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Last Post 1/11/2008 6:40 AM by  PeterQuaife
Something Happens: what's the Cluas verdict?
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John Doe
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12/14/2007 8:13 AM
    Something Happens are playing one of their occasional reunion gigs in Whelans tomorrow night. I'll be there, giving it loads, happily singing along to Hello( x5 ), Room 29, Forget Georgia and all the rest.

    It's been a good few years now since they last released anything other than compilations. I'm curious to know what the Cluas verdict on them is now that a good few years have passed by since they were selling out the SFX for three nights in a row. For my sins, I was a huge fan of theirs back in the day and I was convinced they were going to be massive worldwide. They never really recovered commercially from the disaster that was Bedlam A Go Go, their ill advised attempt to jump on the grunge bandwagon. The follow up, Planet Fabulous, was a brilliant album though and I think that both it and their first two albums - Been There, Seen That, Done That and Stuck Together With God's Glue - stand up today as class examples of catchy guitar pop. My own opinion is that they'll go down in history as one of The Great Lost Irish Bands. Over to you lot......
    Quint
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    12/18/2007 7:56 AM
    I actually quite liked them back in the day.
    They were the very first gig I ever went to,I must have been about 14 and I was blown away by what live rock music sounded like. I have very vague memories of the t-shirts the fans were wearing: S.H.I.T...Something Happens Irish Tour..geddit?.who can forget Tom Dunne's cocker spaniel mullet type hairstyle thing going on... but then Nirvana and My Bloody Valentine came along in the early nineties and Something Happens were forgotten about more or less....I think they could have been massive but I could never understand what type of band they were trying to be...too poppy for indie/grunge kids...too indie for the pop charts, etc, very talented bunch of guys nonetheless...
    starbelgrade
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    12/18/2007 8:10 AM
    From the time I was around 7, I used to go to afternoon gigs in McGonagles with my dad every Saturday & was at the recording of the "Ray Harman" EP.. I wasn't particularly impressed by them - I think it was Tom Dunne's awful tassled leather jacket, mullet & wanna-be-Bono stage moves that put me off the most - but yeah, their music did kinda fall between two stones... the bands I remember being really into at the time were the indie-Monkees-esque, Candyshop, and the Joy Division-esque rock of Blue in Heaven (I also thought their singer was the coolest f**ker ever!). SH's were just a bit too safe
    PARTON
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    12/18/2007 9:20 AM
    They were a great band, never got the success they deserved. Much better than the awful self indulgent gobsh*tes The Stunning....christ they were bad....

    Always liked them to be honest.
    starbelgrade
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    12/18/2007 9:30 AM
    The Stunning... at their best, they were a glorified culchie pub band.
    PARTON
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    12/18/2007 9:55 AM
    Couldnt agree more, the masses of NUI Galway loved em..fine keep them...knobs...if you want a paupers bono then look no further than joe wall...spanners...

