"Horslips Stage Glorious Comeback"

Drogheda Independent

HORSLIPS, the legendary Celtic rockers from the 1970s, brought the house down in the Droichead Arts Centre this week.

Woohoo – the men who rode, horsemen-of-the-Apocalypse like through the dance halls of Ireland in the ’70s, did the business for one last time in Drogheda.

It was only the third time in 25 years they have played together.

They couldn’t escape it. The whoops of delight as the rockers hit the stage to thank fans at the opening of the art centre’s ‘History of Horslips’ exhibition meant they couldn’t leave without picking up their instruments for one last song.

The reluctant heroes gave an impromptu performance of ‘Furniture’ that thrilled the packed house. Local solicitor and ardent fan Paddy Goodwin, couldn’t quite believe his eyes. ‘They told me they wouldn’t play,’ said a stunned Paddy.

He is the main sponsor behind bringing the exhibition of Horslips memorabilia to Drogheda.

The band’s posters, album covers, guitars, pictures and artifacts have been lovingly collected over the years by Derry-based Jim Nelis, Cavan man Paul Callaghan and Stephen Ferris of Ballymena.



The pop art visual extravaganza made it’s first appearance in Derry 18 months ago and resulted in Horslips recording another album together. Drogheda is only the second place the exhibition has been put on show.

Before Horslips took the stage, a nine piece tribute band from Omagh, played a note perfect selection of their greatest hits to an enthusiastic audience. Asked how it felt to watch young fellas who were still in God’s pocket when the band broke up give a dobbleganger performance, Horslips lead singer Barry Devlin replied ‘weird’.

Yes. A Horslips article sure motivates me to remember that Unison.ie password!

Full article at link and it requires registration. Registration is free, though.

Carr's Cocktail Shack Spotlite: ELVIS

Remember this Sunday Carr's Cocktail Shack on 92.1 ChoiceFM, Dublin is going wild at Graceland with a special show on The King of Rock and Roll.

And you can listen LIVE on the Internet at www.choicefmdublin.com!

Today's Elvis news item is a bit trashier, but evokes the classic shopping mall poster shop art entitled "Game of Fate" (with green and yellow L.E.D. lights!)


(Game of Fate image from www.portrait4u.co.uk)

Presley's Uncivilized Pals cost him a date with Monroe

MARILYN MONROE once snubbed a date with ELVIS PRESLEY because she didn't like the company he kept.

Presley's longtime confidante BYRON RAPHAEL, who was hired to wrangle beautiful one-night stands for the king of rock 'n' roll, reveals his boss met with Monroe on a film set at 20th Century Fox studios in Hollywood.

But, he tells men's magazine Playboy, the encounter never hit the headlines because Presley was keen to play down the fact the actress had turned down his advances.



Smitten Presley continued to woo Monroe until she became one of the only women ever to turn down a date with the King - when she cried off with a headache excuse.

Raphael says, "It was one of the rare times Elvis was refused."

Datin' is a game that grown-ups play
Datin' means acting in a silly way
Datin' makes girls start wiggle walking
Datin' makes a guy start baby talking

Dizzy like children on a merry-go-round
Grown-ups are the biggest kids I've found
You'd think they belong in a baby carriage
They're doing things that lead to marriage
But don't you laugh at what they do, oh no
'Cause some day you'll be datin' too

Promoting the Next Gig: Horslips Tribute Band

Tonite at the INF Hall, Omagh as part of the Omagh Arts Festival


(Poster from Letterkenny gig, August)

www.horslips.tk

Listen to what Horslips themselves have to say about this group of young musicians paying tribute to them! Visit the Media page and then click on "What Horslips had to say about us 2.41MB." (Haven't mastered how to link to Mp3s in Blogger.)

Carr's Cocktail Shack Spotlite: ELVIS

Part of our ongoing promotion of next Sunday's mix of music and cocktail lore from the Jungle Room at Graceland on Carr's Cocktail Shack, 92.1 ChoiceFM, Dublin.

