Brush Shiels

NeinNeinNein · 16-08-2019 11:00am

the beer revolu wrote: »

Does he still do "funny Friday" on Liveline?

Oh how we laughed!!

He was the opening act at SelfAid.

Here we go, Here we go, Here we go
Here we go, Here we go, Here we go oh
Here we go, Here we go, Here we go
Here we go oh, Here we go.

Cringing in the 80s.

EmmetSpiceland · 16-08-2019 11:06am

NeinNeinNein wrote: »

Here we go, Here we go, Here we go
Here we go, Here we go, Here we go oh
Here we go, Here we go, Here we go
Here we go oh, Here we go.

Cringing in the 80s.

Yeah, can’t argue with that.

From what I’ve heard from the man, after “Skid Row” broke up, he couldn’t get work and had a family to support. He met up with Louis Walsh and that’s where all the ‘Fields of Athenry’ stuff came from.

It was steady work but it meant discarding the bass and “proper” music he had been playing for an income. Understandable but also a shame as the band had been releasing some good stuff.

vicwatson · 16-08-2019 11:09am

He must have fallen out with Duffy, never on whineline these days

jimgoose · 16-08-2019 11:10am

He used to play gigs regularly enough in Westimers on Sullivan's Quay, Cork in the late '90s. Well able to lift the place, he was. Rockin'. :cool:

Mad_maxx · 16-08-2019 11:23am

Dog Man Star wrote: »

No, Brush Shiels isn't a strip of plastic glued to the bottom of a brush to stop a build up of grime, it's a hairy, bald bottom of a brush with a build up of grime.

He used to appear regularly, always grossly hungover on The Beatbox with Ian Dempsey back in the early 1990s, having spent the night drinking with some oul **** in Bruxelles.

He would splutter out some **** about who was out drinking with him, usually drug dealers, and would get angry when challenged about the top 10.

I saw him on a bicycle once, cycling through Rathmines. I threw three potatoes at him, I think they were Maris Pipers. All three missed his face, but he was very, very angry, let me tells you. I bought chips from the local chip shop that evening, but even with the extra expense, I never regretted flinging those potatoes at his big angry cycling RTE licence payer funded hungover head.

Your thinking of smiley bulger

Brush shields career was more or less over by the early nineties, never recall him on the beat box

Agricola · 16-08-2019 11:25am

BP Fallon, Brush and Indo "goss" columnist Barry Egan together recounting past glories. A form of torture not yet rivaled.

Mad_maxx · 16-08-2019 11:28am

Sardonicat wrote: »

Yeah, he used to be reeled out as music pundit on RTE throughout the 80s and 90s based on his association with Philo.

Another pundit was BP Fallon. Was Marc Bolan's manager. Probably had more legitimate claim to be a music pundit. He used to refer to people as cats and was very strange looking and very well spoken. Had a show on 2fm I think, once a week where he would interview famous crazy cats from the music industry.

BP fallon hung out with every one in rock n roll at some stage or at least claims to have, he claims to have had the job of testing page and plants weed, might be a pile of crap but who cares

A space cadet but you need those kind of cats, rare breed nowadays

Groovy as beep would say

Mad_maxx · 16-08-2019 11:33am

Yamanoto wrote: »

Always thought 'the Beep' was a bit of a hanger-on & for a guy who'd seen it all, a bit of a bore too tbh.

BP was endlessly entertaining, full of **** but it didn't matter

"Bless his heart"

the beer revolu · 16-08-2019 12:15pm

I seem to remember a claim that BP played harmonica on a Bob Dylan track.

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 16-08-2019 12:33pm

Agricola wrote: »

BP Fallon, Brush and Indo "goss" columnist Barry Egan together recounting past glories. A form of torture not yet rivaled.

One of those is much less talented than the others though.

Church on Tuesday · 16-08-2019 12:37pm

vicwatson wrote: »

He must have fallen out with Duffy, never on whineline these days

I don't blame him.

padd b1975 · 16-08-2019 12:59pm

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Your thinking of smiley bulger

Brush shields career was more or less over by the early nineties, never recall him on the beat box

I have vague memories of him being on and having a row with Bulger about a Philo gig he had organised.
It descended into petty insults with Bulger insisting on calling him Brendan instead of Brush.

farmchoice · 16-08-2019 12:59pm

Force Carrier wrote: »

He developed as a more virulent strain of the Smiley Bolger.

