Undertones

The Undertones are a punk rock/New Wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975. From 1975 to 1983, the Undertones originally consisted of Feargal Sharkey (lead vocals), John O'Neill (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Damian O'Neill (lead guitar, backing vocals), Michael Bradley (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Billy Doherty (drums). Although much of the earlier Undertones material drew influence from punk rock and new wave, the Undertones also incorporated elements of rock, glam rock and post-punk into material released after 1979, before citing soul and Motown as the influence for the material released on their final album. The Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums between 1978 and 1983 before Sharkey announced his intention to leave the band in May 1983, citing musical differences as the reason for the break up. The group had been set to reform to play at Peel's 50th birthday party in August 1989, but had to cancel due to a family bereavement.

In November 1999, the Undertones reformed but upon Sharkey declining, they replaced Sharkey with fellow Derry native, Paul McLoone who in addition to being the group's new and permanent frontman is also a DJ with the Irish national and independent radio station, Today FM.

The Undertones are still together to this day, often performing gigs all over the world with McLoone serving as the current frontman.

They also remain the most successful band to have emerged from Derry and also one of the most successful bands to have emerged from Northern Ireland.

Links To Peel
Peel was such a fan of this group, he played their song Teenage Kicks twice in one show in 1978.

On 22 January 1979 the band joined Peel in the studio during his programme, having just recorded a session for the show at Maida Vale.

He also made a TV documentary in 2001 on the band called The Story Of The Undertones: Teenage Kicks.

Members of the band including Feargal Sharkey attended John Peel's funeral in 2004 and the song Teenage Kicks was played during the ceremony.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * Get Over You (1979, #12; 1980, #17; 1981, # 20; 1982 all-time, #36)
 * Jimmy Jimmy (1979, #31)
 * Oh Please (2003, #22)
 * Teenage Kicks (1978, #10; 1979, #2; 1980, #7; 1981, #6; 1982 all-time, #8; 2000 all-time, #2)
 * Thrill Me (2003, #4)
 * You've Got My Number (1979, #29)

Peelenium

 * 1978: Teenage Kicks

Sessions
1. Recorded 1978-10-01. First broadcast 16 October 1978. Repeated 11 January 1979
 * All except #7 are available on Listening In: Radio Sessions 1978-1982 (Sanctuary).
 * Get Over You / Top 20 / She Can Only Say No / Male Model

2. Recorded 1979-01-22. First broadcast 05 February 1979. Repeated 19 February 1979, 29 August 1979.


 * Listening In / Family Entertainment / Billy's Third / Here Comes The Summer

3. 1979-05-07. First broadcast 11 June 1979. Repeated 26 June 1979.


 * Nine Times Out Of Ten / The Way Girls Talk / Whiz Kids / Top 20

4. Recorded 1980-01-21. First broadcast 23 January 1980. Repeated 11 February 1980 / 10 March 1980.


 * Girls That Don't Talk / Tearproof / What's With Terry? / Rock 'n' Roll

5. Recorded 1980-11-16. First broadcast 09 December 1980. Repeated 01 April 1981


 * The Positive Touch / You're Welcome / When Saturday Comes

6. Recorded 1982-11-08. First broadcast 07 December 1982. Repeated ?


 * Untouchable / The Love Parade / Luxury / The Sin Of Pride

7. Recorded 2003-05-14. First broadcast 14 May 2003. Repeated ?


 * Everything But You / Thrill Me / I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be / Girl Like You

Featured in shows
(The list below is incomplete. Please add further details if known.)

