Pugwash, now theres a name that brings back memories. For all the wrong reasons, as the memory it brings back is one from several years ago, travelling home from a gig (where they shared billing with the Frames and some other band) at 3AM and writing off my mums Skoda in the process. Pugwash were a hell of a lot less spectacular than the car crash, just very unremarkable, samey sounding guitar pop. Definitely a shoulda stayed in and watched TV night. Anyway 6 (or 7, I think) years is a long time ago, one would like to hope they've probably got a bit better...

Hey Binokular, It's Nice to Be Nice, ya should remember that.

Any sensible posts would be appreciated. Looking around this cool site I see threads dedicated to bands you hate and love, maybe that's were those comments should be. Also Binokular, the band have gone UP in my estimation even more now, knowing that they took one more f**king Skoda off the road. SJ

Always had a soft spot for Pugwash - especially when they were hooking up with Jason Faulkner (who I also have a soft spot for!). Never quite got over missing them playing in the Sugar Club, still brings a tear to my eye to think about it :( Nice to see they're still unfaltering in taking the independent route with their activities on 1969 records. Would be good to see them get more exposure though.

Pugwash make gorgeous music & harmonies. OK, so they do follow the Beatles template a bit too formulaically, but what harm? It sounds great. What bugs me is that there seems almost to be a shyness in the Pugwash camp that stops them from ever putting themselves out there with energy and bravado. Or am I being unfair? Cos I really do admire yer man's voice & songwriting...

I don't think it's shyness Sniffee that stops every household from hearing and loving Pugwash. Mr.Walsh is about as far away from shy as is humanly possible. I just think they absolutely don't fit in with ANYTHING that is championed in the Irish music scene, and I think they know that and don't go banging their heads against the constant building of brickwalls that they come up against on a regular basis. I've talked with the band many times at gigs and socially and they'd love to be considered for things like SONGS FROM A ROOM or OXYGEN or CHARITY gigs ANYTHING pretty much, but a mixture of bad management and lethargy on behalf of others means they are constantlt overlooked which, I agree, can look like shyness or lazyness but it's not. This bands time will SO come because they have the songs and all the other fly by night wannabee bands that would have got preference to them over the last 5/6 years are all dead but they're still writing and recording their own music in their own style and I think it's about time this was recognised, hence this thread. Thank you for your interest. I never thought I'd champion a band from Ireland EVER but this stuff is TOO good. Let's see that it wins (except at the bloody Meteors, then again The conway sisters, hello) SJ

just to start with, i am involved with 1969 Records, the label that released 'Jollity' in September of this year. clearly we think that the record is great and without exception every proper review has been not only positive but practically gushing.so the kind words about the music here are much appreciated. you could get into a discussion about problems with the music business/industry generally and a general dumbing down/ blandsville/lowest common denominater approach applied or whatever, but i reckon its been done to death here already. what i will say is that people more often than not get what they deserve, reality tv may be crap, but its on because it is watched. music is the same. the music is there if you want to go and find it. i would love to have €1,000,000 to plaster Pugwash on the side of buses, posters and all over town, do the best marketing available and buy their way onto whatever is perceived as the best bill or show to be on but, i don't. if westlife's backers can afford that and people see it and buy it good look to them. the point is its difficult to build up to any critical mass without money, and unfortunately quality isn't always enough to get you there. maybe that goes some way to rationalising a perceived lack of visibility, but its not as easy as ringing up a tv show and demanding a slot without having a little weight behind you. its a catch 22 in many ways. no exposure till you are selling, no sales till you are seen. its hard getting on tv here because there are very few outlets for music generally. that said, Pugwash have been covered in the Irish Times , The Indo, The HP, Herald and others, if anyone wants an interview, cool, get in touch. They arent shy and are in fact quite outspoken. they have been on the last broadcast , the cafe etc. gigging is the same. its not easy. i don't want to speak for Pugwash, but there is as far as we at 1969 are concerned there is no lack of ambition or desire on their part. Thomas Walsh is generally regarded by his peers of one of this country's finest songwriters. the Jollity launch in Crawdaddy was stuffed with bands mentioned here all the time who were gobsmacked after hearing his new songs for the first time. there is a reason for that. these guys are musicians and know a great one when they see/hear one. for example "Almanac", the last Pugwash album was in the HP top 100 all time Irish albums as voted by the "musos". how many people here own it. you wouldnt believe how little it sold.Jollity outsold it in one week, and Jollity didnt trouble the charts (yet) either. what we at our little label are doing is trying to push back the apathy and laziness that people have towards exploring music, not just Pugwash, but good quality music. its f**king there, go find it. don't take whats thrown at you just cos its easy to do so.not everyone is going to like it, and that is fine, but don't complain about the music scene being rubbish, when there is great stuff there, just because smaller/lesser known bands can't afford to spoonfeed it to you...just in case this is misinterpreted, this is a general comment, not related to anything on the thread. on the subjet of ambition, Pugwash have released Jollity in Australia and the single "its nice to be nice" is getting great airplay on JJJ down under. The video for the same song is being played regularly on "The Rage" on aussie tv. there is probably no real tradition of the Pugs type of music here, and in ireland of late we seem have gone down the singer songwriter road, and fair play to any successful acts, so it may well be that Pugwash will have their day further afield, as someone above has suggested. we certainly hope so, but it would be great for the band to be appreciated here too. speaking of singer songwriters, Thomas will be opening for Martin Stephenson, a great singer-songwriter, in Whelans on Dec 7, so catch Pugwash stripped down, "unpugged" if you will, on that night and tell me that this guy is shy/self-conscious or lacks ambition, and thats before the music. sorry for being so longwinded, but it is frustrating seeing talent generally not getting the opportunities that it deserves, but we (and they) are trying and will keep fighting the fight for great music. check out www1969records.com love.

