The Stars Of Heaven

• Stephen Ryan - guitar & vocals
• Stan Erraught - guitar
• Peter O'Sullivan - bass
• Bernard Walsh - drums
  
  

Bio:

"That in blessing I will bless thee,
and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the sea"--Genesis 22:17

Formed in March 1983 by guitarist Stan Errauqht (ex The Peridots, Modernaires, Ghosthance) and bassist Peter O'Sulllvan, joined in September by singer/guitarist Steven Ryan (ex Letters?) and drummer Bernard Walsh (ex Sinners, GhostDance). They recorded an excellent Fanning Show session in 1984 which included "The Clothes Of Pride", which became the A-side of their debut single. The recording of the single was financed by the band themselves but it appeared on the Hotwire label in an edition of 1000 copies in 1985. Sales were slow initially, but with radio exposure (Fanning, Peel) and positive press (NME), its reputation grew until by the end of the year it was making best of lists. But by then it had become almost impossible to get hold of. There was no repress, such being the vagaries of indie label finances in Ireland in the mid-80s, and the band's relationship with Hotwire became strained, though they did appear on the Guru Weirdbrain label sampler LP. They also appeared on the "Live At The Underground" compilation recorded at the Dublin venue of the same name before the end of the year.

In 1986 they recorded two Peel Sessions, in January and May, and a Janice Long Session in June. They signed a one-off deal with Rough Trade who issued the Sacred Heart Hotel mini-LP in September, which had the January Peel session on the A-side and three new tracks recorded in Dublin on the B-side. This reached #11 in the UK indie album charts. The band was still looking for a record label to release their debut LP. There was a lot of interest but no record deal. A rare live track came out on the Moonstruck fanzine cassette that christmas.

In 1987 there was another Peel session, in February, and Rough Trade stepped in to do the honours for the second single, "Never Saw You" in March, which was also released as a 4-track 12inch re-titled Holyhead. This single peaked at #5 in the UK indie singles charts. In May, Rough Trade released the compilation LP Rain On The Sea which combined the Sacred Heart Hotel mini-LP and the Holyhead 12EP on one disc.

1988 began with the fourth and final Peel session in January. Rough Trade released the bands debut LP "Speak Slowly" in June. They signed to Mother Records who financed further recordings but nothing came out. The band split in 1990. Steven Ryan formed The Revenants with former members of The Would-Be's and Something Happens. Stan Erraught formed The Sewing Room with former members of Hey Paulette.


Described as "Ireland's answer to the Byrds, Gram Parsons and the Velvet Underground all in one package" and sometimes seen as forerunners of the country/roots/Americana sound post-grunge, but at the time it didn't seem that simple. There was an undeniable Byrds influence but songs like "So You Know" placed them just as easily beside bands like The Dream Syndicate. This was the ubiquitous Velvets influence, which ran though most indie guitar bands in the 1980s.

I first heard the band when Dave Fanning played their debut single. It sounded like nothing else coming out of Dublin at the time and is still one of my favourites. Both sides are fantastic. Then came the outstanding Peel sessions of 1987 the messy Rough Trade releases (an EP that's half a Peel session, an LP that's half a previous EP under a different name, a single that's taken from both!), not to mention the godlike "So You Know". Then finally after what seemed like an interminable wait, the debut LP proper came out in 1988. I remember feeling underwhelmed by "Speak Slowly" when I first played it. Geoff Travis didn't like it much, according to some sources. It marked the end of the band's relationship with Rough Trade. They signed to Mother Records who financed further recordings and there were plans for a single (which almost reached the release stage) and an album, but it all came to nothing when the band split in 1990. Judging by the liner notes to Unfinished Dreaming, they may have been victims of the Curse of Mother Records, but they seemed to be grinding to a halt anyway. Peter O'Sullivan leaving for the Wilf Brothers was the last straw.

For years I had the impression that the Stars had never fully delivered on the promise of that first single and the Peel sessions. It never quite felt like they'd recorded that one, flawless, killer LP they certainly had in them. In retrospect, all their recordings seem flawless now.

