New Versions
New Versions from; Ireland Active; 1978 – 1982
Line up;
Ingmar Kiang Vocals & Guitar
Regine Moylett Keyboards
Johnny Byrne Bass (R.I.P.)
Paul Bibby Drums
The New Versions minus Regine had formerly been known as Sordid Details, one of the first Dublin “Punk” bands. In November/December 1978 Berlin & New Versions toured Ireland on the 17 date “Streets Ahead” Tour, this was the first Punk/New Wave tour of Ireland. By the time of their only single release in 1981, Ivor Rowen had replaced Johnny Byrne on bass. Ivor was formally the bass player with The Vipers. Johnny became a sound engineer at Dublin’s Keystone Studio.
Records/Recordings
Like Gordon Of Khartoum/What You Want
7″ Like Gordon Of Khartoum/What You Want Mulligan Records LUNS 744By the time of this single Ivor had replaced Johnny on bass, Johnny engineered the record. Henry McGlade in the Connaught Telegraph (17 June 1981) wrote that the single “features a blend rarely found on Irish releases – lively sound, good production and an intelligent lyrics”.
Con Downing in the Southern Star (20 June 1981) was less enthusiastic:
this record comes in an eye-catching colour sleeve and a copy of the hand-written lyrics … but the attractive packaging is not enough to compensate for the lack of drive and edge which this record could have.
I think it’s catchy enough and stands up well when comparing the record to what their peers were releasing in the same period.
Video from RTE’s Irish speaking programme SBB Ina Shui. Tracks are The Only Cure/ Around The Corner. The band split up shortly after this TV appearance.
Gig Guide
09/06/1978 Magnet Bar, Dublin with The School Kids
14/07/1978 Community Centre, Howth with Rocky DeValera & the Gravediggers
12/08/1978 Abbey Inn, Tralee with The Atrix
16/09/1978 Downtown Kampus, Arcadia Ballroom, Cork with Count Bishops. I believe this was the New versions first gig in Cork.
Hot Press review by Brendan Halpin The New Versions opened the night with a set of moderate New Wave/Rock. Tho’ a 3 piece, their sound is full enough, due in the main to the fast jagged rhythm guitar of the part Chinese Ingmar Kiang. Their set consisted of fast, enjoyable original material. With a bit more variety and originality, they could quite well go places.
06/10/1978 Baggot Inn, Dublin with Sidewinder
02/11/1978 Arts Block, Trinity College, Dublin with Modern Heirs, Virgin Prunes & U2
St Anthony’s “Punk festival”
22/11/1978 St Anthony’s “Punk Festival” with Berlin, Virgin Prunes, Strange Movements, Skank Mooks, The Citizens.
Eamon Delaney “I have a poster for this gig. The full lineup, from the top, is the New Versions, Berlin, the Virgin Prunes, the Strange Movements, the Skank Mooks and the Citizens. It was my first gig, and very memorable ; a wild show, with fires being burned down the front of the stage as people set alight some reams of computer paper thrown around as part of the Prunes typically avant garde shock-art set. A women in a wheelchair was whirling around the moshpit, and kids from nearby Oliver Bond flats snook in to join the show. The Strange Movements had a single, Dancing in the Ghetto with Good Vibrations records and the New Versions had Regine Moylett as a singer, subsequently a long time PR person with U2. She and her sister Susan ran the famous No Romance punk and fashion bondage shop in the Dandelion..”.
Johnny Bonnie “The Skank Mooks had 4 members but 10 on stage, the venue was packed but there were more backstage than out front”. My first gig and first time to use a drumkit, thanks to Paul Bibby for that at St. Anthonys Hall, think we got the the name from the film Mean Streets.We went on to do another seven gigs”Photo taken by Patrick Brocklebank, the New Version at St Anthony’s.
Denis Rusk “I do have lucid and reliable memories. I doubt any photos exist, the citizens were short lived, but i can still remember every moment. the citizens were not important in rock and roll history save for the fact that in the francis xaviour hall we played at a punk festival. we were first on and a little known 17 year old short and slightly overweight kid known as ‘fats’ by his friends took the microphone that we were not using for backing vocals and sang from behind the curtain. Even then, ‘Fats’ who is now known worldwide as Bono had the grace to give Emmet credit for his own performance. Bono is, and always has been a good guy”.
