the golden horde

music legends Simon Carmody, John Connor, Des O'Byrne, Peter O'Kennedy and Sam Steiger
The greatest band YOU never heard of - The Golden Horde!

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Thursday, February 5, 2015

"Alex was a Dancer" (unreleased, demo, 1991) - The Golden Horde

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"She's a Weirdo" (1989) - live bootleg: The Golden Horde

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The Golden Horde:

(clockwise from top left) Simon Carmody, Des O'Byrne, Peter O'Kennedy, John Connor & Sam Steiger

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The Golden Horde

(L to R: Sam, John, Peter, Simon & Des)

A brief history—

1982-85:

Before they were a band proper, at the first infamous gig in the Hirschfield Centre in Dublin, there were 13 members on stage! Originally conceived in 1982 by Caroline Harvey-Kelly and Simon as some kind of garage rock-pet sounds-punk hybrid, they settled upon a 5-piece line-up in 1983, the band released their first recording - an EP entitled “Dig That Crazy Grave!” on HotWire records.

This release yielded widespread critical acclaim and led to notable gigs/support shows in the British Isles. Incidentally,

Des’ guitar style (think wayne kramer, gerry garcia, frank black & buck dharma’s style) along with Simon’s playful lyrics, would be the longest serving members of the band throughout a mutating incarnation.
In 1984 the band released their first album - ‘The Chocolate Biscuit Conspiracy!’ on Hotwire/MediaBurn, featuring conspiracy theorist-futurist-playwright and author of the infamous “Illuminatus Trilogy”- Robert Anton Wilson. Des scored the music for the premiere performance of Wilson’s “Wilhelm Reich in Hell” play, which debuted in at the Edmund Burke Hall in Trinity College, Dublin. Apparently, Wilson went on to write the Golden Horde into one of his later books...!?
From this album was released the single “Young & Happy” (also the theme for “EuroSurf ‘85!”), which received regular daytime radio play. These releases garnered more (UK and Irish) shows for the band, and saw the steady development of a loyal cult following.

The 2nd album was ‘...In Reality!’ on Hotwire/Mediaburn records, this recording received further positive press reviews, firmly established the band as contenders for the title ‘the next big thing’ - a title attached to the band repeatedly in the NME, Sounds, Melody Maker, Hot Press and other music publications (for many years...), and broadening their listenership in Europe.

During this time the first RTE Radio Session was completed produced by renowned radio producer Ian Wilson, featuring the songs ‘Teenage Head’ (the same Flamin’ Groovies classic, a favorite encore of both the band and their audience), as well as ‘Wild Love Experience’ amongst other Horde original songs.

With the release of ‘...In Reality!’, Sam Steiger (a pete townsend-johnny thunders, dynamic style guitar player and performer) was recruited as a 2nd guitarist. Shortly afterwards, bass player Donal Murray was succeeded by John Connor, who played in a ‘ramones-stones-motorhead-ac/dc’ style (differing from the ‘walking bass’ style of the band’s previous recordings) - the definitive Golden Horde was beginning to take shape!

The Horde had become ensconced in the (diverse!) musical underground scene of the day - playing with garage rock bands and future longtime friends like The Barracudas, The Headcoats/Thee Milkshakes & The Prisoners, to straight-up punk rock bands, to rockabilly/psychobilly bands of the mid-late 80’s British scene like The Meteors/The Cramps /The Sting-Rays/The Guana Batz, ...as well as The Pogues & making friends and acquaintances in the ‘Camden Lock’ scene, and this all mixed in with straight up rock’n’roll like The Jacobites. The list goes on...

Seemingly foolish to some (other bands mostly), they did admirably decline the interest of various major labels buzzing around (thought their fans and supporters), wishing to sign the band - IF they “toned down” or “sounded more like” bands in the pop charts at the time eg. the Jesus & Mary Chain, the Manic Street Preachers... - “The live show was 5 iggy’s on stage!” - music press quote (Hot Press magazine?) - manic, beautiful melodies fuelled by the ideal rock’n’roll band 2 guitar set-up !

1985-88:

The first BBC Radio Session was recorded during this period at the historic BBC Maida Vale Studios in London.
Songs recorded were “It is I”, “Positively Nowhere Today!” amongst several others originals (- info anybody?).
The Golden Horde’s live show at this time also featured - ‘the fabulous Charlottes’, three girls, all named Charlotte, who go-go danced in cages - or sometimes just in day-glo bodypaint! (- they didn’t mind , although some women’s activist groups did!). Bernie Furlong the last remaining female backing vocalist since the early formative days, departed at this time to pursue alternate ambitions.

As well as their own shows, the Horde were also touring and/or playing, during this period, with: The Pogues (and frequently over years), Johnny Thunders, The Fall, Doctor & the Medics, The Damned, Zodiac Mindwarp(!), The Ramones, Shakin’ Stevens(!), The James Taylor Quartet, Spaceman 3, The Sting-Rays ( the Horde & the StingRays recorded together, see ‘Recordings’), Psychic TV(!), The Wonderstuff, The Soup Dragons(!), The Nomads and many more forgotten...!

