Biography

Jubliee Allstars, or Jubilee as they used to be known, were formed by Fergus and Niall McCormack, bass and guitar respectively in June '93. Lee Casey was persuaded to take up drumming and the trio played a ragged and drunken debut set in Donegal in February 1994.

In September 1994, the group released their debut single on their own Hi Tone label. 'Everyone's Clown / Better Than I Know Myself' was ignored by everyone except for John Peel and Dublin label Dead Elvis (home of Wormhole and Sewing Room). Approached by Dead Elvis on a Sunday night, Jubilee Allstars' second single, 'Don't Give Up On Me / Twenty Two Years' was in the pressing plant the following Friday. Having played on the single, third brother Barry finally gave in and consented to join the group. Several critically acclaimed releases followed, along with a Peel session, which was broadcast in January 1997.

Jubilee Allstars play live when it suits them, most notably with Palace and on an Irish Tour with the High Llamas. They mix the Replacements' drunken apathy with the melancholy of Hank Williams, the melodrama of the Shangri-Las and the sincerity of The Band.

In 1996, their single, 'By The End Of The Night' was chosen as Melody Maker "Single Of The Week". The band released a follow-up single in March 1997, 'Which Kind', through Lakota Records (home of The Ultra Montanes) and made a video for the song which was recorded in the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, while it was completely empty. The video has been played on 2TV and No Disco.

In December, they released a brilliant new single called 'Keep On Chewin' '. In the Hot Press Reader's Poll for 1997, Jubilee Allstars were voted the 7th Most Promising Band and were later nominated for Best New Band in the Heineken / Hot Press Awards.

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