Smiley Bolger!! i saw him get into a terrible row with 2 prostitutes outside barry's hotel one night in the mid- nineties. back then Barry's was one of a limited number of places you could get a late night drink mid week (the postal workers drank there). we were trying to get in when smiley and the whores came tumbling out of the side door of the hotel, fighting and shouting, the pros were laying into poor smiley but he was giving as good as he got, they out-numbered him though so he had to beat a retreat.

it was unclear exactly what the row was about although money seemed to be at the core of it.

anyway all the commotion meant there was no way we were getting in so we had to go home

padd b1975 · 16-08-2019 1:08pm

farmchoice wrote: »

Smiley Bolger!! i saw him get into a terrible row with 2 prostitutes outside barry's hotel one night in the mid- nineties. back then Barry's was one of a limited number of places you could get a late night drink mid week (the postal workers drank there). we were trying to get in when smiley and the whores came tumbling out of the side door of the hotel, fighting and shouting, the pros were laying into poor smiley but he was giving as good as he got, they out-numbered him though so he had to beat a retreat.

it was unclear exactly what the row was about although money seemed to be at the core of it.

anyway all the commotion meant there was no way we were getting in so we had to go home

Must have been there doing a review of Mick Flavin.

mariaalice · 16-08-2019 1:14pm

Do people really remember and ruminate about obscure minor musicians and minor RTE types who haven't been on the telly for 20 or more years!!!.

It's fascinating what some are obsessed with.

Dyr · 16-08-2019 1:15pm

All I remember about Smiley Bolger was the he looked like he'd escaped from Jim Hensons Workshop bin

Roger Hassenforder · 16-08-2019 1:19pm

mariaalice wrote: »

Do people really remember and ruminate about obscure minor musicians and minor RTE types who haven't been on the telly for 20 or more years!!!.

It's fascinating what some are obsessed with.

Do people really bother to interject themselves and criticise people for reminiscing and ruminating about 80s RTE regularly fêted charachters?

BP got a bit of a kicking one night IIRC? Crather is about 50kg soaking wet i reckon.

mariaalice · 16-08-2019 1:50pm

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

Do people really bother to interject themselves and criticise people for reminiscing and ruminating about 80s RTE regularly fêted charachters?

BP got a bit of a kicking one night IIRC? Crather is about 50kg soaking wet i reckon.

A come on, a poster starts a thread about trowing potatoes at a very minor musician/ vaguely RTE type that has not been heard about in years most likey the poster was drunk or high or both, the thread was not about Ryan Tubridy or Pat Kenny or even Joe or any of the current suspects would you not find that a little bit fascinating.

Roger Hassenforder · 16-08-2019 2:14pm

mariaalice wrote: »

A come on, a poster starts a thread about trowing potatoes at a very minor musician/ vaguely RTE type that has not been heard about in years most likey the poster was drunk or high or both, the thread was not about Ryan Tubridy or Pat Kenny or even Joe or any of the current suspects would you not find that a little bit fascinating.

You couldnt turn on RTE 1 or 2 any night of the week without one or more of those fcukers being on.

Hadnt given a thought to any of them in 20 years or more! Nice to reminisce when all we had were potatoes to throw. Now OP would be throwing a smashed avacado on sour bread

dd973 · 16-08-2019 2:17pm

I remember a tv interview, might have been the Late,Late with Shiels and he came across as all self-important as if he was the big star and Phil Lynott was the minnion.

FishOnABike · 16-08-2019 2:19pm

enricoh wrote: »

Rock n roll man! Saw him a couple of days ago on telly, a phil lynott tribute programme.
Didnt know phil n him were in the same band in the early years.
He's still no oil painting, i can confirm for ya! A belt of a spud might have helped in that department!

Yeah, I heard he ended up in skid row for a while ;-)

Marty Xavier · 16-08-2019 2:22pm

Alot of people made a career out of their aquaintance, passing or deep , with Phil Lynott.

Leg End Reject · 16-08-2019 2:23pm

Ah I liked Brush back in the day, haven't heard of him in years.

Kivaro · 16-08-2019 2:24pm

Dammit!
I thought that the thread was going to be about:

Brooke-Shields-looked-gorgeous-in-a-blue-gown-as-she-attended-the-Hallmark-Channel-Winter-2016-Television-Critics-Association-Press-Tour-Party-January-2016.jpg

Brooke-Shields-looked-gorgeous-in-a-blue-gown-as-she-attended-the-Hallmark-Channel-Winter-2016-Television-Critics-Association-Press-Tour-Party-January-2016.jpg

Collie D · 16-08-2019 2:48pm

He played to 82,000 people as recently as this decade.