If my comment about shyness/ lack of self-confidence is wide of the mark, I take it back with apologies. He makes excellent music - and you make some excellent points.

Good stuff Sid....best of luck with 1969 records and hope you have a cracking 2006 with the label!!

Everytime I see the name I think http://tinyurl.com/ceokv

While I'm obviously no fan of Pugwash (personal preference - sorry!), anyone who sets up a halfway decent independent record label (which at least at first glance 1969 appears to be) deserves some kinda medal. p.s. I don't hold Pugwash personally responsible for that Skoda, Myself and a friend have killed three of them between us, very safe little cars I must say.... :D

It's typical, but sadly reminiscent of what's already been said here that there is NO SIGN of PUGWASH on the "Other Voices" line-up that's been announced. Who the f**k organises these events?? SJ

hey steeplejack - are you a) in pugwash b) dave couse c) all of the above? thanks, thomas walsh.

f**king typical. This band have NO publicity, little or NO backing on a big scale and can write the next single for everyone of the so-called new bands here and it would be a hit. To think that one of the first threads I've ever seen on them has 15 replies and people think enough already is a f**king sad indictment of the Irish scene. Sorry I don't have the urge to post in threads as exciting as "Musicians and Food"?? Apologies everyone, I may have come to the "Den-TV" of Irish musical forums to discuss a brilliant and vital new band, sorry. SJ

Steeplejack, you can't expect people just to like a band or expect them get a break simply for being Irish and independent. Sure some of us have given Pugwash a little flak, but theres been positive comments too, which is exactly what you get on a messageboard, differing opinions. Posting frequently mainly on one topic alone in fairness does make people question how genuine you are too. Not saying that you're simply someone in/close to the band in question, just how people perceive things.

Jesus... what's with the lectures whenever someone gets a bit huffy?? Steeplejack has a right to get in a snot with some of the responses he's had... surely we all have a right to our own opinion? Nobody should question his, or for that matter anyones motives in posting anything.. the man has passion for something he loves. Enough said.

Message boards are pits of ignorance to be fair. Is it even worth getting into some sort of etiquette oriented debate?

Well I for one would not be turned off a band just because I hear someone talk about them constantly... there'd want to be a better reason than that, the actual music for one. However what would turn me off posting on a particular forum is people being too critical of one persons opinion. I've always browsed through this website and have been a regular visitor for a few years but only recently gained the courage to start posting because frankly there's a very evident clique with regular users and sometimes there us a tendency to gang up on other users. So just cool it, this guy loves pugwash, resents the lack of publicity he receives and thought using a message board with the catchphrase "Lending an ear to the Irish music scene" would be a conceivable means of spreading the word. Whether you or your posse like it not.