1985 1996 1998
 * 1978
 * 12 September 1978: Teenage Kicks EP (all songs)
 * 14 September 1978: Teenage Kicks
 * 15 September 1978: Teenage Kicks
 * 20 September 1978: Smarter Than U (7" EP - Teenage Kicks) Good Vibrations GOT 4
 * 25 September 1978: Teenage Kicks - played twice[[2
 * 28 September 1978: Emergency Cases (7" EP - Teenage Kicks) Good Vibrations GOT 4
 * 29 September 1978: Teenage Kicks (EP) Good Vibrations
 * 02 October 1978: True Confessions (7" EP - Teenage Kicks) Good Vibrations GOT 4
 * 03 October 1978: Teenage Kicks Good Vibrations
 * 13 October 1978: Teenage Kicks (7”) Sire
 * 24 October 1978: 'Teenage Kicks (7")' (Sire)
 * 27 October 1978: Teenage Kicks Good Vibrations
 * 31 October 1978: Teenage Kicks
 * 04 December 1978: True Confessions (v/a LP - The Sire Machines turns You Up) Sire
 * 1979
 * 01 January 1979: Teenage Kicks F50 #10
 * 02 January 1979: True Confessions ('Teenage Kicks' 7") Good Vibrations
 * 02 January 1979: Teenage Kicks
 * 11 January 1979: Get Over You (7”) Sire
 * 11 January 1979: Really Really (7” – Get Over You) Sire
 * 11 January 1979: She Can Only Say No (7” – Get Over You) Sire
 * 15 January 1979: Get Over You (7") Sire
 * 17 January 1979: Really Really (7” – Get Over You) Sire
 * 18 January 1979: Get Over You (7") Sire
 * 25 January 1979: Get Over You (7") Sire SIR 4010
 * 01 February 1979 (Paul Gambaccini) : Get Over You (7") Sire SIR 4010
 * 14 February 1979: Get Over You (single)
 * 22 February 1979: Get Over You (7") Sire SIR 4010
 * 19 March 1979: Teenage Kicks (7”) Sire
 * 16 April 1979: Teenage Kicks
 * 23 April 1979: Family Entertainment / Girls Don't Like It / Male Model / I Gotta Getta / Wrong Way / Jump Boys / Here Comes The Summer (LP - The Undertones) Sire (complete first side)
 * 24 April 1979: Casbah Rock (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 24 April 1979: Billy's Third / Jimmy Jimmy / True Confessions (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 25 April 1979: (She's A) Runaround / I Know A Girl / Listening In (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 30 April 1979: Male Model (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 01 May 1979: Jimmy Jimmy (7") Sire
 * 08 May 1979: I've Gotta Getta (LP – The Undertones) Sire
 * 12 May 1979 (BFBS): Listening In (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 14 May 1979: Family Entertainment (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 16 May 1979: Billy's Third (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 28 May 1979: Teenage Kicks (Soundtrack LP - That Summer!) Arista
 * 13 June 1979: I Know A Girl (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 02 July 1979: One Way Love (single - Here Comes The Summer b-side) Sire
 * 02 July 1979: Top Twenty (single - Here Comes The Summer b-side)
 * 09 July 1979: Here Comes The Summer (7") Sire SIR 4022
 * 17 July 1979: Here Comes The Summer (single) Sire
 * 21 July 1979 (BFBS): One Way Love (7" - Here Comes The Summer) Sire
 * 21 July 1979 (BFBS): Top Twenty (7" - Here Comes The Summer) Sire
 * 26 July 1979: Here Comes The Summer (single) Sire
 * 20 August 1979 Jimmy Jimmy
 * 21 August 1979: (She's A) Runaround (LP – The Undertones) Sire
 * 29 August 1979: Jimmy Jimmy
 * 30 August 1979: Teenage Kicks
 * 30 August 1979: Get Over You
 * 18 September 1979: Girls Don't Like It
 * 19 September 1979: I Gotta Getta (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 24 September 1979: (She’s A) Runaround (LP – The Undertones) Sire
 * 25 September 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 25 September 1979: Let’s Talk About Girls (7" b-side - You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It!)) Sire
 * 26 September 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 27 September 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 01 October 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 03 October 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 08 October 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 09 October 1979: Let’s Talk About Girls (7" b-side - You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It!)) Sire
 * 11 October 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 16 October 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 17 October 1979: Teenage Kicks (7") Good Vibrations
 * 22 October 1979: Let’s Talk About Girls (7" b-side - You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It!)) Sire
 * 23 October 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 07 November 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7") Sire
 * 21 November 1979: (She's A) Runaround
 * 27 November 1979: I Gotta Getta (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 03 December 1979: Listening In (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 05 December 1979: I Know A Girl (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 06 December 1979: Billy's Third (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 13 December 1979: (She's A) Runaround
