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Bio:
Sindikat were a Cork band active for about two years from 1984-86.
Pat Lyons, Kieran O'Sullivan and Paul O'Reilly were all first year students at
UCC at the bands inception.
They played about a dozen gigs around Cork during their lifetime,
between November 1984 and February 1986. Some of these gigs were recorded
(the tapes still exist apparently).
They gained a hardcore local following during several gigs at The Underground in
particular.
Sindikat were considered a 'northside' band in Cork, local parlance for outside the mainstream.
Their first gig was at the Malt Shovel on South Main Street in Cork city.
It was disguised as a birthday party to which they invited friends.
They also played the UCC College Bar and the Buckingham on Georges Quay (later Mojos),
when another UCC Arts student Raymond O'Donoghue guested on
sax.
A demo was recorded in April 1985 at Elm Tree Studios.
It received coverage in the local press (The Echo) and was generally
well received.
That summer Sindikat performed as part of the Cork 800 celebrations.
On a flatbed truck parked in a tarmaced car-park,
they appeared third on a bill with Porcelyn Tears and
headliners Flex And The Fastweather.
Playing in the open air didn't really suit the band's sound, however,
and this increased exposure didn't lead anywhere.
By the time the band appeared at the week-long showcase of young talent
organised by Denis Desmond at Cork Opera House, guitarist and chief songwriter
Kieran O'Sullivan had been replaced by the slicker Eddie O'Sullivan, and the band's sound
began to change.
The band began to fall apart. Pat Lyons and the rhythm section advertised for a
new guitarist (and keyboard player?) in an attempt to revive their fortunes.
Guitarist Ray O'Callaghan (ex Poles Apart) and Colm O Callaghan (keyboards)
rehearsed with the band on one occasion but the writing was on the wall.
Sindikat split in 1986.
After graduating from UCC, Paul O'Reilly went
to live in Madrid for a number of years. He subsequently returned to Ireland
and now lives and works in Waterford.
Sindikat's sound as evidenced by their demo tape was reputedly quite original,
influenced by The Doors, Joy Division, and The Smiths:
"Vocally [Pat Lyons] strained to hit the top of his register and wasn't a natural singer.
Behind him, Sindikat borrowed liberally from Joy Division, The Doors, The Velvets and
some of the mellower post-punks. Their best songs were wrapped up in Kieran's delicate
guitar licks and his easy way with middle-eights, breaks and the more complicated end
of the tutorial books. A shrill Hammond would routinely parp its way in and out of the
mix and, bubbling underneath, a tinny drum sound and basic bass rumble. And it was a
beautiful racket."--Colm O Callaghan
If anyone has a copy of this tape, please get in touch.
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.