The Undertones

The Undertones are a Northern Irish punk rock band from Derry, United Kingdom, formed in 1975 and active since then. The line-up includes Feargal Sharkey, Michael Bradley, Billy Doherty, Damian O’Neill and John O’Neill. Their sound develops from punk and new wave, with pop punk, pop soul and power pop also associated with the group.

Origins and early work

The original group forms around Sharkey on lead vocals, John O’Neill on guitar, Damian O’Neill on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Michael Bradley on bass and vocals, and Billy Doherty on drums. John O’Neill is the main early songwriter, with Damian O’Neill and Michael Bradley also writing in different combinations. Sharkey’s tenor gives the band a distinctive vocal sound, and the group is known for a tight ensemble style.

By 1977, they are performing their own three-chord material influenced by Nuggets-style garage rock and the Ramones. In 1978, they release their debut four-song EP Teenage Kicks on Good Vibrations. The title track becomes especially well known with support from DJ John Peel and is widely covered by other artists, including Busted, The Raconteurs, Sahara Hotnights and Nouvelle Vague.

Albums and split

The Undertones release four studio albums in their first period: The Undertones in 1979, Hypnotised in 1980, Positive Touch in 1981 and The Sin Of Pride in 1983. Their sales decline as their music changes direction and tensions grow within the band, and they split in 1983.

They also have several compilation releases, including All Wrapped Up and the BBC sessions collection Listening In, which takes its name from a song on their first album.

Later activity and related projects

The O’Neill brothers go on to form That Petrol Emotion. The Undertones regroup in 1999 for shows in their hometown, with Paul McLoone replacing Feargal Sharkey on vocals. Since then, the band continues to play a small number of gigs each year in different places around the world. They also release two later studio albums, Get What You Need and Dig Yourself Deep.