Hugh Cornwell Announced As Special Guest.
The Undertones have confirmed a run of U.K. live dates throughout May and June, of which will see the popular band return to Liverpool’s o2 Academy on May 9th and with special guest, the tireless and exceptional Hugh Cornwell, in tow.
The Undertones emerged from Derry in 1976, the result of five friends (John O’ Neill, Damian O’ Neill, Feargal Sharkey, Billy Doherty and Michael Bradley) learning how to play basic rock and roll.
Even by the standards of that decade Derry was not the rock and roll capital of anywhere. With no live bands worth watching, they learned by listening to mail order records, reading one of the few copies of NME that made it to Derry but most of all from listening to John Peel’s wonderful show on B.B.C. Radio One. Practicing in their bedrooms eventually led to the band recording John O’Neill’s Teenage Kicks in 1978 on Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label in Belfast. The legendary D.J. John Peel received a copy and liked it so much he played it twice in a row on his radio show.
The Undertones signed with Sire Records and Teenage Kicks was re-released, resulting in the band’s first appearance on Top Of The Pops. Over the next five years, John O Neill, crafted further pop gems such as Here Comes The Summer, Jimmy Jimmy, You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It) and Wednesday Week whilst Damian O’Neill and Michael Bradley contributed My Perfect Cousin. They also recorded four highly acclaimed LPs. Indeed, they almost enjoyed the life of professional musicians. In 1983 Feargal Sharkey left the band to pursue a solo career and the remaining members decided to call it a day. The Undertones were to remain silent for the next sixteen years.
In 1999 The Undertones reconvened, without Feargal Sharkey, to once again perform their two-minute, three and a half chord songs to a new generation of fans in Derry. Fellow Derryman Paul McLoone replaced Sharkey on vocals and his vocal prowess and electric onstage presence soon convinced any doubters that he was more than capable of doing the job.
After much consideration the band released an LP of new songs called Get What You Need, which was critically acclaimed by Q magazine, Uncut, Rolling Stone and Hot Press. Songs like Thrill Me, I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be and Everything But You showed that the art of writing short, sharp songs had not been lost over the previous two decades.
In 2003 Thrill Me was released as a limited edition 7″ vinyl single and found its way to John Peel’s turntable. He introduced it on his show commenting, “And these are words I thought I would never be saying on radio again, a new single from The Undertones“. He liked it so much he played it twice, just as he did with Teenage Kicks in 1978.
The band marked Record Store Day 2013 with a 7″ vinyl only release, recorded in the famous Toe Rag studio in London. A return to their punk roots, Much Too Late sold out the 1,000 copies before the day was out.
In 2016 the Band released vinyl remasters of their first two LPs; The Undertones – The Undertones and The Undertones – Hypnotised along with a 7 vinyl remix of the 1979 single Get Over You. Remixed by Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine/Primal Scream). Michael Bradley also published his book Teenage Kicks: My Life As An Undertone.
2018 marked the 40th Anniversary of the release of their most influential and famous song, Teenage Kicks. On 21st April for Record Store Day 2018 the band released a Vinyl Singles Box Set containing the 13 x 7″ original Undertones singles from the classic early period: 1978-1983.
Tickets for The Undertones, with Hugh Cornwell as special guest, are available to purchase from the o2 Academy Box office. Check venue’s homepage for further details.