    Something happens were definitely up there 15/16 years ago, always loved the Franks aswell.
    Quint
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    12/18/2007 10:41 AM
    The Stunning were awful. As a culchie, yes, they were part of my formative years, not in a good way of course. 'Brewing Up A storm' always reminds me of drunken teenage discos, everyone going crazy, always played towards the end before the lights came up. Ugh,I shudder at the thought. The only Irish band I liked in the early nineties was Power Of Dreams-their debut album is one THE great debuts of all time, not just Irish..and A House were half-decent.. then Whipping Boy a few years later...my life back then was MBV,Nirvana, Slowdive, Sugar, shoegazing, grunge,NME, Melody Maker...few Irish bands got a look in.
    starbelgrade
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    12/19/2007 5:03 AM
    Slowdive... I adore their "5 EP" - I have an original issue of it on vinyl that I "borrowed" from my brother!
    carry_grant
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    12/26/2007 6:37 AM
    Something Happens - Simple Minds without the hits. I'll admit to liking about 2 of their tunes, in fact I seem to recall them getting NME single of the week in 91 or 92. Overall though, thoroughly average especially compared to what else was happening in Ireland at the time.
    That Petrol Emotion never received the kudos they deserved for 'Chemicrazy' (there are folk on here who, no doubt, will point out that the lead singer was from L.A. and therefore they weren't Irish). Good band, bloody great album.
    Around that time too, Fatima Mansions became THE Irish band for me - from catching a clearly demented Coughlan on a 15 minute Colm O'Callaghan slot on RTE 2 to hearing Fanning play 'Only Losers Take The Bus'......ah, those were the days.
    Then of course came 'Loveless' which changed everything.
    Creditable mentions also go to A House for 'I Am The Greatest' (a trick they never repeated), Microdisney for kicking against the pricks and Harvest Ministers for 'Little Dark Mansion'.
    The Stunning? - Jesus, down there with Cry Before Dawn.
    carry_grant
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    12/26/2007 6:38 AM
    Something Happens - Simple Minds without the hits. I'll admit to liking about 2 of their tunes, in fact I seem to recall them getting NME single of the week in 91 or 92. Overall though, thoroughly average especially compared to what else was happening in Ireland at the time.
    That Petrol Emotion never received the kudos they deserved for 'Chemicrazy' (there are folk on here who, no doubt, will point out that the lead singer was from L.A. and therefore they weren't Irish). Good band, bloody great album.
    Around that time too, Fatima Mansions became THE Irish band for me - from catching a clearly demented Coughlan on a 15 minute Colm O'Callaghan slot on RTE 2 to hearing Fanning play 'Only Losers Take The Bus'......ah, those were the days.
    Then of course came 'Loveless' which changed everything.
    Creditable mentions also go to A House for 'I Am The Greatest' (a trick they never repeated), Microdisney for kicking against the pricks and Harvest Ministers for 'Little Dark Mansion'.
    The Stunning? - Jesus, down there with Cry Before Dawn.
    PeterQuaife
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    12/26/2007 12:30 PM
    Posted By PARTON on 18 Dec 2007 9:55 AM
    Couldnt agree more, the masses of NUI Galway loved em..fine keep them...knobs...if you want a paupers bono then look no further than joe wall...spanners...

    Something happens were definitely up there 15/16 years ago, always loved the Franks aswell.




    knobs? classy

    not sure why you are comparing the stunning's bassist, a true gent by the way and quiet man of the band, with u2's outspoken lead singer? maybe you just thought you had to say something, it happens....

    loved something happens and the stunning, and the franks, and POD, some great memories

    PQ
    PeterQuaife
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    12/26/2007 12:33 PM
    Posted By carry_grant on 26 Dec 2007 6:37 AM

    That Petrol Emotion never received the kudos they deserved for 'Chemicrazy' (there are folk on here who, no doubt, will point out that the lead singer was from L.A. and therefore they weren't Irish).





    well, tell the O'Neill brothers their band were/are not irish, much like telling AC/DC they aint Australian. According to John O'Neill, TPE are touring next year!

    PQ
    carry_grant
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    12/26/2007 1:43 PM
    Trust me, I'm well aware of their origins and, indeed, some of their 'political' beliefs. Great band. Would be cool to see them back as long as Steve Mack was part of the package.
    starbelgrade
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    1/3/2008 5:03 AM
    Posted By carry_grant on 26 Dec 2007 6:37 AM
    Something Happens - Simple Minds without the hits.





    WTF?! I can only presume you've never listened to their early stuff!

    # Life in a Day (1979)
    # Real to Real Cacophony (1979)
    # Empires and Dance (1980)
    # Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call (1981)
    # New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982)
    # Sparkle in the Rain (1984)

    Excellent albums, every last one of them.
    PeterQuaife
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    1/3/2008 8:08 AM
    Posted By carry_grant on 26 Dec 2007 1:43 PM
    Trust me, I'm well aware of their origins and, indeed, some of their 'political' beliefs.




    dear lord, their 'political' beliefs... why, why oh why. the 70's in occupied Derry, instead of running with their peers and 'joining' up, they turn to music, they'll be running for stormont next

    PQ
    primitive
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    1/3/2008 9:49 AM
    Pile of s**te just like his radio show.
    starbelgrade
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    1/3/2008 10:51 AM
    Posted By primitive on 03 Jan 2008 9:49 AM
    Pile of s**te just like his radio show.




    Ah, they weren't as bad as that...