Did a few songs on the pitch at halftime of an All Ireland final.

Marty Xavier · 16-08-2019 3:41pm

I remember the 2013 All Ireland hurling final and Paddy Casey sang his heart out with a choir and all, after the performance the half empty stadium (the other half were in a queue somewhere) just sat there with a sprinkling of underwhelmed applause breaking out. Poor Paddy was none too plussed about it.

topper75 · 16-08-2019 4:15pm

The reason Philo was so damn good in the first place it would seem is the fuhking EEEVERYONE taught him how to play.

The last one I heard was Alec Finn, he of De Danann, when Philo crashed in his place back in the day.

I might make up my own 'teaching Philo' story for good measure.

vriesmays · 16-08-2019 4:38pm

Surprised Brush isn't more popular, he does pub rock versions of Irish tunes.

Crank Stain · 16-08-2019 5:33pm

I think the OP might be referring to Smiley Bolger on the Den.
I think Brush told Gaybo on the late late that he didnt drink.
I had bought a copy of Brush's Hey Mr Diabolo single and loved it and was surprised Brush wasn't living the rock and roll lifestyle.
I met him at a Rhythm Kings lunchtime gig in the Peacock in or around 1982/83 and he seemed like a nice guy.
I was about 13 and in awe of meeting my first rock star, I met Rocky De Valera at the same gig so all in all its a treasured childhood memory.

mariaalice · 16-08-2019 5:47pm

Crank Stain wrote: »

I think the OP might be referring to Smiley Bolger on the Den.
I think Brush told Gaybo on the late late that he didnt drink.
I had bought a copy of Brush's Hey Mr Diabolo single and loved it and was surprised Brush wasn't living the rock and roll lifestyle.
I met him at a Rhythm Kings lunchtime gig in the Peacock in or around 1982/83 and he seemed like a nice guy.
I was about 13 and in awe of meeting my first rock star, I met Rocky De Valera at the same gig so all in all its a treasured childhood memory.

Apropos of nothing at all, but I met my frist husband at a Rocky develara and the rhythm king gig, Auto de fe was playing as well.

Roger Hassenforder · 16-08-2019 6:01pm

Smiley must be over 100 by now.
He's ancient back in 99. Ian Dempsey is about 13...

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

Dog Man Star · 16-08-2019 7:31pm

I must apologise. You are all right. It was Smiley Bolger I was flinging those potatoes at, not Shiels.

AND it was Smiley Bolger who ruined every Sunday morning with his big ugly pock-marked face, greasy kebab hair, hungover to hell, talking about Vibe for Philo, boring the bejesus out of everyone.

Brush Shiels was a cnt too, though, though not as abhorrent as Bolger.

Smiley Bolger.....a pox on him. One of the ugliest people ever to appear on television, inside and out.

I'll never forget that day I almost took him out on Portobello Bridge. By jaysus, he was fuming as those spuds whizzed past his misshapen head.

Mad_maxx · 16-08-2019 7:36pm

Dog Man Star wrote: »

I must apologise. You are all right. It was Smiley Bolger I was flinging those potatoes at, not Shiels.

AND it was Smiley Bolger who ruined every Sunday morning with his big ugly pock-marked face, greasy kebab hair, hungover to hell, talking about Vibe for Philo, boring the bejesus out of everyone.

Brush Shiels was a cnt too, though, though not as abhorrent as Bolger.

Smiley Bolger.....a pox on him. One of the ugliest people ever to appear on television, inside and out.

Both were professional hangers on but while shields was spar, bolger was a market stall at the ballinasloe horse fair

EmmetSpiceland · 16-08-2019 7:41pm

Smiley Bolger was a promoter, right? He wasn’t in any “bands” or anything like that.

I do remember him being on “Dempsey’s Den” a fair bit and there was a rumour that he was the voice of Dustin the Turkey but that proved to be erroneous.

Brush made some good music with “Skid Row, check out the song ‘Mar’ from their “34 Hours” album for an example of this.

Sardonicat · 16-08-2019 7:47pm

Mad_maxx wrote: »

BP fallon hung out with every one in rock n roll at some stage or at least claims to have, he claims to have had the job of testing page and plants weed, might be a pile of crap but who cares

A space cadet but you need those kind of cats, rare breed nowadays

Groovy as beep would say

Groovy!

As I said in an earlier post, he's like a time traveller from the aftermath of some debauched aftershow party in the early '70s.

decky1 · 16-08-2019 7:54pm

mariaalice wrote: »

Apropos of nothing at all, but I met my frist husband at a Rocky develara and the rhythm king gig, Auto de fe was playing as well.

was Rocky De Valara not with the Grave diggers?

