Engine Alley
Hotly tipped by such as U2, although they had a vested interest in their career, Ireland's Engine Alley fostered polished pop music along the lines of Power Of Dreams, though they also included trace elements of the '70s glam rock era. Based in Kilkenny, the music tabloids honed in on the androgynous qualities of vocalist Canice Kennedy, who has been known to take the stage with an umbrella. He was backed by Brian (guitar), Eamonn (bass) and Emmaline (drums), the latter recruited from Dublin to finalise the line-up in December 1989. Having relocated to Dublin the band took their name from a particularly barren street in the heart of the old city, and set about establishing a public persona via their colourful and energetic stage shows. After signing a deal with the U2-backed Mother Records imprint, the band made their debut with August 1991's FLOWERBOX EP. By which time the band had expanded to a five piece with the addition of Ken ‘The Orchestra’ from Kerry. A debut album ensued, recorded in the spring of 1992 and released only in Ireland, its songs dwelling largely on character sketches—Diamond Jill And Crazy Jane, Telescope Girl and Mrs Winder. The band's first UK release, Infamy, accompanied their arrival in Britain in 1993, and was backed by Robin Hood, an attack on the Kevin Costner film of the same name. However, early inroads into the media quickly dissipated and Engine Alley never had the strength of songs required to survive.