Formed: Derry, Northern Ireland, UK

For three years or so the masters of the two-to-three minute pop-punk song, these charming lads from Derry left a legacy of classic singles and three equally strong LPs, each more sophisticated and ambitious than the last but none sacrificing strong hooks. It all went wrong on their final effort, The Sin Of Pride, but even that has its admirers (not me, though).

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Lineup 1 (1974 - early 1976):

Feargal Sharkey – lead vocals
John O'Neill – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Michael Bradley – bass
Billy Doherty – drums
Vincent O'Neill – guitar

Recorded: Nothing

Lineup 2 (early 1976 - Summer 1983)

Feargal Sharkey – lead vocals
John O'Neill – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Michael Bradley – bass guitar, keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Billy Doherty – drums
Damian O'Neill – lead guitar, keyboards and backing vocals

Recorded: Everything.

After the band split, Sharkey guested on synth-poppers The Assembly's 'Never Never' single, and then went onto a briefly successful solo career. The O'Neill brothers formed That Petrol Emotion (1984-1994), after which John went in a trip hop direction in Rare. The band reformed with its original lineup, but with Paul McLoone instead of Sharkey.

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DISCOGRAPHY

Subsequent studio albums: Get What You Need (2003), Dig Yourself Deep (2007).

Singles & Albums / Extraneous Releases / Promos / Bootlegs / Videos & DVDs / Various Artists

Teenage Kicks (7", 1978)

Get Over You (7", 1979)

Jimmy Jimmy (7", 1979)

The Undertones (LP, 1979)

Here Comes The Summer (7", 1979)

You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) (7", 1979)

My Perfect Cousin (7", 1980)

Hypnotised (LP, 1980)

Wednesday Week (7", 1980)

It's Going To Happen! (7", 1981)

Positive Touch (LP, 1981)

Julie Ocean (7, 1981)

Beautiful Friend (7", 1982)

The Love Parade (7"/12", 1982)

Got To Have You Back (7"/12", 1983)

The Sin Of Pride (LP, 1983)

Chain Of Love (7", 1983)

Extraneous Releases

All Wrapped Up (2xLP, 1983)

My Perfect Cousin / Here Comes The Summer (2x7", 1983)

Save Me (7"/12", 1986)

Cher O'Bowlies - The Pick Of The Undertones (LP/CD, 1986)

The Peel Sessions (12", 1986)

The Peel Sessions Album (LP/CD, 1989)

The Best Of The Undertones: Teenage Kicks (CD, 1993)

The Very Best Of The Undertones (CD, 1994)

True Confessions (Singles = A's + B's) (2xCD, 1999)

The Singles Box Set (12xCDS, box set, 2000)

The Best Of The Undertones Teenage Kicks (CD/DC+DVD, 2003)

Listening In: Radio Sessions 1979 - 1982 (CD, 2004)

An Anthology (2xCD, 2008)

Positive Touch/The Sin Of Pride (2xcD, 2009)

Teenage Kicks - The Very Best of The Undertones (CD, 2010)

An Introduction To The Undertones (CD+DVD, 2013)

The Very Best Of (2xCD, 2016)

Hard To Beat: The Masters Collection (2xCD, 2018)

Singles (13x7", box set, 2018)

West Bank Songs 1978-1983 (A Best Of) (2xLP, 2020)

Promos

The Undertones (10", 1979)

Hypnotised Appetizer (12", 1980)

In Concert-232 (LP, split with Wreckless Eric, 1980)

When Saturday Comes (7", 1981)

BBC College Concert (LP, 1983)

On CD At Last (CD, promo version of The Very Best Of The Undertones, 1994)

Bootlegs

Live!! Teenage Kicks (LP, 1981)

Live To Air (LP, split with Buzzcocks, 1984)

Unearthed (LP, 2003)

Punk Rock Slide! (LP, split with Ramones, 2008)

An Anthology - Previously Unreleased Live & Demos (LP, 2009)

Amsterdam 1980 (CD)

Videos/DVDs

6 Tracks (VHS, 1984)

The Story Of The Undertones - Teenage Kicks (DVD, 2004)

Various Artists

The Sire Machine Turns You Up UK LP 1978 (Sire): True Confessions

That Summer! UK LP 1979 (Arista): Teenage Kicks

Sharp Holland LP 1979 (WEA): Jimmy, Jimmy

Rolls Rock Ao Rubro Portugal LP 1980 (Da Nova): Hard Luck / (She's A) Runaround

New New Rock Holland 7" 1980 (WEA): Jimmy Jimmy / Teenage Kicks

Life In The European Theatre UK/US LP 1981 (WEA/Elektra): It's Going To Happen

Pogo A Gogo! UK Tape 1986 (New Musical Express): True Confessions

Good Vibrations: The Punk Singles Collection UK CD 1994 (Anagram): Smarter Than U

The Best Punk Album In The World ... Ever! 2 UK 2xCD 1996 (Circa): My Perfect Cousin

1-2-3-4 Punk & New Wave 1976-1979 UK 5xCD 1999 (Universal): Teenage Kicks

No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion US 4xCD 2003 (Rhino): Teenage Kicks / Get Over You

The Old Grey Whistle Test Live Europe 3xCD 2012 (BBC Worldwide/Rhino): Jimmy Jimmy [Live]

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Links

The Undertones Official Website

The Undertones Rocking Humdingers Club

Irish Punk & New Wave Discography

Record Collectors Of The World Unite