No Rock and Roll Fun covered this story, with a nice nod to Oscar Wilde, sometime back, but the news should continue to receive raised eyebrows for some time to come:

Justin Timberlake Buying Sun and Stax Labels

Teen pop sensation Justin Timberlake is dabbling in the recording industry by heading back to his hometown of Memphis and snatching up some music history.

Timberlake is heading up a group of investors planning to buy up both Stax Records and Sun Records, as well as a recording complex in Memphis.

Sun Records is typically hailed as the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. Founded by producer Sam Phillips in 1952, the label received little attention until 1954 when a young man named Elvis Presley walked into the building. Elvis later switched to RCA, but many of his first recordings were made at Sun. Artists like Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis also got their starts at Sun.

Stax Records was known in the sixties as a major influence on soul and funk music. The Stax sound was mostly cultivated by Booker T. Jones and his band Booker T. and the MGs. Other major acts on the label included Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Isaac Hayes.

Justin already owns his own record label, called JayTee.

Well a hundred years from now I won't be crying
A hundred years from now I won't be blue
My heart will have to forget that we ever met
But I won't care a hundred years from now

I'll never forget sweetheart the night you told me
That you could Live without my love somehow
That's all in the past I knew it wouldn't last
But I won't care a hundred years from now

Carr's Cocktail Shack Spotlite: ELVIS

This coming Sunday, Carr's Cocktail Shack goes to Graceland with a special tribute to the King.

In a blatant attempt to go along for the ride and clear out all the Elvis news alerts in the inbox, "Horslips and Other Music" will highlight Elvis news and trivia all throughout the week.

Our first story: Frankfurt Germany

The runways that once helped feed a blockaded Berlin, bade Elvis farewell after his Army service and provided the first glimpse of freedom for hostages returning from Iran now stand empty.

A hub of U.S. military activity for decades, Rhein-Main Air Base is being given back to Germany and its logistical functions taken over by bases at Ramstein and Spangdahlem. Ceremonies set for Monday will mark the handover, which will take until the end of the year.

"The mission has moved," said U.S. Air Force Col. Tom Schnee, who is overseeing the shutdown. "We're all set for the symbolic closure."

...

The closure also marks a passing for Frankfurt, the financial center of Germany and Europe.

American soldiers and airmen brought jazz, cheap cigarettes, hot dogs and other Americana to the city immediately after World War II, and were a part of the Friday and Saturday night bar scene in the city's Sachsenhausen district.

A young Elvis Presley flew from Rhein-Main back to the U.S. when his Army service ended.

"I can close my eyes today and hear all those engines waiting to take off," said Moore, the Navy aviator and Berlin airlift veteran. "There goes the gateway to Europe."

Now I picked this one because the Rhein-Main airbase was a significant part of my childhood and I still get a pang whenever business travel takes me through Frankfurt.

Muss i denn, muss i denn
Zum Stadtele hinaus
Stadtele hinaus
Und du, mein schat, bleibst hier?

There's no strings upon this love of mine
It was always you from the start
Sei mir gut
Sei mir gut
Sei mir wie du wirklich sollst
Wie du wirklich sollst
'Cause I don't have a wooden heart

Promoting the Next Gig: Johnny Fean & Steve Travers

Looking at Johnny and Steve's gig list, I see that a tentative October date at Killaloe is now November 5th at Brendan Grace's, Main Street, Killaloe, +353 (0) 61 374066.


(Photo of patrons at Brendan Grace's Bar)

The next gig on Saturday, October 22 is at the Coyote Ranch in Rush -- the one place that I've had a chance to see Johnny TWICE!

Beautiful Photos from Thursday's Exhibit Opening

Over at the Horslips Tribute Band site, there's a set of new photos from Stephen Ferris. Go to Photos Page 2 and scroll down.



And don't forget: next Tribute Band gig is THIS Thursday, October 13, at the INF Hall. It will be part of the Omagh Arts Festival.

I won't be able to 'attend' via cellphone this time, but look forward to reading about it on Friday.