I'm a dear old lady, but thank you for the BLOKE comparisons people. Hey, a thread, 10/15 posts on PUGWASH, the result = "Enough already"?? We're truly f**ked but hey Paddy Casey's doin' some gigs soon, deadly. SJ

Evening all - have been reading the posts and felt like I needed to give my two bit worth - first off, great to see a discussion about Pugwash, undoubtedly one of the greatest Irish bands around, with superbly crafted and produced songs that put lesser talents such as to shame! I agree with all above (excepting the obviously short-sighted ‘Binokular’) that they're fantastic live too, I saw them recently in Crawdaddy and they turned in a stormer - excellent performance - and good to see their profile is on the up and up with the release of 'Jollity', an amazing piece of work. I’ve seen them on the Last Broadcast, The Cafe and TG4 over the last few weeks and they played on a couple of radio shows in the last while too so it seems like the band and management are working their socks off to get their poptastic brand of genius to the ears of the masses. I brought a couple of mates to the Crawdaddy gig and they went straight out and bought the album. The problem was that they hadn't heard of the band before, but once they heard the tunes, they were sold by the sheer quality of the writing and melody! So, it seems to me that people don’t realise they like Pugwash for two reasons and two reasons only; 1. they haven’t heard the tunes or 2. they have no soul!! This band deserves success.

Shortsighted? Don't be fooled by the name, I don't wear glasses (or contacts for that matter), but if you're speaking metaphorically I don't see how I'm being shortsighted, especially since I've known about them for at least six years. I don't like Pugwash as a band, I don't harbour any ill-will towards them, I just find their music utterly inessential. It does not matter if they become stadium megastars tomorrow, I won't be kicking myself saying "ooh I wish I'd said nice things about Pugwash". I don't like their music the same way that I don't like sprouts. The only thing that would change my mind is if they released something I liked, maybe they will, but after this long I'm not holding my breath. As for having no soul, this doesn't bother me given my personal view of the universe, but thats getting into a theological/philosophical debate ...still doesn't change the fact that I don't reckon this band are anything to write home about. Nice bunch of hardworking guys? probably. Essential and exciting musically? no.

Checked out their website last night. No full tunes, just 30 second samples of what sound like Beatles pastiches. Hardly going to set the world alight. Kinda reminded me of McFly.

totally with Binokular on this one, this band are spectacularly overrated. Again just because a band/singer is irish doesn't nesseciarily mean they are any good or above critical judgement. Passion for a band is a great thing, but if you don't want to spark debate don't engage in public forums that leaves your opinion open to be challenged. As for respecting others opinions, to disagree is also an expression of opinion that is equally valid.

"Ever wonder why you're running but you're going nowhere? It's life's little way of telling you you're already there." SJ

What's so wrong with McFly?

thanks Thomas, no offence meant, your music is not my bag, but again expressions of musical taste is not personal attack, it's just taste. Wish you every success.

What's a Swedish Handjob?

This is warming up nicely! Have just logged on after a few days away from my pc! Binokular…..”utterly inessential”, c’mon now…..........be serious......Paddy Casey’s Greatest Hit(s) would be utterly inessential......On the contrary, songs like ‘Apples’, ‘Emily Regardless’ and, from the new album, ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Anchor’, well my friend, these songs are utterly essential. You may not like the songs, and that is your abject entitlement, but they are ‘essential’ nonetheless. Classical music is not my favourite type of music but I understand that it is utterly essential, as there would have been no Sgt. Peppers or Pet Sounds without it. Without quality bands like Pugwash beating the drum for great music, young songwriters and bands (and us listeners) would be all the poorer for it. And its not because they’re Irish, its because they’re good!! I agree that a lot of Irish bands/singer-songwriters are lauded to the heavens when, in truth, their songs are poor, their melodies non-existent and their lyrics…...........terrible. It’s a shame that such lesser talents get all the radio-play and TV kudos when we have a real talent like Pugwash around – I know that I might sound all pretentious…..and I probably am…….but it is true! Songwriters who appreciate the wonderful songs of Pugwash (and the likes of say Matthew Sweet or Ben Folds to name but two) can listen - and learn - and, as a result, better understand the craft of songwriting – you can hear the hard work and thought that have gone into the Pugwash catalogue – and their songs are infinitely better than 98.25% (I’ve done the research) of the sheer fodder churned by our radio stations. Most songs on the radio and TV (including Irish bands that are heralded) are stitched together so badly that they fall apart after the first wash – longevity, what’s that?.......quality.....what wants that? we just want a bucket load of cash from the hard of hearing zombies out there. It’s a pity that more songwriters and ‘listeners’ and djs don’t pay more attention to bands such as Pugwash. It may not be your cup of tea, but there's no denying the quality of the songwriting and brilliance of the melodies. IShrink, I recommend you actually listen to the songs with a clear mind, in full and up loud - and I don't mean that in a disparaging way, honestly, get the album - I'll send you my copy if you want - and turn it up. Comparing McFly to Pugwash is like comparing our old friend Paddy Casey to Bob Dylan……it’s a comparison that is uninformed and, like most songwriters at work in this country today, sloppy. I could ramble on but I won’t bore yuze any further. Fighting the fight for poptastic music! pbee

