The Undertones
Derry's greatest export — two-minute punk-pop about chocolate and girls, and 'Teenage Kicks' remains the most perfect single of its era.
The Undertones formed in Derry in the mid 1970s around brothers John and Damian O'Neill, bassist Michael Bradley, drummer Billy Doherty and singer Feargal Sharkey, whose thin, quavering voice sat oddly and brilliantly on top of the guitars. Their first record came out on the Belfast label Good Vibrations and was picked up by John Peel, who played it twice in a row and stayed an advocate for the rest of his life.
Four albums followed for Sire and EMI, moving from the fast, compact songs of the debut and Hypnotised towards the soul and brass arrangements of Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride. They split in 1983, Sharkey going solo while the O'Neills went on to That Petrol Emotion. The band reformed in 1999 with Paul McLoone singing, and that line-up has played ever since.
The Undertones at a glance
Where is The Undertones from?
The Undertones is from Derry, UK.
What kind of music does The Undertones play?
The Undertones is tagged punk and power pop.
What festivals has The Undertones played before?
The Undertones has played Electric Picnic 2026.
Also on these bills
SquareheadLewis CapaldiGorillazFontaines D.C.Zara LarssonWunderhorseSombrWolf AliceBen HemsleyLoyle CarnerRole ModelCMAT
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