Whipping Boy

Whipping Boy formed in Dublin in 1989, Fearghal McKee's raw, intense vocals and the band's post-punk sound giving them a quality that was immediately distinctive. They signed to Columbia Records and spent several years building a following before their commercial breakthrough. The sound was influenced by Joy Division and the Pixies, but had its own Irish character.

'Heartworm' (1995) was the breakthrough — one of the finest Irish albums of the decade. 'When We Were Young', 'Twinkle', and 'We Don't Need Nobody Else' were all excellent. The album received strong reviews and established Whipping Boy as one of the most important Irish bands of their generation. McKee's lyrics dealt with alienation and longing with a directness that felt genuinely brave.

The follow-up 'Submarine' (1996) was less well received and the band split in 1997. They reformed briefly in 2011 and performed 'Heartworm' in full to celebrate its anniversary. The album has been reassessed very positively in recent years and is now recognised as one of the great Irish albums of the 1990s.