Whipping Boy (Irish band)

Whipping Boy are an Irish alternative rock band who were mainly active in the 1980s and 1990s. The band reformed briefly in 2005 for a series of shows. 2011 saw Whipping Boy emerge again, this time without Paul Page and Myles McDonnell. The Whipping Boy Periscopes Up tour summer 2011 saw Joey (bass) and Finn (guitar) replace them with longtime live guitarist Killian McGowan completing the line up.^[1]

History

Whipping Boy formed in Dublin in 1988, the band comprising Fearghal McKee (vocals), Paul Page (guitar), Myles McDonnell (bass, vocals), and Colm Hassett (drums).^[2] They initially performed cover versions of songs by The Velvet Underground and The Fall, and went by the name Lolita and the Whipping Boy, shortening their name when their female guitarist left.^[3] After a couple of EP's on the Cheree label, they released their low-key debut album, Submarine in 1992 on Liquid Records . Their live performances raised their profile, with McKee known to cut himself with broken glass on stage.^[3] The album was critically acclaimed though commercially unsuccessful, and led to a deal with Columbia Records, who issued the band's second album, Heartworm, in 1995, along with three minor hit singles.^[2] Heartworm received much critical acclaim, with Allmusic calling it "an earth-shatteringly powerful experience".^[4] The group split up in 1998 after being dropped by Columbia, leaving a third album unreleased. The self-titled album was eventually released in 2000 on their own Low Rent label.^[2]

The band reformed in September 2005, announcing several Irish dates.

Discography

Studio Albums

Singles

• Sweet Mangled Thing EP (1989) (self-issued cassette-EP)
• Whipping Boy EP (1990) Cheree
• I Think I Miss You EP (1991) Cheree
• "Favourite Sister" (1992) Liquid
• "Twinkle" (1995) Columbia
• "We Don't Need Nobody Else" (1995) Columbia (UK No. 51, IRE No. 24)^[2]
• "When We Were Young" (1996) Columbia (UK No. 46, IRE No. 28)^[2]
• "Twinkle" (1996) Columbia (UK No. 55)^[2]
• "No One Takes Prisoners Anymore / Earth's Last Picture" (2012) Rocket Girl^[6]

References