Roger Hassenforder · 16-08-2019 8:34pm

Mods

Need thread title change. Its Bulger, the Shields the target if OP's Pipers

jojofizzio · 16-08-2019 8:35pm

padd b1975 wrote: »

I have vague memories of him being on and having a row with Bulger about a Philo gig he had organised.
It descended into petty insults with Bulger insisting on calling him Brendan instead of Brush.

Aw sh1te,was Brendan his real name??
I’ve always Thought his first name was Basil and Brush was the obvious nickname

:D

Leg End Reject · 16-08-2019 8:39pm

jojofizzio wrote: »

Aw sh1te,was Brendan his real name??
I’ve always Thought his first name was Basil and Brush was the obvious nickname :D

BOOM BOOM!

Beechwoodspark · 16-08-2019 8:40pm

Sardonicat wrote: »

Groovy!

As I said in an earlier post, he's like a time traveller from the aftermath of some debauched aftershow party in the early '70s.

Saw him act completely out of order in a restaurant few years ago (tantrum). Awful to staff. Was never a fan but after that no time for his bollixology.

Sardonicat · 16-08-2019 8:43pm

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Saw him act completely out of order in a restaurant few years ago (tantrum). Awful to staff. Was never a fan but after that no time for his bollixology.

I'm not surprised by that, TBH.

AloneInTheDark · 16-08-2019 9:33pm

Agricola wrote: »

BP Fallon, Brush and Indo "goss" columnist Barry Egan together recounting past glories. A form of torture not yet rivaled.

I don't know about that. What I do remember is some outdoor party about a mile and a half away and Brush Shiels must have sang Fields of Athenry for about an hour, we were loosing the will to live at the end. Didn't he buy a house out on the back road to Dunboyne at some stage?

EmmetSpiceland · 16-08-2019 9:51pm

jojofizzio wrote: »

Aw sh1te,was Brendan his real name??
I’ve always Thought his first name was Basil and Brush was the obvious nickname :D

There are various stories behind the “Brush” nickname, the one I’ve heard most is from his soccer days where he played a “sweeper” role.

sligojoek · 16-08-2019 11:21pm

decky1 wrote: »

was Rocky De Valara not with the Grave diggers?

I think it was the Gravediggers first then The Rhythm Kings. Could even have been the same band with a name change. So long ago I forget. One band member was the late Ritchie Taylor who later wrote for the irish version of the sun and other publications.

I saw them live in Kennedy's of Puckane a few times in the early 80s. Great crack.

vriesmays · 17-08-2019 10:34am

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Smiley Bolger was a promoter, right? He wasn’t in any “bands” or anything like that.

He promoted Lir and where did that get them.

Bobblehats · 17-08-2019 10:53am

Sardonicat wrote: »

Yeah, he used to be reeled out as music pundit on RTE throughout the 80s and 90s based on his association with Philo.

Another pundit was BP Fallon. Was Marc Bolan's manager. Probably had more legitimate claim to be a music pundit. He used to refer to people as cats and was very strange looking and very well spoken. Had a show on 2fm I think, once a week where he would interview famous crazy cats from the music industry.

I wonder is brush still trying to sue Skid Row. Encountered bp a bunch of occasions at various backstage scenarios I was young; he was more than old enough to know better. He somehow managed to get that jack white fella to produce an entire album of ramblings by him! Because he’s such a charismatic eccentric, or something. Real groovy cat

dasdog · 17-08-2019 2:09pm

This is how your career ends up when you ask Phil Lynott to leave your band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKZE6q4gYgg

Remember having to put up with this chancers audio bollocks before Ireland's football games. God it's beyond dreadful.

Bobblehats · 17-08-2019 3:59pm

Masterful deployment of the tremolo bar after two minutes. Some people just abuse it like it’s their wang

andekwarhola · 17-08-2019 4:43pm

The comparisons with others made me chuckle because its so true.

Brush Shiels, BP Fallon and Smiley Bolger are like this interchangeable fug of Irish establishment musos from your childhood that you're not quite sure exactly what they did.

Raconteuse · 17-08-2019 11:30pm

Smiley - inexplicably on a Sunday morning pop show for kids. Couldn't stand when he was on (although the OP's rage is a bit OTT!)

Beep - not a fan of his schtick. A bit arrogant too. He presents occasionally on Today FM though, and his show is class in fairness

Brush Shiels

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