In support of the re-issue of True Confessions': The 'A's & B's', which is their definitive best of...seminal Irish punk rockers The Undertones are currently out on the road around the UK. This 10 date tour will mark a remarkable 35 years within the business and will be celebrated with the band playing their debut album of the same name in its entirety. Original founding member and main songwriter/guitarist John O'Neill drops a line to Room Thirteen to tell some tales from memory lane...
R13: When you first got together, you used to play a variety of covers. I wondered initially, what some of these tracks were? And also, if there were songs you did want to cover, but (at the time) weren't good enough to do justice to?
JO: In the very, very early days we loved 'Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out', The Rolling Stones' live record from 1969 and we played at least half of that in our set.
We loved early sixties bands so we did covers of stuff by Them, The Kinks, The Who, Fleetwood Mac/Elmore James, mostly three chord classics, Gloria, You Really Got Me, I Can't Explain, Shake Your Money Maker etc. A little later we discovered The Stooges, New York Dolls and The Velvets as well as the Nuggets LP and that was when we really started to enjoy playing and felt confident to play regularly. We grew up through the Glam Rock era so we loved a lot of songs from that period so we also used to play T.Rex, David Bowie and Gary Glitter/Glitter Band songs.
We used to try playing Beatles songs but we never could do them justice. I particularly remember loving to play 'Don't Let Me Down' but I don't think it sounded all that good!
R13: Some of your first ever shows were in the community centres, church halls and schools around Derry. Can you remember the reaction of the local audiences (and people affiliated with the respective venues i.e, priests, teachers, etc. etc) when they first saw you perform?
JO: I think generally it was pretty positive. We were obviously very sloppy and raw but at that time, no one else in Derry was playing the songs we played. We always loved short snappy songs, no indulgent five minute guitar solos, etc. so we couldn't really fail to impress, I think.
First rule of life, Keep it Simple!
R13: After surviving over thirty five years in the music business could you offer some survival guidance to bands starting out nowadays?
JO: It's a very different business now so I'm not sure I could offer anything relevant. We were extremely lucky, being in the right place, at the right time. When starting out, I don't think the priority should be about 'making it'. It should be about playing something locally no one else is doing and building up a fan base from that. Above everything else it should be fun.
R13: You've witnessed many an 'in-scene' come and go over the years...can you remember a particular one you just couldn't tolerate?
JO: I detested the New Romantic period of the early eighties. Horrible bands like Duran Duran and Ultravox. They summed up the Thatcher era perfectly.
R13: The one track the band is known for throughout the world is the legendary 'Teenage Kicks', which has been covered many, many, times over. Can you tell us about some of the best and worst versions that stick in your mind?
JO: I love the Nouvelle Vague version, that's probably my favourite. It's such a simple song it would be hard to play badly so I can't think of any bad ones. I haven't heard the Jedward version yet though!
R13: Having learnt your trade in smoke filled, sweat and beer stenched concert venues, how strange did you first find playing shows after the smoking ban kicked in – did you notice an obvious difference in atmosphere?
JO: No difference in atmosphere but it was great waking up the next day not stinking of cigarette smoke.
R13: So you are currently out on the road. For you, what's the worst thing about getting back out there?
JO: Flying. I hate going through airport security and hanging around airports.
(I've become a grumpy old man!)
R13: Do you remember the first moment when you first really felt that The Undertones had made it?
JO: I suppose it has to be the morning after the first time John Peel played Teenage Kicks. We were the only family in the band with a telephone at that time and we were getting phone calls from EMI, Virgin, CBS, Sire, etc looking to sign us up. It was very unreal.
R13: On this subject, it's been well documented the love and respect you all felt towards John Peel. I wondered what one vivid memory stands out from that last weekend he spent with you in Derry?
JO: We had a lovely first evening in a great restaurant in Derry where he regaled us with amazing stories and anecdotes that I'll never forget.
R13: All time 'stand out by a mile' Undertones' concert?
JO: Probably has to be the time we did a benefit concert for Derry City F.C. in 2002, I think. It was in a local night club and there must have been about 1200 people there, most of them wearing Derry City shirts, and singing all the way through every song. Quite incredible.
R13: Yep, I've noticed looking through associated archives that Derry City F.C. has played a big part in the Undertones illustrious career...so I was thinking, if you could help them by buying them any three strikers in the world, who would they be?
JO: Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Carlos Tevez...
R13: What is the maddest/weirdest/most bizarre Undertones merchandise you've ever heard about or seen first hand?
JO: Only ever seen badges or t-shirts so, none...
R13: Any one song you wished you'd written?
JO: Tutti Frutti – Little Richard
R13: Biggest myth associated with Rock n' Roll?
JO: There are no myths, it's all true!
R13: If you could change anything about the last 35 years what would it be?
JO: I should have practised more...
R13: Finally, how's your Euro-millions winning system coming along?
JO: Still waiting for the big one...
For information on the bands current tour and all their previous releases go to www.theundertones.com