Max Quad Band Max Quad Band- Ghostown1976 Ghostown1976

Max Quad Band from;Dublin Active; 1977 – 1978
Style; Punk
Line Up;
Vocals; Joe Savino
Lead Guitar; Max Quad (Dave Sweeney)
Rhythm Guitar & Vocals; Brian “Mojo” O’Rouke
Bass; Alec Clince
Bass; Adam Clayton
Drums; Rod Quinn

Rod Quinn @ Bushy Park, photo supplied by Fergus Murphy
Dave Sweeney “The Max Quad Band lasted from March 1977 until February 1978 when I joined the Gravediggers and later still The Vipers.
The line up was Joe Savino vocals, Alec Clince bass, Brian “Mojo’ O Rourke rhythm guitar and vocals , Rod Quinn drums and myself lead guitar.
Adam Clayton joined on bass in April as Alec was studying for his Leaving Certificate exams and left in June when Alec returned but before playing a song or two at our first gig in St. Fintan’s Hall Sutton. There were plenty of other gigs including two on our home turf at St. John Bosco’s school hall Navan Road, Howth Community Centre, The Baggot Inn, McGonagles (one of the first shows there – I remember there was a fake palm tree on the stage) free outdoor shows in Bushy Park and Phoenix Park, Doyles pub Phibsboro, the Garda Boat Club Islandbridge. I will send you the dates. Brian O’ Rourke left in September 1977 to devote himself to science.

Adam had all the right equipment – Fender bass guitar and an Orange amplifier – though his afghan coat didn’t cut it with the rest of us. He was really just starting out on bass at that stage. I remember his interpretation of the bass break in ‘All Right Now’ (before the crucial guitar solo) as causing friction at rehearsals. We all felt really bad when Alec came back and Adam had to go as Adam was a really nice guy. We only had to live with our guilt for a short time as he soon found another band….

Today Joe is an actor, Alec and Rod are still professional musicians, Brian is a scientist, I work in the video games industry and still play in bands. Not sure what happened to Adam.”
Ticket supplied by Colm O’Hare
Gig Guide
00/00/1977 St Finton’s School, Sutton with Bile, Puke and Mucus.
Their first gig and the only one Adam would play with the band, he played bass on the first number. This the only gig a member of U2 (Adam Clayton) has played as a member of another band.
24/07/1977 Bushy Park Free Festival with Jimi Slevin Band, Saturday Night Swindle, Sakville String Band, Arthur Phybes Band, Keenan Bros & F Cassidy, Chateau
Hot Press 04/08/1977 The Bushy Park Free concert scheduled for July 24th, was called off only one hour after it began because of adverse weather conditions. Only one group – Dublin four piece the Max Quad Band – from the projected eight strong bill had appeared on stage when heavy rain forced the organisers to call the concert to a halt.
Dermott Murphy, speaking on behalf of Moonshine Promotions who staged the event for the second year running commented – “After the first shower we persuaded Fran Quigley (who supplied the sound equipment) to wait for another clear spell but he eventually dismantled the gear when the rain became increasingly heavier.
01/08/1977 Phoenix Park Free Peace Festival with Stryder, Frazzle, Axis, Magnet, Tudd, Scates, Bunko Squad, Free Booze, Speed
Hot Press 04/08/1977 The banned Phoenix Park peace Festival went ahead as planned in the Hollow last bank holiday Monday. A crowd estimated to be substantially over 2,00 turned out in blazing sunshine to hear the Max Quad Band open the Festival at 3 o’clock. Some six hours later than was originally scheduled.

The delay was caused by numerous sound and equipment hassles and although bad sound quality plagued the concert throughout the music was well received by the appreciative crowd. Also on the bill were Stryder, Frazzle, Axis, Magnet, Tudd, Scaters, Bunko Squad, Free Booze and Speed.

Though the festival had been banned by the Phoenix Park Authorities, no attempt was made to interfere once it got under way, due likely as not, to the size of the crowd gathered there.

Dave & Joe on O’Connel Bridge

During September 1977 & October 1977 the band had a residency at Baggot Inn, Dublin
20/10/1977 Magnet Bar, Dublin
Through November 1977 they had a residency at Sutton Community Centre, Howth.

All photographs in this album are copyright Fergus Murphy 2012.
    Your Help is needed!        
        If you can help with any information, demo tapes or memrobillia on this band please get in touch, using the above form.

Share this: