Sean O'Hagan is an Irish singer and songwriter who leads the avant-pop band the High Llamas, which he founded in 1992. He is also known for being one half of the songwriting duo in Microdisney and for his work during the early 1990s with the English-French band Stereolab.
The Fatima Mansions were an Irish rock band formed in 1988 by Cork singer/keyboardist Cathal Coughlan, formerly of Microdisney.
Luke Michael Haines is an English musician, songwriter and author. He has recorded music under various names and with various bands, including The Auteurs, Baader Meinhof and Black Box Recorder.
Cathal Coughlan was an Irish singer and songwriter from Cork, best known as the frontman of the band Microdisney, formed with Sean O'Hagan in 1980. Their second album The Clock Comes Down the Stairs reached number one in the UK Indie Chart. They developed cult followings in the Irish and UK indie music scenes before breaking up in 1988.
We Hate You South African Bastards! is a compilation album by the Irish band Microdisney. It was re-issued on CD with the title Love Your Enemies to reflect post-Apartheid South Africa. The album consists of early recordings of Microdisney before they moved from Cork to London.
The High Llamas are an Anglo-Irish avant-pop band formed in London circa 1991. They were founded by singer-songwriter Sean O'Hagan, formerly of Microdisney, with drummer Rob Allum and ex-Microdisney bassist Jon Fell. O'Hagan has led the group since its formation. Their music is often compared to the Beach Boys, a band he acknowledges as an influence, although more prominent influences were drawn from bossa nova and European film soundtracks.
Five Go Down to the Sea? were an Irish post-punk band from Cork, active between 1978 and 1989. Vocalist and lyricist Finbarr Donnelly, guitarist Ricky Dineen and brothers Philip (bass) and Keith "Smelly" O'Connell (drums) formed the band as Nun Attax while teenagers. They became known for Donnelly's absurdist, surreal lyrics and stage presence, Dineen's angular guitar and their Captain Beefheart-style rhythm section. The group changed their name to Five Go Down to the Sea? after moving to London in 1983. Their line-up has at times included guitarists Mick Finnegan, Giordaí Ua Laoghaire, Mick Stack, and the cellist Úna Ní Chanainn.
Knot a Fish is the debut and most critically acclaimed EP by the Irish post-punk band Five Go Down to the Sea?, released in 1983 on the London-Irish label Kabuki records and distributed by Rough Trade. Recorded just after the band changed their name from Nun Attax, it is the only of their recordings to feature cellist Úna Ní Chanainn, and is widely considered their best work.
Ricky Dineen is an Irish musician best known as the guitarist with the post-punk band Five Go Down to the Sea?, earlier known as Nun Attax, who later developed into Beethoven–fucking–Beethoven. He wrote most of the band's music and developed their angular musical style, which he said was in part influenced by contemporary post-punk bands such as The Fire Engines, Gang of Four, The Mekons and Bogshed.
Finbarr Donnelly was a singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland, who moved to Cork city at a young age. He is best known as the vocalist with the post-punk band Five Go Down to the Sea?. Known for his striking stage presence and absurdist, surreal lyrics, he and the band were hugely influential on later generations of Irish musicians. Mark McAvoy, author of "Cork Rock: From Rory Gallagher to the Sultans of Ping", said in a 2017 interview that "Donnelly probably would have been the most influential musician and songwriter in...the Cork music scene and the bands that stemmed from it."
Hiding from the Landlord is a twenty-four track compilation album by the Irish post-punk band Five Go Down to the Sea?. It was released in April 2020 on vinyl and CD by Allchival records, an imprint of AllCity Records.
Giordaí Ua Laoghaire is an Irish songwriter and guitarist best known as a founding member of Nine Wassies From Bainne, who released the album Ciddy Hall in 1998. Born in Ovens, County Cork in the early 1960s, he has played with Five Go Down to the Sea? (1979–1980), Microdisney (mid-1980's) and Soon (late-1980's). The Wassies were primarily an instrumental band and recorded only a single album.
Kaught at the Kampus is a live compilation 12-inch EP conceived and organised by Irish promoter Elvera Butler, and released in 1981 on her Reekus Records label. A showcase of then emerging Cork city punk and post-punk bands, it contains tracks by Nun Attax, Mean Features, Urban Blitz and Microdisney
Paul McDermott is an Irish producer and broadcaster best known for his audio documentaries on the bands Five Go Down to the Sea?, Stump, Microdisney and the 1970s experimental musician Michael O'Shea.
Song of Co-Aklan is the sixth and final solo album by the Irish singer / songwriter Cathal Coughlan. It was recorded in London just before the COVID-19 pandemic and released to critical acclaim in 2021. The album was preceded by a limited edition cover of Van Morrisson's "Come Here My Love."
Crooked Mile is the third studio album by Irish pop band Microdisney. It was their first album for major label Virgin Records, after the release of their previous albums on Rough Trade Records. It was produced by Lenny Kaye, the former guitarist of the Patti Smith Group.
Everybody Is Fantastic is the debut album by Irish indie band Microdisney. The album was recorded by singer Cathal Coughlan and guitarist Sean O'Hagan, after they had relocated from Ireland to London. It was released in 1984, and was largely performed by Coughlan and O'Hagan with contributions from future Microdisney members John Fell and Tom Fenner, and session musicians John McKenzie and Terry Stannard.
The Clock Comes Down the Stairs is the second studio album by the Irish band Microdisney. It was recorded and released in 1985, and was their last album for Rough Trade Records before signing to Virgin Records the following year. The album was mainly recorded in the flat of producer Jamie Lane, with additional recording, including the drums tracks, completed at a professional studio in Shoreditch
39 Minutes is the fourth and final studio album by the Irish pop group Microdisney, released in 1988. It was a commercial disappointment. The first single was "Singer's Hampstead Home", allegedly a criticism of Boy George's celebrity persona. It was followed by the release, from this album, of Microdisney's final single, "Gale Force Wind" which reached number 98 on the UK singles chart.
The Peel Sessions Album is a compilation of tracks recorded by the Irish pop group Microdisney for the Peel Sessions on radio DJ John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. Peel championed the band describing them as "an iron fist in a velvet glove", and Microdisney recorded six sessions for his show, amounting to 24 songs, gathered from their first three studio albums and earlier self released tracks.
