Stonesnipe

Stonesnipe From Drogheda Active 1983 – 1987
Style; Blues Rock/ Heavy Metal
Line up;
Vocals; Alan Ludlow Ged Brady
Guitar; Dave Conian
Bass; Alan Brodigan
Drums; Mark Lacken

The original line up of the band were more Blues/Rock than the later Heavy Metal band. Stonesnipe were formed by Dave Conlon & Alan Brodigan. Dave was formerly with the Midnight Blues Band, while Alan had been with The Contact. The original singer with the band was Alan Ludow, the band recorded one demo tape at Slane Studio with Alan (A Change From Yesterday). This recording got a fair bit of airplay. Alan had formerly been with Prophecy. Mark the only member not From Drogheda was formerly with Dublin band Thunderbirds Are Go. The bands Drogheda debut was as support Brush Shiels. Ged joined in September ’84, he had formerly been in another Heavy Metal band Witch Heaven. They recorded another demo with Ged at the Slane Studio. They also played the Firehouse in Trim on a regular basis, at the time this was one of the top venues in the country for rock music.

Green Metal

Stonesnipe were selected by Eammon Carr to appear on the Irish Heavy Metal album Green Metal. All 7 bands from the album appeared at Project Arts Centre in Dublin for a Festival of Irish Rock. Stonesnipe contributed the track “A Change From Yesterday”. Also appearing on the album were April South, Assassin, Blackwych, Trojan, Speed & Kruger.

Stonesnipe regularly played Drogheda venues like the Sports Centre, often using another long band (Shanghai) as support. Both bands would have Rory Gallagher & Gary Moore tracks in their set. In 1984 & 1985 the band take part in the open air raft race concert.

By August 1986 the bands line up changed to Dave Conlon, Mark Lacken, Willie Reilly & Michael McCarron.