From: Dublin
Active: - September 1983-85
Style: New Wave Rock
Lineup:
- Johnny Fean - guitar & vocals
- Charles O'Connor - guitar & vocals
- Peter Keenan - keyboards
- Chris Page - bass
- Eamon Carr - drums
Bio:
From Joe Ambrose's site:
"A project concerning Bridget Cleary, the last woman in Europe to be burned
for witchcraft (in the 1890s), led to an album, Tryal, featuring Horslips
members Charles O'Connor, Johnny Fean, and [Eamon] Carr. I started work on
an accompanying novel about Cleary's trial and torture, Love's Dark Light.
I read an extract from the novel on the b-side of one of the singles issued
from Tryal but didn't complete the novel to my satisfaction."
The Host consisted of Charles O'Connor (ex Horslips), his old Horslips bandmates
Johnny Fean and Eamon Carr (both fresh from the recently demised Zen Alligators),
Peter Keenan (keyboards) and Chris Page (bass). They formed in September 1983 to
work on a recording project based on the story of Brigid Cleary, the last woman
to be burned at the stake as a witch in 1895. The album is much lighter and
poppier than you'd probably expect. It was produced by Robbie McGrath, who did
most of Horslips LPs. Two singles were released from the LP.
When The Host toured they included several Horslips tracks in their live set.
Charles O'Connor left to be replaced by John Ryan and Brian O'Briain (pipes).
This lineup released the final single and performed several unrecorded tracks
including "Maud Gonne", "The Hidden Curriculum" (the theme music for a play
commissioned by ITV) and an extended instrumental piece with the working title
"The Celtic Overture". The Host split in 1985.
Fean went to the Last Bandits.
Carr concentrated on journalism and his Hotwire label.
Joe Ambrose later worked with The Baby Snakes.
Discography
• Tryal
LP - Changeling Records - CHRL 001 - IRL - 1983 - inner sleeve
LP - Aura Records - AUL 728 - UK - 1984
side one:
Witness Stand
First Kiss
Vows and Breezes
Safe World
Declaring War
side two:
Walk On Love
Uneartly Shadows
Shadowy Figures
I Wanted You
Strange Disease
Dark, Light and Air
• Walk On Love / The Long Walk
7" - Changeling Records - CRS 8301 - 1983 - black PS
7" - Changeling Records - CRS 8301 - 1983 - red PS
Entered the Irish charts for 1 week at #27 in December 1983
• Witness Stand // Dark, Light and Air / Excerpt from "Loves Dark Light" (A Novel)
7" - Changeling Records - CRS 8401 - 1984 - PS
Novel excerpt read by Joe Ambrose and Eamon Carr.
• Walk On Love / Strange Disease
7" - Aura Records - AUS144 - UK - 1985 - no PS
• The Hellhound Was My Name / The Trip The King & The Creel
7" - Hotwire HOST 10 - 1985 - PS
Help!
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.
See Also:
Last Bandits,
Zen Alligators
External Links:
Joe Ambrose
