Well done to the Baggies Cliff but I can hardly believe you didn't make the short journey (for you). I always liked Beautiful Friend but although the other two are fairly good by most standards I could never understand why they were released ahead of lots of other better songs on Sin of Pride - some of which of course never even made the official album.

I've seen a photo of the Nerve Centre Xmas gig with backdrop in background...it puts mine to shame :-(( It looks excellent with 'The Undertones' arrow logo in white on black background on the top half, then on the bottom half DM boots in black with white background.

Yes Jon, I know I'm repeating myself here but its a crime that 'Bittersweet' wasn't released in any format until recently.

Hey George, any chance of an audio list, please? Send be email to tmcgartland@btinternet.com

Cliff, the new banner is amazing. The fella got his wife to pose with the boots on, five times!!Your banner was on the wall also near the bar. Looked well. Fair play to the fella who did the new banner, Marty Edwards.

Cliff-your banner is still the best by a street of houses! I thought Love Parade was an excellent song as it was SO D O'Neill at that time. Probably not a good single though. Beautiful Friend was also great, in a different way. I have to admit though that my favourite LP is still Hypnotised as it was just the background to a great period of my childhood. I haven't listened to Sin of Pride for at least 10 years (I dont possess a turntable anymore!)

That was supposed to read so D. O'Neill oops!

J thanks for clearing up the set list mixup - so who said they had one from Cork ?

Cmos - I think the set list at Cork and Dublin was identical.I agree with jacki over Hypnotised being the best LP - shame there isnt more of it played live especially the title track. I'm afraid I dont like Beautiful Friend at all.The new songs even after just a couple of hearing sound better than anything on Sin of Pride IMO. Rough Escalator is a gem.

Has anyone actually contacted The Ocean to confirm that the gig is off? The gig is still on the website and I haven't had a letter yet to say it's postponed. I just don't want to miss a gig and we have had a few pranksters on here before. GD there is a section somewhere on the site to get the white background and Black writing. It's something to do with security as we have had a few problems on the site in the past. If you have any problems contact CMoS.

Fave albums of 2001: The Strokes:'This is it'; Paul Cleary's(ex-Blades) solo-album:'Crooked town', Slut(from Germany) with'Lookbook'. I have not heard the new Saw Doctors album yet but it will certainly be a hot contender for this top3. Best of 2001 though were the new demo's by The Moondogs which have not been released (yet...) I have to admit I both like 'beautiful friend' and 'Love parade', beautiful friend even better than love parade. But I do not think I am very objective.......

The new songs better than ANYTHING on SOP? Interesting one Donald.I dont think I'd disagree as the new ones have that earlier Undertones zest and energy,mixed with good tunes.Maybe(like myself)John O'Neill gets younger with age ;-))

Before the Villa/ManU match tonight(great to see pitch invasions again,thats what its all about so long as its in celebration)I watched the Mean Fiddler video.The response the band got there was absolutely superb and the crowd were (1)Pogoing in large numbers from the very first song,(unlike even Dublin)and (2)Pogoing about 10 rows deep.Outside of Derry that must be the best reception so far.Fingers crossed its the same in Hackney.

GD, regarding a gig coming up in Dublin...whos gonna tell him first???!!! YOU JUST MISSED A HUMDINGER!!Hopefully CMoS will sort out the problem regarding leaving messages.

At the end of the Mean Fiddler gig the band come on for an encore.They announce 'Choc & Girls' and then you see Billy say something to MB.MB then announces 'Billy has just told us to KEEP IT TIGHT!!' Good 'ol Billy, you tell 'em! Nothing less than perfection eh? Is Billy the Roy Keane of The Undertones?

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!!!! Albion winning in the Cup was good enough but something has, incredibly, amazingly, poptastically(?) TOPPED IT!! This is the link Vinny was trying to get across yesterday.Hold on to your hats eveybody, your in for a rough ride!!........................

...........god, I'm milking this for all it's worth!!!!!!!!!..................​.....

I'm grinning from ear to ear ;-)) ;-)) ;-)) ;-)).....BRACE YOURSELVES HUMDINGERS!!!!!!!!!!

From the Belfast(digital)Telegraph, 3rd January 2001.....'REVIVED UNDERTONES SET TO RELEASE ALBUM....New material and singer have given band a boost'it goes on....'The Undertones are writing new material and hope to release a new album it was revealed today'

..continued....'the band have attracted a whole new generation of new fans since they reformed just over a year ago' John O'Neill explained, with new singer Paul Mcloone, they have found a new lease of life....'We've spent the last year debating whether the whole idea of reforming was such a good move and we've decided that everythings working out great.I've started working on some new songs and they're turning out quite well'.

....cont.....'Overall we're really pleased but we would have liked to play more festivals in the summer.Maybe next year with the new songs there might be more of a possibility of getting them'(yippee!! oops sorry, that was me)

Is that the 3rd Jan 2001 or should it be 2002 Cliff. Just to make sure it is up to date info.

...cont...the Undertones new material, which includes 'Ride the Rough Escalator' incorporates samples with raw guitar but the band seem a little nervous about the punters reaction.'We played some of the new stuff at a recent gig but announced that we were doing cover versions just to see what the reaction would be' admits John.'I was a bit worried about releasing new material as The Undertones but the songs sound great.We've got so used to playing live now with Paul in the band its just as if Feargal had never existed'.

Sorry, well spotted George!! 3rd January 2002!! This is 100% up to date.

..cont...'We're hoping to demo new stuff early in the new year and get it recorded at Blast Furnace studios.We're hoping to get enough songs together for an album'(I can hardly contain myself here ;-))

The article then asks the question..'So will we see The Undertones going back to life on the road?' John says 'There'd be no chance of me getting the time off work! I would seriously consider it but its taking a gamble at our ages.It would be great to have the luxury of writing songs full time again,thats always been my ambition.We're just taking things slowly and its a bonus that we're getting on well and recording new songs.The fact that we can still do it has given us another boost of energy,but who knows where we'll be five years down the road' THE END.

I dont think I'll be sleeping much tonight, Doina will be wanting a divorce by the the morning.Now after analysing those quotes(as usual)John says 'We played SOME of the new stuff at a recent gig...' does that mean there's more new stuff already done? hmmmm.Anyway a new Album, I mean what can you say? What will it be called? Any ideas?

hi again.......i've noticed there's a mention of the video of the mean fiddler gig b eing watched. i was at that gig with my mates pogoing with the rest......can one of you good people tell me how i can go about buying a copy?

also, is the london gig on or off ? i now live in the north west but i may well go home and visit my folks and also take in what promises to be a top gig along the way !

Sorry, I was concentrating so hard not to make any mistakes with that article but I left out an important part...'The Undertones are writing new material and hope to release a new album NEXT YEAR it was revealed today'.Not that it matters a jot but just to get it right.

Cliff that's unbelievable! What a start to the New Year - that's really cheered me up. The new songs are definitely worthy of a full album and I'm in agreement with Donald about my favourite (pending confirmation of it's title!). Surely a mini tour will be a necessity for it's launch, starting in Leeds perhaps? Worth a good dream or two tonight.

Starting with Chelmsford I'd say, leave Leeds 'til last ;-))

perhaps it could start in macclesfield at the bar cuba owned by 'hooky' out of new order. after all, i've seen SLF twice and bob geldof there in the last 6 months. i've been pestering the management to get in contact with billy et al !

Ian, I've sent an email.