Microdisney: C/D?

Compared to many bands, a lot of those Peel sessions are different enough that you do need to hear. I'd aver that most are better than the "official" studio versions, though it's all good.

Cathal's spoken outros were brilliant.

https://www.nch.ie/Online/Microdisney-02Jun18?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fbpost&utm_campaign=Microdisney&utm_content=announce

That's great news.

This might also be of interest: https://soundcloud.com/ucc98-3fm/iron-fist-in-velvet-glove-the-story-of-microdisney

Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisney
produced by Paul McDermott

Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisney is a 60 minute radio documentary produced by Paul McDermott for UCC98.3FM and funded through the television licence fee under the BAI’s Sound & Vision scheme.
The documentary details how Cathal Coughlan and Sean O’Hagan met in Cork in 1980 and formed Mircodisney. The duo moved to London in 1983 and released four critically acclaimed albums for Rough Trade and Virgin records before disbanding in 1988. Microdisney’s 1985 album The Clock Comes Down the Stairs topped the UK Indie Charts upon its release and regularly features at the top of “the best Irish album of all time” list

i got a ticket! it sold out pretty fast actually

AHH FUCK why didn't see this two days ago?? I've had Microdisney on my mp3 player all week as well, really feeling them at this time of year.

This is probably never going to happen again, is it.

https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2018/event/microdisney

I wonder what a new Microdisney album would sound like. Probably a bit mind-blowing?

probably never going to happen

i'm just imagining an extremely well produced album full of very lush string arrangements

and it sounds really weird in my head

According to that documentary mentioned upthread, the unrecorded fifth album would probably have been produced by Don Was! What could've been, eh.

i'm just imagining an extremely well produced album full of very lush string arrangements

and it sounds really weird in my head

― afriendlypioneer, Friday, December 15, 2017 7:20 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Some as yet unheard middle-ground between the Wilson-esque opulence of the Llamas and the stripped-down starkness of Cathal's solo material? I'm not sure what that would be like, but I do want to hear it.

I love almost all of Cathal's work, and you can't maintain that level of anger without burning yourself up, but I miss the sheer bile and spleen-venting of Fatima Mansions.

Some as yet unheard middle-ground between the Wilson-esque opulence of the Llamas and the stripped-down starkness of Cathal's solo material? I'm not sure what that would be like, but I do want to hear it.

Realized the song "Genius" probably comes close to what I'm imagining.

I find this band fascinating for some reason. They're a little less refined than their peers, their hooks don't always work, and there's a couple duds on every album, but I find myself wearing out each of their albums when I'm in the my Microdisney mood.. I've noticed they have their share of diehard fans who truly believe they were that one in a million band, too. Sure, every band has them, but I've noticed they have a particularly devoted fanbase.

There was a weird song in English about the national anthem

Bit late to reply to this now but "National Anthem" was an early Microdisney track from when they were a five piece post-punk act based in Cork, and called Micro Disney. Funny that these reunion gigs should come up because I'd been reliving my indie kid youth and listening to a lot of Microdisney and Go-Betweens, who were probably my favourite bands of that period but I hadn't listened to either in centuries. I must admit I ended up listening to Microdisney a lot more than the Go-Betweens, for reasons that I should probably post on a Go-Betweens thread. Anyway, yes, a flawed band, all of their albums are compromised by poor choices over production and arrangements - the Peel session versions are pretty much always superior (but then I think the same is true of the Fall). They were brilliant live, as were the Go-Betweens, again probably better than their recordings.

Cathal and Sean performing 'Dolly' in the Barbican Exhibition Halls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnudQE0Oi4Q

That's really...pleasant. I like it!

I wouldn't put it past them to show up the night of their reunion show in that format. I'd love it, but would all their loyal fans love it?

Good reports from the NCH show last night. Anyone going to the Barbican next Saturday?

https://amp.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/culture/review-triumphant-return-for-microdisney-in-dublin-846709.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG2Nsw5OWIY

I'll be there.

I was at the gig last night too. It was excellent. Cathal's voice is in fine fettle. They played the album and then followed it up with the "hits" (and oddball instrumental "Michael Murphy")

I've heard nothing but good things. Chances of a new album?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKkmNAzgSR0

Man, Cathal's voice hasn't aged at all.

I've heard nothing but good things. Chances of a new album?

― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 4 June 2018 13:49

I've heard O'Hagan and Coughlan are writing some new stuff but it wont be under the Microdisney moniker

That's really exciting.

Obviously I love Sean, but it'll be nice to hear him finally write some more traditional music...if that's what they're doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0jgf1yNirM

Saw them a lot in the 80s, they were friends of friends. Cathal was hilarious. "This song is about authority... cos all the bands hate authority..."

https://www.facebook.com/nationalconcerthall/posts/10156168180795907

Looks like some great footage exists.

I thought they were great on Saturday night. A friend who was at Dublin and London reported that they did the same songs (but in a different order) at both shows. He thought the sound was slightly better in London.

Sorry I missed you, Tom.

Yes, great, Cathal's voice was incredible as was his whole stage presence. In between fiddling about with the sound, Sean's guitar playing was as 'tasty' as ever, if I can be allowed to lapse into NME speak ca.1974. Sean's tribute to Cathal at the end was so heartfelt and touching, I get the feeling he really meant it when he said he would never have had a career in music if he hadn't met him.

After some 30 years the band reconvened to perform their seminal album, The Clock Comes Down the Stairs at the National Concert Hall and The Barbican in 2018. Having enjoyed that experience, the band will play a fully standing show at Vicar Street.

Cathal: “We were genuinely moved by the response to the 2018 shows, and we feel it’s right to play once more, to a standing audience at Vicar St, and to offer a fresh slant on the Microdisney songbook.”

How I fell in love with Microdisney

Goodbye, and goodbye...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhu9x3fD04Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad8xLVIlZmw

Candy Clock by Sean O'Hagan https://t.co/VlbJeEyROa #NowPlaying
Featuring Cathal Coughlan.

— High Llamas (@High_Llamas) September 19, 2019

Cathal sings on two other tracks as well.

Listening to them a bit again recently, Sean O'Hagan is such a great guitarist, not a wasted note to be found anywhere.

Absolutely.

https://www.guitars101.com/forums/f145/microdisney-2019-02-19-cork-ireland-aud-flac-remastered-691157.html

Full set from Cork for download at the link:

Track List:

1 - Intro
2 - Mrs Simpson
3 - Horse Overboard
4 - Our Children
5 - Birthday Girl
6 - Past
7 - Are You Happy
8 - Genius
9 - Begging Bowl
10 - A Friend With A Big Mouth
11 - And
12 - Rack
13 - Everybody Is Dead
14 - Pink-Skinned Man
15 - Sun
16 - 464
17 - Loftholdingwood
18 - Gale Force Wind
19 - Band Intros
20 - United Colours
21 - Singer's Hampstead Home
22 - Town To Town
23 - High And Dry
24 - The Night

Just got this Coughlan/O'Hagan website off the ground, will be growing it over the coming months:

https://coughlanohagan.com/

This is a fair revival.

Now, stop.

I've been obsessively listening to Microdisney's Love Your Enemies since Cathal's last LP came out a couple weeks ago. Golly, I think it should be elevated to classic album status and canonized immediately. It's a truly original little compilation/EP/hybrid, whatever. You get bits of Felt/Durutti Column, OMD, Steely Dan, Black Flag in one album. I want so badly for it to get its due, as well as the band itself.

Idiots
Fucking ugly fools
Fucking idiots
Fucking idiots
Fucking all my friends…

Is there a more cathartic verse in pop music?

LOL read that as "Is there a more Catholic verse in pop music?", which I think Cathal and Sean would appreciate. It is of course a hybrid: Cathaltic.

I thought this said Wednesday: C/D? Wednesday is classic. I have no thoughts on Microdisney

Really? Other than having a cool nickname (Humpday) what the hell does Wednesday have going for it? I can't think as single good song written about Wednesday. Wednesday is pretty much yesterday's news afaiak.

Umm, hmm, I'm sure there's a nice Wednesday Adams instrumental on the Addams Family Values OST.

Wednesday Week, the undertones.

(xp) Uh excuse me, only another Irish band that's all ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FswDoZKFXVc

(xp) Beat me by a millisecond there.

BREAKING: The death has been announced of Cathal Coughlan, the Cork music legend who fronted such acts as Microdisney and Fatima Mansions... more to follow pic.twitter.com/ktq2Udl36x

— Irish Examiner Arts & Culture (@IEArtsCulture) May 23, 2022