The Leader, Márta 1989

-I Ttil: MUSIC MAl\l:~S . BY ~l<\GGIE MAY _ 14 Totally Untrue Country singer Hugh McLean returns to the recording spotlight with a new sixteen track album– cassette "Songs oflreland". The Letterkennybased gentleman has included evergreen favourites from "Rathlin Island" to "The Ferxyman• and from "The Poteen Song• to "Lovely Leitrim" to name but four. Hugh has collected a gold disc for his previous cas– sette, while his latest "Songs of Ireland" should also become a firm favourite. After Brit Comes IRMA Awards What shambles the annual BRIT Awards screened for the last time by the BBC. Now on Fri– day 10th, RTEare set to screen the annual bash, the IRMAMilkMusicAwards,with 96 artists and bands nominated for ten awards. Names from Tracy Chapman to Enya, from Wet, Wet, Wet toClannad, and from George Michael to Daniel, are seeking that coveted accolade. I find such award shows rather boring, and sadly the real talent are left out while the hyped performers are awarded such sham– bolic trophies, with the never ending "Thank you very much Mr. Eastwood" speeches. Live on Video Formed in Derry and now based in London, That Petrol Emotion issues their sixty-minute plus video debut. Recorded live in London's famed "Town and Country" club, the collection is issued under the title "Seen and Unseen•. Performing in all seventeen tracks, such as "Big Decisions•, "Swamp" and "Groove Check". That Petrol Emo– tion got off to a flying start, but between changing record labels, etc. their popularity seems to have take a nosedive of late, which is a great pity. TOP TEN SINGLES 1. Belfast Child Simple Minds 2. Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart Marc Almond & Gene Pitney 3. Love Changes Everything Michael Ball 4. Stop Sam Brown 5. The Living Years Mike & the Mechanics 6. I Only Wanna Be With You Sam Fox 7. Especially For You Kylie & Jason 8. Crackers International Erasure 9. Cuddly Toy Roachford 10. Rocket Def Leppard. TOP TEN ALBUMS 1. The Raw and the Cooked 2. Legendary Roy Orbison 3. Fisherman's Blues 4.The Innocents 5. A New Flame 6. Bad Fine Young Cannibals Roy Orbison Waterboys Erasure Simply Red M. Jackson 7. The Marquee Various 8. Cocktail Various 9. My Feelings For You John Hogan 10. By the Time It Gets Dark Mary Black Courtesy of Letterkenny Tapes, Shopping Centre. Eurosong '89 I pity the adjudicatingpanel selectingour Eu– rovision Song this year. The singers and composers have no new ideas - the same Euro-junkyear in and out. The eight songs are: 1. This Isn't Love byJohn Dardis and MaryAlicia Post, singer Nicola Kerr. 2. It was Meant to Be by Michael Treacy and sung by Noelle. 3 Uaineach by Barry Ronan and Eugene Killeen, singer Barry Ronan 4. Angel Eyes, singer and composer Kieve Connelly 6 Easy composed by Richard Billings, singer is HonorHeffernan 7. Here We Go byAlain Pentony, singer is Linda Martin 8. Song for You by Mary A. Dolphin, sung by Dave Lawlor. The "Eurosong '89" will be screened by RTE on Sunday 12th, the winner will be awarded £1,000, and head to Switzerland for the Eurovision on May 6th next. Shores ofAmerica Altan, that five piece traditional folk group are currently on a six week American tour that started in the Bottom Line, NewYork, and ends up With his newhairstyle, it is untrue to say that Seamus McGee of "Come Home Danny Boy" fame is the subject ofthe new tellyadvert for PeterMarks' •ABrushwith Genius•. Seamuswill be spendingSt. Patrick's Day in Luton, and in Glasgow on the 18th and 19th in the County Inn. With a hair style like that, he could go far. A Dumping Ground in Portlan, then home via sunny Bermuda next month. Mairead, Frankie, Ciaran, Mark, and new– comer Paul O'Shaughnessy hope that their second album for Green Linnet Records will be issued next I month. After America, a British tour will be fol- !!!'!!\ lowed by tours of Germany, Finland and Denmark, between now and early Autumn. A busy schedule People might think that we have suffered enough with Sellafield's nuclear pollution, but no greater health hazard must be the faded old names from the hit parade who are touring the circuit, names from Leo Sayer to Marianne Faithful, and from Showaddywaddy to the return yet again of Smokie, who return to play Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny on Easter Sunday. Looking at some of the acts the only original thing from their chart-top– ping days are the names. Most of the original line– ups have Jongsince disbanded. And all of the artists say that Ireland is the launching pad for that great comeback. More like a launching pad for a quick buck. I wonder what ever happened to the Hollies, and indeed Dr. Hook, who were booked for Mount Errigal Hotel 1 One critic remarked that old pop stars never die, they just decompose on stage. for Altan. International Country Music Festival All country music buffs will head off for Du– blin on Thursday 30th for the first major Interna– host, introducing such Nashville veteran old-timers as Buck Owens & His Buckaroos, Tammy Wynette and her band, Waylon Jennings, and Jessi Colter, and Sligo Jass Sandy Kelly...the show, organised by Radio 2 FM in association with Kieran Cavanagh Promotions, will be recorded by RTE for future transmission. With such a bill of oldtimers, one wonders is this a treat or a threat to us poor televi– sion viewers. Faded hitmakers Smokie, (front row) pictured with Patricia & Lightening Strikes. The group are in Mount Errigal on Easter Sunday.