| Kevin Mooney | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 May 1962 Greenwich, England |
| Genres | New wave, pop, punk, electronica |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, guitar |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | RCA, Le Coq Musique |
| Associated acts | Wide Boy Awake Max The Lavender Pill Mob Adam and the Ants Sinéad O'Connor |
Kevin (Paul) Mooney (born 5 May 1962 in Greenwich, London, England) is an English rock bassist and guitarist who has worked with Adam Ant, Sinéad O'Connor, and others.
Mooney began as the bass player for Adam and the Ants, between 1980 and 1981, appearing on the album Kings of the Wild Frontier. After leaving the band because of personal conflict and creative differences, he formed the band Wide Boy Awake with partner John Keogh and collaborator and fantasist Harley Price. Wide Boy Awake released two EPs in the UK, including songs "Chicken Outlaw", "Billy Hyena", "Bona Venture" and "Slang Teacher", some of which appear on 1980s various-artists compilations. "Chicken Outlaw" was accompanied by a music video directed by Derek Jarman. Wide Boy Awake disbanded soon after without releasing a full album of music. During this period, Mooney guested on Sinéad O'Connor's album The Lion and the Cobra, writing and playing guitar on one track "Just Call Me Joe", featuring Leslie Winer (co-writer) on backup spoken vocal.
Next, Mooney formed the band Max (not to be confused with the Japanese vocal group MAX) with Leslie Winer, a former associate of William S. Burroughs and John Keogh and Harley Price (fantasist). The band recorded an unreleased album featuring guitar work by Adam Ant collaborator Marco Pirroni. Mooney formed a new version of Max, which released an album called Silence Running, produced by Trevor Horn, but the band dissolved in the wake of money problems and drug-related deaths. Mooney relocated to Florida with Winer and returned to the UK in the 1990s.
In the 2000s, Mooney started another band, the Lavender Pill Mob, with Gary Asquith, a former member of Rema Rema and Renegade Sound Wave and Harley Price (fantasist). This group has recorded two albums (The Lavender Pill Mob and Mike's Bikes), released independently; the second album features guest vocals by Adam Ant on one song.
In 2008, Mooney co-founded the S.A.H.I. organization. (Societee Anomyme des Hermites Inconnu.)