Jump to content

Mama's Boys

From Alfawiki
Mama's Boys
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1978 in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Defunct1993
Headquarters
County Fermanagh
,
Northern Ireland
Area served
International
ProductsMusic albums, singles, live performances

Mama's Boys were a hard rock and heavy metal group originating from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, active during the 1980s. The lineup prominently featured the McManus siblings: Pat ("The Professor") on guitar and fiddle, John handling bass and vocals, and Tommy on drums.[1] Over time, the band expanded to a quartet with several lead singers including Rick Chase (1986), Keith Murrell (1987), Connor McKeon (1989), and Mike Wilson (1990).

Biography

Hailing from the vicinity of Derrylin, County Fermanagh, the McManus brothers initially gained recognition as accomplished traditional Irish musicians before transitioning towards a hard rock style influenced by the Irish celtic rock pioneers Horslips. Their first ensemble was named Pulse, which they later rebranded as Mama's Boys. Early in their career, Barry Devlin of Horslips played a crucial role by securing them an opening act position on Horslips' 1979 tour.

Although inspired by Horslips' blend of traditional melodies with rock elements, Mama's Boys gravitated more towards a heavier metal sound that occasionally incorporated Pat’s fiddle solos.[1]

Their debut album, Official Album, was self-produced and recorded within four hours in 1980; it was subsequently reissued in 1981 under the title Official Bootleg. That same year, they supported Hawkwind during their UK tour. Their follow-up self-funded release Plug It In (1982) included the Irish charting single "Needle in the Groove".

The 1983 release Turn It Up paved the way for tours with Thin Lizzy on their final tour, appearances at the Reading Rock Festival, and securing a global contract with Jive Records. Their initial Jive album combined re-recorded earlier songs with fresh tracks; notably, their rendition of Slade's "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" reached number 54 on American charts and received MTV rotation, enhancing their visibility in the US alongside a 1984 tour. However, their version was eclipsed by Quiet Riot’s cover released simultaneously.

In 1985, Power and Passion entered the Billboard 200 chart, followed by supporting tours across the United States, Europe, and Japan. During the European leg, Tommy suffered a relapse of leukemia; drummer Jimmy DeGrasso filled in until Tommy briefly returned before needing further hospitalization.

Keith Murrell replaced Rick Chase as vocalist in 1987 due to vocal health concerns; with Murrell, they recorded Growing Up The Hard Way. Murrell departed in 1988 to pursue work with Cliff Richard. Vocalists Connor McKeon and Mike Wilson joined subsequently before the band moved to the UK in 1990 under new management. The live album Live Tonite (1991) preceded extensive touring in Europe and the release of Relativity in 1992.

Tommy’s health declined during a 1993 tour in Italy, resulting in canceled shows; he underwent a bone marrow transplant in 1994 but ultimately passed away. Following this, the group disbanded. John and Pat then explored their Celtic heritage by forming Celtus, a Celtic/new age ensemble.[2]

Pat McManus later collaborated with Irish rock band Indian on two albums and live performances before establishing the Pat McManus Band in 2007. This band produced Tattooed in Blue (2018) along with an acoustic record titled Rewind (2019), supporting both releases with a European tour.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Previous members

  • Patrick Francis "Pat" McManus – fiddle, lead guitar, backing vocals (1978–1993) (born 1960, Derrylin)
  • John McManus – bass guitar, lead and backing vocals, tin whistle, low whistle, uilleann pipes (1978–1993) (born 24 March 1961, Enniskillen – 29 November 2025, aged 64)
  • Thomas "Tommy" McManus – drums, bodhran, backing vocals (1978–1993) (25 March 1966 – 16 November 1994, aged 28)
  • Rick Chase – lead vocalist (1986)
  • Keith Murrell – lead vocalist (1987–1989)
  • Connor McKeon – lead vocalist (1989)
  • Mike Wilson – lead vocalist (1990–1993)
  • Alan Williams – keyboardist (1989–1993)
  • Dillon Tonkin – keyboardist (1991)
  • Jimmy DeGrasso – drummer (1985)

Studio and live albums

  • Official Bootleg (1980)
  • Plug It In (1982)
  • Turn It Up (1983)
  • Mama's Boys (compilation) (1984)
  • Power and Passion (1985)
  • Growing Up the Hard Way (1987)
  • Live Tonite (1991)
  • Relativity (1992)

Singles

  • "Rollin' On" (1980)
  • "High Energy Weekend" (1980)
  • "Silence is out of Fashion" (1981)
  • "Belfast City Blues" / "Reach for the Top" (1982)
  • "In the Heat of the Night" (1982)
  • "Needle in the Groove" (1982, 1985)
  • "Telephone Teaser" (1983)
  • "Loose Living" (1983)
  • "Too Little of You to Love" (1983)
  • "Midnight Promises" (1984)
  • "Face to Face" (1984)
  • "Mama We're All Crazee Now" (1984)
  • "Runaway Dreams" (1985)
  • "If the Kids are United" (1984)
  • "Hard 'N' Loud" (1985)
  • "Lettin' Go" (1985)
  • "Waiting for a Miracle" (1987)
  • "Higher Ground" (1987)
  • "Spirit of America" (1987)
  • "The Flight Tonight" (1991)
  • "Laugh About It" (1992)

Video releases

  • "Mama We're All Crazee Now" DVD (2006)

See also

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LarkinHM
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :0
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Mama%27s_Boys&oldid=81642"