    ... no wait, they were!
    carry_grant
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    1/3/2008 12:27 PM
    starbelgrade - I wouldn't be the first on this board to accuse you of being a knob would I? Cheers for the Simple Minds discography, I own each and every one of those albums you alluded to. I've often witnessed people saying 'Simple Minds? Their early stuff is cool man' which is not exactly true. They only really hit their stride on 'Sons And Fascination' but 'New Gold Dream' remains their essential album.
    'Sparkle In The Rain'? - Jesus, the first whiff of the States did for them and that was where the decay began. I've no doubt you played air guitar to 'The Waterfront' though.
    starbelgrade
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    1/7/2008 2:25 AM
    "starbelgrade - I wouldn't be the first on this board to accuse you of being a knob would I? "

    Possibly not.
    PeterQuaife
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    1/7/2008 6:04 AM
    could be worse, he could be a nordie knob

    PQ
    starbelgrade
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    1/7/2008 6:09 AM
    Posted By PeterQuaife on 07 Jan 2008 6:04 AM
    could be worse, he could be a nordie knob

    PQ




    ..or I could live in Bundoran!
    starbelgrade
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    1/7/2008 6:10 AM
    PS.. that post you had about getting together at solstace to try & push Bundoran into Leitrim is one of the funniest posts I've read on any forum ever!! Classic!
    starbelgrade
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    1/7/2008 7:58 AM
    Posted By carry_grant on 03 Jan 2008 12:27 PM
    starbelgrade - I wouldn't be the first on this board to accuse you of being a knob would I? Cheers for the Simple Minds discography, I own each and every one of those albums you alluded to. I've often witnessed people saying 'Simple Minds? Their early stuff is cool man' which is not exactly true. They only really hit their stride on 'Sons And Fascination' but 'New Gold Dream' remains their essential album.
    'Sparkle In The Rain'? - Jesus, the first whiff of the States did for them and that was where the decay began. I've no doubt you played air guitar to 'The Waterfront' though.




    Carry - you are a "Music God" floating on a cloud of music that You have hand-picked & deemed as "relevant", "important" & "influential"... how could any mortal like me ever have thought differently? Such fools!

    Nay - I believe that you should write a bible.. the "Carry Grant Bible of Music to Know & Love". People will worship you, musicians will write hymns about you, poets will wax lyrical, artists would step over hot coals just to capture your image in paintings & sculptures.. for it is written in the scriptures... and power will bestowed unto the God of Music ...and we shall fall before Him & worship Him, for He is all knowing & what He hears is what we will strive to hear, though we shall never truly understand His majesty, because like fools, we might consider such paltry works as "Sparkle in the Rain" as good albums.

    But Nay, though He is powerful, He is also a forgiving God & he will take our follies as mere sins of the ear & allow us to post in his pearly threads with little or no reprise. For He is good.

    Amen.
    carry_grant
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    1/7/2008 2:36 PM
    Get off your knees lad......and google Richard Dawkins.
    PeterQuaife
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    1/7/2008 2:40 PM
    the four horsemen, but no borat?
    starbelgrade
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    1/8/2008 4:33 AM
    Posted By carry_grant on 07 Jan 2008 2:36 PM
    Get off your knees lad......and google Richard Dawkins.




    Not only can you improve the music libraries of people, but also turn them on to such unknown quantities as this bestselling author. Genius.
    carry_grant
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    1/8/2008 12:22 PM
    Dear me, you were clearly bullied as a child. We're all your friends really.
    starbelgrade
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    1/9/2008 2:26 AM
    Posted By carry_grant on 08 Jan 2008 12:22 PM
    Dear me, you were clearly bullied as a child. We're all your friends really.




    I thought you could do better than that... go on, get back into your box & finish off your w**k.
    carry_grant
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    1/9/2008 10:59 AM
    We're all w**kers my friend. You're just in denial. And very much on the defensive.
    Binokular
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    1/9/2008 11:51 AM
    Alright you two, give over.

    you could cut the sexual tension with a knife

    starbelgrade
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    1/10/2008 4:09 AM
    He started it.
    PeterQuaife
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    1/11/2008 6:40 AM
    "Alright you two, give over.

    you could cut the sexual tension with a knife"

    was thinking that myself, I'm off hunting for a hat this weekend!

    PQ


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