Sinners The
The Sinners from; Dublin/Manchester Active; 1978 – 1979
Style; New Wave
Line Up;
Vocals & Lead Guitar; Aidan O’Rourke
Rhythm Guitar; Tony Pugh
Bass; Fergus Nolan
Drums; Bernie Walsh
Vinnie Murphy Bass (joined later, after the Buzzcocks gig September 1978), he again, was later replaced by Mick Nolan.
The Sinners were regarded by many as one of the best bands on the Dublin circuit in 1978/1979.
Many thanks to Aidan & Bernard for their information.
Heat Records
The Fabulous Fabrics & The Sinners were signed to Heat Records, a label set up by Heat fanzine co editors Pete Price & Jude Carr. No singles were released, this may have due to the trouble that Heat fanzine got into after publishing an article about Paul McGuinness.
Heat fanzine has two “Sinners” gigs listed in the top twenty gigs of 1978, the first being at the Magnet Bar #4, & the second at McGonagle’s #19. The Band had a residency at Toners, Dublin from October 1978 to March 1979.
Supporting The Buzzcocks
The Sinners last gig with Aidan was as support to the British new wave band the Buzzcocks, according to Aidan the band carried on without him. Aidan is now a successful photographer, back in Manchester. Bernard is also a successful photographer in Ireland.
“We supported the Buzzcocks in a venue in Mary Street (can’t remember the name of the venue, not The Steering Wheel though).
Such a long time ago, I can’t remember the year never mind the date! I’m pretty sure it was 1978 I get the feeling it was October/November.
I do remember U2 were after the gig but our then manager Reggie Morgan somehow out talked Paul McGuinness (must have been the one and only time!). In fairness to them they turned up at the gig and were very gracious.” Bernard Walsh
Gig Guide;
12/05/1978 Magnet Bar, Dublin with Kamikaze Kids. Hot Press, The Sinners have possible the finest “New Wave” singer in Dublin.
02/07/1978 Blackrock Park, Dublin Open Air Festival with The School Kids, Velvet Valves, The Vipers, U2, Rocky De Valera & The Gravediggers, Sasperilla.
Patrick Brocklebank U2 DID NOT PLAY this gig as the outdoor amps and rigging that was hired for this gig never turned up. The bands that played, had to play with the School Kids indoor amps, this lead to the sound quality not being very good.
Ross Crowley The Blackrock Park Bandstand gig, later in Summer 78 included U2 on the bill and they were there but didn’t play as things got a bit heady during the School Kids set! I think that was the last of the Blackrock Park extravaganzas!
19/08/1978 Carnsore Point, Wexford Anti Nuclear festival with Midnight Well, The Atrix, Scare Bleu
01/09/1978 Howth with Rocky DeValera & the Gravediggers
27/09/1978 Concert Club, Dublin with The Buzzcocks
Anthony Creagh I was at that Buzzcocks gig – I’ve still got the ticket. It was in a place called the Santa Anna Concert Club on Mary Street. I don’t remember a yard but I do remember going down stairs into a basement. The stage was very low – perhaps knee height and the people in the front row kept on getting pushed onto the stage and the bouncers were sending them to the back – we eventually made our way to to front but got chucked off to the side when we ended up on the stage – great memories. I seem to recall a pool table at the back of the venue. The support band that night were The Sinners. That was the only gig I ever went to there.
26/12/1978 Community Centre, Howth Indoor Rock Festival with Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers, Gone To Earth, The Modulators
02/03/1979 Community Centre, Howth with Rocky DeValera & The Gravediggers
DREAM DATE TOUR
28/06/1979 Wexford with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
29/06/1979 Youth Club, Monaghan with The Strougers & Fabulous Fabrics. Pete McCluskey the Strougers stepped in for the Boy Scoutz for the monaghan gig..the catholic youth hall…we went across to a pub before the gig – time to kill before the punters came..there was a local cabaret/pub band playing covers – 16 year old guitar player with them lashing out riffs all over the place…he was humongous…we felt pretty inadequate with our 3 little chords compared to him…howandever…punk/new wave was the thing then and we had it in spades….we played a great gig across the road….the fabs and the sinners rose the roof also………we were also forced by the crowd, at the end of the gig, to sing the national anthem…..they were chanting and wouldn’t leave until we did. me and i don’t know who else went back out on stage and for a moment – because we were politically and stupidly naive – we weren’t quite sure which national anthem to play. we took a punt on the irish national anthem – luckily enough!!!!!! Bitzy Fitz I went out with ya and sang it you played it on one string. They also smashed the windows of the van.
DREAM DATE TOUR
30/06/1979 Navan Road with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
02/07/1979 Abbey Inn, Tralee with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
05/07/1979 Hibernian Hotel, Mallow with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
06/07/1979 Abbey Inn, Tralee with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
09/07/1979 Village Inn, Killkenny with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
11/07/1979 El Ruedo, Carlow with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
15/07/1979 Dandelion Market with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
Blue lagoon Review
16/07/1979 Blue Lagoon, Sligo with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics Hot Press review by Liam Mackey The initial plan was to leave Dublin early on Monday morning, and arrive in Sligo around 1pm, leaving plenty of time to set the gear up and wind down before the evening’s gig in the Blue Lagoon. That was the plan, I swear.
Cathy leaves
A brief run through of the major obstacles which resulted in us negotiating the streets of Dublin at two in the afternoon: 1, The petrol shortage which increased the difficulties of hiring vans. Eventually at midday, Fabrics drummer Bernie Creegan managed to get two Toyota Hi Aces, laying out something in the region of £100. 2, Sinners vocalist Tony Pugh was missing. Worse still he had been depping for Cathy, who’d left the Boy Scoutz (did she jump or was she pushed?) in mid tour. As the van left Dublin, no one knew whether he’d make it or not. There were other problems. Fabrics lead guitarist Sean Caroll had been ill most of the morning, and for good measure, bassist Mick Whelan had got himself bowled over by a car while crossing the street. He got up and walked away, as they say. Can you believe that?
4 Hour Trip
We eventually ease onto the Lucan road. Bernie Creegan at the wheel, around 2.30, the load comprised of 4 Fabrics, 1 Sinner (Fergus Nolan) two friends Lorraine and Janet, yours truly and the P.A.. We’re on the road, hey!
There follows a four hour trip, the speedometer juddering at 70, populated mainly by jokes and smokes, and the occasional excitement of a lunatic trucker intent on getting a bit part in Convoy, and also seemingly intent on wipping us off the road. (Bet, he won’t even make it onto a Yorkie ad).
The Blue Lagoon
Fast forward wind and the Blue Lagoon. A very fine venue mind, whose boss Seamus Monaghan had worked overtime putting up posters for the gig around town, but the Sligo area has been hit by a power cut, which precludes a sound check until the crowds are already filtering in for the gig. The power cut also means that it takes four of us the best part of two hours to get something to eat in the town. Ah, the joys of being a rock n roll touring band.
The Blue Lagoon
8.30 in the Blue Lagoon and the place is filling up. The jukebox is playing Deep Purple and the bands are in a tense huddle, trying to some way to compensate for Tony’s absence. No one wants to voice their worse fears: that both the Boy Scoutz and The Sinners are going to die the proverbial death.
Waiting for Tony
9pm and suddenly the word comes through from Dublin, that Tony is aboard the six o’clock train, meaning that he’ll arrive in Sligo at a quarter to ten. The pressure that’s been building up all afternoon dissolves; the sense of collective relief is palpable. However haphazard the tour might seem, it means a lot to everybody concerned – no one wants to see less than a 100% performance.
Last Night’s Fight
Last on tonight were the Sinners, boosted to a four piece by the presence of rhythm guitarist Vinny Murphy. An internal feud between two of the band had boiled over into a fight at the previous night’s gig in the Crofton Aiport, resulted in – to understate it – a distinctly dour foursome taking the stage. Put it down to rock n roll as a healing force if you like, but their set turned out to be an absolute revelation. Bar some tuning problems, they turned in an original streamlined performance, that was a bona fide celebration of rock n roll as relentless dance music. And did I dance? Well, I didn’t take note of song titles if that’s any indication. The Sinners are one of those bands where the individual is subservient to the collective in such a way that the sum of their parts is nigh on indivisible. Purveying a total sound, melodic and rhythmic, the Sinners and Dublin 3 piece The Blades have the nation’s dance floors in the palm of their hands. I’m told the Sinners can be frustratingly inconsistent – which I find hard to believe – but if they can hit their target once then they should be able to do it again. I’ll be going back for another look.
The Word Is Out
Well, that’s one hurdle out of the way. “Dreamdates” has ensured that the Boy Scoutz, the Sinners and the Fabrics are no longer merely “darlings of the punk elite” – the word is out..
20/07/1979 Community Centre, Kiltimagh, with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
12/08/1979 McGonagle’s, Dublin with Boy Scoutz & Fabulous Fabrics
After the Dream Dates tour finished the Boy Scoutz & The Sinners split up. Tony & Bernie would form a new band the New Heroes with Carol from the Boy Scoutz & Mick from the Fabulous Fabrics.
If you can help with any information, demo tapes or memorabilia on this band please get in touch, using the above