Exclusive Interview
Derry - Northern Ireland - September 2004

It´s really incredible to imagine that after almost 20 years since the first time I listened to the Undertones in my life, I am now typing the first introduction words for this exclusive and historical interview I had the honour to do with no one less than John O'Neill, original guitar player, main song writter and leader of this Irish band.

For those who still do not know the music of this real legend or even never heard of them, it´s good to remember that they were considered by many to be "the British Ramones", because of their songs and melody, as well as because of their posture and attitude, mixed with all that "bublegum" and "teenage" spirit. Bands like The Queers have already covered the Undertones ("Get Over You" and "Here Comes The Summer"). Even the kings of pop rock, U2, played their hit "Teenage Kicks" during one of their shows for the Joshua Tree tour, in the 80's. Certainly the fact they have kept themselves away from the rock scene for almost 20 years, has put them into a lack of connection with the audience and rock fans of today´s world, but I will try to give some briefing about the carreer of this fantastic band, and make things easier to our readers.



The Undertones formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1976. The original line-up had Feargal Sharkey (vocals), Billy Doherty (drums), Damian O'Neill (guitar), John O'Neill (guitar) and Mickey Bradley (bass). However, they avoided references to their hometown's sectarian strife for "more songs about chocolate and girls," as their second album phrased it. But gigs were scarce in a scene dominated by show bands, and the boys felt sufficiently discouraged to consider quitting -- until Belfast record shop owner Terry Hooley released the Teenage Kicks EP on his Good Vibrations label in September 1978.

The song captivated Britain's top DJ, John Peel; suddenly, as Damian O'Neill recalled, people were asking for autographs at the job. The frenzy attracted a deal from Sire Records, which released the band's rough 'n' ready debut in April 1979. That fall, Undertones earned kudos as an support act on the Clash's American tour. So did Hypnotised, which showed a band already straining against the Ramonesy thrust of earlier singles like "Jimmy Jimmy" and "My Perfect Cousin."

However, the Undertones entertained some notions of growing up, which started when they switched to EMI. Positive Touch (1981) unveiled exotic instrumental flourishes like horns, slide guitars, tack pianos, and even xylophones; its brief residency in the UK Top 50 provided the first inklings of trouble.

The band returned after a lengthy layoff with The Sin Of Pride (1983), which flirted with '60s soul and psychedelia. But its singles -- including a slick remake of the Isley Brothers' "Got To Have You Back, and the grungy "Love Parade" -- made little impression, and the album peaked at #46 UK. Sensing a thankless competition with their younger, cheekier selves, the Undertones split up in the summer of 1983 after a series of summer festival gigs.

Sharkey launched a short-lived solo career, while the O'Neills won critical plaudits -- but little sales -- for their tough-minded political band, That Petrol Emotion. Hopes of re-forming the original lineup for John Peel's 50th birthday fell apart after the O'Neills' father died. The band mulled an offer for five gigs in 1994, but blamed Sharkey's skittishness for scuttling the deal.



The boys skirted their former frontman's reluctance by recruiting Derry's Paul McLoone for two hometown gigs in 1999, and haven't looked back. The reissues kept coming, while the Teenage Kicks (2001) documentary gave fans a fond review of the band's history. Get What You Need, the first new album in 20 years, earned a thumbs-up from fans on its September 2003 release. Twenty-five years after "Teenage Kicks" put the Undertones on the map, the pride of Derry seem more ubiquitous than ever.


The Undertones with the Ramones

The current line-up is composed by the originals Billy Doherty (drums), Damian O'Neill (guitar), John O'Neill (guitar) and Mickey Bradley (bass), accompanied by the new and enthusiastic Paul McLoone on vocals.

The rest of their history you can check now with this exclusive interview!

Portal: I guess it is the first time that the Undertones give an interview to Brazil. Isn´t it? How could we take more than 25 years to do that?
John O'Neill: We are the laziest band in the history of rock and roll. Which probably explains why we never sold alot of records!!

Portal: When I say the word "Brazil" what are the first things coming toyour mind?
John O'Neill: Obviously football, Pele, Tostao etc .You taught the world how to play soccer. Rio de Janeiro, the statue of Christ on top of the mountain, the girl from Ipanema, all the cliches, I'm afraid.

Damian O'Neill

Portal: Have you ever thought of playing here or even visiting Brazil? John O'Neill: I would love to play in Brazil sometime. Or go for a holiday. Perhaps someday... Portal: Talking now a little bit on the band´s history. The band comes from a small city (is that correct?) in Norhern Ireland. How was for you guys trying to follow what was happening in London, Manchester and other main cities of UK in terms of rock music? Was that easy to get records from the early punk bands of that time? I mean, how you came to know about the Pistols, etc? John O'Neill: Mainly through listening to the BBC DJ, John Peel and buying the music paper N.M.E. which was excellent back then. You could order records from an address from a record shop in it.

