Fast Skirts
Fast Skirts
Fast Skirts From; Howth Active; 1980 – 1981
Style; Punk/Reggae
Vocals & Sax; Joey Cashman
Lead Guitar; Paul Angers
Keyboards; Sarge O’Hara
Bass; Ray Harford
Drums; Kevin Leake
May 1980
Vocals & Sax; Joey Cashman
Guitar; Paul Aungier
Bass; Ray Hartford
Drums; Gino
Punk Reggae
Photo from “In Dublin”
Joey & Sarge would later go on to join D.C. Nien in late 1980, possibly December.
Within the incestuous confines of the Dublin rock scene the Fast Skirts stick out like an elephant at a funeral. Their musical stance is totally alien to everything else around them, making reference points difficult. A close description of their sound would be a blend of heavy duty reggae and R&B. Joey Cashman plays sweet dreams saxophone and yells harsh ball breaking vocals. Guitarist Paul Aungier takes traditional guitar figures and mixes them into a strange and potent brew, his solos are particularly weird and wonderful. The rhythm section have occasional problems, especially when the drummer spends a great deal of his time picking the snare drum off the floor. It’s nothing a few rehearsals wouldn’t put right.
Original Songs
Their original songs have power and mood, elements missing from the repertoire of most other groups. The lyrics and pulsating rhythm of “Body Time” alone would be enough to rise a bishop.
Irish Scene
A most unusual and potentially exciting band and one the Irish scene badly needs. It remains to be seen whether they can overcome their problems and stay together. The Fast Skirts are this week’s most wonderful band. Ferdia MacAnna “In Dublin”
A four piece Howth based band, Fast Skirts were formed out of the ashes of the Blackouts in January 1980. Their current line up is Paul lead guitar, Ray bass guitar, Gino drums and Joey sax and vocals.
New Wave
They describe themselves as “New Wave” orientated, also integrating elements of reggae into their 90% original set, although their choice of a cover version in the old R & B standard, “I Can Tell”, hints at a more traditional past.
Immediate Plans
Gig Guide
Immediate plans include the recording of a demo tape featuring two originals “Fancy Dancing” and “Body Time”, with the possibility of a debut single in the summer.
Fast Skirts play two Dublin residencies, one in the Summit Inn Howth on Wednesday s, the other in Toners on Sunday afternoons.
Hot Press “All The Young Dudes” May 1980
26/12/1979 Community Centre, Howth with U2, Sounds Unreel
From 06/02/1980 until December 1980, the Fast Skirts had a residency at Summit Inn, Howth. Playing with Sounds Unreel, Images & Rhythm Kings at various stages.
15/03/1980 Imperial Bar, Wexford
Photo from Hot Press (right)
Summit Inn, Howth
19/03/1980 Summit Inn, Howth with sounds Unreel Hot Press review Neil McCormack Joey Cashman, vocalist with the Fast Skirts thinks he knows what he is doing, but ironically is presenting a very confused picture. A sharp dress suited sneering figure, mumbling snide comments at the audience, singing in an artsy, dragging, unmusical voice, he appears to be a disciple of Howard Devoto affecting a challenging stance and a receding hairline. He comes across as a posing arsehole.
Straight Forward drums & thumping bass
Which is a pity because Fast Skirts could be very good. Their sound is spacious, built on straight forward drums, thumping bass and the attractive, melodic Rickenbacker guitar of Paul Aungier. They play a set of originals wavering between the cold/modern and bright new wave pop, the standouts being the more hook laden songs such as “Body Time”, “(I Don’t) Fancy Dancin'” (which ironically got the crowd on the floor) and “Friends”.
Stage Presence
It is a pity he could not imbue some of that warmth into his stage presence, which tugs away from the feel the rest of the group present. They, like Sounds Unreel, need to think about their direction, but both groups are young and making good shapes even in this early stage of development.
This is only a first report.
27/05/1980 McGonagle’s, Dublin with D. C. Nien