1999 Radio interview from BBC Radio.

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Music of Teenage kicks

Michael Bradley
Well Teenage Kicks - everybody knows it. John Peel always keeps on about it and its a great record. I love to be able to play it when we're DJing and what not just to see how it'd go down cos it is a classic tune.

Music of Teenage kicks

Interviewer
Undertones bassist Michael Bradley.

Michael Bradley
It really had its origins in the Galway Arts Festival of July this year and the Saw Doctors who over the years have always asked Billy Doherty and myself to come on stage and play whenever they do Teenage Kicks as an encore. This year we also asked John, John O'Neill, as well, and John says yes so buoyed by that we asked Damian [Damian laughs], Damian O'Neill as well so the four of us got together and it was good.

Music of Teenage kicks

Interviewer
Four out of five original members aint bad but why no Feargal Sharkey ?

Michael Bradley
There have been various offers over the years for us to reform - to do festivals here there and everywhere and Feargal has always said no, so the rest of us let it lie there. Well to be honest in the past the rest of us weren't that fussed to be getting back together again. But whenever the July thing happened we realised you can do something without Feargal. I'm not saying its one hundred percent Undertones but we can do something which is enjoyable and from the reaction we got - quite worthwhile - without him.

Music of Jimmy Jimmy

Interviewer
Like the many punters who have bought tickets for the hastily arranged second gig on Sat night, Kevin Fox aka Foxy from Head Rock is disappointed but not put off by Feargal's no show.

Foxy
Its never the same without the lead singer every band needs its lead singer and its front man - but still its going to be a good night. I was only born when they were out but I always liked them now I'm getting the chance to see them, I can't wait

Music of Jimmy Jimmy

Interviewer
So after a few years of saying it'll would never happen, have the Undertones like Johnny Rotten's lot before them succumbed to the lure of the filthy lucre ?

Michael Bradley
We're getting paid

Damian O'Neill
We are getting paid

Michael Bradley
We are getting paid but we'll not be retiring on it [Damian laughs]. Its not like - there's no-one waving huge bundles of money at us

Damian O'Neill
Its not the Sex Pistols reforming for a million quid - whatever

Michael Bradley
But if anyones wants to offer

Damian O'Neill
Yes if the offer's there

Music of Jimmy Jimmy

Interviewer
While it over 20 years since 'Teenage Kicks' got its first Radio 1 airplay courtesy of our colleague John Peel - many of todays bands both locally and beyond are quick to admit the debt they owe to the Undertones. Something they find very flattering no doubt.

Damian O'Neill
Of absolutely - very flattered. I met the singer from Ash maybe about six months ago and when he'd seen me, I was a bit embarrassed, he was just so, he just came up to me "Damian O'Neill - blah blah blah -Undertones - I loved the Undertones" it was , I find it really flattering, really flattering

Music of True Confessions - original

Interviewer
And how influential were they for today Derry's hopefuls ?

Foxy
Musically not very influential - but the Undertones were the watermark for a Derry Band - everybody is all on about the success the Undertones had and can any body else reach that level of success. Everybody who has even heard the music always knows the name The Undertones.

Music of True Confessions - original

Interviewer
And finally having got over their previous reluctance to get back together at all - is their any chance of them getting completely carried away and giving us anything new by The Undertones

Michael Bradley
One of the things that I was threatening to do on Fri was "And now I'd like to play you some of our latest material ", [Damian laughs] and watch that crowd disappear. No chance of new songs.

Music of True Confessions - original

TheUndertones.net/unde_in99.htm