A House
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 in Dublin, Ireland |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Dublin , Ireland |
| Products | Rock music, albums, singles, EPs |
A House was a rock group originating from Dublin, Ireland, active from 1985 until 1997, recognized particularly for the unique vocal style of lead singer Dave Couse. Their single "Endless Art" continues to be remembered as a significant chart achievement.
The pronunciation of the band's name uses "A" as the indefinite article ( or ), rather than pronouncing it as the letter A ().
Origins
Established in Dublin in 1985, A House was formed by former members of Last Chance: vocalist Dave Couse, guitarist Fergal Bunbury, drummer Dermot Wylie, and bassist Martin Healy, all acquaintances from Templeogue College. They built their reputation performing live across various Dublin venues such as McGonagle's club, free concerts in Phoenix Park, and appearances on RTÉ's TV GaGa alongside sessions on Dave Fanning's radio show.
Their initial recordings were featured on the charity compilation Blackrock Youth Aid '85. This was followed by contributions to two EPs: "On Your Bike Wench, and Let's Have the Back of You" included on Live at the Underground (1986), and "What a Nice Evening to Take the Girls Up the Mountains" on Street Carnival Rock (1987).
The band independently released two singles titled "Kick Me Again Jesus" and "Snowball Down" through RIP Records.
On Our Big Fat Merry-Go-Round and I Want Too Much
After gaining regional attention and recording a John Peel Session for BBC radio in the United Kingdom, A House secured a contract with Blanco y Negro Records. The label issued singles such as "Heart Happy" and "Call Me Blue" in Ireland and the UK. The latter received substantial airplay, peaking at number 28 on Irish charts and attracting interest in the U.S. market. These releases preceded their debut album On Our Big Fat Merry-Go-Round in 1988. The band also toured alongside the Go-Betweens, with "Call Me Blue" reaching number 3 on the Billboard college chart in 1989.
For their American tour, a promotional version of "Call Me Blue" included a brief interview segment titled "Some Intense Irish Brogue." Following this tour, they recorded I Want Too Much in 1989 on Inishboffin island. Despite favorable reviews, disappointing sales led to Blanco y Negro dropping them. Subsequently, A House signed with London-based independent label Setanta Records, which specialized in Irish artists.
During this time frame, drummer Dermot Wylie departed and was succeeded by Dave Dawson.
Doodle and Bingo
Towards late 1990 and early 1991, Setanta released two EPs from A House: Doodle and Bingo. The latter included the track "Endless Art," produced by Edwyn Collins of Orange Juice along with Setanta Records. This partnership extended beyond A House’s tenure, as members later contributed to Collins' solo efforts. Additionally, Setanta facilitated connections between A House and fellow Irish group the Frank and Walters, with A House members producing several albums for them.
"Endless Art"
When "Endless Art" became one of the most frequently broadcast songs on British radio, Setanta faced challenges meeting demand due to limited production capacity; Keith Cullen had financed recording by borrowing money from his father. To address distribution issues, Parlophone Records reissued 50,000 copies; however, delays caused the 1992 rerelease to lose radio traction despite reaching the UK Top 50.
The single’s stop-motion animation video received considerable MTV exposure across Europe, although sales were moderate. Over time, "Endless Art" emerged as A House's defining track, supplanting their earlier hit "Call Me Blue." The song is notable for its unconventional format—listing numerous deceased artists from various creative fields—and opens with a quote from Oscar Wilde. Frontman Couse often utilized this listing style in his songwriting, having previously applied it in "I Want Too Much."
The initial release attracted criticism for exclusively naming male artists; the band explained they had mistakenly believed Joan Miró was female. To rectify this oversight, they released "More Endless Art," a B-side featuring only female artists. The 12" single also included tracks "Freak Show" and "Charity," recorded during their second John Peel session in early 1992.
I Am the Greatest
The single "Endless Art," distributed by Parlophone, served as the lead release from A House's 1991 album, I Am the Greatest, with Parlophone once again managing distribution on behalf of Setanta. This album represented a broadening of the band's sound and featured new members: drummer Dave Dawson, backing vocalist Susan Kavanagh—formerly part of Dublin’s Giant and known from the TV program Jo Maxi—and keyboardist David Morrissey. Although these additions remained until the group’s end, their creative input was less pronounced than that of the founding members. Their involvement allowed for a richer sonic range, further enhanced by Collins’s production work and violin contributions from Susie Honeyman.
The album’s lyrics spanned from sharp social and religious satire to deeply personal meditations on fear and vulnerability, culminating in the title track where the core lineup delivers spoken-word reflections on existence, regrets, and the music scene of the 1990s. The cover art was designed by Fergal Bunbury with photography by Irish artist Amelia Stein. A follow-up single, "Take It Easy on Me," was released in 1992.
Wide-Eyed and Ignorant and No More Apologies
Often regarded as A House’s most influential work, I Am the Greatest is frequently hailed as one of Ireland’s finest albums. It was succeeded by two more records on Setanta. The 1994 release Wide-Eyed and Ignorant attracted modest attention outside their established fanbase, though its track "Here Come the Good Times" became A House's sole UK Top 40 entry, reaching number 37. In 2002, this song was re-recorded with updated lyrics to serve as a team anthem and charity single for the Irish national football team during the World Cup.
Their final studio album, No More Apologies (1996), came out as the band was preparing to part ways. Critics described it as a collection of "twisted beauties" with unsettling melodies that encapsulated their distinct perspective.
