| KILKENNY, DUBLIN | 1989 - |
| OVERVIEW Engine Alley formed at the latter end of the 1980's in the shape of Kilkenny boys, Canice Kenealy (Vocals), Brian Kenealy (Guitar) and Eamonn Byrne (Bass). Moving to Dublin in 1989, they recruited drummer Emmaline Duffy-Fallon and the line-up was completed in 1991 with the addition of Ken Rice (Orchestra) from Kerry on Violin. While living in Dublin they took their name from a grey barren street in the heart of the Liberties, an old part of Dublin's south inner city. They quickly established a loyal following with their generally manic live performance and colorful appearance. They were signed by Mother Records and their first release was the Flowerbox E.P. in August 1991. The next single Infamy was followed by their excellent debut album A Sonic Holiday (produced by Steve Lillywhite), which won a Smithwicks / Hot Press award for Best Irish Album of 1992. The album contained a fine collection of tracks including the singles Mrs. Winder, Song For Someone and Infamy. In September 1993, Infamy was released in the UK followed by a return to the studio in the company of Pat Collier. The results were included on a revamped version of A Sonic Holiday entitled Engine Alley which was released in the UK in November 1993 and included the single Switch. At this stage Engine Alley had moved lock, stock and barrel to London. Switch was released in Ireland in December 1993 with three other new tracks from the Pat Collier session. The band relocated to Dublin in 1994 and the album Engine Alley was released Stateside on Island records. October of that year saw the band on a short but very successful tour of the US. On their return home in November 1994 there was a slight setback with the sudden departure of drummer Emmaline. This was quickly redressed by the inclusion of ex-Hothouse Flowers drummer Jerry Fehily. February 1995 saw the band part company with Mother. Not ones to hang around they immediately began to write and entered Sun Studios, Dublin with an armful of songs ready to record. They emerged triumphant with a ten-track album entitled Shot In The Light, produced, engineered and recorded by Engine Alley. Shot In The Light which was released on 28 July 1995 on the Irish independent label, Independent is a move away from the pseudo-glam rock/pop, sound/image of A Sonic Holiday. The new sound is a raw, rocky, live sound which shows the darker sound of Engine Alley. There is now more emphasis on the guitar/bass/drum nucleus of the band. 1996 the band decided to take a break. Canice and Brian pursued separate musical and non-musical endeavors while Eamonn landed bass duties with 'The Lord of the Dance' show. This really signalled the end of the band. However, in early 1998 the lads felt ready to reconvene and along with Paul O'Byrne (drummer from Brian's interim project, The Valleys), played a triumphant return gig in April in The Da Club. That gig found the collective engines in fine form with Canice as irrepressible and compelling as ever and band locked into a fresh accomplished groove. In 1999, the band released the 'Laveneder Girl' E.P. which was to be their last release together. 1999 - Band formed 1991 - Release of 'Flowerbox' EP [August] - Release of 'Jesus Christ' single [December] 1992 - Release of 'Infamy' single [March] - Release of 'Mrs. Winder' single [October] - Release of 'A Sonic Holiday' album [October] 1993 - Release of 'Song For Someone' single [June] - Re-release of 'Infamy' single [September] - Release of 'Engine Alley' album [November] - Release of 'Switch' EP [November] 1994 - Release of 'Old Lovers In A Basement Flat' single - Re-release of 'Engine Alley' album [October] 1995 - Release of 'Shot In The Light' album [July] - Release of 'I Can't Help You' single [December] 1999 - Release of 'Lavender Girl' EP [7 May] 2018 - Release of 'Shoowroom' album [14 September] |
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