Emmett O’Reilly “I can still remember The Citizens arriving at the gig with 2 guitarists and going on stage with 3, having enlisted a new member in the dressing room, cos we thought 2 guitars might not be enough. Bono sang on “My Way” from off stage and when, at the time, we read “stage presence shit” in the review we were chuffed”.
“Streets Ahead Tour”
The New Version begin a nationwide tour with Berlin
20/12/1978 McGonagle’s, Dublin, with Berlin Hot Press review by Liam Mackey What was intended as sincere and positive affirmation of the well being of the latest phase of Dublin New Wave operations, here turned out to be a full frontal illustration of its prime defects. With the Rats engaged in their lap of honour, the Radiators doggedly hugging the inside lane waiting for an opportunity to power sprint come the New Year, and both the Vipers and Revolver off and on the starting blocks respectively, the current Streets Ahead ’78 tour – at base a commendable exercise in hard grafting – is doubtless intended to constitute the unveiling of the latest brace of contenders, in Berlin and The New Versions. On the evidence of the McGonagle’s gig – the second of the tour – their claims to the spotlight seem premature
“Dark Space Festival”
16-17/02/1979 “Dark Space Festival” Project Arts Centre, Dublin with Berlin, The Mekons, Throbbing Gristle, Rudi, Protex, The Idiots, The Atrix, Revolver, D.C. Nien, Zebra, U2, The Modern Heirs, Virgin Prunes, Rocky De Valera & The Gravediggers. The Project Arts Centre “Dark Space” festival brings together the biggest ever collection of Irish “New Wave” bands under one roof, from both the north & south. After Public Image pull out, the only non Irish band are The Mekons. Much like many modern festivals “Dark Space” had two stages, one in the main hall & one in a smaller hall. Many of the local Dublin bands play in the smaller hall including D.C. Nien, Zebra, Modern Heirs, The Letters, The Vultures. Revolver kicked off the 24 hour “Dark Space” festival at 11pm on the Friday night. They are the “old men” of the Dublin “New Wave” scene, they and The Vipers were at the first Project “New Wave” festival in 1977. U2 close the festival on the Saturday night. Their set is stopped mid way through due to late scheduling. There is also no time for a “Live Aid” style finale with all the bands on stage together. From reading reviews of this festival, I believe that Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers & U2 played two sets. The price of admission was dropped from £6 to £4 after John Lydon’s PIL dropped out.
John Cooper Clarke, photo by Patrick Brocklebank
08/03/1979 El Ruedo11/03/1979 Project Arts Center, Dublin with John Cooper Clarke Hot Press review Declan Lynch That the majority of today’s Irish bands are outstandingingly mediocre – much worse than boring – is one of the more disquieting features of a trip downtown on a Monday morning. That the “New Versions” are certainly an exception (the exception?) was made plain by their support set Bob Dylan – Cooper – the first time I’d seen them. A certain Ms. Moylett, of a well known musical, political family, plays the most simplistically charming, and endearingly poppy keyboards I have ever witnessed – such a change from the “musicians” with an abundance of facial hair, who should have turned in their piano lessons at grade 3 instead of trying for that Royal Irish Academy scholarship. Vocally they are weak, and percussively, (?) they need a new one, but, without being effusively laudatory, they cut it better than 92% (to quote Berlin – average age 58) of other Irish bands. They deserve your immediate and undivided attention. Seen, man?
17/03/1979 St Patrick’s Day Parade, Dublin. The New Version play an open concert on the back of a lorry through the streets of Dublin Sometime in late March the New Versions played the Howth Community Centre with the Skank Mooks as support.