Breakup
A House officially ended in 1997. Their farewell performance took place on 28 February at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre, an emotionally charged event attended by family members and a sold-out audience. The concert underscored the band’s devoted fanbase and concluded with a deeply moving atmosphere that left many attendees tearful.
Critique
When their compilation album The Way We Were appeared in 2002, a British critic debated whether A House should be considered one of the great overlooked bands or justifiably forgotten, ultimately suggesting it was "curiously enough, a bit of both." Around the time of their breakup, some commentators argued that "A House is far more important than U2" and claimed their disbandment signaled the end of Ireland’s first major pop era.
More than ten years later, A House continued to receive critical praise. In 2008, rock critics at Irish Times placed I Am the Greatest third among Ireland’s greatest albums ever made, alongside Ghostown by The Radiators from Space, ranking only behind Loveless by My Bloody Valentine (band) and U2’s Achtung Baby.
After A House
Following the band’s dissolution, Couse and Bunbury formed Lokomotiv, issuing a single titled "Next Time Round" in 2000. Couse embarked on a solo career beginning in 2003 with three albums including Genes, frequently teaming up with Bunbury who also supports him during live performances. Additionally, Couse hosts a weekly music program on Ireland’s Today FM.
Martin Healy went on to develop several projects, notably forming the electro-rock group Petrol alongside French musician Julie Peel. Healy also co-founded AV8 (later renamed Sweet Hereafter) with Niamh McDonald and Morgan Pincot; this group released an album called Tremor.
Starting in 2020, Fergal Bunbury has been releasing new music under the name FBU62 via Bandcamp.
Albums
| Year | Album | UK | US | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | On Our Big Fat Merry-Go-Round | - | - | - |
| 1990 | I Want Too Much | - | - | - |
| 1991 | I Am the Greatest | - | - | - |
| 1994 | Wide-Eyed and Ignorant | - | - | - |
| 1996 | No More Apologies | - | - | - |
| 1998 | A House: Live in Concert (live recordings from 1990 and 1992) | - | - | - |
| 2002 | The Way We Were | - | - | 10 |
| 2014 | A House: Access All Areas (CD and DVD capturing a 1992 performance) | - | - | - |
EPs
| Year | EP | UK | US | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Street Carnival Rock | - | - | - |
| 1990 | Doodle | - | - | - |
| 1990 | Bingo | - | - | - |
| 1991 | Zop | - | - | - |
| 1994 | 360 North Rockingham | - | - | - |
| 1994 | A Reintroduction |
Compilation Appearances
| Year | Compilation Album | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Blackrock Youth Aid '85 | - | - |
| 1986 | Live at the Underground | - | - |
| 1986 | Street Carnival Rock EP | - | - |
| 1987 | Heads over Ears: A Debris Compilation | - | - |
| 1994 | A Flavour of the Label (Parlophone promo) | - | - |
| 1988 | Just Say Yo | - | - |
| 1997 | The Sunday Times Music Collection: The Best of Indie | - | - |
| 2004 | The Definitive Irish Rock Album | - | - |
| 2005 | The Definitive Irish Rock Album II | - | - |
Singles
"52"(UK Singles)| Year | Track Title | UK Indie Chart | UK Singles Chart | US Billboard Hot 100 | Irish Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Kick Me Again Jesus" | "24" | |||
| "Snowball Down" | "8" | ||||
| "Heart Happy" | |||||
| "Call Me Blue" | |||||
| "194" | |||||
| "28" | |||||
| "I'll Always Be Grateful" | |||||
| "22" | |||||
| "I Want to Kill Something" | |||||
| "I Think I'm Going Mad" (1990) | |||||
| "22" (Ireland) | |||||
| "You're Too Young" (1991) | |||||
| "I Don't Care" (1991) | |||||
| "Second Wind" (1991) | |||||
| "Endless Art" (1992) | |||||
| "46" (UK Singles) | |||||
| "Take It Easy on Me" (1992) | |||||
| "55" (UK Singles) | |||||
| "Everything’s Gone" (1992) | |||||
| "Slang" (1992) | |||||
| "Santamental" (1992) | |||||
| "I Will Never Forgive You" (1994) | |||||
| "Why Me?" (1994) |
- 1 Although it did not enter the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, "Call Me Blue" attained No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
- 2 "The Strong and the Silent" missed the U.S. Hot 100 but nearly made it onto the Radio & Records Top 50 pop chart.
John Peel Sessions
- 25 January 1987, with production by Dale Griffin:
- "Call Me Blue" / "Y.O.U." / "Hit Me over the Head with Your Handbag Dear" / "Heart Happy"
- 2 February 1992, recorded at Maida Vale Studio and produced by Dale Griffin:
- "Endless Art" / "Charity" / "Freakshow" / "Force Feed"
External links
- Official A House website featuring discography and lyrics
- Irish Music Database profile and family tree for A House
- A House listing in The Irish Punk & New Wave Discography
- AV8 website
- Musical groups established in 1985
- Musical groups disestablished in 1997
- Irish alternative rock groups
- Blanco y Negro Records artists
- Parlophone artists
- Setanta Records artists
- Sire Records artists
- MCA Records artists
- Musical groups from Dublin (city)
- 1985 establishments in Ireland
- 1980s in Irish music
- 1990s in Irish music