its interesting reading some of the comments above. re the 30 second clips, fair enough, but its only meant as a sampler. if we put the whole album up, we'd never sell it!! everyones view is valid, and as i said earlier, not everyone is going to like/love Pugwash, or any band for that matter. you are back to the same issue of how to get the music out there. radio play/reviews/gigging etc. all we can do is press on. in fairness this forum seems well balanced ( Mcfly references aside) and ther is no real slagging which is cool. for anyone interested , here is a review from www.popmatters.com . this is typical of the reviews the album has picked up, so if anyone thinks it sounds interesting, give the album a go. love. Thomas Walsh, the creative singer/songwriter force behind Pugwash, remains one of those tremendously talented people who thus far has (quite unjustly) escaped public notice. Still, with the release of Jollity, his third studio album, there is hope this might change. Walsh has a reputation as a musician's musician, writing rich melodic songs of love and loss that tend to be packed full with effective pop hooks amid layers of meticulously executed musical nuance. Walsh's own Beatlemania often rises to the fore, as does his Jeff Lynne/RoyWood/the Move/Electric Light Orchestra vibe, though there's plenty Beach Boys/High Llamas influence as well. Walsh also claims to be moved by such disparate musical entities as the Bee Gees, the Kinks, and XTC. The admiration extends both ways, however, with Pugwash garnering praise from the likes of such heralded icons as Brian Wilson and XTC's Andy Partridge (who co-wrote one of the new songs). Pugwash specializes in songs designed for residual pleasure -- the kinds of things that go around your head long after the music has stopped playing. Yet these superb compositions haven't translated into commercial success, and even though the songs of Jollity continue the string of excellence, it's likely Pugwash shall make do with the comfortable cult status it has achieved in Walsh's native Dublin, America, and Australia (where Pugwash songs get radio play). In a thankless, mercurial industry driven by formulas based on others' successes, Pugwash is a throwback to simpler times when it was mostly the music that mattered. So Walsh soldiers on, not changing his style to someone else's idea of musical "flavor-of-the-month." He remains driven by a desire for excellence, and always has been, from 1999's debut Almond Teas on through 2002's Almanac. Now, Jollity delivers more of the same, with increased depth and maturity -- eleven home-made songs that arrive fully realized, a collection of small melodic masterpieces. Primarily, this is a collection of symphonic pop ballads; those looking to rock out can move on. Walsh has surrounded himself with a core of fine musicians: Keith Farrell on bass, Duncan Maitland on various keyboards, a variety of drummers (Graham Hopkins, Aidan O'Grady, John Boyle) and two very special guests in Dave Gregory and Eric Matthews. Jollity is the musical equivalent of thoughtful repose, a quiet afternoon of careful contemplation couched in warm, well-arranged surroundings. Partially recorded at Abbey Road Studios, there's a suitable feeling of musical reverence in these songs -- every track rewards those who listen closely with headphones. The album opens with a true bit of jollity, the amiable and bouncy single, "It's Nice to Be Nice." The Brian Wilson influence comes through loud and clear, a bubbly Beach Boys bassline percolating beneath simple lyrics that state the obvious: "It's nice to be nice, as my mama once said / It's good to be good and it's fun to be fun". While it's catchy and fun, the real album begins with the next track. Thomas Walsh has a knack for wonderfully melodic hook lines that fit their way between steady chord progressions. It's Walsh at his best -- as he holds off with the hook, forcing the listener to hear it even when it's not there. Two of the songs here that follow that winning formula are "Black Dog" and "Even I". "Black Dog" (no relation to the Zeppelin song) builds slowly into something grand, an emotional homage and plea for a life of painless solitude. Walsh's smooth tenor conveys that plea well, a man in a dark cave seeking not to be bothered. Voicing the musical hook (and doing his best Chet Baker stint) is the talented Eric Matthews (Cardinal, solo), whose trumpeting presence here adds so much. Also present here with a lead is one-time XTC member Dave Gregory. Many contend XTC lost depth and richness after Gregory's departure. His guitar, keyboards, and arrangements added much to the XTC sound -- but since he never shared the songwriting spotlight with Moulding and Partridge, his contributions were downplayed some. In