Having previously been the subject of a fascinating radio documentary - you can listen below - the Allchival crew today release Hiding From The Landlord, a compilation tracing the musical pursuits of Cork’s Finbarr Donnelly and his trilogy of bands – Nun Attax, Five Go Down To The Sea? and Beethoven – before his untimely death by drowning in London’s Hyde Park in 1989.
Available in separate 15 and 24-track vinyl and CD versions, it features material released on the Setanta, Creation, Kabuki and Abstract labels along with a previously unreleased Fanning Sessions. The first 100 vinyls come with a free copy of the CD and a twenty-page fanzine featuring contributions from the likes of Kevin Barry, Declan Lynch, Conal Creedon, Cathal Coughlan, Gavin Friday, Elvera Butler, John Robb and Pete Astor.
"Nun Attax, formed in the late 70s, are synonymous with the Downtown Kampus at Cork’s Arcadia Ballroom, the lynchpin of the city’s post-punk music scene," they tell us. "Their live performances being the stuff of Southern legend – unforgettable, incendiary events, examples of which can be heard on the tracks here ['White Cortina', 'Reekus Sunfare']. In the early-80s the band changed its name to Five Go Down To the Sea? and recorded the Knot A Fish EP 7" for London–Irish label Kabuki Records and soon after the band left recession-ridden Cork for the UK capital.
"Squatting south of the river, working on building sites and collecting welfare under several aliases, recording and gigs were sporadic but by 1984 they had hooked into the early Creation scene, and played gigs at Alan McGee’s Living Room club. Working with The Mekons’ Jon Langford they release The Glee Club on the Abstract Sounds. Following it up with Singing In Braille for Creation Records itself. The band’s chaotic existence led to its eventual demise only re-emerging in 1988 as Beethoven. Down to two original members – Donnelly and guitarist Ricky Dineen – plus two new additions their only release – a 12” on the fledgling Setanta records – features a cover of 'Day Tripper' backed with original tracks and was NME’s Single of the Week in the summer of ‘89 when such things carried weight. The planned second single doesn’t go ahead after Donnelly’s death."