They appeared during this time at the “Eurorock Festival” in Holland (a major showcase of European underground/independent music) “...Apart from the solid ramones-like rock’n’roll of the Golden Horde, the rest of Europe had no bands worth mentioning”- ‘Wierd Duk’- legendary journalist and music Critic. And following this intense one hour and forty-five minute set went off to the venue club (“Vera”) and played for a further two hours!
Another high-profile appearance was headlining ‘The European Skateboarding Expo’ event held in The Point, in Dublin about this time (- year/info anybody?).
The Horde also headlined the first of an annual international bikers show - The Freewheelers MC Custom and Classic Show. With Hells Angels, Satan Slaves, Devils Disciples & thousands of international motorcycle club members & enthusiasts descending upon Waterford city, Ireland.
The festival’s attendance grew rapidly yearly, and the Horde became close friends with the hosts (Waterford Freewheelers MC), gladly returning to play 5+ years in a row!

Other recording projects/collaborations during this time period were the sessions that spawned the songs “Solar System” & “Repetition!”, written & recorded with Mick Blood of Australian garage oufit “The Lime Spiders”, and engineered by Paul Thomas (U2, Clannad, Moving Hearts, Davy Spillane) and produced by the Horde.

A perpetual satellite Golden Horde project titled ‘The Last Bandits’, which allowed the Horde to further explore their more acoustic side, spawned releases with guests and collaborators as varied as (the Jacobites/Swell Maps) Nikki Sudden , members of ‘The Waterboys’, Johnny Fean of (‘Horslips/Zen Alligators’), Henry MacCullough (of ‘Wings’ & solo renown), Mark Shepard of “The Barracudas” and others.

Other recording projects included almost a year in the studio recording an album (never released!) with Paul Thomas again engineering & co-producing, where the band went into a state similar to Brian Wilson’s mid-sixties ‘sandbox’ period... Yet another session of unreleased /lost recordings were conducted with the (late) great Denny Cordell (Marc Bolan, Bob Dylan, The Move, Tom Petty, Procul Harem, Joe Cocker, Toots & the Maytals...) at the helm producing and are also out there somewhere...? At this time the Horde recorded a tribute single to their good friend young artist-filmmaker Carl Stephenson, who passed away Christmas Eve 1988. Again under the moniker ‘The Last Bandits’ and entitled “The Angels are Calling”.

Another (2nd/3rd?) BBC Session produced by punk-new wave icon Bob Andrews, was completed featuring an early version of ‘Paula’, ‘Born to be Dead’, ‘Collette’(?), ‘Gatecrashing Your Mind’ and ‘Cry Baby’ amongst tracks recorded.

Yet another external project were recordings by “Aidan Walsh - Master of the Universe & Emperor of all Eagles!” - who sounds somewhere between the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Daniel Johnson & a K-Tel hits album!

On Dec 11th 1988, Joining friends the Hothouse Flowers, The Pogues, The Dubliners and The Waterboys, The Golden Horde participated in a benefit concert at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin (the charity was Temple Street Children’s Hospital), along with a host of comedians, DJ’s & celebrities who gave freely of their time.
The Horde played a roaring set that had their audience leaping all over the ornately decorated historic theatre, the plush seating, stage-diving and generally had a good time! The bands set culminated in the near total devastation of the stage, as monitors, speakers, trashed microphone stands, speakers & guitars ended up in a smoking heap at the front of the stage. The Golden Horde received legal documentation banning them from the venue for life!

Simon within this same time-frame recorded a duet cover version of the Rolling Stones “You can’t always get what you want” with ‘Gavin Friday’ (ex-Virgin Prunes), with members of the Horde contributing music, along with operatic chanteuse Miriam Bleinerhassett, Anthony Thistletwhaite, Steve Wickham , Max (female backing singer “Whole of the Moon”) of the Waterboys, and keyboardist Maurice Rycroft aka -’The Man Seezer’, some of whom also appeared on “The Angels are Calling” , this session was engineered and co-produced by Pat McCarthy - later engineer and co-producer for REM/U2.

Yet another BBC Radio Session was recorded at the end of 1987, this broadcast featured the tracks: ‘Endless Weekend’, ‘Last Night’s Fun’, ‘She’s A Weirdo’, ‘It Is I ‘ and ‘I Live For The Sun’ and was produced by Jake Burns(?) of Stiff Little Fingers.

1988-91:

In 1989 the Horde were approached by U2’s record label Mother Records & invited to join their roster. Mother Records had been set up as a one-off single “launching pad”, but had now reorganized itself as a true independent label (distributed by Island Records). The Golden Horde was chosen to be the label’s album debut artist.

John, Sam & Peter became Johnny Thunders band (amongst other shows he performed in Ireland while touring Europe), his final show was in Dublin on April 23rd 1990 - eerily, one year later to the day he was dead! In the following weeks while simultaneously touring in the UK, the Horde & Thunders had intended to meet up and record together in London - one of the songs intended was a cover version of (the Archies) ‘Sugar, Sugar’. Arrangements were made and studio time booked in a London studio, but on the day of the recording Johnny had slept on his arm (?) & couldn’t move it, his show that night was also postponed and due to conflicting touring schedules the recording was never completed!

