Blaze X
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| Blaze X | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Origin | Tuam, Republic of Ireland | |
| Genre(s) | Punk New Wave |
|
| Years active | 1979 to 1981 | |
| Website | Biography of Blaze X by their manager, Padraig Stevens. | |
Blaze X (1979-1981) were a powerpop/punk band from Tuam, Co. Galway who self-released a popular single, Some Hope, which became Record of the Week on the Larry Gogan Show on 2FM. The single is now near impossible to find. It's as good as anything released on Good Vibrations and is highly recommended. Luckily for poor people, a CD of Blaze X recordings came out in 2002 which included the full 6-song demo session which yielded the single. Amazingly, this includes songs which are even better than the single. Think Moondogs, Tearjerkers and Ramones.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Blaze X played around the West of Ireland during their brief career. They played support slots for The Radiators, The Fuze, Horslips and most famously U2 at Leisure Land in Galway on December 18, 1980, shortly before the release of their single. They split in 1981 when they failed to achieve their ambitions. Davy Carton later found fame in the Saw Doctors, who also count ex Blaze X manager Padraig Stevens and Leo Moran, an early supporter of Blaze X, among its members. Paul Cunniffe contributed to early Saw Doctors records. He died tragically in 2001.
[edit] Members
- Paul Cunniffe (guitar/vocals)
- Davy Carton (guitar/vocals)
- Jarlath Keating (bass)
- Paul Ralph (drums)
[edit] Releases
7" Some Hope / Rippy (30.12.1980) [500]
Only 500 copies pressed and it's a tough one to find these days. Plans to release the single in time for Christmas were scuppered by the death of John Lennon; Beatles records monopolised the pressing plants for several weeks after that. The single was finally collected by the band on December 30th. Most were sold locally and some were sent out as promos -- one of which went to RTE DJ Larry Gogan, who made it his Hit-Pick of the week. But the B-side "Rippy" was banned. Despite this success, the band failed to get on TV and the single was not repressed.
7" "I Used To Love Her (live 24.1.81)"
appears on the B-side of the Saw Doctors 2nd single (Solid ROK731, 7/1990)
CD Blaze X - self titled(8/2002)
Tracks: Some Hope / Checkpoint / Rippy / Heartstops / The Police / Individual / Escape / Destroy / Movement / Mass Murderers / Should I? / Summergirl / That Door / Destroy
This CD contains the complete 6-track session recorded at RCF Studios in Ballybane, Galway on 23 November 1980 that yielded the sole 7", plus 8 live tracks recorded at the local Scout Hall in Tuam on 24.1.1981.