 * 13 December 1979: Girls Don't Like It (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 24 December 1979: Jimmy Jimmy F50 #31
 * 26 December 1979: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) F50 #29
 * 1980
 * 01 January 1980: Teenage Kicks F50 #2
 * 17 March 1980: My Perfect Cousin (7”) Sire
 * 17 March 1980: Hard Luck (Again) (7” – My Perfect Cousin) Sire
 * 17 March 1980: I Don't Wanna See You Again (7” – My Perfect Cousin) Sire
 * 18 March 1980: My Perfect Cousin (Single) Sire
 * 20 March 1980: My Perfect Cousin (Single) Sire
 * 24 March 1980: My Perfect Cousin (Single) Sire
 * 27 March 1980: My Perfect Cousin (7”) Sire
 * 31 March 1980: Teenage Kicks
 * 01 April 1980: The Way Girls Talk (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 01 April 1980: Boys Will Be Boys (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 01 April 1980: More Songs About Chocolate And Girls (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 01 April 1980: Wednesday Week (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 03 April 1980: Boys Will Be Boys (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 07 April 1980: Hypnotised (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 07 April 1980: What's With Terry? (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 07 April 1980: See That Girl (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 08 April 1980: Nine Times Out Of Ten (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 09 April 1980: More Songs About Chocolate And Girls (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 10 April 1980: The Way Girls Talk (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 14 April 1980: Girls That Don't Talk (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 15 April 1980: What's With Terry? (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 21 April 1980: Girls That Don't Talk (album - Hypnotised) Sire SRK 6088
 * 29 April 1980: There Goes Norman (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 30 April 1980: What’s With Terry? (LP – Hypnotised) Sire
 * 01 May 1980: Hard Luck (LP – Hypnotised) Sire
 * 05 May 1980: What’s Wrong With Terry (LP – Hypnotised) Sire
 * 08 May 1980: Wednesday Week (LP - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 19 May 1980: True Confessions
 * 21 May 1980: Boys Will Be Boys / Tearproof (LP – Hypnotized) Sire
 * 26 May 1980: More Songs About Chocolate And Girls (LP – Hypnotised) Sire
 * 28 May 1980: There Goes Norman (LP – Hypnotised) Sire
 * 16 June 1980: I Told You So (7" b-side - Wednesday Week) Sire
 * 25 June 1980: Wednesday Week (7") Sire (Paul Gambaccini sits in)
 * 02 July 1980: I Told You So (7" b-side - Wednesday Week) Sire
 * 23 September 1980: (She's A) Runaround (album - The Undertones) Sire SRK 6071
 * 24 September 1980: I Gotta Getta (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 13 November 1980: Jimmy Jimmy
 * 09 December 1980: The Positive Touch unknown promo
 * 09 December 1980: You're Welcome unknown promo
 * 09 December 1980: ? unknown promo
 * 29 December 1980: Get Over You F50 #17
 * 30 December 1980: Teenage Kicks F50 #7
 * 1981
 * 02 February 1981: What's With Terry? (album - Hypnotised) Sire SRK 6088 SRK 6088
 * 02 February 1981: More Songs About Chocolate And Girls (album - Hypnotised) Sire SRK 6088 SRK 6088
 * 27 April 1981: Fascination (LP – Positive Touch) Ardeck
 * 27 April 1981: Life's Too Easy (LP – Positive Touch) Ardeck
 * 27 April 1981: Crisis Of Mine (LP – Positive Touch) Ardeck
 * 27 April 1981: You're Welcome (LP – Positive Touch) Ardeck
 * 28 April 1981: When Saturday Comes (LP - Positive Touch) Ardeck
 * 29 April 1981: His Goodlooking Girlfriend (album - Positive Touch) Ardeck ARD 103
 * 04 May 1981: Positive Touch (album - Positive Touch) Ardeck ARD 103
 * 11 May 1981: His Goodlooking Girlfriend (LP - Positive Touch)
 * 14 May 1981: You're Welcome (LP - Positive Touch)
 * 21 May 1981: Life’s Too Easy (LP – Positive Touch) Ardeck
 * 15 September 1981: 'What's With Terry? (LP-Hypnotised)' (Sire)
 * 15 October 1981: Teenage Kicks
 * 29 December 1981: Get Over You F50 #20
 * 30 December 1981: Teenage Kicks F50 #6
 * 1982
 * 16 August 1982: Life's Too Easy
 * 14 October 1982: The Love Parade (single)
 * 21 October 1982: The Love Parade (single)
 * 15 November 1982: Jimmy Jimmy (7") Sire SIR 4015
 * 29 December 1982: Teenage Kicks F50 #8
 * 1983
 * 02 March 1983: Got To Have You Back (7") Ardeck ARDS 12
 * 09 March 1983: Valentine's Treatment (LP - The Sin Of Pride) Ardeck
 * 09 March 1983: Luxury (LP - The Sin Of Pride) Ardeck
 * 09 March 1983: Bye Bye Baby Blue (LP - The Sin Of Pride) Ardeck
 * 23 March 1983: The Sin Of Pride (LP - The Sin Of Pride) Ardeck
 * 23 August 1983: Boys Will Be Boys (album - Hypnotised) Sire
 * 13 September 1983: Girls That Don't Talk
 * 29 November 1983: Get Over You
 * 30 November 1983: Here Comes The Summer (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 01 December 1983: Jimmy Jimmy
 * 06 December 1983: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It)
 * 1984
