The Undertones are a punk rock/new wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1974. From 1975 to 1983, the Undertones consisted of Feargal Sharkey (vocals), John O'Neill (rhythm guitar, vocals), Damian O'Neill (lead guitar, vocals), Michael Bradley (bass, vocals) and Billy Doherty (drums).
Positive Touch is a 1981 album by The Undertones. The album, the third to be released by the band and the last to be produced by Roger Bechirian, was recorded in January 1981 at Wisseloord studios in The Netherlands. The LP was released in May that year, reaching number 17 in the UK album charts.
The original LP release included the UK chart hits: "It's Going to Happen!", which reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1981, and an album version of "Julie Ocean", which reached number 41 upon release in July the same year.
Although the majority of the songs contained upon this album were largely inspired by the same subjects as the songs upon the two previous albums released by the band at this stage in their career (both of which generally contained lyrical matter concerning teenage angst), Positive Touch was the first and only album released by The Undertones to contain songs which drew lyrical inspiration from the Troubles relating to the political and social background in which the members of the band had been born and raised. "It's Going to Happen!" was directly inspired by the hunger strikes in Northern Ireland and was performed on Top of the Pops on the day one of the participants in the 1981 hunger strikes, Bobby Sands, died.[4] Three further songs upon the LP were also inspired by the Troubles, although none of the material the band were to subsequently release drew influence from these sources.
In 1986, one track on Positive Touch, "When Saturday Comes", became the inspiration for the title of the UK football fanzine of the same name.
Positive Touch was voted number 28 in the 1981 NME 'Albums of the Year'.
Track listing
01. "Fascination" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:19
02. "Julie Ocean" (J. J. O'Neill) - 1:45
03. "Life's Too Easy" (J. J. O'Neill, Michael Bradley, Damian O'Neill) - 2:30
04. "Crisis of Mine" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:23
05. "You're Welcome" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:43
06. "His Good Looking Girlfriend" (J. J. O'Neill, Michael Bradley, Damian O'Neill) - 2:35
07. "The Positive Touch" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:16
08. "When Saturday Comes" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:49
09. "It's Going to Happen!" (Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley) - 3:34
10. "Sigh And Explode" (Damian O'Neill) - 2:44
11. "I Don't Know" (J. J. O'Neill, Michael Bradley, Damian O'Neill) - 2:17
12. "Hannah Doot" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:50
13. "Boy Wonder" (Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley) - 2:04
14. "Forever Paradise" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:54
Credits
Feargal Sharkey - lead vocals
John O'Neill - guitar and vocals
Damian O'Neill - guitar, keyboards and vocals
Michael Bradley - bass and vocals
Billy Doherty - drums
Producer - Roger Bechirian
Notes
Release date: 5 May 1981
Recorded at: Wisseloord Studios January 1981
Genre: Punk rock
Length: 37:34
© 1981
Label - Ardeck-EMI (UK)
The original LP release included the UK chart hits: "It's Going to Happen!", which reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1981, and an album version of "Julie Ocean", which reached number 41 upon release in July the same year.
Although the majority of the songs contained upon this album were largely inspired by the same subjects as the songs upon the two previous albums released by the band at this stage in their career (both of which generally contained lyrical matter concerning teenage angst), Positive Touch was the first and only album released by The Undertones to contain songs which drew lyrical inspiration from the Troubles relating to the political and social background in which the members of the band had been born and raised. "It's Going to Happen!" was directly inspired by the hunger strikes in Northern Ireland and was performed on Top of the Pops on the day one of the participants in the 1981 hunger strikes, Bobby Sands, died.[4] Three further songs upon the LP were also inspired by the Troubles, although none of the material the band were to subsequently release drew influence from these sources.
In 1986, one track on Positive Touch, "When Saturday Comes", became the inspiration for the title of the UK football fanzine of the same name.
Positive Touch was voted number 28 in the 1981 NME 'Albums of the Year'.
Track listing
01. "Fascination" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:19
02. "Julie Ocean" (J. J. O'Neill) - 1:45
03. "Life's Too Easy" (J. J. O'Neill, Michael Bradley, Damian O'Neill) - 2:30
04. "Crisis of Mine" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:23
05. "You're Welcome" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:43
06. "His Good Looking Girlfriend" (J. J. O'Neill, Michael Bradley, Damian O'Neill) - 2:35
07. "The Positive Touch" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:16
08. "When Saturday Comes" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:49
09. "It's Going to Happen!" (Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley) - 3:34
10. "Sigh And Explode" (Damian O'Neill) - 2:44
11. "I Don't Know" (J. J. O'Neill, Michael Bradley, Damian O'Neill) - 2:17
12. "Hannah Doot" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:50
13. "Boy Wonder" (Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley) - 2:04
14. "Forever Paradise" (J. J. O'Neill) - 2:54
Credits
Feargal Sharkey - lead vocals
John O'Neill - guitar and vocals
Damian O'Neill - guitar, keyboards and vocals
Michael Bradley - bass and vocals
Billy Doherty - drums
Producer - Roger Bechirian
Notes
Release date: 5 May 1981
Recorded at: Wisseloord Studios January 1981
Genre: Punk rock
Length: 37:34
© 1981
Label - Ardeck-EMI (UK)
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