Brush Shiels

Dog Man Star · 15-08-2019 6:33pm #1

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.

Mental Mickey · 15-08-2019 6:34pm

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.

Lay off the booze lol

enricoh · 15-08-2019 6:37pm

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!

Your Face · 15-08-2019 6:38pm

I never minded him, it was just that beret he wore. It looked silly on that perfectly globe-shaped head of his.

s7ryf3925pivug · 15-08-2019 6:41pm

I saw Louie Walsh once when I was leaving the pub where the Screen used to be.

I shouted "Louie Walsh!"

He turned in my direction, but I hadn't planned any further.

Dog Man Star · 15-08-2019 6:41pm

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!

I remember so clearly when I wanted to hear Haddaway's "What is love?", this long haired grease monkey was talking about Vibe for Philo.

Is he dead yet? If not, I will happily finish him off. I mean kill him, not give him a hand job. Can you imagine the state of his flute? Like Philomena Lynott, all bush with a mouthy slot.

Sardonicat · 15-08-2019 6:45pm

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.

Force Carrier · 15-08-2019 6:47pm

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

cml387 · 15-08-2019 6:47pm

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.

Also appeared on TOTP with John Lennon and the Plastic Ono band.

Harry Palmr · 15-08-2019 6:48pm

BF Fallon was Led Zeps tour PR hack for a while so he must know a few stories. Brush was a great guitarist and good value for a rock and roll ancedote in a land with very little rock and roll but plenty of tall tales.

Sardonicat · 15-08-2019 6:57pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

BF Fallon was Led Zeps tour PR hack for a while so he must know a few stories. Brush was a great guitarist and good value for a rock and roll ancedote in a land with very little rock and roll but plenty of tall tales.

I'd say BP"s autobiography would be pretty juicy, alright!

SEPT 23 1989 · 15-08-2019 7:05pm

Is he dead or wha?

enricoh · 15-08-2019 7:07pm

I can imagine bp fallon getting dolled up in flares, wig, medallions n a line of sneachta . Strutting around in disco stu of the Simpsons mode!

Sardonicat · 15-08-2019 7:15pm

enricoh wrote: »

I can imagine bp fallon getting dolled up in flares, wig, medallions n a line of sneachta . Strutting around in disco stu of the Simpsons mode!

Nah, BP was the human embodiment of early glam. If you put his speech to music you'd end up with a nifty T-Rex number. A genuinely cool cat, though. Like a time traveller from the hippest corner if 1974.

Teepinaw · 15-08-2019 7:20pm

Ah the Beatbox
I seem to remember Smiley Bolger turning up every week, wearing a Lir T-Shirt and spouting about how great this band was...

thelawman · 15-08-2019 7:26pm

wasn’t it Smiley Bolger who was on TV every week spouting on about Engine Alley ?

Teepinaw · 15-08-2019 7:37pm

thelawman wrote: »

wasn’t it Smiley Bolger who was on TV every week spouting on about Engine Alley ?

Probably.
But I remember the Lir T-Shirt too

JupiterKid · 15-08-2019 7:46pm

The minute I saw this thread, I thought Brush had joined all those other rockers who are performing in the Great Gig In The Sky.

I think he was lead guitarist in a band called Sdid Row back in the late '60s - he is supposed to have spotted the talent of a very young Phil Lynott. He also was on TV a good bit on music shows back on the 80s and early 90s.

Brush was part of the first wave of Irish rock music which was in the background behind the dreadful showbands - before Thin Lizzy, The Boomtown Rats and of course U2 propelled Irish rock into the big time.

EmmetSpiceland · 15-08-2019 7:52pm

JupiterKid wrote: »

I think he was lead guitarist in a band called Sdid Row back in the late '60s - he is supposed to have spotted the talent of a very young Phil Lynott. He also was on TV a good bit on music shows back on the 80s and early 90s.

He was the bass player, and a damned good one too. Gary Moore was “lead” guitar. Phil Lynott was originally in the band but was, sort of, kicked out but before he left Brush Shiels taught him the bass.

Some of his “Skid Row” stuff is well worth checking out.

SEPT 23 1989 · 15-08-2019 7:57pm

He went berserk on Liveline one day saying he was running around the field seeing angels if I remember correctly

JohnnyFlash · 15-08-2019 8:04pm

‘Musos’ are always such arseholes.

Man Vs ManUre · 15-08-2019 8:05pm

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Is he dead or wha?

Yeah. Some fella hit him in the head with a rake of spuds as he was cycling through Rathmines. He fell and was run over by the 15A bus. He got decapitated.

Realtai · 15-08-2019 9:45pm

Jesus, he must be getting his old age pension by now!

How old is he anyway...90 or something?

Yer Da sells Avon · 15-08-2019 10:14pm

Realtai wrote: »

Jesus, he must be getting his old age pension by now!

How old is he anyway...90 or something?

He's 73, but seems to have been the same age for the last 30 years.

fryup · 15-08-2019 10:20pm

he used to appear on anything goes back in the day giving guitar lessons alongside anghus mcanally

subpar · 15-08-2019 10:20pm

Brush was a brilliant frontman

secman · 15-08-2019 10:26pm

Brush played for a while with Bohemians FC , his brother Mo Shiels played for St Patricks Athletic FC.

FionnK86 · 15-08-2019 10:29pm

Played a street festival with him in Celbridge two years ago.

Dubs love him.

tigerboon · 15-08-2019 10:36pm

Dog Man Star wrote: »

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.