Portal: Did you guys face any kind of prejudice in London because you are from Northern Ireland?

John O'Neill: I think it helped us. Obviously with the political situation that was happening here then it tended to give journalists an angle to write about us, even though we were never obviously politcal. Portal: At the end of the 70´s, early 80's, would you say the Undertones were part of the punk scene? How the label "punk" sounded for you? And how does it sound nowadays? I mean, do you like to be called as "a punk rock band"? John O'Neill: Absolutely. Punk meant doing things your own way, which was what we did and still do. We loved the early 60s garage bands, the Velvet Underground, the stooges, MC5 and New York Dolls anyway and when the Ramones and the Pistols, etc came along we totally related to it. Punk is an atitude and it doesn't have to solely relate to music.

Feargal Sharkey

Portal: How was the feeling and experience for you guys when the record Teenage Kicks was released, and John Peel started to play it on Radio One?
John O'Neill: As I said, we avidly listened to him anyway, so, when he played our record we couldn't believe it.

Paul McLoone

Portal: I was in London last year and I was listening to Radio One and one of their speakers was sayng that "Teenage Kicks" is John Peel´s favourite song of all times. How do you feel about that? John O'Neill: Amazed. We probably owe our whole career to him anyway. That song has taken on a life of its own now which totally knocks me out. Portal: Some people say the Undertones was a mix of the Ramones and the Buzzcocks kind of music? Do you agree on that? What kind of influences you guys got from these bands? John O'Neill: Yep, definitely. I think it was the pop sensibility that attracted us to them.

Portal: What sort of other bands influenced The Undertones in the beginning?
John O'Neill: Other influences we had was things like 60s groups, The Beatles and the Stones, Bob Dylan, T.Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music etc.

Portal: I read that you guys did not have any experience with musical instruments when you started playing. How can you produce fantastic albums, like Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride, which are considered to be very technical and full of arrangements and well built structures? John O'Neill: Funnily enough I prefer the first two records. As we got older we were listening to other things like Al Green, Smokey Robinson, Can, Tim Buckley, Love and so on and that tended to influence us.

Mickey Bradley

Portal: From the early and initial line-up who are still in the band today?
John O'Neill: Every one except Feargal.

Portal: It is impossible to deny that the vocal style of original singer Feargal Sharkey was and will always be the trade mark of the Undertones.I mean, when one listens to a single word from him in a song, one can quickly say: "this is Undertones". How was for you to overcome his absence and come up with the band again? John O'Neill: If you see us live now I think you might change your mind. That's one of the reasons we are still doing it, there seems to be a chemistry and a sound we have that is 'the Undertones' even without Feargal, I don't know what it is.

John O'Neill

Billy Doherty

Portal: Who and how is the new singer? And how is the band´s enthusiasm today? John O'Neill: His name is Paul McLoone. He comes from our home town of Derry so we all pretty much knew him anyway. We are loving it better now than when we did during the late 70s and 80s. I genuinely think we sound better too. Portal: Feargal Sharkey tried a solo career after departing from the Undertones. Do you keep in contact with him nowadays or at least know how he is going? John O'Neill: No. Feargal pretty much severed all ties with us. I think he involved with some Government scheme to do with helping venues promote live music or something.

Portal: Some people say that the Undertones were and are great influences for great pop rock names like Sum 41, The Hives and Green Day. Do you agree on that? What sort of new bands you like? John O'Neill: I think possibly the Clash, Pistols and the Ramones had bigger influences on those bands than we ever did but I know what you mean. I really like The Kills, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Strokes. Although I tend to listen to more ambient kind of music like Tosca, Biosphere,Boards of Canada etc when at home.

Portal: Coming back to Brazil now. Do you know something about Brazilian music or maybe any Brazilian rock band?
John O'Neill: I'm afraid I don't know very much. I have heard about choro and I remember hearing a fantasic compilation that David Byrne brought out highlighting various Brazillian artistes many years ago. If you know the one I mean can you tell what it was as i would love to buy it.



Portal: Of course John, the compilation you are talking about may be "Rei Momo", released by Byrne in 1989. That one inspired him now again, and he brought up another compilation called "Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical" (2003).

Portal: What are the new plans for the band now? Any new record coming on?
John O'Neill: We brought out a new CD earlier this year called 'Get What You Need'. We are currently working on new songs and will hopefully release that next year.

Portal: When can we expect to have the Undertones playing in Brazil?
John O'Neill: I would love to. Unfortunely to go that far would mean being away from home fairly long to make it financially viable and we cannot get off work from our regular jobs for very long. But you never know.



Portal: Any final message for your Brazilian fans (there are lots here!!!)?
John O'Neill: Thanks for all the support and lots of love.

For more information visit the official website of the Undertones

by Marcio Faveri

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