The Fatima Mansions
| Company type | Rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Cathal Coughlan |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Cork , Ireland |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Fatima Mansions were a rock group from Ireland, established in 1988 by Cork-born vocalist and keyboardist Cathal Coughlan, who had previously been a member of Microdisney.
Career
The founding members consisted of Coughlan, Nick Allum, Jonathan Fell, Zac Woolhouse, and Aindrias O'Gruama. Their name was inspired by the Fatima Mansions housing complex located in Rialto, Dublin.
Renowned for their energetic stage presence, The Fatima Mansions enjoyed success on the indie charts with releases including Viva Dead Ponies, Bertie's Brochures, Valhalla Avenue, and Lost in the Former West. In 1992, they secured a spot in the UK Top 10 with a significantly altered rendition of Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You". This track was issued as a double A-side single alongside the Manic Street Preachers' cover of "Suicide Is Painless" for an NME charity tribute album benefiting the Spastics Society.
Their visibility to mainstream audiences grew when they supported U2 during the European leg of the Zoo TV Tour in 1992, despite some controversy caused by Coughlan's confrontational remarks during a performance in Milan. The band's lyrics often confronted themes such as religion, authoritarian regimes, empires, and power structures. Nevertheless, The Guardian recognized Coughlan as "the most underrated lyricist in pop today," while DJ John Peel remarked that he could "listen to Cathal Coughlan sing the phone book."
The 1994 release Lost in the Former West was promoted with a glam rock-inspired campaign and featured a cover version of The Walker Brothers' "Nite Flights."
Singles
- "Only Losers Take the Bus" (1989), Kitchenware
- "Blues for Ceausescu" (1990), Kitchenware
- "Hive" E.P. (1991), Kitchenware
- "The Only Solution: Another Revolution" (1991), Radioactive
- "You're a Rose" (1991), Kitchenware/Radioactive
- "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" (1992), Columbia – UK No. 7, IRE No. 12
- "Evil Man" (1992), Kitchenware/Radioactive – UK No. 59
- "1000%" (1992), Kitchenware/Radioactive – UK No. 61
- "Tíma Mansió Dumps the Dead" (1992), Radioactive
- "The Loyaliser" (1994), Kitchenware/Radioactive – UK No. 58
- "Nite Flights" (1994), Kitchenware/Radioactive
Albums
- Against Nature (1989) – UK Indie No. 12
- Viva Dead Ponies (1990)
- Bertie's Brochures (1991)
- Valhalla Avenue (1992) – UK No. 52
- Come Back My Children (1992)
- Lost in the Former West (1994)
Sources
- McDermott, Paul. "Iron Fist in Velvet Glove — the story of Microdisney". Audio documentary, Newstalk / University College Cork, 2018