06/05/1979 Baggot Inn, Dublin with The Baldes (afternoon) Hot Press review by Bill Graham For the New Versions, it wasn’t such a happy Sunday afternoon. Granted that their supporters claimed they could do better and a claque of antagonistic Blades fans obviously disturbed and distracted them so the set may have suffered from lack of conviction, but the New Versions’s design could still do with some revision.Overly Stranglerish in their construction, the New Versions’ problems come down to the lack of colour and versatility in their arrangements. Johnny Byrne’s pulsating bass is the backbone of the band but alongside him both Regine Moylett and Paul Bibby could contribute more. Certainly Ig sounds to have the capacity to add more than just well scrubbed rhythm guitar while as a neophyte keyboards player (no shame that), Regine Moylett might opt more for sound and effect. With a name like theirs, more novelty is expected form the New Versions than was on offer here.
11/05/1979 Askeaton, Co Limerick
19/05/1979 Holy Ghost Youth Club, Dun Laoghaire
20/05/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with The Sussed, this was The Sussed first proper gig, the whole concert was recorded by the band. Do you have the tape?
26/05/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Virgin Prunes (afternoon)
29/05/1979 Holiday Inn, Courtown
01/06/1979 Alexandra College, Milltown
19/06/1979 McGonagle’s with Young Nite Out
26/06/1979 McGonagle’s with Young Nite Out
03/07/1979 McGonagle’s with Free Booze
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10/07/1979 McGonagle’s with Free Booze Hot Press review by Rocky DeValera There are a lot of so called politically conscious bands around today. Most of the time their musical rhetoric involves a lot of huffing and puffing but very little of real substance – or else they fall over themselves in their naivety and thus fail to communicate their ideas adequately. Some bands even fail to see that music and lyrical ideas can work together to enable them to develop and distil their own particular vision.
The New Versions are one band that don’t seem to suffer this kind of problem. It’s a strange thing these days to see a young band as politically aware and as musically capable as they are. However they’re at a very early stage of their development and a lot more work needs to be done before their true potential is realised – but they’re heading in the right direction, that’s for sure.
On Monday night in McGonagles they managed to overcome some bad sound problems to play a tight, well organized set. At first they sound like a really fine new wave danceband but when you stand back and listen to them, there’s more to it than that. They’re not content to write songs which appeal just to the feet, (though that’s important): the attitude which comes across in original songs like “Orrors From Above”, “Tango Of Nerve” and “Brenda Spencer” is that there’s more to the whole thing than just bland acceptance – even bland acceptance of the new wave. It’s a stance which could easily backfire on them – and at times it nearly does – but, in the end, they win through despite the odds.
If they have a real problem, it’s with their sound. Regine Moylett’s keyboards playing is subtle and delightful – when she can be heard. On Monday she came through only at the end, which was a pity – because when she does she adds a whole dimension to the textures of the music. Her playing is very individual as is Iggy Kiang’s guitar work these two together giving the Versions songs a particularly melodic flavour. Johnny Byrne on bass (and excellent lead vocals) and Paul Bibby on drums, make up a fine rolling rhythm section.
If the New Versions stay together, sort out their sound problems and continue to develop along the lines they’ve already charted, they could well become the most important band in the country within the next year.
Advert from Hot Press
16/07/1979 McGonagle’s with Free Booze
23/07/1979 McGonagle’s with Free Booze
29/07/1979 Dandelion Market, Dublin with The Blitz
04/08/1979 Dandelion Market, Dublin
31/08/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with The Cheaters
02/09/1979 McGonagle’s with Static Routines
07/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
14/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Rocky De Valera & The Gravediggers
15/09/1979 Project Arts Centre, Dublin with John Cooper Clarke
21/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Static Routines
28/09/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
05/10/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
12/10/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
19/10/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
26/10/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin
08/12/1979 Dandelion Market, Dublin
16/12/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with The End. This was a Sunday afternoon show and also The End’s first gig.
