The Defenders

• Charles O'Connor - guitar & vocals
• John Fean - guitar
• Gary Eglington - bass
• Eamon Carr - drums
  
  
  above: Charles O'Connor (left) with the Defenders at the National Ballroom 25 July 1979
  (with Billy Morley & Donal Broghan)

Bio:

The Defenders came together to help the Dublin-based music fanzine Heat, who were required to remove a page from Vol.2 Nr.2 of the magazine when U2's manager Paul Maguiness claimed it was libelous. The costs associated with this action threatened closure of the magazine and The Defenders were formed to raise some cash.

Advert for July 25th Benefit gig

Heat was co-owned by Jude Carr, brother of Eamon Carr of Horslips. O'Connor, Fean & Carr of Horslips were joined by Gary Eglington, Frankie Morgan (of Sacre Bleu), Steve Rapid and Mark Megaray of The Radiators, Billy Morley (ex Revolver, Radiators) and others for a a benefit gig at the National Ballroom in July 1979 under the name The Defenders. A benefit single was then recorded by the lineup shown above at Keystone Studios in October 1979 and released the following month on Guided Missile Records, a label owned by Jude Carr and Karl Tsigdinos of Hot Press. The magazine folded in spite of these efforts.

O'Connor, Fean, Carr & Eglington formed the Zen Alligators in 1980 and were later involved in The Host.

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