Shimpu Zig Zag From; Cork Active; 1985 – 1988
Style; Rock
Vocals & Guitar; Gala Hutton
Guitar; Liam O’Brien
Bass; Ray Lowry
Drums; Gerry Farrell
Carling/Hot Press Battle Of The Bands 1986
The Carling/Hot Press Battle Of The Bands was a completion to find the best unsigned band in Ireland. Bands had to send a demo tape in to the judges, the final 20 would then be selected to play live at Sir Henry’s in Cork, to make it though to the grand final. If you won, a record deal & £1,000 was up for grabs.
The competition is held at Sir Henry’s, in Cork over 5 weeks. With the winner each week going on to the final.
Heat 1, 8th May The Subterraneans (Dublin), The Chapterhouse (Cork), Sixteen Tons of Jive (Limerick), The Experiment (Dublin)
Winner; The Subterreaneans
Heat 2, 15th May Shimpu Zig Zag (Cork), 3pm Echoes of Pink Whispers, Forbidden Colours
Winner: Shimpu Zig Zag
Heat 3, 22th May Azure Days (Carlow), Burning Embers (Cork), Child’s song, Urgent (Dun Loughaire)
Winner; Thrupenny Opera
Heat 4, 29th May Gurnica (Dublin), Empty Space, Violet Sky (Belfast), What Next?
Winner;
Heat 5, 31st May Train Walkers, Just A Philistine (Naas), Trenchtown (Drogheda), New Hollande (Dublin)
Winner; Just A Philistine
Final 7th June The Drive, Just A Philistine, Thrupenny Opera, Out Patients Trenchtown, The Surrealists
The Judges, George Byrne (Irish Independent), Richie Taylor (Sunday Press)Jackie Hayden (Hot Press), Niall Stokes (Hot Press), Emmett O’Reilly (Hot Press)