Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

MOVING HEARTS

Irish rock group formed '81, often categorized as folk band because of members' backgrounds. Original lineup: Brian Calnan, drums, percussion; Keith Donald, saxes; Donal Lunny, synthesizer, bouzouki, vocals; Christy Moore, vocals, guitar, bodhr n; Eoghan O'Neill, bass, vocals; Davy Spillane, whistles, Uilleann pipes. Album Moving Hearts '81 was regarded as an exciting event in Irish music, the blend of pipes and saxes a masterstroke, with songs like Philip Chevron's 'Faithful Departed' (before he went to the Pogues), 'Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Russian Roulette'. Additional tracks same year joined by Mick Hanly on single incl. 'On The Blanket', about 'dirty protests' of IRA prisoners in Northern Ireland jails. Dark End Of The Street '82 followed, by which time Matt Kelleghan had become drummer; Moore left, replaced by Hanly for concert album Live Hearts '83 and single tracks 'Oil Sheiks' and 'Promises'; Flo McSweeney replaced Hanly '84, a single with her and other singles incl. in The Irish Folk Connection '85 on Tara. It was difficult to keep the band together; they went out with a flourish with The Last Reel, a celebratory concert in Dublin's National Stadium in Nov. '84, but instrumental suite The Storm '85 on Tara was so well received that they reassembled for some dates: May '86 Self-Aid benefit concert was two-disc live album in Eire, track 'The Lark' on Live For Ireland '87 on MCA. Members also sessioned; Lunny with Planxty, O'Neill in Chris Rea band; Lunny's eponymous debut solo album '87 was on Gael-Linn, Hanly's Still Not Cured on WEA Ireland (with Rusty Old Halo), Spillane's Atlantic Bridge '88 on Cooking Vinyl.