Another of the Horde’s several notorious tours was embarked upon during this period.... This one was sponsored by Tennents Beer and along with friends “the Honeythieves” & “the Blue Angels”, they set forth over the next month demolishing towns & minds (both theirs and their audiences!) across the UK & Ireland. The final show returned to Dublin again in the Olympia Theatre (which they had been banned from?) & ended up with the Horde being banned a second time from the venue - apparently, this time the audience ripped out the first couple of rows of that ornate red velvet seating!
Comically members of the Horde ended up on it’s stage a 3rd time as “guests” of another band (friends ‘An Emotional Fish’) .

At this time a 2nd RTE Radio Session (again produced by Ian Wilson) was recorded to much acclaim, winning top positions in that years listener’s & critic/s polls, featuring early versions of the songs “I Reject You”, “100 Boys “ & “Rorschach”.

The Horde made frontpage news (see ‘Stage Outrage’ image) while headlining an Music & Arts festival in Longford, Ireland. The band hit the stage at around 10pm and had soon whipped their unfailing fans into quite a frenzy. After only 4 songs the fearful festival organizers erroneously (literally) pulled the electrical power supply to the outdoor stage while the band was still performing - almost electrocuting anybody on and around the stage area with the power surge backlash! Organizers of the festival claimed the Horde were inciting a riot! This wasn’t helped by an episode earlier on in the day when local police tried to arrest John for carrying a clear-blue water pistol (really!), but were dissuaded by the presence of press photographers and a journalist writing a story on the band for a japanese publication. Nevertheless, not even 24 hours later, it was front page news, in particular one publication the ‘Sunday World’ running a headline to the effect “something-something Foul-Mouthed Yobs something-something(?)”. The audience who attended the performance in support of the band & escorted them out of the town like some kind of presidential motorcade, (as well as a personal band escort of Hell’s Angels - the Freewheelers MC, now part of the Horde ‘family’).
The band were allowed to pick up their (water) pistols as they left ‘Dodge’....

1991-94:

With producer ‘Daniel Rey’ (Ramones, Ronnie Spector, Misfits) the band recorded the single’s “100 Boys” & “I Never Came Down” - finally capturing the true ‘live’ sound of the Golden Horde. The following album entitled simply ‘The Golden Horde’ released in 1991 was completed with producer Andy Shernoff (Dictators, Figgs, Barracudas) as well as the Daniel Rey produced recordings, and received accolades and critical acclaim in music awards and polls from radio and the music press.

This Album went on to win the prestigious ‘Hot Press Award’ for ‘Best Album of that year’ - it tied with U2’s “Achtung Baby” . U2 had consistently & solely won this award up till now.
Ritchie Smith, the director of 2 of the Horde’s video’s ‘100 Boys’ and ‘Friends in Time’ (see ‘Videos’) , later collaborated on video’s for U2’s “The Fly” & ‘Until the End of The World’.
From this album the semi-acoustic single “Friends in Time” was released (featuring Maria McKee on backing vocals) and ironically proved to be the band’s biggest hit to date! Other singles released from this album were “Hell”, “I Never Came Down”, “Endless Weekend” as well as “100 Boys” (see ‘Recordings’).
Acoustically, being longtime fans, a stripped-down Horde - Sam, Des & Simon supported (the Byrds) Roger McGuinn at a now legendary intimate show in Dublin...
A BBC Northern Ireland Radio Session was recorded during this period which as well as several Horde original’s, included dynamic covers of 2 Blue Oyster Cult favorites of the band they had occasionally performed live - “Black Blade” & “E.T.I”. Following the success of their debut album and between touring obligations, demo recordings were conducted for the next album. Not quite a ‘realized’ independent label or able to promote the band in their best interests, the Horde parted ways amicably with Mother Records in ‘93-’94. Elongated discussions with several interested international record labels took up the next year....

Another BBC Radio Session was recorded featuring the songs: ‘Adrienne’, ‘Everything Under The Sun[‘ and ‘It Is I’.
Meanwhile the band was always on the road! - playing tours/festivals/shows across Europe at this time with Sugar, Sonic Youth, Belly, The Cramps, The Waterboys, Faith No More, Iggy pop... headlining stages at various festivals as well as opening for U2 on the ‘ZooTV’ tour. There was also an eventful performance at ‘Wheatfield Prison ‘ in Dublin and a Benefit show for Bosnia, which featuring on the bill - The Golden Horde, Shane MacGowan & the Popes, Nick Cave and a Fashion Show amongst other attractions!

Another RTE Radio Session was recorded in or arround this time featuring Horde and fan favorite’s: ‘You Tore Me Down’ and ‘ I Can’t Hide’.
As well as all of this the frequent ‘acoustic’ shows that had started sporadically (and sometimes spontaneously!) years previously - had now evolved into whole “acoustic” tours! - the road DID go on forever....

Feb 1994 the Golden Horde disbanded...

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