Very happy to see It’s Too Late to Stop Now, Van’s live album in there. Was always a huge favourite of mine. Spectacular versions of Madame George, Cyprus Avenue and Bring it on Home… When you listen to the album it seems hard to believe the stories of him as the cantankerous performer, playing with his back to the crowd and storming off stage for no reason.

Definitely curious now to see how a few of those albums are standing up against the test of time for myself – Something Happens’ Stuck together…, David Holmes’s Let’s Get Killed and Divine Comedy’s Promenade… even U2’s Boy, it’s been a long time since I heard any of those.

Having less than a handful of albums on the list that were made in the 21st century ’tis a bit of pity though. I’m wondering what a 25-year old would make of the list…

Also, Big Romance by David Kitt would be in the top 40 for me and is there really no Thin Lizzy studio album worthy of the list?

Have to say theres some great choices and as a guy who wears
my bloody valentine t-shirt still.the inclusion of isn’t anything also made me very happy and my musical taste is definitely
alternative……that said
…..i’m sad to see as always one band who never get a place in these charts there not cool there music and lyrics were so simple yet so right on the button for the times, hit after hit yet never given any recognition yet they could fill venues all over this country any night in their day. I raelly think ‘the stunning paradise in the picturehouse’deserved a mention?whats unique about the stunning i feel is they unlike most of the other bands could never have made it outside ireland….there sound was so uniquely irish there lyrics so localised that they were never destined for the world but they sure hit the spot in the changing ireland of the late 80s/early 90s dying church,burgeoning festival scene,emigration starting to halt an a football team! a nation starting to feel some pride in itself the beginings of the swagger that went on to become a fat ass waddle!!!! theres my point…An maybe the ‘power of dreams – imigrants emigrants and me’

Thanks for putting this list together – I would’ve placed It’s Too Late to Stop Now Higher but …… the absence of Horslips and Moving Hearts surprises and confounds me completely

It’s been a long time in coming but some mainstream recognition for MBV from Irish critics. As an Irish 25 year-old, I had to hear about them from a North American music website some five or six years ago… which is kinda sad.

Not just the best Irish album, but the best album I’ve ever heard.

Alan, that is completely correct.

Jim, by all means publish a Top 40 list but don’t expect any sensible person to even waste time debating the merits of a list drawn up by approximately 6 or 7 people, especially (as in my case) when they only respect the opinions of 1 or 2 of that number.

I, of course, am not sensible. I have joined the debate.

I’m just glad you didn’t go all kunty and not have a U2 album in the Top-10 at all. Achtung Baby is class and if it wasn’t released by them it probably would be number 1. But number 2 to My Bloody Valentine is ok too.

And don’t listen to anyone who claims that the list is missing a pile of albums 99.999% of the population have never heard of and shifted about 30 copies.

TenaciousT, most of the avid MBV fans I know are Yanks.

Interesting list, but the cynic in me wonders if MBV weren’t on the reunion trail, would they feature at number 1?

“Instead your list seems to have a bias to around 1982 to 1992, presumably the time that you were all hip.” HAHAHAHA!!! Seriously though, the Radiators? the Blades? Something Happens?!? I’m not saying these are bad albums, but there’s a distinct “I was at the first Blades gig in ‘77 and it was MINDBLOWING” tone to this list….

Delighted to see Rollerskate Skinny in there but would have put Achtung baby in at number 1 myself. The transition they made from the Joshua Tree to producing such an incomparable piece of work still amazes me to this day and continues to remain unequalled, even by U2 themselves. I still reckon that ‘Loveless’ is a class album though. I seem to remember at the time that it was released about two weeks before ‘Achtung Baby’ and looking back, may have been overshadowed by U2’s finest hour.

By Neil’s reckoning, U2 would not quality – both Adam Clayton and The Edge were born abroad.

As for the absence of The Stunning and The Sawdoctors and Mundy, bravo to the critics. I’m just peeved Super Extra Bonus Party did not make it

Great to see MBV and rollerskate skinny in there, would have preferred to see some more modern stuff included though, The Redneck Manifesto for example should be in there somewhere.

Love the write up on my favourite, Achtung Baby. Despite the begrudgers U2 have produced one of the best albums of all time. Sadly though they now seem to repeat the PR mantra of ‘reinvention’ every time they go into the studio now, but rarely if ever hit the same heights. Apparently the next album will have trance influences…

No Frank and Walters… really?
And where are the stunning or Sultans of Ping?

Disappointed to see no Chieftains. I’ve worn out my copies of Down The Old Bog Road and its’ follow up Further Down…
Also, for those who lamented the lack of modern albums, perhaps you could do a list of the top 40 Irish albums of the last 10 years.

Makes me feel slightly queasy that Snow Patrol and Damien Rice are in there, and The Immediate aren’t.

Which is where I need to step in with some clarifications.

In order to be considered, the act had to be born on the island of Ireland and/or hold an Irish passport.

Bands were eligible to be nominated if the majority of the band members were born in Ireland and/or hold an Irish passport.

As John at 19 above pointed out, if it was strictly “born in Ireland”, U2 would not qualify. Adam Clayton and The Edge were both born abroad and yet, no-one disputes their Irishness. The same with My Bloody Valentine – 2 of the band are Irish, 2 are not.

However, we did not take our cues from the FAI’s grandmother rule hence no Morrissey or The Smiths

Now, time for an admission: we do concede that a majority of The Pogues were born in the UK, and strictly speaking they should not be in the list.

We only copped this as The Ticket was going to press, and we couldn’t take them out at that stage. But then, you wouldn’t have wanted us to, would you?

I would have to say I personally would like to see Cathy Davey’s Something Ilk, or Tales of Silversleeve in there somewhere. For me she’s the best for the last couple of years.

The best thing about these lists, like the best thing about the Choice Music Award, is that it gets people TALKING.

I’m amazed that Loveless is number one, mainly because its’ such a great record. As Radiohead’s colonisation of these lists always shows, quality rarely rises to the top. Fantastic that there’s finally an Irish albums poll which does not simply kiss Bono’s ring

Pretty Rockist List, I feel. While, ‘Loveless’ is undoubtedly the best Irish album ever, you’re missing out on gems like ‘Selected Ambient Works 85-92′ by Aphex Twin (born in Limerick), The Immediate’s ‘In Towers and Clouds’ and The Jimmy Cake’s ‘Dublin Gone, Everybody Dead’. All of these should be included on any Top 40 list of Best Irish Albums, I think. Unfortunately, it does feel a bit like an out of date Hot Press list. Sorry!

I love these things…
some good stuff in there – Loveless #1 no question.

Some ones I was surprised by
- no Kerbdog or Gemma Hayes?
- eyes open is snow patrol’s worst album by a long shot…..
- personally would have a short album about love in there instead of promenade. And I do love fin de siecle, over the top though it is….
- definitely would have the immediate album in there.

Saying that, i was still in short trousers/unborn for the whole microdisney/blades thing, so i should have a gander thataway….

No Horslips! Surely The Tain or The Book Of Invasions should have been mentioned. Paul Brady & Andy Irvine’s “Purple” album should be there too. Good to see I Am The Greatest and Heartworm in there!

Cheers for the clarification re: eligibility Jim. I didn’t know that about half of U2 being not strictly “irish” otherwise I certainly would have mentioned them along with MBV.

An idle thought, just wondering how that list would look if the guidelines for inclusion were to state that the artist had to be resident in/operating out of Ireland. Could a list of 40 albums even be put together at all?!

“Old Dublin deadbeats” – ha!

I agree with the comments on Its Too Late To Stop Now. A really brilliant album that eclipses most of what Van did in the studio.

Surprised there is no Lizzy studio album in there. People tend to trot out Live And Dangerous as the best Lizzy album all the time but it really isn’t. Jailbreak, for example, is perfect in almost every way.

Oh, and the article listed Stephen Ryan as whereabouts unknown or something like that. Well, that particular old Dublin deadbeat now plays guitar in the excellent Dinah Brand.

I think the list was ordered correctly.

#1. Loveless.

2->infinity, everything else.

I would have Redneck manifesto in there.

The list is a bit out of date. People who still wear paisley shirts and oxblood docs shouldn’t be allowed vote in these things.

I remember last year when ther Dubliner magazine put Viva Dead Ponies by Fatima Mansions as the best album ever made by a Dublin band. Maybe bands should come with a flag stating their place(s) of origin, like the merchant navy.

I’m very disturbed by the lack of love here for Enya.

How many of these records are actually in print?

I have to say i agree with Declans comment. How can you discount a ground breaking Album (worlwide!) like the Joshua Tree into 14th place, based purely on artistic snobbery against the greatest Irish band, and instead place Horsedrawn Wishes (which was previously 81st place in a Hot Press Poll) at number 7. I find it difficult to understand. There are some genuine classic albums in this list, but also some rubbish too.

Jeff,

Are you one of these people who think they know everything about music because they used to listen to Dave Fannings show every evening.?Albums should be judged by how much impact they have and by how many they sell (usually a good guage)Did Whipping Boy’s album,Heartworm influence many artists?..Doubt it!

I just had tea with Enya in her castle and we were both bemoaning that very fact Jim

This is outrageous crap !. The Radiators Ghostown should be #1, #2 to #40 should be blank as a mark of a respect because nothing is good enough to share the same air and you can put what you like after that…

No Declan,I don’t know everything about music,far from it,but I know who My Bloody Valentine are.So albums should be gauged on how many copies they sell?So by your reckoning Thriller and The Best of the Eagles are the greatest albums of all time then.

Enya – The Tin Foil Hat Years, should have definately been included.

Declan,

You have some good points and your clear contempt for pretentiousness is very welcome in any music debate (admitting to not having heard of Loveless…ballsy). Two things:

Firstly I’d imagine (despite obvious claims to the contrary) that some of the intention in putting together lists like this is to draw attention to acts that haven’t garnered the recognition they first deserved so there’s no real point in sticking U2 in there as they’ve already had enough adulation for any ego (even Bono’s) to cope with. In fairness to your list, point taken on many but let’s get real on the last three. I also don’t think the sales figures have that much relevance (Meatloaf etc.)

Also, that whole Dave Fanning listener caricature – must use that one (you’ve unearthed a powerful demographic)

What about That Petrol Emotion?

Oh it’s all about to kick off now.

Ian, I have a spare hard-hat if you want it.

Has anyone mentioned anything about U2 or My Bloody Valentine yet?

Lists are boring. Page-filler for lack of imagination.

Lists are boring. Page-filler for lack of imagination.

A bit like posting on a blog about lists

Jim – we had ‘mystic’ scones. Enya talks with her mouth full so I couldn’t really understand her but I think she said something like “nyom nyom herring nyom nyom brine nyom nyom orinnocco . . .”

And I thought the Irish Times contained ears finely tuned enough to realise the genius of Cane 141 but the nearest you got to Galway was Sacred Heart Hotel (now no longer a hotel). Still, nice to see Stephen Ryan and Paul Cleary being remembered.

Is this list about promoting Bands who most people have never heard of or have we a list of the genuinely best Irish Albums ever?There is a reason why these bands are not mainstream (no ones heard of them)that being because they are not good enough and i can’t stand this chippy “Don’t put U2 on the list” mentality because they get too much publicity already etc.The reason they do and there albums sell and have an impact, is because they are an unbelievable band who have been reinventing themselves for the past 30 years and have appealed to hundreds of millions of people accross the globe.I find it ludicrous that a band called Rollerskate Skinny can be put down at No 7 to U2’s Joshua Tree (incidentially voted number 3 best album of all time to Beatles Seargant Pepper and Radioheads OK Computor)

big time Jim, all she needs to do is slap some cave reverb on there and its down,,, american tourists will lap it up

Ann Scott’s “We’re Smiling” should be in there I reckon and Ten Speed Racer, “10 Speed Racer”

Ian – there were four of us in it

aphex twin was born in ireland? wow. the list is now redundant and an apology to richard james must surely be in the ticket next friday

there were four of us in it

You’re carrying the can for it though dude.

I have 21 Demands for you to fill in order to rectify this travesty. All of them involve placing 21 demands on the list.

It’s time now for a Top 40 Oirish Albums of All Time list.

This list is very sad. If it was to be taken seriously (and I wouldn’t), it really goes to show that Irish rock has contributed a lot less to the global music scene than many think(aside from the obvious examples of Morrison, Gallagher, U2, Pogues, Lizzy).
There are only maybe 15 albums here that would measure up in any global, say, Top 1,000 albums of all time. Yes, about 60% of what is listed is truly dross. I guess I cannot blame the reviewers (aside from the low positioning of the classic Irish albums and the typical reviewer’s approach to go for the obscure as a way to telling the rest of us that we are cretins).
They really did not have much at all to work with. All told, a truly wasted exercise.

Why did Duke Special not make it?

It’s refreshing that at least one poll does not feel it necessary to toe the line about U2 being the greatest Irish band.

I’m sorry, I have a SERIOUS problem with your list. As any muso anorak knows, one should not have repetition of artists in lists, or burnt compilation CDs for that matter (they have surpassed the C90). Therefore an album of Van’s should be culled, as with the duplicate U2 records etc. We all know those artists are great. It would make room for others, such as Horslips, who others mentioned, or dear old Kittser, whose music will stand the test of time, as long as they re-issue it !

Declan reminds me of Donny from the Big Lebowski.

My choice in no particular order:
* The Great War Of Words (1990)
* A Better Man (1996)
* Now That I Know What I Want (1999)
* Won’t You Take Me Home (2000)
* Get On With Your Short Life (2001)
* On Song (2003)
* Live In Belfast (2004)
* On Song 2: Red Sails In The Sunset (2005)
* Homebird (2006)

Well done Van – see you for a pint later

The best Irish album ever was the RTE released Papal Visit 1979. It brings the house down every time. The backing vocals are provided by one million Irish people.

This Declan guy is great by the way. Invite him back.

“Shibumi-Tuesday Blue, Hard Station-Paul Brady,
Book of Invasions-Horslips,
The Purple Album-Andy Irvine & Paul Brady,
The Storm/Moving Hearts-Moving Hearts. This stuff is NOT Top 40 material”
“Planxty made one album of note but The Undertones made two”..”what are ye all laughing at..”
“Pop-U2 is no good at all” (sit down.. be quiet.It was their least pre-concieved album..step away from the bottle..)
“there is nothing in the Bothy Band,Clannad,De Danann box-of-tricks that could rest easy in here ”
“At the end of the day The Cranberries might invite these omitted yahoos to come and sit on their lovely sofa which resides IN the Top 40.Then and only then shall our epitaphs be written” “….and remember Planxty played traditional airs and ballads….”

The Idiots album was a million times better than Whipping Boy

Interesting list Jim, clearly good bit of thought put into it.

But have to say I think it’s outrageous that there’s no Kerbdog in the Top 40. The Immediate are another shocking omission, purely because you’ve included the likes of Snow Patrol and Bell X1.

Pretty surprised there are no Frank & Walters albums on there, nor Sunbear debut, no Sewing Room (but thanks for the mention), no In Motion’s one and only album, the Thrills debut was great, neither Brilliant Trees album, no Blink, no Revelino, no Bawl, no David Kitt, no sign of God Is An Astronaut, no Casual Sex in the Cineplex and finally Eyes Open NO NO NO, flippin NO – shoddy to say the least.

Agree ’bout MBV though, magical.

A brilliant coup for The Irish Times to ’stir s##t’ and raise publicity for the paper that on Monday upped its price by 20c. That can be the only motivation for this otherwise nonsensical list. With that in mind I really tried to bite my tongue and not get draw into this wanton provocation but I couldn’t help but question at least a few of the farcical choices that litter the so called ‘Top 40 Irish albums’.

Rory Gallagher’s Irish Tour is recognised as one of the greatest guitar albums of all time, no sign of it here?
1977 by Ash is a better album than the Joshua Tree, can anybody seriously justify that?
Since when are Snow Patrol considered an Irish band?

Everybody knows the purpose of compiling lists like this is for the rest of us to point out the travesty of what’s missing. So, it’s my turn…

Jesus Wept. Are you kidding me? Top 40 and a hundred and something comments later and no outrage at the absence of Fatima Mansions’ Viva Dead Ponies? Where is the justice?

The thing about this list, though, is that the judges are all of a type – don’t get me wrong, I think Jim raawks – but four Irish rock journos of a certain age working independently to make lists of 40 albums could only come up with 93 between them? Indicates a certain homogenity of tastes.

Also I have to echo Eoin’s comment ‘Snow Fucking Patrol?’ As someone who bought their first two albums from Serious o. It bu On a
MBV No.1: No Brainer. Still, all these years later, the finest, finest thing.

Here’s an idea, since a lot of people are wondering what was omitted. In The Ticket next Friday, we’ll publish all the albums that featured in the poll but didn’t make the top 40 (there were 93 in all). We’ll also print a selection of these comments, as we normally do when a posting gets loads of feedback, to give non-online readers a sense of the debate and to remind us all of some of the albums that were left out altogether. Conor Goodman, Ticket editor

Also it’s worth pointing out that the people who compiled the poll were chosen for a reason.

Our music reviewers come from all age groups and walks of life: some of them were still watching Sesame Street when MBV released Loveless.

But in trying to compile a list of the best Irish albums OF ALL TIME I chose a jury of people who know their rock history, and are in a good position to judge the old stuff against the new. Kevin, Brian, Tony and Jim are the most experienced writers – so they got the job.

There were masses of recent albums in the full poll: they just didn’t make the top 40.
Conor Goodman, Ticket editor

Why was my comment deleted?

The one calling you all old!
I didn’t think it was that bad Jim.

I put the majority of this list down to a couple of things, but the main one is this: List making is an old man’s game from the coven of weary hacks who’ve heard it all before and decided that “none of it is as good as it was in the ould days.”

Anyway, ‘back in the day’ (i.e. late 1980’s, early 1990’s) when these rock critics were young dandies about town, moshing around in their paisley shirts, armed to the teeth with Rizlas and rolling tobacco, they probably had plenty of time on their hands to listen, live with and absorb the works which make up the VAST majority of this list. Albums from a certain period in time always have a profound and lasting impression on young ears. They are the soundtrack to a crucial part in your life – invariably the late teens/early 20’s – when you’re in college, or getting published for the first time, or when you first taste freedom; it could have been your first real job, your most memorable girlfriend, the best flat/house/shed you’ve ever lived in, or the time you abandoned the woollen jumper and t-shirt look for something for strident, clean and confident. You’re excitable, you’re young, and the music is the most important thing; you felt you could change the world, and you really fucking believed that you had the soundtrack to do it.

Back then there wasn’t as many albums being released for a start, and buying one had a certain charm – it was a ritual. You invested time, effort and probably a good few quid in bringing the thing home. There was no way you were going to pile it into a cardboard box and shout ‘next’ and then remember months later that it wasn’t a bad album after all. You were going to live with the albums for a while, and if they were compatible, then bring it on. When are they playing the SFX?

Nowadays these handsome dandies are closing in on the 40s, they write about music for a living and everydayoftheweek they have to listen to some stuff that they wouldn’t necessarily listen to. But it’s coming in through the letterbox in droves and some of it has to be reviewed. And when they listen to it, they wearily take notes on it, and try not to be too hard lest the label or band or manager will bite back. The modern life of a multi-media rock critic gives them little time to make friends with, let along live with an album and share a large slice of life with it. Music is everywhere and albums don’t hold as much weight, or relevance as they did. For rock critics, the albums they championed still live with them, as they don’t get the time to champion new ones. So, when the going is bad they fall back on the same ould shite with a sense of injustice that it never made a breakthrough.

And when they see lists like those 50 Best All-Time ones that seem to crop up in Q every month, they say ‘right, now’s my chance to try and convince people that Stars of Heaven were the real deal’. I’m sure they were the real deal, but good God, give it a rest. They’re gone. Music has moved on, but sadly, a large chunk of this list proves that the men who write about it have not. Is Snow Patrol’s worst album in there because someone couldn’t name any of the other ones or couldn’t remember hearing them? Have The Blades, a band no one outside of Dublin and under the age of 40 has any time for, really made two albums which are better than, say, “Big Romance”, “Hi Lo”, “Paradise in the Picture House”, “People”, “Brains”, “Between The Mountain and the Moon”, “Not Fade Away”, “Gambler’s Ballet”, “We’re Smiling”, “Square One”, “Dance the Devil”, The Immediate’s ST debut, “Tales from Silversleeve” etc etc?

Is the imbalance of the list because they don’t have the time to like albums, or is it because they can’t be bothered anymore? Music doesn’t light the flame as it used to obviously. Whatever it is, the real shame is that David Kitt (who has at least three crackers under his belt), Duke Special, Kila, Ann Scott, The Rednecks, Jimmy Cake, and the dozens of others left off the top end of this list will all feel let down. It’s already hard enough to get recognition for Irish artists without a snub like this. Equally, the snubs to the worlds of folk, traditional, dance and country are also quite sad. Could Siobhan Long not have been invited onto this expert panel to give more a folky feel to it?

Looking over this stale and unbalanced list, and then reading back over the week’s events on this blog got me thinking: Was Jim’s post earlier this week revealing his weekly workload a kind of an advance apology the fact the Top 40 would contain quite a few old chestnuts?

Also, it’s interesting that no one above has mentioned of Tanya Sweeney’s similar list in today’s Star. Whilst it also creaked, moaned and groaned with a slew of Van the Man, U2 and pisspoor Irish punk at least she had a few albums which were made in the last 12 years.

Anyway, speaking as a former paisley shirt sporting dandy, I can honestly say that the best thing about this list is the high positioning of Therapy? Whipping Boy and, of course, MBV.

It’ll be interesting to read the next 40 that’s for sure.

Brendan Baggins – Snow Patrol, like Therapy & The Divine Comedy, are an irish band.

Anyone who thinks The Stunning or Walls have ever even made a fart worth listening to twice doesnt have a clue. The fact that they and such dross as Mundy, Paddy Casey and Declan O’Rourke, acts who might be worth a yahoo in the shitty Stables in Mullingar but mean NOTHING beyond Ireland, are not in this Top 40 is something to be applauded.

Is this a reprint from a Hot Press in 2003?

Day 2 in TheTicket Top 40 Irish Albums of All Time House and the outlandish, ludicrous and extremely entertaining conspiracy theories are now coming thick and fast.

Can’t wait for someone to say this was an attempt to deflect attention from Bertie Ahern and the Mahon Tribunal.

Oh – I just remembered another omission :

Andy Irvine and Paul Brady self titled from 1976.

Interesting list. MBV were somewhat before my time so had no idea they were ‘Irish’. Went to iTunes and bought Loveless on the back of the feature. No sign of Whipping Boy there unfortunately.

Well, immature comment 136 probably means we’ll be spared any further mention of LPX in The Ticket

I’m surprised nobody’s noted the absence of Fionn Regan or even Si Scroeder?

To say Music In Mouth, For The Birds, O and Eyes Open (really? I still can’t believe that’s the same Gary Lightbody who made two great Reindeer Section records) are the only post 2000 records in the 40 does the last decade of Irish music a pretty grave injustice. I’ve no doubt The Big Romance, Brains and In Towers and Clouds are bubbling under but they really should be in there.

Was there a bit of a subconscious threshold working against recently released albums?

And if this list was drawn up again in a years time, I can only assume Tales Of Silversleeve and Long Distance Swimmer would make the cut too.

First of all that list was an interesting read, which is surely the only point in doing it.

I’m incredibly surprised that Paradise In The Picture House by The Stunning isn’t even on the list especially, as has been pointed out by several others, the list is pretty centred on the late 80s/early 90s.

Also, Kerbdog are certainly worth a place.

Will The Clock Comes Down The Stairs ever be re-released? I’ve been looking for it for years.

Loveless is indeed the greatest ever (Irish) album. HW by Rollerskate Skinny is class too. Good to see Microdisney, but why no Fatima Mansions? and all of Cathal Coughlan’s (ireland’s greatest ever lyricist) solo albums should be in there. Especially when there’s bland crap like Damien Rice, The Frames and BellXI taking up space. Oh, and what’s the big fuss about Whipping Boy? Heartworm is the biggest pile of over-rated excrement ever.

Another ‘best of irish’ list and yet again, no Kerbdog.
the mind boggles.

MBV good choice however. Heartworm should of taken number 2 though.

Jim – can we have a top 40 of the worst Irish Albums please…?

RE – 146

Why on earth would anyone want to imitate Eamon Sweeney??

Enda (142) – I never heard of that Law before – now I know there’s a name for this kind of thing

Ciaran (154) – it’s a fantastic album

Doofer (155) – some people might argue that we have one

Grant K (158) – “if you build it, they will come”

This list was clearly compiled by a few who old fogies who’s ears have remained deaf through the last ten years and were inspired by nostalgia. Embarassing noughties ommissions, instead you tend to focus on the eighties and nineties. Notable mistakes: Redneck Manifesto
Fitzcarraldo- The Frames
Antisocial- Turn
MIM- Bell X1 should have been higher
Eyes Open by Snow Patrol is an absolute howler (trying to stay down with the kids obviously)
no God is an Astronaut
no Jape
Free All Angels by Ash is clearly a better album than 1977
no Davit Kitt- The Big Romance
Duke Special- Songs from the Deep Forrest
Mic Christopher- Skylarkin’
Simple Kid- 1
The Chalets- Check In
The Immediate- In Towers and Clouds
Waiting Room- Catering for Headphones

Hmm, predictably Dublin-centric, although surprising omissions of Paul Brady, Christy Moore (apart from a passing mention as part of Planxty), Something Happens and most unfogiveably Horslips. If Planxty’s debut set the agenda for “trad in a rock era” then what the hell did Happy To Meet, Sorry to Part do when it came out in 1972? For God’s sake it was the biggest selling album in Ireland until Abba’s Arrival and still it doesn’t merit a mention. How soon you all forget how that band brightened up the crap Ireland of the 1970s.

How soon you all forget how that band brightened up the crap Ireland of the 1970s

I slept thru’ that decade, dude

Eoin I think you didnt get the Sonic Youth joke from Juno. When Juno said that Sonic Youth were just noise, it was a reference to one of their albums (she had obviously picked up by mistake), which literally was ‘just noise’. The joke was she’d picked up the wrong album… that wasn’t at all representitive of their work.

Aside from the list itself, the paragraphs that accompany each entry would make you wonder whether any irish band has had a happy relationship with its record company. It seems irish bands follow the format of ‘make good album-have hassle with label-album trickles out-band gets dumped’.

The Immediate – In Towers and Clouds and JJ72 deserved a mention I thought…

Hmmmm. Why did you do this to yourselves, lads? Are you mental? Now you’ve got me mad. Mad I say.

These are to be taken in no particular order.
Success has not been a deciding factor, but by God it helps.
You realising by leaving out Aslan’s ‘Feel No Shame’ that you don’t have very long to live, don’t you?

TOP 10 ALBUMS, NAY EVEN BANDS, THE LADS INEXPLICABLY LEFT OUT DUE TO POSSIBLE LACK OF AWARENESS, OR JUST WANTING TO KEEP THE ESTABLISHMENT HAPPY. OH HOLD ON! DID THESE GUYS JUST TURN INTO THE ESTABLISHMENT?

1. FATIMA MANSIONS – VIVA DEAD PONIES/AGAINST NATURE (1988/1986)
Graham Linehan gave this album five-out-of-five in Select Magazine as far as I can remember, but what would he know about entertainment? My first band in Mount Temple, ‘The Crybabys’, used to open our shows with a cover of the immortal ‘Angels Delight’. For that matter, where is the album that contains ‘Only Losers Take The Bus’? Fatima Mansions are probably the closest we ever came to producing a credible Irish Alternative Rock band whose lyrics you could actually hear, and those lyrics were brilliant. Andreas O’Gruama as one of the greatest guitarists we ever had? I should think so. Makes Microdisney and the High Llamas look like Buck’s Fizz. A sinful ommission. They were our grunge in a time of famine, in fact they were better than that, and they deserve better than this. ‘Viva Dead Ponies’ should be in the Top 5. Take out one Blades album or one of the nineteen Stars of Heaven albums and put in this, you maniacs.

2. THE BOOMTOWN RATS – TONIC FOR THE TROOPS/THE FINE ART OF SURFACING (1978/1979)
Oh I don’t know. Two Top Twenty UK singles? A UK Number One? Mutt Lange producing undoubtedly one of the best Live Acts we ever had? Or should it be the one with Four Top Twenty Singles and a UK Number One, with Mutt Lange producing that great bunch of Musicians? What’s wrong with these? Is it because lots of people bought and liked them? Beats me. They are certainly better than Live 8. And the Pogues.

3. PUGWASH – JOLLITY (2006)
After three great albums, anyone who doubts the greatness of Thomas Walsh’s work is simply mad. We never had a Beatles, only shit showbands, so please let Pugwash be our Beatles. He is writing actual songs, you know, as opposed to dirges.

4. JINX LENNON – GOUGER NATION (2007)
There’s a whole world going on in this little country that seems to be escaping the vast majority of our Rock media. If I am asked to choose this alternate world over the established one as expressed in the silly list, I choose the alternate one. And Jinx Lennon is the King of that World. He’s way better than Snow Patrol, you know. As if I even needed to say that. Jesus.

5. GILBERT O’SULLIVAN – HIMSELF (1971)
Alone Again, Naturally; We Will; Nothing Rhymed; Matrimony; Permissive Twit; Doing The Best That I Can. Will I give you the entire tracklisting or have I convinced you of the worth of this man’s abilities? This is from a time when Singer-Songwriter actually meant that, and the guy is a genius. And the US Number One position helped. And don’t give me the ‘he’s a curmudgeon’ excuse, you have three Van albums in there. And Gibert’s from Waterford, which is IN Ireland. Our Brian Wilson.

6. THAT PETROL EMOTION – BABBLE/CHEMICRAZY
OK-if you are going to play the Northy Crowd thing then where are these guys? Babble has ‘Big Decision’ and Chemicrazy is one of our finest Rock/Pop albums. Is it because they are named after the throwing of Molotov Cocktails at Brits? That shouldn’t matter. Radiohead is a terrible band name, as is Coldplay. Names shouldn’t matter. John O’Neill’s a God, and even the Undertones last album is better than 80% of the list.

7. HORSLIPS – THE TAIN/THE BOOK OF INVASIONS (1972/1976)
Yeah, I know it’s beyond you guys to take this stuff seriously, but it actually Rocks harder and sounds better than any of that awful eighties indie rubbish the list is so enamoured of. ‘The Power and the Glory’ is better than the Clash’s first album and ‘Charolais’ is the best song written about a Cow before‘Rehab’. Oh, and ‘Dearg Doom’, anyone? Anyone?

8. ENGINE ALLEY – SONIC HOLIDAY (198-)
And that’s exactly what it was, a holiday from all the miserable, useless, boring, uncompetitive, overbudgeted, visionless muck going around at the time. Seeing them live was actually like turning the world from Black and White to Dayglo. Had they been around a couple of years later they would have been huge, but at the time Leather Jackets and Turn-ups were dominating. Dublin in the late eighties was like being trapped in a Bronski Beat Video, except the Irish bands who dressed like that didn’t realise Bronski Beat were Gay.

9. JOE CHESTER – A MURDER OF CROWS (200-)
Songs. Songs. Songs. Especially the last one. Saw him play acoustically in the Bia Bar. He was being ignored by Pizza-munching arseholes. It was ever thus with our great ones. A great, great album.

10. THE CAMEMBERT QUARTET SELL OUT (2005)
Probably the greatest album about the Irish Music scene ever. Well, if I don’t do it, who will?

AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD,

Vagabonds of the Western World (1971), Jailbreak (1976), Johnny The Fox (1976) Bad Reputation (1978).

All should be in the Top Ten, because they are our greatest band, and therefore these are the greatest albums. Logical, yes?

I will expect a full restructuring of the list and a grovelling apology to the nation from the four of you in this Friday’s Ticket.

Best Regards,

Clint Velour (Paddy Cullivan)

No Tuesday Blue or Toasted heretic? What the FUCK is going on here?

The fact that this poll completely blanked Mundy and The Stunning says it all

So the Revenants are like a mixture of the Replacements and REM, can’t wait to hear them. I appreciate what people are saying about the lack of contemporary Irish stuff included, especially Simple Kid and Redkneck Manifesto. But for the most part, I love a great deal of albums on the list

I’m actually very happy for Glen’s success and I told him so on Saturday night. In fact I stayed up Sunday to watch the Oscars in the hope he would get the award. Since we both started as buskers in Galway in the early 90’s I have watched his career closely and actually think ‘Fitzcarraldo’ should have been in the Top 40 album list. Strangely enough, Frank Zappa liked some of John Lennon’s music too, even though his 1967 album ‘We’re Only in it for the Money’ satirized ‘Sgt. Pepper’ mercilessly. Most of the people we satirized on ‘Sell Out’ have told me how they enjoyed the pastiches we wrote, but the album is really about the likes of Coldplay going on about Fairtrade etc. There’s a little gentle ribbing on it about the ‘singer-songwriter’ scene in Ireland over the last few years but it is a general all-encompassing thing, and anyway, that’s the only time where any perceived ‘put-down’ could have taken place. (And the Frames to me are better when they allow themselves to Rock Out-it’s what sets them apart from the likes of Damien Rice etc.)

The only galling thing for me is the idea that Danny D (oh, to hide behind a moniker) could really believe that all artists are in some comparative race to some success-based summit and that I would wish, due to the success of someone else, to be anyone other than myself. Since being in NCAD I’ve realized that some thoughtful people don’t want certain types of success, otherwise we’d all be writing Chick-lit novels or have picked far easier careers. Glen hasn’t had an easy career, and he deserves his Oscar 100%, but you’re like those people who rate music by saying how successful it is, which is actually an insult to Glen. I’m sure he doesn’t want to ‘be’ Dido or James Blunt either, but to say that they were selling 12 million albums while Glen was still being ignored wouldn’t mean shit in terms of their respective merits. It’s also funny that, in contrast to my non-existent ‘endless put-downs’, your only response is to call what we do for a living shitty and to remark on my sartorial inelegance. I may have a shiny tight suit, but you have shit for brains, and I know which I’d prefer.

In other words, each to their own. Free Speech. All that Obama stuff.

Now can we get back to the Top 40 albums please?

Hello , Outraged ? – Totally bemused and gobsmacked ! At one stage I thought they had actually gone out of their way to select the most banal and derivative shite we have ever produced on this island. We certainly have some amount of bands that fall into this category and would you believe it , nearly all of them appear here ! – from the north : ash , therapy , snow patrol and not to be outdone from the south : frames (woeful)oscar ? – I suppose it’s fitting that he is rewarded
stateside because he and ilk
really only aspire to plagiarise some form of americana , a house (1845 to 1902 or whatever – pretensious or wha’ ? ), something happens , radiators – all of these aforementioned could barely come up with a tune to save their lives . But hey!, no harm to them if they can get away with it – it’s the hacks I blame : giving them recognition is the problem.
Of course even these misguided writers could’nt leave out Paul Cleary , our greatest pop songwriter – what a concert he delivered in 2001 in vicar st.
However , my main gripe is – HORSLIPS . You can include the aforementioned shite and leave out one of the most unique groups in history. Far from your claim
that you were faced with an abundance of worthy contenders from which to pick you actually had bugger all to choose from and still had the affrontery to omit bloody HORSLIPS !!. Give me HAPPY TO MEET or most any other L.P compared to above. Worse than Hotpress could come up with . Thanks , Declan Kenny.

Good Lord. Didn’t see all this til now. How do you manage to make so many people so angry???
You were missed on Saturday! Hope your show went well.

How do you manage to make so many people so angry???

It’s an unique gift

He should chair Council meetings should our Jim. Or even go straight to the Dail and dethrone John O’Donoghue in the Ceann Comhairle seat.

GOD DAMN YOU ALL – WHERE ARE MAMAS BOYS IN THIS FREAKING POLL? YOU LOT ARE TOO SOFT TO ROCK

thank you all.

this is by far the best fun I’ve had in ages;)

btw all irish music is shit.

especially the JImmy Cake.

Arent top 40s great! What attention!

Favourite comment is from the guy who thinks that if he never heard an album, it couldnt be good…

It would be more worrying if the list was over- familiar it would suggest that success was more important than talent, which doesnt seem to be the case here.

Just two points: Music of recent years doesnt feature strongly. Does that mean that you limited your choice of albums to those you see as being influencial, as opposed to being utterly enjoyable?

Secondly, the girls havent featured strongly. I think our female artists arent very good at marketing themselves but that doesnt mean that they arent talented. Nina Hynes springs to mind, I wonder if she has influenced Cathy Davey, and if she will influence others over time?

Finally, there are other bands Id love to see in the list, just out of pure affection, but perhaps some musicians are better live and can write outstanding singles, but their albums arent as powerful. I wonder if this was a factor in the decision making process?

I am not happy about this Top 40. I have written a letter to Madam and my local TD about my exclusion from this poll. You have not heard the last of this

paul – thanks for that link to the MP3s, will put them in a seperate post

caro – I’m blaming the cold snap for people’s anger. I have to blame something

Enya – I’ll tell Madam to expect your letter

RE (189)
Oh holy jaysus..Hot Lunch does politics as well..is there no end to this man’s talents?

So saying the owner of this blog would make quite a good chairperson is ‘doing politics’? Is there no end to your ignorance?

Really enjoyed the Top 40. Well done! Not the usual junk list, that hot press et al. would produce.

Only complaints:
Why did you include live albums. Surely Van had enough truly great records in the early 70’s to omit “too late to stop now”, even if thin lizzy didn’t.

Here are a few that should have made it (may not be everyones cup of tea.

39 minutes – Microdisney
Pop – U2
Power of Dreams – immigrants, emigrants and me
Twist -Fat lady sings
Touch of Oliver – Touch of Oliver

Des

Eh?

Hot Lunch, take a look at your own blog for some prime examples of the aformentioned ignorance…!

Eoin Dunlea doesn’t have a clue. Repetition of artists is permissable if warranted.

Jim,

What’s up with that non-existent Snow Patrol album title in today’s Ticket? (Page 7, number 82). Classic mis-print!

I notice your list lacks one great irish band. Where are toasted heretic? I understand that you have to make your articles as appealing and attractive to young people as possible but its no excuse for putting in utter shite(Snow Patrol,Damien Rice etc.) at the expense of quality music. In fact any of Toasted Heretics albums are better than some of the bollix in your list. I expect a formal written apology to all music lovers as soon as possible. Thank you.

What! No Chris deBurgh who put Ireland on the world map with Lady In Red, Revolution, Spanish Train!!! Sure, some had some exposure world wide but CDB was massive, selling out stadiums everywhere, and all this before U2. Surely a mis-carriage of justice but then again, music critics like to dance about architecture.

Dear sweet Jesus, but it sounds like a list Liam Fay and Niall Stokes put together over too many pints in Toners……It has 80’s “right on-ness” smeared all over it. What about
Long Distance Runner
Hard Station????
Welcome Here Kind Stranger

I was so disppointed by your list that I had to compile my own:

1 Horslips – The Book Of Invasions
2 The Radiators – Ghostown
3 U2 – Boy
4 Thin Lizzy – Thin Lizzy
5 The Sultans – Good Year For Trouble
6 My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
7 Rory Gallagher – Rory Gallagher
8 Mellow Candle – Swaddling Songs
9 The Undertones – Hypnotised
10 Horslips – The Man Who Built America
11 The Virgin Prunes – If I Die, I Die
12 Horslips – The Táin
13 U2 – Achtung Baby
14 The Sultans Of Ping FC – Casual Sex In The Cineplex
15 The Blades – Raytown Revisited
16 Whipping Boy – Submarine
17 My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything
18 Rory Gallagher – Deuce
19 Thin Lizzy – Vagabonds Of The Western World
20 Taste – On The Boards
21 The Pogues – If I Should Fall From Grace With God
22 The Radiators From Space – T.V. Tube Heart
23 A House – I Want Too Much
24 Big Self – Stateless
25 Rory Gallagher – Live! In Europe
26 The Slowest Clock – Life Still
27 The Atrix – Procession
28 Fatima Mansions – Viva Dead Ponies
29 Rory Gallagher – Against The Grain
30 Whipping Boy – Heartworm
31 That Petrol Emotion – Chemicrazy
32 Rudi – Big Time: The Best Of Rudi
33 Into Paradise – Churchtown
34 Horslips – Aliens
35 Power Of Dreams – Immigrants, Emigrants And Me
36 The Outcasts – Self Concious Over You
37 Van Morrison – Tupelo Honey
38 Skid Row – 34 Hours
39 S.L.F. – Inflammable Material
40 Dr Strangely Strange – Kip Of The Serenes

Honourable mentions:

Rollerskate Skinny – Shoulder Voices

Light A Big Fire –
Gunpowders

Nice article – good luck in the blog awards for this!