TOP-10 IRISH ARTISTS IN ROCK AND POP

Irish musicians have played important roles and influenced every style of music imaginable – from classical, to jazz, to folk, to country. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here’s a list of ten notable Irish artists and bands in the pop and rock genres. The list is by no means meant to be definitive, just this Honorary Irishman’s humble opinion. In alphabetical order:

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The Boomtown Rats – Led by future humanitarian Bob Geldof, these post-punk rockers never found a large audience in the States. Even their biggest worldwide hit, “I Don’t Like Mondays” fell short of the Top-40 here. Still, the group’s blend of epic, Springsteen-esque story-songs and punk attitude are worth checking out, especially on the group’s U.S. debut, A Tonic for the Troops.

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Clannad / Enya – Clannad had been creating its unique combination of traditional Irish folk, Celtic, pop and new age music since the early 70s. It took ten years for the group to achieve international success, primarily through its work on various movie and television soundtracks. Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, better known as Enya, struck out on her own in the mid-80s and found even greater success creating ethereal, multi-layered vocal orchestrations that walked a fine line between pop and new age.

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The Corrs – This three sisters and a brother act enjoyed a great deal of worldwide success in the ten year period between 1996 and 2006. The band’s sound, epitomized by hits like “Runaway” and “Breathless,” leaned heavily toward pop-rock, but contained a fair sprinkling of traditional Irish influences and instrumentation.

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The Cranberries – This Limerick-based alternative rock band enjoyed plenty of airplay and chart success for most of the 90s on the basis of its two great strengths – sharp pop songwriting (typified by hits like “Linger,” “Dreams,” and “Salvation”), and the pure, powerful voice of lead singer Dolores O'Riordan.

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Rory Gallagher – The late, great blues-rock guitarist Rory Gallagher died too young – he was only 47 when years of substance abuse finally caught up with him in 1995. Although his albums sold over 30 million copies worldwide, perhaps his most important and lasting contribution to music is evidenced by his acknowledged influence on guitarists like The Edge, Slash, Johnny Marr, Glenn Tipton, and Brian May.

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House of Pain / Everlast – In the early 90s, white rappers were still a novelty, and legitimate white rappers were an even bigger rarity. Spittin’ lyrics in a full-on brogue, Everlast stepped to the plate not as a copycat, but as a “copy that.” With an even more successful solo career he demonstrated his range in a variety of musical genres.

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Van Morrison – Morrison is the reigning monarch of Irish singer-songwriters. Fans might question whether this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee should be recognized more for his exceptional songwriting or for his unique, soulful voice. Fortunately, there’s no need to rush a decision – at age 63, Morrison is still going strong.

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The Pogues – Some reviews of Pogues concerts talk of shows of unparalleled power and elegance, others of performances marred by incoherent drunkenness. The focal point of contradiction is always Shane MacGowan — singer, songwriter, and enigmatic leader of the group — the man who's equally responsible for the Pogues' greatest achievements as well as its occasional downfalls.

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Thin Lizzy – For my money, Thin Lizzy is one of the most underrated rock bands of all time. Lead singer Phil Lynott was a fine songwriter, and a charismatic front man. The group was one of the pioneers of the twin lead guitar sound, and a terrific live act.

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U2 – Okay, Bono and the boys can get a bit pretentious at times, but as a band they’re still the current kings of the mountain. The group has been around long enough to be considered classic rock, but as evidenced by its new chart topping effort, No Line on the Horizon, the band is still taking chances – and finding a large audience in the process.

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The Persuasions - 45 Years of Harmony

The Persuasions may not have invented the all-vocal style of music known as a cappella, but the Brooklyn, New York-based quintet has proudly carried the torch for the genre for 45 years. And while the group has never had a Top-40 hit, won a Grammy, or appeared on MTV, the music of the Persuasions has had a major influence on popular music.

For decades the group’s unique style has been highly regarded not only by fans, but also by an eclectic who's who of musical artists that includes Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, the Neville Brothers, and B.B. King.

In a recent interview, founding member Jimmy Hayes said it was “divine intervention” that brought the original group together in 1962. Hayes had left Hopewell, Virginia at age 17 to move to New York for a career in show business.

“None of us knew each other. We didn't go to high school together. None of us were New Yorkers,” he said. “We all hung out at the same basketball court. We would play a little basketball and then somebody would hit up a song and everybody would join in.

"Out of all those voices – 25 or 30 guys – you could hear some that knew harmony. So one night, I just said ‘Listen man, this is my address. Why don't you guys stop by my house, and let’s rehearse tonight?’”

Only four guys showed up at Hayes's house that night - those four guys [along with Hayes] became the Persuasions – Jerry Lawson, Joe Russell, Jayotis Washington, and Herbert “Toubo” Rhodes.

“We developed this sound, and it just sounded good,” Hayes says. “Every night we were singing on a street corner or at a subway station and crowds used to gather ’round and tell us, ‘Hey man, you guys don't need no band.’”

The group’s performances moved from street corners and subway stations, to parties, to clubs. Their first commercial break came in 1968. The group was performing at a record store in Jersey City, NJ. The performance was being piped outside to the sidewalk and David Dashev [who later became the group's manager] happened to walk by and hear it. Dashev approached the group, saying he knew a guy in California who might be interested in giving them a recording contract. Dashev made a phone call and asked the Persuasions to sing over the phone. Listening on the other end of the line was Frank Zappa.

Zappa was sent a tape of the group and a few weeks later, the Persuasions were on their way to California to record their first album. Since then, the Persuasions have recorded for a variety of major and independent labels. They have recorded some original songs, but are best known as a group that can cover any style of music. Their catalog includes blues, rock, jazz, country, and tribute albums to the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, and U2.

Occasionally, the Persuasions have even recorded with a full band.

“We recorded a single on United Artist label featuring two original songs that Jayotis wrote,” Hayes said. “The songs were great, but we found that we were singing the same notes that the band was playing. For example, the baseline that the guitar was playing, I was singing. We were just clashing with each other. And over the years there've been a few other record companies that have done a few things with us as far as instrumentation, but they say stick with what you do best, and a cappella is what we do best.”

Since 1962, the Persuasions have only lost two of their original members. Herbert “Toubo” Rhodes passed away in 1988, and Jerry Lawson left group in 2003 to pursue a solo career. Ray Sanders and Reggie Moore have joined Hayes, Russell, and Washington in the group.

In March, the Persuasions plan to head back into the studio to record a new album. While their last few releases have been tributes to individual artists [The Persuasions Sing U2 was released in 2005], Hayes says the group would like to record a variety of covers and original material.

“We are thinking about calling in some of the people we have worked with over the years, and asking them if they would appear on our CD,” he says. “We've played with some beautiful people.”

While a cappella has never enjoyed a mainstream following, Hayes says in recent years he's seen a renewal in its popularity due to its availability on Internet music sites and satellite radio. He says the Persuasions enjoy playing college venues, because it gives them an opportunity to introduce a cappella music to a younger audience.

“At one time, it kind of died out and we kind of revived it,” Hayes says. “If we can attract young kids who are interested in a cappella, I feel that that's a feather in our cap. This is something we've kept alive, and people are beginning to realize the importance of it.”