The Stars of Heaven made several live radio broadcasts, including a live show one christimas on Capital as far as I remember. If anyone has tapes, please get in touch. There were also several TV appearances over the years which can be found online.

All the records below are highly recommended.

Stephan Ryan (ex Letters?) later formed Revenants. Stan Erraught (ex peridots, Modernaires, Ghosthance) later formed The Sewing Room. Peter O'Sullivan played with the Wilf Brothers. Bernard Walsh was ex GhostDance.

See also the Videos page.

tracks:
Clothes of Pride
El Dorado
Little Fingers
Small Life

tracks: Every Other Day (orig version)

tracks: Hey Little Child (Alex Chilton)

tracks:
Sacred Heart Hotel
Talk About It Now
Moonstruck
So You Know

tracks:
28
Every Other Day
What Else Could You Do?
Paradise Of Lies

tracks:
Unconscious
a.o.
please get in touch if you can supply the full track listing

side one:
Sacred Heart Hotel
Talk About It Now
Moonstruck
So You Know

side two:
You Only Say What Anyone Could Say
Folksong
Man Without A Shadow

track: Unconscious (live)

tracks:
Wheels
Cavalry Cross
Can't Seem To Make You Mine
Still Feeling Blue

tracks: Wheels (Gram Parsons)

side one:
Never Saw You
Before Holyhead

side two:
Widow's Walk
Someone's Getting Tired Of You

 

side one:
Sacred Heart Hotel ²
Talk About It Now ²
Moonstruck ²
So You Know ²
Never Saw You ¹

side two:
Widow's Walk ¹
You Only Say What Anyone Could ²
Folksong ²
Man Without A Shadow ²
Before Holyhead ¹
Someone's Getting Tired Of You ¹

¹ from the Holyhead EP
² from the Sacred Heart Hotel mini-LP

tracks:
Two O'Clock Waltz
Ammonia Train
Northern Isles
Unfinished Dreaming

tracks:
Smalltown Reel
Sing Me Back Home
Lights of Tetouan
Money Talks

 

tracks:
Unfinished Dreaming
Little England
What Else Could you do
Paradise Of Lies
2 O'Clock Waltz
28
Lights Of Tetouan
Leave As You Came
Every Other Day
Three Kings Day
Ghost Cars
Clothes of Pride (version) [Rough Trade CD only]
Never Saw You [Rough Trade CD only]
Widow's Walk [Rough Trade CD only]
Before Holyhead [Rough Trade CD only]

 

tracks:
1. City On The Hill
2. Wheels (Parsons/Hillman)
3. Easier This Way
4. Telescope
5. Drive Back (Neil Young)
6. Ammonia Train
7. Scared Heart Hotel
8. Talk About It Now
9. Every Other Day
10. 2 O'Clock Waltz
11. I Can't Seem To Make You Mine (Sky Saxon)
12. Calvary Cross (Richard Thompson)
13. Still Feelin' Blue (Gram Parsons)
14. 28
15. Unconscious
16. Northern Isles
17. Poison River
18. So Far The Only
19. I Think I Know You Well Enough
20. Radio Panic
21. Smalltown Reel
22. Sing Me Back Home (Merle Haggard)
23. Eldorado
24. Clothes Of Pride
25. All About You

1, 3-6, 17-20, 26 unreleased late 80s recordings done for Mother Records
2, 7-16 BBC Radio Sessions (John Peel & Janice Long)
21-23 RTE Dave Fanning Sessions December 1984 and April 1988
24-25 debut single

The Revenants

• Stephen Ryan - voclas & guitar
• Don Ryan - piano, organ
• Chris Heaney - drums
  
  
• Doug Steen - guitar (1st album)
• Jeremy Irvin - bass (1st album)
  
  
• Conor Brady - guitar (2nd album)
• Naeem Bismilla - bass (2nd album)

Bio:

tracks:
Let's Get Falling Down
Marry Money
Ted's Tune
You For Whom Silence
Sympathy
William Byrd
The Drinking Side Of Me
Capercayle
Xmas Card
Speak Slowly
Doctor Said
Forbidden Mourning