Niall Quinn of The Hitchers, Theme Tune Boy, The Pennywhores and one-time frontman of The Cranberries forerunners, The Cranberry Saw Us, marks his 50th birthday with a gig at The Kasbah, Dolans in Limerick on 10 March. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Billed as "NIALL QUINN IS 50 ...and won't get off the stage", he'll be joined by a full band plus guests and will play songs by The Hitchers, Theme Tune Boy and Half Arsed Half Biscuit, his covers band of Half Man Half Biscuit.
Niall founded Limrock (GEDDIT!??) band The Hitchers as a 15-year-old in the late 80’s along with Hoss Carnage and Eoin O’Kelly. They released two albums and a number of singles and EPs throughout the 90’s. Championed by the likes of John Peel and Steve Lamacq
Though long since retired, there was renewed interest in the band following their inclusion on Steve Lamacq’s 2019 compilation vinyl Lost Alternatives, leading to last year’s 25th Anniversary re-issue of their debut album It’s All Fun & Games Til Somone Loses An Eye.
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Niall has since released music under several guises, most prominently as frontman with Theme Tune Boy, who’ve performed with The Damned, most recently, Richie Ramone.
Tickets for NIALL QUINN IS 50 ...and won't get off the stage are available here.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
Let’s see - I’m not great in crowds. Never have been. Not even sure it’s a phobia. More like an intolerance. I just can’t queue for things, can’t wait my turn, and would more happily stay home than have to do so. I have a fascination with plane crashes and air accident investigations that some probably find a bit creepy. But you’ve got to have hobbies. I once won a karaoke competition in a hotel bar singing Tom Jones songs. Here’s the kinky bit - it took place in Swansea, Wales.
How would you describe your music?
Now we’re into the tough questions. I’ve been trying to do this for decades. I suppose the most consistent traits in my otherwise inconsistent output is a background in indie guitar rock with forays into straight up punk. But I also love acoustic-based and folky stuff as well as metal and dance and it all informs what you end up writing.
Who are your musical inspirations?
They’ve changed and been added to down the years as well. Lyrically, Nigel Blackwell and HMHB has always been huge. See also Kirsty McColl. Sonically - a long list including The Who, The Smiths, Billy Bragg, The Housemartins, The Wedding Present, Madness, Andy White . . . too many punks and metallers to mention. Many crooners in later life as well from listening to Len Dinneen on the wireless of a Saturday night.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
Howard Jones in the old Savoy in Limerick in Spring 1987. We thrashed the place. Which didn’t take much effort in truth. It was held together with tape and hope by then. Howard appeared on The Late Late Show on that tour and Gaybo kinda bypassed him to instead talk to his drummer about his mesmerising £35,000 Simmons electronic drumkit.
What was the first record you ever bought?
A 12" of Why? by Bronski Beat. Great song lifted from an absolutely fantastic album The Age of Consent. Following on from a childhood spent championing Abba and Village People, my favourite bands of my pre-teens were Bronski Beat, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Dead Or Alive, which likely had my folks answering speculation - "Has our Niall come out? Niall was never in!!!" until the fathers of some local teenage girls informed them I was an active and raving heterosexual!
What’s your favourite song right now?
On something of a retro buzz as I approach a big birthday, 21st Century Boy by Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
Favourite lyric of all time?
Would have to be a Half Man Half Biscuit lyric anyway. How about this one from Grafting Haddock in The George - "He was at Knowsley Safari Park one day where he saw a monkey with a banana in one hand and a tin-opener in the other, and he shouted over, `Hey, you don’t need the tin-opener for that!’ To which the monkey replied, `It’s for the custard, ***head!’.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Y’know, this might sound a bit twee but if it’s got to be just one song it might have to be I’ll Never Find Another You by The Seekers. You could never get sick of listening to Judith Durham. An incredible voice altogether that always lifts me.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Bandcamp is handiest where The Hitchers and Theme Tune Boy are both just a click away. We’re on Spotify and all the other similar ones as well. News - a gig coming up in early March in Dolans marking my 50th birthday. Pure indulgence on my part. I’m just gonna play the songs I want to play with some friends from The Hitchers and Theme Tune Boy. We're gonna have a blast!
