Alternatives

• Paul Redmond - vocals & guitar
• Ian Christie - guitar
• David 'Aggie' Christie - bass
• Declan Byrne - drums

Bio:

Dublin new wave band formed in the late 1970s. David Christie was the main motivator behind the band. His influences were Slaughter and the Dogs, the New York Dolls and The Clash (Hot Press even compared his bass playing stance to Paul Simonon.) Their live set included covers of "Teenage Kicks" and Free's "Wishing Well" as well as band originals, including a reputedly very decent Clash-like number called "Battlefield".

Alternatives played every Thursday night during the Winter of 1978 / Spring of 1979 in the Magnet with Strange Movements and the Blades until they were targeted by a local gang who smashed their car and badly beat up Ian Christie. The band broke up temporarily while he recovered but in fact only played out again once or twice after this, at the CIE Hall in Marlborough Street, and at the Dandelion Market on Sunday 11th November 1979, with Neon Heart. Declan Byrne had left the band by this stage, selling his drumkit before starting at DIT Bolton Street a couple of months earlier in September. Various drummers played with the band for the rest of it's lifetime including Bernie Walsh (Sinners, Stars of Heaven etc). Paul Redmond and David Christie formed A Further Room in 1981.

Though the band never entered the studio, live tapes were made during the Magnet gigs (possibly by Strange Movements soundman Angus). If anyone has copies, 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.