Square Meal
Square Meal From; Dun Laoghaire Active; 1979 – 1980
Style; New Wave
Line up;
Vocals & Guitar; Carl Bailey
Guitar; Steve Belton replaced by Brian Finnie
Bass; Shay Rossiter replaced by Joe Le Heart
Drums; Earl Gill
Scoff Records
Square Meal were manged by Derek Teeling, the founder and owner of Scoff Records.
Bell Sounds (Irish Press column) Review of Square Meal’s Love Attack are too predicable and have nothing new to offer.
Square Meal released a couple of good singles on the Scoff Record label. Love Attack/ Hold On DT 1 in 1979 & Someone’s Out To git Ya/ Another Boy DT 3 in May 1980. Some One’s written by Carl & Another Boy was written by Brian. By this time the line up had changed to Carl Bailey, Joe Le Heart, Earl Gill & Brian Finnie. In July ’80 there was a further line up change when Earl was replace by Dave Kavanagh on drums.
Recording Studio
In September ’80 the band went into the recording studio to lay down some new tracks for their next single and an album for the Christmas market, the single & album were never released.
Their set was 80% original material with covers like “Turning Japanese” The Vapours) & “It’s All right” The Police.
Dandelion Market
They played the now famous Dandelion Market in Dublin on 23/09/1979.
Steve Belton would later go on to play with Fountainhead.
The band also appeared on the Just for Kicks album, which featured up and coming unsigned Irish acts such as The Atrix, D.C. Nien, The Blades, U2 & Zebra etc etc. Square Meal’s track was called Love Attack.
During January – May they had a residency at the Mississippi Rooms in Bray.
Recordings
Love Attack on the Just For Kicks KK-1-IRL 1979, this was an Irish only various artists compilation of unsigned Irish acts including U2, The Atrix, D.C. Nien, New Versions & Berlin.
7″ Love Attack/Hold On Scoff Records DT1 – IRL 1979. Produce by Deke O’Brien.
7″ Someone’s Out To Git Ya/Another Boy Scoff Records DT3- IRL 1980. Produced by Deke O’Brien.
Line Up Change
Second Line up;
Guitar & Vocals; Carl Baily
Guitar & Vocals; Brian Finnie
Bass; Joe Le Heart
Drums; Earl Gill
Yes, Square Meal take another leap in the direction of their goal with the release of their second single “Someone’s Out To Git Ya” written by Carl Baily featured on the A side while “Another Boy” written by Brian Finnie on the B side makes this single one of the big ones.
This is the second single to be released by the band on Scoff Records within six months. The first of these – “Love Attack”, penned by Carl Baily was a tremendous success and with public demand and constant air plays on both the major and pirate stations, the band now continue their journey down the road to success.
Strong Raunchy Rock
The band has had a change in line up within the last few months. The addition of guitarist and vocalist Brian Finnie and bass guitarist Joe Le Heart has added new life and potency to Square Meal’s already strong line up. Strong raunchy rock material with rhythm and pop influence is punched out by this tight outfit with the ease and effectiveness attributed more to older more popular groups.
Power House Drummer
The group itself consists of four members. Carl Bailey on lead guitar and vocals who penned most of the band’s original material so far; Earl Gill is the nuclear powerhouse behind the band and at 20 is already a respected drummer within the rock scene; Brian Finnie (another boy) playing only a relatively short time with the band, fits in like a glove strengthening the band with his portions of lead guitar topped off with fine vocals; Joe Le Heart, also a new member, makes up the third writer in the band and brings with him his experience gained abroad, providing the solid bass playing which completes the band.
Remember Square Meal’s out to get you!