21/02/1980 JCR, Trinity College, Dublin
22/02/1980 Trinity College, Dublin
28/02/1980 McGonagle’s, Dublin
06/03/1980 McGonagle’s, Dublin
Photo from Hot Press
Alexandra College with The End somewhere between 11th to 25th April Hot Press review Shane McElhatton Doug Fieger would’ve loved it. A rock ‘n’ roll crowd composed mainly of schoolgirls, average age 15 – 18. There’s about 10 blokes in the audience. Most don’t seem to be aware of the conduct required at a concert type thingy. They around, squeal a lot, and enjoy themselves. Um, golly gosh, punk rock! One or two put together some suspiciously hip dance steps. Imagine! Not one stage invasion! Not one bottle, not one punch thrown! What’s this town coming to?
Up on stage the End are having problems. The guitarist needs practice, and his guitar seems to wish it was somewhere else. The sound is thick, jangly, flies all over the place. The vocalist shouts above the din. The rhythm section, heads down, concentrate on keeping the show together. The vocalist needs to sing, not shout, put more variety in his voice. The set needs more variation. There are good tunes in there, and some good songs, especially “Love OnThe Airwaves”. The End, I hope, have only begun.
I came to the gig ready to slag the Versions right off the stage. A so so track on the “Kicks” LP, and a godawful “Our Times” video were my only previous experiences of the band. However, I left all my preconceptions and prejudices (“No Romance” and Boomtown Bigtime connections etc.) in a plastic bag outside. Objectivity prevailed……..
Imagine a big, fat fairground organ sound tacked on to a melodic ’77 thrash, and you’ve got the New Versions. Regine Moylett looks like a cross between the wicked witch and a music teacher. She sits at the keyboards, pumps out the colours, the textures that flesh out the rest of the sound. Guitarist Iggy Kiang (somebody read this man the 2nd commandment) pale, gangling, with a self inflicted haircut, wraps himself round his guitar looking incredibly like George Harrison circa 1960. He strikes the right poses, plays the right guitar (Fender telecaster original!!) from which he gets the right sound – raw, dirty, and very loud. Bassist Ivor – plays bass, and looks grim. Drummer Bibby – plays drums, and adds effective backing vocals. Covers include Glen Miller’s “In The Mood” and Talking Heads’ “Psyscho Killer”, which they play without sounding like Talking Heads.
The Versions are by no means a great band, and probably never will be. They do make, however, an entertaining rock ‘n’ roll noise. The songs start to run into each other as the set progresses, the result of a lamentable lack of pace and variation. The need; (a) a lead singer (Kiang cannot sing). (b) a lot more texture on guitar. Moylett’s keyboards do too much of the work in that area. (c) Some manners. No credit was given to the End when they loaned their snare drum to the Version’s drummer when the latter inadvertently demolished his. It’s little details like that that matter. 06/06/1980 Project Arts Centre, Dublin
After the New versions Ingmar Kiang
After the New Versions broke up in 1982, Ingmar Kiang and Johnny Byrne collaborated with Mannix Flynn in The Corporation and later formed Max with Marian Woods and Conor Kelly. Working for Island Records and others in the 1980s and 1990s, Kiang produced work for U2, Ronny Jordan, Aswad, Courtney Pine and also re-mixed a series of Bob Marley songs. Today, Kiang is a freelance journalist for The Sunday Times, Aer Lingus’ Cara magazine and a host of other publications.
Johnny Byrne
From dabbling with the sound desk while playing with The New Versions, Johnny Byrne discovered his true calling and soon put down his bass to take over chores behind the mixing console. He worked at the Keystone and Windmill Lane studios in Dublin with artists like U2, the Chieftains, Christy Moore, the Boomtown Rats, Thin Lizzy, Paul Brady, the Radiators from Space and Rory Gallagher. He moved to New York City in 1985, where he worked as a live sound engineer while producing and recording acts that included Black 47, Eileen Ivers, Pat Kilbride, Rogue’s March and the Rascals.
Regine Moylett
Regine Moylett moved to London after the band’s break up. She started writing gig reviews for NME before joining Island Records’ press office and working with Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Since 1985, she has been U2’s press agent and publicity director.
Paul Bibby
Drummer Paul Bibby later played with Some Kind Of Wonderful and the Soulmates. Based in England, he is currently works as a Sales Director in the Media industry.