well!

pharmaton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1mlPPU6Hns

OU812

Haven't heard of any of those mentioned in Highclass's post apart from Villagers & didn't know they were Irish.

I'm currently listening to "Hinterland: Kissing the roof of heaven for the second time tonight"

Geomy

What about ASH and The Two Door Cinema Club ?

Howard Juneau

Eathrin wrote: »

Bell X1
The Coronas
Republic of Loose
Delorentos
Wallis Bird


Plenty of good modern Irish bands if you ask me.

Then why didn't you name any good ones?

Spanish Johnny

Do you mind if I ask what exactly is the question OP?

Are you asking what happened to the next U2 in terms of a similar band/sound/style?? Or are you talking in terms of success??

Geomy

What about ASH and The Two Door Cinema Club ?

OU812

Time Machine time - http://members.tripod.com/~irish_pop/bands.html Warning link contains high levels of louis walsh inspired dross

Untouchable Peasant

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

Mic Christopher was a real talent, what a powerful voice. RIP.

He was indeed but what annoys me is that when Mic was alive people disliked him as much as they dislike Glen now. The Mary Janes and The Frames were never, and still aren't, appreciated anywhere near as much as they should be.

Amazing how people love you when your gone though.

Anyway, that's always the way things seem to be in this country.

I think Matthew Devereux from The Pale has one of the greatest talents to never reach the big stage. His voice is stunning. Here he is singing Mic's Listen Girl' with Glen at Mic's 10th anniversary gig in Vicar St.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcQIjkhSIZ0

OU812

Spanish Johnny wrote: »

Do you mind if I ask what exactly is the question OP?

Are you asking what happened to the next U2 in terms of a similar band/sound/style?? Or are you talking in terms of success??

Success & the general decline of the industry.

Here's another:

The Would Be's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVEICZvdKwQ

Interslice

God is an astronaut, redneck manifesto...

Who would want to be the next U2? Lots of good songs but never a decent album. Everything in the last 20 years is rubbish commercial dribble.

Wompa1

Irish radio doesn't do any justice to Irish musicians. These lads topped the 'folk' charts on iTunes in the US. Had a song featured in a tv show on American television. Was featured on Starbucks first compilation CD and make their living touring the states.

Meanwhile, they had one of their songs played on Today FM a handful of times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QI6bUkEJL0

Frosty McSnowballs

Therapy?

Ruu

Some of us are on 56k still, fack sake!

I miss Whipping Boy.

darkpagandeath

If your not a blind 1 armed orphan that's parents were alcoholics you wont win factor

My name is URL

Freddy Smelly wrote: »

louis walsh happened and the music industry died

Music died, the industry is stronger than it's ever been.

That and old age

Micky Dolenz

U2 me hole.


Turn it up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NRVIaeFAhM

Sir Osis of Liver.

Rave culture took over in the 90s.
Bands went out of fashion for a generation.

dd972

MBV are the best Irish band for me

HighClass

Wompa1 wrote: »

Irish radio doesn't do any justice to Irish musicians. These lads topped the 'folk' charts on iTunes in the US. Had a song featured in a tv show on American television. Was featured on Starbucks first compilation CD and make their living touring the states.

Meanwhile, they had one of their songs played on Today FM a handful of times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QI6bUkEJL0

Very true about Irish radio. There's a couple of stations that play homegrown stuff but its not at peak time when everyone would be listening.

Compared to the UK it's piss poor, 90% of English radio is English bands and artists, which is why they have so many big name bands over there compared to here. They also constantly play new artists and bands and without radio play you wont be big, fact.

90% of Irish radio is whatever new track Pitbull or Chris Brown has out.

Interslice

Anyone heard these guys on the radio?

No. 1 in the irish itunes chart and No.2 in the official chart.

Micky Dolenz

Don't know why,don't know where, don't care less, it's all the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHeiVDSdoCM

Untouchable Peasant

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

U2 me hole.

Turn it up.

Good choice. Seems to get better with age, especially when performed live.

Was lucky enough to get tickets to the two small Whelan's gigs a few years back.

Must be only a few hundred capacity there but the atmosphere was amazing:

Stereomaniac

Kerbdog.

Xavi6

Turn should have been bigger than they were, Forward is an outstanding album. Saw them last year and felt all nostalgic, it was like being 18 again. The tunes still sound as good as ever too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag1GbdaDysU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PnnWnLpaZQ

Others like JJ72, Wilt, Berkeley and Melaton deserve a mention because they all released some excellent material but either couldn't sustain it or couldn't afford to compete in an industry with Walsh and his cronies.

It's a pity because Irish music between 2001 and 2003 had serious potential imo.

Xenji

The Irish music scene has not evolved for the simple fact that the majority of the bands in recent times have sounded like other bands or fads from two or three years ago, they always seems to be behind the times and end up badly imitating foreign bands. We have no innovation in this country or bands willing to try something different besides a small few who write for TV and not for the fans. Also do not get me started on the whole notion that because they are from Ireland they are amazing and we should support them, this is what is limiting the bands potential, they have too much of a comfort zone and are afraid to leave it, even if they are mediocre they are still championed because they are Irish.

porsche959

lost in cork

FearDark wrote: »

It's all boybands and X-Factor bollocks now. We used to be known world over for producing some of the greatest musicians ever! Right now our most famous musician is that rat faced weasel whatshisface in One Erection.

For shame.

Greatest musicians ever!! Who? maybe only one or two

Untouchable Peasant

Eat natural foods, bathe twice daily, fill your nostrils up with gravy.

Don't drink tea and don't drink coffee, cover your chin in Yorkshire toffee.

constance tench

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWpjjMT60ig

constance tench

[ED] I'd say these guys came closest...got signed to Warner...but way ahead of their time..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpFRIu8skLc

Turpentine

Everything's shite since Roy Orbison died

Napper Hawkins

There'll be another great Irish band, but not until Irish mainstream media takes its head out of its arse and starts taking chances with more homegrown acts (of any genre) like it used to.

All I ever hear when I turn on the radio is either utterly mawkish indie rock or some variation of Beyonce or Rhianna or whoever the latest independent woman is.

GLaDOS

>listen to God is an Astronaut
>realise all is well in the world
>listen to more God is an Astronaut

sparksfly

Untouchable Peasant wrote: »

Eat natural foods, bathe twice daily, fill your nostrils up with gravy.

Don't drink tea and don't drink coffee, cover your chin in Yorkshire toffee.

Poetic words indeed from the Sultans of sophistication.

Waitsian

Stereomaniac wrote: »

Kerbdog.

I see your Kerbdog and raise you My Little Funhouse.

Mention of all these bands is making me think of the first Trip to Tipp. :cool:

Great wee site for all you 'old' heads: http://irishrockers.com/artists.php?show=all

April O Neill

OU812 wrote: »

When did Irish music decline? I'm not talking about the likes of traditional which is always moderately popular, but in the late 80s/early 90s, there was a huge Irish music scene, even if it was limited to Ireland.

The Cranberries were *awful*. Shudder.

Very little Irish music excites me, I have to say. I think Little Green Cars have real talent though.

April O Neill

FearDark wrote: »

We used to be known world over for producing some of the greatest musicians ever!

Kinda a stretch, tbh.