Rock Archeologia

The Establishment - Bad Catholics (1981)

Artist: The Establishment
Album: Bad Catholics
Label: Phaeton Records
Catalog#: SPIN 992
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Ireland
Released: 1981
Genre: Folk, World, & Country, Rock
Duration: 00:35:40

• In 1979, a talent scout for Gulf Hotels saw folk/rock duo The Establishment in a Dublin bar and signed them for a three-month residency at the Dubai Hilton in the United Arab Emirates. Emerging from the ashes of pop group Julian’s Heirs, guitarists/vocalists Michael Kiely and Patrick Brady had recorded as hard rock trio Cromwell in the mid-’70s before adopting their new name for their 1977 semi-concept album The Unfree Child. Within weeks of their arrival in the Middle East they wrote the track Life In The Emirates, recorded it in Sharjah, gave the tape to a pilot to take back to Dublin, and took delivery of a consignment of freshly-pressed singles. In the song, they managed to name-check every district of the UAE - a trick Cromwell had also tried on their 1975 single You Got It Made (“Dublin City right, Donegal too right, way down in Cork right… Belfast City right, Mayo and Clare right, through Mullingar and all the other places we didn’t get time to mention”) - and had a local hit. The single was released in Ireland through the Faetain label in 1980, followed by a second Establishment LP, Bad Catholics, in 1981. Most songs on the album continued in the wistful folk vein (not in the Irish trad. sense) of the previous LP. Tracks like the reprised How Long Does This Charade Go On, Monday Morning and The Girl Downstairs deal with the angst of people unable to communicate their true feelings against the backdrop of the drudgery of everyday life; The Best Half-Hour Of My Life documents the plus-side of a near-death experience, and the album closes with the sarcastic, Lennon-ist Thank God I’m Normal. Jolyon Jackson (of Supply Demand & Curve) recorded most of the album in Dublin and also played keyboards, while Des Kiely (ex-Julian’s Heirs, and Michael’s brother) designed the artwork for the LP, which was dedicated to - and derived it’s name from a quote by – Brendan Behan..

 • Side One:
A1. Tonight She's Miles Away 02:38
A2. Monday Morning 03:07
A3. The Girl Downstairs 02:15
A4. Ruddolf The Red-Nosed Wino 04:43
A5. A Small Boy Came Walking 02:36
A6. It's Really Hard (She's So Busy) 03:39
 • Side Two:
B1. Al Hiyat Fi Emirat (Life In The Emirates) 03:41
B2. How Long Does This Charade Go On 03:05
B3. The Best Half-Hour Of My Life 03:10
B4. In Another City 03:43
B5. Thank God I'm Normal 02:47

      All songs by Kiely & Brady except as noted.
      Recorded in Ireland by the Jolyon Johnson Recorders apart from the live track.
      Produced by Michael Kiely & Patrick Brady.
      Another Front Door Production.      

Lineup:
Patrick Brady - Electric, Acoustic & Slide Guitars, Harmonica, Recorder, Vocals
Michael Kiely - Acoustic Guitars, Grand Piano, Electric Bass, Vocals
Adittional accompaniment:
Paddy Mulhair - Bodhran
Jolyon Jackson - Keyboards

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