 * 07 May 1984: Let's Talk About Girls
 * 01 July 1985: What's With Terry
 * 1986
 * 29 November 1986 (BFBS) (Peel 046 (BFBS)): Here Comes The Summer (12"-The Peel Sessions)' (Strange Fruit)
 * 10 December 1986: Listening In (EP - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit
 * 17 December 1986: Billy's Third (EP - The Peel Session) Strange Fruit
 * 1989
 * 09 November 1989: Family Entertainment (LP - The Undertones) Sire
 * 12 December 1989: Tearproof (album - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRLP103
 * 16 December 1989 (BFBS) (Peel 127 (BFBS)): 'Rock 'N' Roll (LP-The Peel Sessions Album)' (Strange Fruit) (JP: 'I was thinking you know as that was playing how interesting it is that the little snobberies that one is guilty of, however hard you try not to be, I would never have played the original of that, by Gary Glitter, because it would have been dead uncool, but it's alright to play it by the Undertones....Odd that, really. I should be ashamed of meself.')
 * 18 December 1989: Here Comes The Summer (album - The Peel Sessions) Strange Fruit SFRLP103
 * 1991
 * 12 January 1991: Teenage Kicks
 * 1992
 * 12 January 1992: Jimmy Jimmy
 * 16 May 1992: Teenage Kicks
 * 1993
 * 06 April 1993 (Peel is Brambles): Teenage Kicks
 * 10 September 1993 (BFBS): My Perfect Cousin (single)
 * 1994
 * 16 August 1994 (BBC World Service): Teenage Kicks
 * 1995
 * 20 May 1995: Teenage Kicks (7 inch) Sire Records Company (JP: '17 years on and I still get a lump in me throat every time I play that.')
 * 27 May 1995 (BFBS): Teenage Kicks
 * 10 October 1996 (BFBS): 'Teenage Kicks (7")' (Good Vibrations) (JP: 'Still get a lump in me throat every time I hear that, you know...The Pig has promised that it'll be played at my funeral: let's hope that isn't too soon, although I must admit with this cold, I feel as though it could come within the next few minutes. Well, next week or so anyway.')
 * 1997
 * 18 February 1997: Teenage Kicks
 * 20 February 1997: Get Over You (7") Sire
 * 12 August 1997: Teenage Kicks
 * 01 October 1997: Teenage Kicks
 * 06 October 1998: Teenage Kicks
 * 1999
 * 24 June 1999: Teenage Kicks (Glastonbury Mix)
 * 31 August 1999: Teenage Kicks
 * 14 September 1999: Teenage Kicks
 * 30 November 1999: Teenage Kicks Peelenium 1978
 * 2000
 * 26 January 2000: Teenage Kicks
 * 08 March 2000: Jimmy Jimmy (single) Sire
 * 14 September 2000: Jimmy Jimmy (compilation album - True Confessions (Singles=A’s+B’s))
 * 19 December 2000: Teenage Kicks
 * 2001
 * 21 June 2001: Teenage Kicks
 * 2002
 * 19 September 2002: True Confessions (EP - Teenage Kicks) Good Vibrations
 * 2003
 * 06 March 2003: Teenage Kicks
 * 06 May 2003: Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 13 May 2003: Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 21 May 2003: Thrill Me (7") (For Us) - played twice
 * 23 May 2003 (BBC World Service): Thrill Me (7")
 * 29 May 2003 (Radio Eins): Thrill Me (7")
 * 04 June 2003: 'Thrill Me (7")' (For Us)
 * 04 June 2003 (Radio Mafia): Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 06 June 2003 (BBC World Service): Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 10 June 2003: Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 11 June 2003: Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 12 June 2003: Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 12 June 2003 (Radio Eins): Thrill Me (7")
 * 03 July 2003 (Radio Eins): Thrill Me (7")
 * 08 July 2003: Thrill Me (7") For Us
 * 10 September 2003: My Perfect Cousin
 * 17 September 2003: Jimmy Jimmy (LP - The Best Of The Undertones) Sanctuary
 * 23 September 2003: You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It?) (LP - The Best Of The Undertones) Sanctuary
 * 02 October 2003: Touch (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 08 October 2003: I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 14 October 2003: Everything But You (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 23 October 2003 (Radio Eins): I Need Your Love The Way It Used To Be (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 07 November 2003 (BBC World Service): You Can't Say That (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 11 November 2003: Thrill Me (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 04 December 2003: Touch (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 11 December 2003: Oh Please (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 18 December 2003 (Radio Eins): Teenage Kicks
 * 25 December 2003: Oh Please (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary FF #22
 * 25 December 2003: Thrill Me (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary FF #4
 * 2004
 * 09 January 2004 (BBC World Service): Oh Please (LP - Get What You Need) Sanctuary
 * 08 April 2004: Teenage Kicks
 * 30 November 2004 (Rob Da Bank): ‘Here Comes the Summer’ - (Peel Session)
 * Other
 * Keeping It Peel: 'Teenage Kicks'

Links

 * www.theundertones.com: John Peel page
 * Wikipedia entry
 * BBC Peel site: Undertones page


 * Footnotes