GREAT IRISH BANDS, PART 29: THE WOULD BE’s
Sep 16th, 2008 by Conor McCabe
A couple of years ago I gave my friend Colm all of my vinyl records as I was moving house (again) and didn’t have a record player and didn’t have any room for them. He kindly took them off me, and tonight he kindly offered them back. A couple of months ago I bought a new record player in ARGOS for €60 - as an aside the same one is now on sale for €40 - and so it’s kind of interesting listening to them again. In between all the records - including the ones I had swiped off Sean Baite - I found this little gem, the Would Be’s “I’m hardly ever wrong” E.P.
I liked the Would Be’s but I have to admit, were it not for John Peel’s seal of approval, I doubt if I would have taken that much notice. Having said that I really like the third song here, “I want to say what goes without saying”, and I have fond memories of seeing them live in the (now-demolished) New Inn on New Street.
As for the band themselves, here’s the blurb from the always excellent irishrock.org
Wonderful indie pop band formed in early 1989 by the three Finnegan brothers, evolving from an their earlier band called The Nobody’s. Another brother James Finnegan managed them and footed the bill for the recording and the first pressing of 250 copies of their debut single, released through Danceline Records. This single was famously championed by John Peel. It is more easily found as the UK pressing on Decoy. 17 year old singer Jilie McDonnell left the band shortly afterwards, replaced by Eileen Gogan. The band reformed in 2000 with a new singer Karen Cunningham.
Enjoy.
I'm Hardly Ever Wrong [2:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Great Expectations [2:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup I Want To Say What Goes Without Saying [3:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup There Is There Are That's All [2:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup
Good - then all I need now is to coax the address of your secret hideout in Finglas out of Donagh - and I can send a couple of heavies to get some of me vinyl back…
Ah shag it ! I haven’t got a turntable - hang on to them for a bit more..
Ta for the WB’s MP3s - Cavan’s finest - did they ever produce an album or just a couple of EPs ??
Husker Du (Flip Your Wig), the Fall (c.r.e.e.p.), the Cocteau Twins (no name), and one or two others as well.
According to irishrock.org they only released E.P.s. It also said that they’re back gigging again.
I’ve no idea where Conor lives, apart from being somewhere in Finglas. I remember the would bes from years ago alright, but only ‘I’m Hardly Ever Wrong’ stands out in my memory so it good to hear the rest of these. Thanks for that Conor. Nice to hear Seán’s vinyl getting an airing again too.
Seán plied me with enough C90 compilations tapes over the years so I never had to borrow any of it.
The Would Be’s is mine. Sean’s stuff is the Fall, etc.
Ooops…
Actually Conor - I don’t remember ever having bought C.R.E.E.P. - the single, I suppose… and I have a version of it on the cassette of the LP… Is it from another of your victims, possibly even Donagh ??
Donagh - ta for the Fall write up - sounded like a fun night.
Imagine it took them until now to think of putting a tent up in the Iveagh Gardens - great idea - always liked the place…
Fuck! Sean you’re right. I think it’s from Martin Delaney. He gave me his vinyl records when he moved to Australia.
Yep, emigration’s been good for your record collection alright ;->
The way Fianna Fail are running the economy, I’ll be able to open up my very own second hand shop soon.