DUBLIN

1988 -

OVERVIEW This four-piece power-pop band in the mould of U2 or INXS, was formed in Dublin, with a line-up of Gerard Wheland (vocals), Enda Wyatt (bass), Dave Frew (guitar) and Martin Murphy (drums). They began with two Irish hits on U2's Mother label, the second of which, "Celebrate", was given a UK release. BBC disc jockey Mark Goodier invited them to perform a session, and Radio 1 was so impressed by the band that they sponsored their UK tour. However, this soon backfired as the press made them scapegoats for what they saw as "odious and corrupt" practices on behalf of a public broadcasting service. This fuelled further invective when the band's debut album was unveiled, "weighty, overblown and held back by windy rhetoric" being one of the kinder reviews. "Lace Virginia" and "Blue', the follow-up singles, sank without trace as Radio 1 judiciously withdrew from the controversy, failing to give the band airplay in the process. The outfit released their second album in 1993 to a still hostile critical reception, while 1995"s Sloper saw them retreat from stadium rock bombast to a more textured, acoustic songwriting base. 1988 - Band formed 1989 - Release of 'Grey Matter' single - Release of 'Celebrate' single 1990 - Re-release of 'Celebrate' single - Release of 'Lace Virginnia' single - Release of 'Blue' single - Re-release of 'Lace Virginnia' single - Release of eponymously-titled debut album, 'An Emotional Fish' - Release of 'Celebration Live E.P.' 1993 - Release of 'Rain' single - Release of 'Junk Puppets' album 1994 - Release of 'Time Is On The Wall' single - Release of 'Aeroplanes' single - Release of 'Sloper' album 1995 - Release of 'Superman' E.P. - Release of 'Summertime' single