NRG – Say it fast!!

NRG photo shoot
NRG, l to r, Brian McMahon, Paul Gilmore, Brian Vernon, Ciaran Vernon

Nowadays Lucozade style drinks & > 130bpm bad dance music all use the term NRG. Back in 1978 we had problems with this name. People would look at you with puzzled looks on their face & ask what does it mean! We’d ask them to “say it fast”.  And they’d say NERG?


Thats me with the tie & white shirt. At the time we had to crop bottom of photo to avoid showing Gilly’s flares. (1st on left)

We played 70% original songs along with Clash, Radiators & Ramones covers in Dundalk pubs & the Magnet in Pearse St, Dublin. A couple of support gigs in McGonagles & supported the Radiators from Space in the Imperial hotel just before Christmas. Thank god for the Ramones, I learned the bass by playing along to their songs. The best way to learn. Never played an instrument before buying this 2nd hand bass. Wish I still had it. My bass has a sticker on it, which came free with a Devo single.

The best thing about Punk was the D.I.Y attitude.

NRG live at Endas Bar, Church St, Dundalk 1978
NRG in Hot Press 1978
Tags: ,

This Post Has 24 Comments

    1. dubdoug

      18 Apr 2011

      Nice one Brian, hope you are doing good. In those pre photo shop days, I’m afraid the moustache had to say. Mind you, Hooky, from New Order sported something similar. Thanks for the Vanilla Essence link, shame song wasn’t “You keep me hanging on”. Keep tuned for more!

      1. Brian

        4 May 2011

        Where was that photo taken Doug? Was it the old hall behind St Vincents? Pity it wasnt a bit more balanced! CV is always away to one side in photos! What was all that about?

        Anyway, the guitar I’m holding, out of sight, is “Don’t call me Turkey’s” gorgeous Semi solid Slimline Telecaster which he bought in Noo Yoik for $120. I visited him once in London, he charged me a fiver!

  2. Brian

    18 Apr 2011

    Feck that was quick! I hope we weren’t enjoying that VE session – they were desperate! Which makes me wonder.

    I was down the navvy bank a few weeks ago and I met Dominic Mc K – he said “There’s a deadly photo of you and Dougie at a VE gig on Youtube”…

    NERG? How did they pronounce DIY?

    Looking forward to the rest! And, belated condolences re: your Dad!!

  3. Alex

    19 Apr 2011

    Great photo!

  7. dubdoug

    28 Apr 2011

    I watched that video above
    and I can definitely see you (Doug) in the audience!

    1. dubdoug

      28 Apr 2011

      sorry Dougie that was me on your computer!!

  10. Brian

    28 May 2011

    What on earth? Enda’s? Did we? Totally forgotten! Thanks Dougie!

  11. Brian

    6 Oct 2011

    I suppose here is as good as any place. I take it you have seen the “Arghh-us” –

    http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5539/choicej.jpg

    The peeps at the argus couldn’t find their arses with a torch, a map, and someone shouting instructions at them!

  12. Brian

    1 Nov 2011

    Doug, I’ve spent about 5 hours this week looking through my browser history trying to find the NRG giglist that I found and mentioned to you recently. I had several tabs open and bookmarked another site by mistake. Seriously pissed off!

    1. dubdoug

      2 Nov 2011

      Hate that! Sure it will come up again.

  13. Brian

    7 Oct 2012

    Gosh haven’t seen this before! http://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/nrg.html It even mentions the Addix gig – which I thought you had all forgotten about. I looked for it on The Addix {Drug Addix} and a KIrtsty McColl site, but the gig isnt listed! I remember speaking to Kirsty after the gig, she was enqiring about one of the songs we played!

    1. dubdoug

      7 Oct 2012

      I remember the Addix gig alright. And poor Kirsty.
      I think it was a Thursday night and the Addix were on a mini Irish tour. They might have supported Advertising in McGonagles later that weekend – which I (& maybe you?) attended.

  14. Brian

    21 Aug 2013

    Probably not the right thread, but they deserve a mention they gave NRG a boost.

  16. dubdoug

    21 Aug 2013

    Hi Brian, no problem. just got rid of the playlist. We must have played with the Vipers 2 or 3 times? I remember RTC and the Magnet and McGonigles too?

  17. gerry molyneaux

    2 Sep 2013

    does anyone know if the Vipers Website has seen the light of day???

  18. dubdoug

    2 Sep 2013

    No trace Gerry.

Comments are closed.

Close Menu