History
Hey Paulette were formed in Dublin in 1987 by Eamonn Davis (singer/rhythm guitars).
Colm Fitzpatrick (bass)and Derrick Dalton (lead guitars) joined forces with Eamonn to write pop
tunes. Some people labelled us a C86 band, as we were into writing melodic jingly jangly tunes but
we didn't really know what we were playing and still don't! Paul Lester of The Melody Maker gave
us 'Tingle of The Week'
Eamonn wanted to be in Josef K and modelled himself on Edwyn Collins, while the others wanted to
be in The Smiths. Every rehearsal we would start playing The Smiths mid song to annoy the hell out
of Eamonn. It was great fun!!
We have got this webpage together as people as far away as Japan have expressed an interest in our
past music since we started playing back together with crumb. We also just found out that one of our
songs has appeared up on ITunes.
A compilation of all of our records titled 'Long Ball Into Nowhere' has just been jointly released by
Fire Station Towers in Germany and Clarendon Records which is very exciting.
It is very strange writing about a band sixteen years later but we didn't do much so it's not so hard to
remember. Obviously the best part was going to London as teenagers to record our John Peel
session. Peter Hahndorf, Tweenet had always been a fan. We think it is due to the fact that he was in
the BBC with John Peel on the night that he broadcast our session. Article here about it. It's a pity we
never got to record an album, but back in the 80's no one had any money. Ireland was a bleak place
and the celtic tiger had not kicked in.
Hey Paulette recorded our first single 'Commonplace' in our late teens with a drum machine for the
label Mickey Rourke's fridge run by enigmatic Sean A Mc Dermott. We topped the alternative top
ten on Capital Radio with this single in 1988. We evantually got an amazing drummer called Darren
Nolan and started playing at break neck speed which hurt our fingers. He said he would only stay for
a short while but he stayed with us to the bitter end in 1991.
We sent a copy of 'Commonplace' to John Peel, BBC Radio One in 1988 with a handwritten note.
We then recorded an ep titled 'Mickey Rourkes Fridge Presents'. John Peel then got in touch and
asked would we like to record a session, needless to say we didn't turn him down. We got the
producer Dale Griffin who had also worked on The Smiths and The Fall sessions, so we were all
happy with that. We didn't pass any remark to him about Mott The Hoople. The production on The
Peel session was amazing and it was the best thing that we ever recorded. We played as fast as
possible as we only had five hours to record the session as the studio had been double booked with
The Frank Chickens. John Peel said 'it was a peachy session and would make a nice EP and that
there would be a big yes to us'.(it took 16 years)
While in the UK we did a major tour of London and got to play one venue in Islington! We were a
very innocent bunch of indie teenage boys who thought that organising gigs was just too much hassle.
We just wanted to play music and have a laugh. Looking back on it we could have got articles
written about us in NME and Melody Maker but none of us wanted to be interviewed and we
definitely didn't want our photographs taken. (Ah the innocence!)
After getting a John Peel session we were begged to record a Dave Fanning session for RTE Radio
2. Our favourite gig haunt was The Underground run by Jeff Brennan and his dad Noel on Dame
Street. We never managed to leave Dublin to play a gig! We did make it to RTE in Donnybrook to
play 'My Half of the Pillow' on Jo Maxi TV show! Our mothers were proud.
After this we recorded an ep "I Really Do Love Penelope on 12". This was produced by Stan
Erraught of the amazing Stars Of Heaven. (All of their records have just been re-released on cd by
Independent Records, go buy them you won't be disappointed).
Stan liked working with us so much that he refused to leave and joined us as an extra guitarist. He
played on the final recording of our last two songs Inconsequential and Pebbledash. These songs
were released by Tweenet, the great indie label after we split up. Inconsequential appeared on The
Sound of Leamington Spa and Pebbledash on Seven Summers. We also appeared on one cassette
compilation called 'Dostoevesky lose it's flavour overnight'
In 2005 we reformed for one night to play homage to the late great John Peel. It was our way of
trying to thank him for all that he did for us as a band and also for filling our listening ears with amazing
music. We can honestly say if it weren't for him there is no way people would still be interested in
hearing our music, let alone release a compilation by us. Long may his memory live on.
It was strange playing all together in the same room but it was alot of fun. Some people seemed to
really like it and we even got a favourable gig review. It compared Darren's drumming skills to Keith
Moon and the band to The Smiths, so we were quite chuffed. Eamonn wasn't impressed!
Overall Band Summary
One album
Two seven inches
One twelve inch
One cassette compilation
One video
Two Tweenet compilations (one with Fire Station Towers )
One John Peel Session
One Dave Fanning Session
One TV appearance on Jo Maxi
I Melody Maker Review
1 In Dublin Review
38 gigs in Dublin, 1 in 2005 for the John Peel Day
1 gig in London
1 gig review, 16 years too late but not to worry!
1 song on ITunes
A Few Fans mainly in Japan & The Philippines
Years of grief !!
Eamonn, Colm and Stan went on to be in The Sewing Room.
Derrick nows plays in a band called crumb with Eamonn. They both currently play in a band called
Melba with Eileen Gogan (ex The Would Be's) Derrick also played in The Bus Pigs, The Deportees,
The Twigs, The Skips, Mexican Pets, $1000 Wedding, Melba and a Blondie tribute band!
Colm now records under the name Hudson and Darren continues to bash hell out of the drums in a
ska band called The Jackmans.