WATCH: An early Cypress, Mine! video from the 1980s shows Irish music was ahead of it time

Music
10 Nov 17

Mid-to-late-20th Century Ireland is often depicted as a "backwards" or "conservative" place. It was! But at Hot Press we were always about upending that. So too were numerous great musicians of the day as the re-release of this brilliant track by Cypress Mine! confirms...

Cypress Mine! are back! Well, for the moment, in spirit at least. The seminal 1980s Cork outfit's Exit Trashtown is about to get a major re-release – because a Spanish label fell in love with it! And there is a new video for the single 'Last Night I Met The Man For Me' to promote it.

The video confirms that Cypress Mine! – in keeping with Hot Press in the '80s – were way ahead of their time! Where else, for example, are you likely to see a frontman casually and unironically cross-dressing in a music video? And doesn't he look cute...

Cypress, Mine!'s 'Last Night I Met The Man For Me' is a real tonic, which demonstrates that some Irish artists of the time were prepared to openly challenge gender stereotypes – almost thirty years before the Same Sex Marriage Referendum.

"It is a real blast to see this new video for 'Last Night I Met The Man For Me'," Hot Press editor Niall Stokes says. "It is a brilliant track that takes familiar straight notions about romance and appropriates them very smartly and effectively for a song that celebrates same sex love – and desire. The video is superb too. Cypress Mine! really did break new ground."

Cypress, Mine!, were a hugely popular Cork group in the late '80s. They were managed by the then-Hot Press man in Cork, Tony O'Donoghue, who is now a familiar face on television in his role as RTÉ's soccer correspondent.

The band's one and only album, Exit Trashtown, has been in such high demand among aficionados that originals of it have been generating massive bidding wars on Ebay. Now, that growing underground notoriety has been recognised by the industry – with remarkable results.

Inspired by a love of the band's music, a Spanish indie label called Pretty Olivia offered to re-release the album – and to include all the other ‘demos’ for the second album (which was never released) in the package. Denis Desmond of MCD – whose Solid Records recorded the band in the first place – was only too happy to give permission for the tracks to be remixed and re-released. You can find more details of how to get the new album here.

As for the band itself, we have unconfirmed reports that a reunion could be on the cards in the near future. Watch this space...

Listen to Cypress, Mine!'s 'Last Night I Met The Man For Me' here: