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Bio:
Under-rated rock trio fronted by Jimmy Smyth [sometimes written as Smith], a highly gifted guitarist from
Navan. Bassist Doish Nagle had previously been in Dublin rock trio Angel.
Some accounts of their early days, in Hot Press for example, portray a band
still trying to find it's feet, dabbling in too many different styles through a varied
set designed to show off Jimmy's playing abilities but suggesting they were unsure of which
musical path to take. As a result the record companys adopted a wait-and-see
approach. How accurate this portrayal is I can't say.
In December 1978, they supported Rory Gallagher at the National Stadium, by
which time they'd focussed on tight, straight ahead R&B in Dr.Feelgood/Pirates
vein. They appear briefly in an RTE piece about Gallagher's '78 tour made by
Dave Heffernen (for Aspects of Rock). Their manager at this point was Brian
Kennedy.
They signed a one single deal with Chrysalis Records (through Polydor in Ireland) and
released "Friday Night" which was a big hit locally. This led to a full deal which resulted in
two LPs. Their first LP "Friday Night" (1979) is great but was probably too trad
rock for the punks. The second "Jimmy Did It!" (1980) didn't advance their cause
much further. Neither is available on CD as far as I know but they can be picked
up cheap on ebay. There were also four singles with mostly non-LP tracks.
They played the famous Dandelion Market gig in Dublin on one occasion, on Sunday 16
December 1979 with The Epidemix.
By 1981 the rhythm section was Davy Watson
(ex Male Caucasians, bass) and Tony Smyth (drums).
Peter Duff (see Cheeky Pigs) took over as manager around 1982.
They appeared on TV quite a few times
in the early 80s, and gigged heavily for several years.
Neil Whiffen played bass somewhere along the line as did Iggy Ward who was with them
for about a year, including their USA trip.
The Bogey Boys went to the USA in 1982 with manager Peter Duff who'd set up money and gigs
on an earlier trip. When they landed at JFK they were delayed getting off the plane and were last
off. They walked from the plane all the way to arrivals and out on to the street without being
stopped once by customs, immigration, etc [wouldn't happen today!]. The band spent a year playing
around Detroit and the Michigan area and recorded in Sidartha studios in Grand Rapids.
The band finally broke up during negotiations with two record companies in 1983. The Sidhartha recordings
(including "Car Independence" and "Chinese Wedding") were never finalised and are presumably lost.
Jimmy went to L.A. and played with various people.
Tony Smyth joined the
No Name Band. Old boys
Doish Nagle and Paul Moran joined Phil Lynott's Grand Slam and
Pulling Faces
respectively.
Notes:
All titles by J.Smyth except "Gunslinger" by Ken Kiernan (Pulling Faces)
and "Rock n' Roll Romance" by Nagle.
John Keogh (Greenbeats, Full Circle) guests on keyboards
on "Closing Time". Recorded late summer 1979
at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, produced by Leo Lyons (of Ten Years After, a house producer at Chrysalis).
Mastered at Abbey Road.
Notes:
All titles by Smyth except "Who's Sorry Now?" (Kalman/Ruby/Snyder), "Bang Bang" (Sonny Bono),
"Lone Grey Mare" (Peter Green) and "Stop Messin' Around" (Peter Green/Clifford Adams).
Recorded at Point Studios Belgravia, produced by Alan O'Duffy. Guest appearances by
Tom Bailey (piano), Dave Rose (organ) and a brass section: Pete Tantrum (tenor/baritone sax),
Pete Beachill (trombone), Stuart Brooks & Steve Sidwell (trumpets).
We need your help to correct and/or complete this entry. If you can provide more information about this band, have scans, photos or any other memorabilia we can use, or spare copies of any releases, then please get in touch.