Whipping Boy

Whipping Boy

Whipping Boy is an indie rock band from Dublin, Ireland, active from 1991 to 2012. The group consists of Colm Hassett on drums, Myles McDonnell on bass guitar, Fearghal McKee on vocals and Paul Page on guitar. Their music is also associated with alternative rock, noise rock and shoegaze.

Career

The band comes to wider attention with Heartworm, an album that receives strong critical praise after they have already issued their debut, Submarine. Despite the reception, Heartworm sells poorly and the band is dropped by Columbia Records. They later release a self-financed, self-titled album, which also draws critical acclaim but fails commercially without major-label support.

Whipping Boy break up in 1998, before they are able to release what becomes their final album. They reform in September 2005 and announce two Irish dates around Christmas, with the possibility of recording another album.

Reception and legacy

Although they achieve little commercial success, Whipping Boy appear regularly in polls of the best bands and albums in Ireland. The group also counts Billy Corgan and Lou Reed among its admirers, with Lou Reed praising the single “We Don’t Need Nobody Else”.