Galway Advertiser 1997/1997_01_30/GA_30011997_E1_025.pdf 

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ENTERTAINMENT
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Wall To Wall
- The Ghosts Not Laid To Rest
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heir parting launched a t h o u s a n d wet hankies a n d devoted hysteria, the e n d of what had b e c o m e a per manent residency in Feile a n d not one, but two, farewell gigs in the Warwick Hotel. T h e only person h a p p y in the middle of the melee that signalled the breaking u p of T h e Stunning w a s arguably J u s t i n McCarthy, the m a n w h o had already started work o n a d o c u m e n t a r y about the b a n d , and w h o then realised his w o r k w o u l d chronicle the e n d of one particular era in Irish rock music. Because, unlike those who head for the bright lights/big city at the first mention of a record deal, T h e Stunning played every parish hall, every ballroom and every c r o s s r o a d s in the c o u n try. A n d n o w t w o fifths of them are back. STEVE AND JOE WALL

The most important two fifths one might say, or at least pressurised about it. All we can do is do our best and we just Wall. "The rest of the band are doing great. Derek is with The the very high profile element, Steve and Joe Wall, the have to concentrate now on making a good album." Sawdoctors, Tommy is in America at the moment, playing the front men of The Stunning, are back in the thick of the The UK market will be the main target and there is already bodhran in Riverdance, and Cormac is drumming with all music business once again, signed a major international talk of an American release date. Columbia America retain sorts of people, he is one of the most sought after drummers record deal with Columbia Records just before the option on releasing the US album, however if they don't on the scene at the moment." Christmas. Now the international recognition which had take it up within a certain time limit, it goes to the highest As for themselves, they are looking forward to hooking up eluded them for so long as part of The Stunning has been bidder. And as there has already been interest from Epic in the with a producer once they get to London and knuckling down handed to them in a six-album contract and the Walls are US, chances of an American release are extremely high. to the new album. And there are a few mean tasks ahead. We off to London for the foreseeable future. Going under the name "The Ghosts", the Walls, unlike The have to team how to play standing up all over again, he "This is what myself and Joe have been working towards Stunning days, now share lead vocals and songwriting revealed "And we have to cope with stage fright - it's two and since The Stunning broke up," said a very happy Steve Wall responsibilities equally between them. They have already a half years since we were last on stage, after news of the record deal had been announced. "We spent signed up Emmaline Duffy-Fallon, ex of Engine Alley, as White firm dates have not yet been confirmed for the first a lot of time writing and recording in our Galway studio, their drummer and will be looking for a keyboard player once album's release date - it could be as late as autumn or putting out feelers in the record industry through contacts we they reach London. "That way we don't have to pay their Christmas - the band do have certain deadlines to meetand established with the band, and eventually sent out a few demo rent," Wall points out helpfully. He is quite unimpressed by are required to begin recording in the next few weeks. They tapes. We were targeting certain individuals in certain com- the suggestion 'The Ghosts" refers to the fact the lads are also hope to release a few singles before the^alburn comes out. panies and eventually got some feed-back. Columbia put in back to haunt us - it was merely the first name everybody, "We are the property of Columbia Records for the foreseeable an offer in August and we spent the next five months sorting record company officials included, could agree on. future," Wall explains. "They own us now. Ireland however, out the legalities " Back on The Stunning again. Wall confirms that they were will have a share in the lads also. While London will be their The six-album record deal was finally signed on December quite happy to put the band to rest. "We weren't making centre of activity for the next year at least, they will still be 21 - though according to Wall a six-album record deal on enough money out of it. For something that so much energy resident in Ireland as far as possible. And white the main gigpaper means nothing at all in reality. "It all depends on the went into, the financial returns were just not enough." But ging activity will be centred in the UK, there will also be a first album," he explained. "Basically if the first album does- parting was amicable and the band still keep in touch, though few Irish tour dates. "But not as many as there used to be, he n't sell well, the company drops the band and you're out." speculations about passible re-formations - guesting on the laughs. Not that the pressure is getting to him! "It's not our job to feel new album for example - are yet very premature, according to