JigTime

You know, even though I was brought up with traditional Irish music, like many I moved away from it for periods of time. Even with the bands that had traditional roots there was always a departure from pure Irish music. The Pyros were the band equivalent of a rebellious teen opting to add other forms of music to the mix. Bluegrass, jazz, rock, country were all thrown into the Pyros sound and our own traditional music was not always given the treatment the purists would be happy with. But we had a lot of fun with it and it did bring a lot of decent roots music to a new audience.

But along the way I have been a member of many different types of bands. The Whiskey Priests from Durham were a raucous punk folk outfit. Jack’s Jack was a blues band, Fiveskin was a mixture of original music and classic Americana that the members all loved. When Paul, Laurence and myself worked with Frank Tovey even The Pyros sound changed dramatically. It was rockier, punkier, much louder and more progressive in feel. We pushed a lot of our own boundaries working with Frank and he too went to musical places he would normally never have visited.

But in my very early days I was into much more popular music. I am still a fan of some top 40 songs and artists. My much cooler band mates in many of the bands I was with would cringe when I would tell them the cheesy songs I liked. So it was inevitable I would join a pop band at some stage. In my very early twenties my good friend Damien Doherty was leaving a local band he was in and I was ready for a change too. So we practically swapped jobs and I was suddenly in the Irish Showband scene.

It was such a good learning experience. It was all covers of top 40 and classic pop and rock hits but while it was poppy is wasn’t simple. The first song I had to learn for the band was Rio by Duran Duran. Then it was two years of everything from Wham to TheRolling Stones to Level 42. Pluto were a pop band based in Killybegs a small fishing town but the band were filling dancehalls and clubs all over the country. For me it was like being an instant pop star. We had our stage clothes and hair styles and did photo shoots and it was fun but hard work.

Of course it was cheesy when I look back. I had purple hair for a while with a gold streak in it. And I had a red suit which I wore with a white t-shirt and my jacket sleeves rolled up a la Miami Vice.

So just last week I was brought crashing back to that old time when a girl I knew back then who sometimes sang with the band got in touch and we have been chatting about old times.

Music is music and I loved my days in Pluto. Some of the music was not exactly for the cool but I enjoyed every note. I learned to be a better bassist and how to enjoy being on stage. But nothing really can take away the cringing feeling I get when I look at this blurry picture of me and singer Mary B on stage in Donegal with Pluto.

You can laugh if you want to. Til next time….
Thanks to my dear old friend Paula Cannon for the picture and the great memories

Slainte