In what was another cruel case of ‘should’ve been’s’ Whipping Boy have long since gone back to their day jobs. I saw them in concert several times, the last of which was a reunion gig in 2005 which felt flat and even more disappointingly slightly false. Here was a band with an intense anger and when that subsided the mood remained defiant and rebellious. By 2005 this had dissipated so the Whipping Boy experience that I had grown up loving was no more. The bands major breakthrough came via their second album ‘Heartworm’ which was a fine record. My favourite release from them came several years earlier however and was called ‘Submarine’. This was the bands debut and was recorded on a shoestring in just over a week. The strain of the recording sessions almost lead to the band splitting up before it was even released on indie label Liquid Records. ‘Submarine’ was a joyous noise, intense and broody it cut through the bullshit and for a MBV loving young lad it was manna from heaven. ‘Astronaut Blues’ was one of the quieter moments, a break in the storm to repair the last remaining vestiges of what used to be ones hearing faculties. KD
Whipping Boy – Astronaut Blues
Watch The Video To We Don’t Need Anybody Else (at Feile ’92)
More Info: Official & Myspace
Buy Songs: Whipping Boy
Year: 1992
I remember the day i bought the ‘We dont need nobody else’ single – played it non-stop for weeks, fantastic song that still sounds great today>>Must track down a copy of Submarine>Thanks for the re-introduction
I love this band too and have heartworm and the one after… must look them out. Once put ‘We don’t need nobody else’ on a comp for a friend who was an editor on Uk ITV sport and he used them to soundtrack a soccer montage where Manchester Utd whitewashed the premiership…