truth, Gregory excels at nuances, finding just the right sounds to fill the void, be it strings or keys. His string arrangements on XTC's Skylarking remain a testament to his talents. Those talents are very much on display throughout Jollity, particularly in the beautifully lush string arrangements found on "A Rose in a Garden of Weeds". This song of patient waiting tells of love questioned and held off, yet ultimately verified through the tacit virtues of laughter. Walsh's talents extend beyond creating Beatlesque symphonic ballads to crafting lyrics that reflect a poet's succinct expression: "Why won't you let me in? / Feel life through my soul / And then you laugh and then I see / Why you're my rose in a garden of weeds". The Section Quartet (who have played with the likes of Wilco and Kanye West) provide the breathtaking strings in an arrangement that rises and falls in crescendos of aural pleasure. They are Eric Garfan and Daphne Chen on violins, Leah Katz on viola and Richard Dodd on cello. The quartet, along with Gregory on grand piano, and Matthews on trumpet, contribute to the lovely ballad "I Want You Back In My Life (for Mam)". This dulcet ballad of longing starts out like a lost John Lennon song. It goes on to present pleading and promising in multiples of seven, but as Walsh reminds us, "it's a simple factor now". There is the ache of wanting more in this plaintive yet heartfelt lament: "'Cause even though I feel you, I'm reaching out / I just can't touch you". Another soft, winning ballad is "Poles Apart," a thinking man's views on love and relationships. This theory finds polar opposites in attraction, a paradox that comprises this situation: "So my conscience is clear and my mind holds no fear / And we're so far apart we're so near . . . / We're poles together". This waltz is a tour-de-force for Dave Gregory -- he delivers sumptuous guitar and piano work. Probably my current personal favorite is "This Could Be Good". Here Walsh reflects on the vicissitudes and foibles of life's fickle day-to-day doings. It's an uncommonly optimistic song, and one that grows on you with repeated listens. There are loads of musical nuances here, from fuzz bass and guitar, to hand claps, to Shaun McGee's backing vocals. Musically, Walsh always manages surprising musical changes (going from a major seventh to a major sixth here), and lyrically, he waxes philosophical with a positive spin: "Ever wonder why you're running but you're going nowhere? / It's life's little way of telling you you're already there. / So I won't replicate those mistakes that were made / I simply refuse to believe all of the bad". It's a happy, busy musical jumble, but kudos especially to Keith Farrell, who contributes some superb bass and guitar work. Gregory adds sitar accents to another wonderfully infectious Pugwash tune, "Even I". You'll be hearing the guitar hooks even when they're not there -- it's a typical Walsh/Pugwash construction -- and "even I can see the irony" in it. "Something New" is another mid-paced winner that showcases Duncan Maitland on piano (and features everything from Mellotron flutes to a 12-string Rickenbacker). It's a tale of revitalization at the hands of an old love, and is quite charmingly sweet and melodic. As if further proof was needed that Pugwash operates outside the commercial norm, the CD offers up a waltz followed by a lullaby. "Waltz #714" is a harmony-drenched concoction that explores relationship troubles when a couple is all alone for the first time (with guest banjo by Tosh Flood). "Lullaby #1" is a dear, brief assurance from parent to child at bedtime that all will turn out just fine. The album closes with the song co-written with Andy Partridge. "Anchor" is a sprawling five-minute plus ballad to love replete with nautical imagery (a common element in many Partridge songs), yet the middle bridge and beyond is pure Eric Matthews (who contributes vocal parts as well as tremendous trumpet and flugelhorn). It's "The Last Balloon" meets "Fanfare", with Thomas Walsh's special creative flair thrown into the mix. All told, Jollity is a rich compendium of aural excellence that continues the musical legacy being built by Walsh as Pugwash. These eleven compositions are gorgeously arranged and meticulously executed, weaving layers of musical nuance into delicately infectious ballads of love and reflection. The hope is that this new Pugwash collection will be met with a higher profile -- but quality is never a guarantor of popular success. So, while long-time fans will not be disappointed -- the quest remains to find a mature public eager to enjoy such finely wrought melodic works. For Walsh's sake, it deserves to happen. — 28 November 2005

hahaha, class! slightly tenuous way of working it in there, but it'll do, respec'