by request
Artist Biography
by Ned Raggett
One of the early-'90s most promising groups, Ireland's
Glee Club
only ever made one full album, but that was enough to win it deserved
attention. The band itself grew out of a three-piece outfit called the
Swinging Swine, which toured its home country quite a bit, gaining a
grassroots following as they went. Vocalist/lyricist
Joanne Loughman and guitarist/violinist
Hugh O'Carroll,
however, found themselves constrained by the overt classic rock/folk
fixation of the group's music, finding their own equally important loves
of groups such as
My Bloody Valentine and
Cocteau Twins compromised. After the Swinging Swine split, the two began a musical partnership in earnest, occasionally helped by guitarist
Kevin Boyle, who would later contribute in studio to other recordings. The highly regarded Irish label Setanta came across an early-
Glee Club
demo tape and offered them a deal, resulting in a self-titled EP
surfacing in 1993. For live performances the two then added a fine
rhythm section consisting of bassist
Magnus Box and drummer
Adrian Meehan.
Loughman and O'Carroll then decided to re-record and expand on the
original EP with this new lineup, resulting in its fantastic 1994 effort
Mine,
which gained further attention in America when it was licensed by the
noted 4AD label. The mix of influences, from Irish folk to arty
post-punk alternative and more, won the band considerable underground
interest, which two North American tours helped to increase.
Unfortunately the band split up shortly after the second tour, with
O'Carroll settling in San Francisco while Loughman returned to Ireland.
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