Maris Piper are probably the best for making chips with. You could've saved 50p

decky1 · 15-08-2019 10:47pm

jesus guy's you're a bit hard on him, as they say 'your never a prophet in your own country', see him load of times fantastic guitarist, love the way he can turn the ballads into rock songs , spoke to him just after they unveiled the statue of Phil and had the concert in the point he got to sing one song that night, he said they put on the invite 'that he was to come alone' was there that night the whole thing was a farce they should have called it 'the Gary Moore show'cos he got to play all night.Brush deserved more respect that night as he was a life long pal of Phil's.

Hangdogroad · 15-08-2019 11:27pm

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Is he dead or wha?

The hell he is, punk!

R-7656191-1446233770-1594.jpeg.jpg

branie2 · 15-08-2019 11:35pm

He's a great singer

16-08-2019 1:25am

Teepinaw wrote: »

Ah the Beatbox
I seem to remember Smiley Bolger turning up every week, wearing a Lir T-Shirt and spouting about how great this band was...

I also remember him being interviewed from his hospital bed after getting the living daylights bate out of him at a Lizzy tribute gig in Limerick when the older brother of some young one he was trying it on with took exception. Two black eyes and his head in sling he was still demanding Ian Dempsey play something by Lir.

padd b1975 · 16-08-2019 2:19am

Teepinaw wrote: »

Ah the Beatbox
I seem to remember Smiley Bolger turning up every week, wearing a Lir T-Shirt and spouting about how great this band was...

He sent some AC/DC money to a guy I went to school with.

Yamanoto · 16-08-2019 8:20am

Sardonicat wrote: »

Nah, BP was the human embodiment of early glam. If you put his speech to music you'd end up with a nifty T-Rex number. A genuinely cool cat, though. Like a time traveller from the hippest corner if 1974.

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.

fatknacker · 16-08-2019 8:35am

Jonathan Cuddly Curve wrote: »

I saw Louie Walsh once when I was leaving the pub where the Screen used to be.

I shouted "Louie Walsh!"

He turned in my direction, but I hadn't planned any further.

I did the exact same on the train down to Trip to Tipp with Brush Shiels, actually. I saw him and shouted "Oh, its yer man" didn't know who he was other than someone I recognised from telly.

He turned around and I had absolutely nothing to follow it up with so just sat there in silence sipping a can.

fatknacker · 16-08-2019 8:41am

On recent reflection it could have been BP Fallon. Both are a bit alike and of similar ilk.

16-08-2019 8:48am

fatknacker wrote: »

On recent reflection it could have been BP Fallon. Both are a bit alike and of similar ilk.

Beep beep, the name dropper supreme. Dining out on a passing acquaintance with Marc Bolan in 1971.

Utter Consternation · 16-08-2019 9:28am

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

‘Musos’ are always such arseholes.

Aren't you a bit of trad 'muso' yourself, Johnnyboy?

Hmmm...?

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 16-08-2019 9:30am

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Is he dead or wha?

No. All three potatoes missed and the op had to buy chips that day.

Hamsterchops · 16-08-2019 9:36am

Back in the 80s it seemed like Brush was on the Late Late every other week (when other guests were scarce)? Always reminded me of a Dublinese version of Nosferatu in a beret

...ah jaysus lads, dat takes me back to Philo ....

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 16-08-2019 9:38am

fatknacker wrote: »

I did the exact same on the train down to Trip to Tipp with Brush Shiels, actually. I saw him and shouted "Oh, its yer man" didn't know who he was other than someone I recognised from telly.

He turned around and I had absolutely nothing to follow it up with so just sat there in silence sipping a can.

I did the same with Bob Dylan a few weeks back. It was when he was playing Kilkenny.

Anyway I obviously know who he was but I shouted “it’s that guy!” as my mind went blank. Bob turns around from his entourage and stares me down for 5 terrifying seconds. Waiting for me to get the name. Then he’s had enough and he turns back.i leave quietly.

EDIT:

Now that I think about it that mightn’t have been Dylan at all. I was on Killarney not Kilkenny. It was a week later and the guy I shouted at was a red head.

Utter Consternation · 16-08-2019 9:43am

I saw him play a gig for Galway RTC Rag week back in the late nineties, or maybe 2000. He put on a good show. Admittedly i'd around fifteen pints in me by the time he started playing.

Ger Roe · 16-08-2019 9:51am

The Brush was a legend on the pubs and clubs circuit around the country in the 1980's. You were always guaranteed a good night of music and stories when he was on stage.

He always claimed he could rock up any song ...

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

Seanachai · 16-08-2019 9:51am

I saw him on a doc about the song 'Old Town' by Phil Lynott the other night, he got very emotional at the end when talking about Philo. He played at my cousin's wedding, I've often seen him and smiley Bolger at rock gigs in town.

JohnnyFlash · 16-08-2019 9:57am

Utter Consternation wrote: »

Aren't you a bit of trad 'muso' yourself, Johnnyboy?

Hmmm...?

I play for the love of it, Utter. And for the fanny of course.

Marty Xavier · 16-08-2019 10:16am

Fields of Athenry metal version yeuuuuk

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 16-08-2019 10:30am

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

I play for the love of it, Utter. And for the fanny of course.

Trad music is the best for fanny alright.

fryup · 16-08-2019 10:33am

Fields of Athenry metal version yeuuuuk

usually sung up north in westh Belfast...surrounded by p!ssed up Celtic clad RaHeads

*good ol'Brush doing his bit for the peace process

the beer revolu · 16-08-2019 10:37am

Does he still do "funny Friday" on Liveline?

Oh how we laughed!!

He was the opening act at SelfAid.

Zulu · 16-08-2019 10:59am

For some reason, I immediately though you were talking about a different brush.

Brush Shiels

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