Big opportunity for someone – it could be you.
PUNK TO BE RECKONED WITH
Meeting up with Greg Cowan is a treat. We’ve been friends since he appeared on an Ask Anne programmes where he was a hit with the viewers but that’s nothing new to him he’s been wowing audiences since 1977. That was the year he and his two brothers, Colin and Martin and friends formed a punk band that has gone down in history and today The Outcasts are still playing the world.
“Colin was the spirit of the band but he wasn’t much of a drummer, so we got a proper drummer and the two sat alongside each other so Colin would still be a draw for the crowd.” Sadly Colin died in a car accident when he was only 22, Greg also had a car crash and even to this day suffers extreme pain in his leg. “I keep fit and that helps,” he told me, “I made a home gym in the attic and far from using it to store equipment I work out every day, I also look after my diet because if I didn’t I’d pile on the weight.” So said this slim bundle of energy.
Greg’s family came from Donegall Pass, they all lived in one street, aunts and uncles, cousins and his mum and dad with their 13 children!
His father was a boxer but when his painting and decorating business took off, he had to make the decision to become a professional boxer or develop the business. He chose the business and when he wasn’t gigging round the world, his young son helped out.
Parisian Attraction
When he was 17 The Outcasts played Paris. ‘I was a real star! I imagined I was the next David Bowie. Apart from my wife Yvonne, I met the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, I bought a wonderful red tartan suit to impress her but it didn’t work! However, I soon came down to earth, the day after Paris I was painting the railings in Ormeau Park.”
We met in the Crown Bar in Belfast which he had just finished refurbishing with the company he now runs. “At one time Dad employed about 60 men, today it’s half a dozen but we work hard.”
Ripping It Up
Looking back, Greg admits he and his colleagues were the bad boys of punk and their followers were the hard men of Belfast. “We weren’t popular with the paramilitaries in the 1970s because we were cross community and brought together people from all backgrounds.” The groupies weren’t put off especially one young lady who was a regular in the Harp Bar and ended up as Mrs. Greg Cowan, still dancing together 39 years on. The Harp was a bit of a rough venue but as Yvonne says a safe place where religion went out of the window and people came together through music.
It was Terry Hooley who championed the band, introduced them to John Peel and persuaded them to tour Northern Ireland. “Many of the bands left because of The Troubles so we were welcomed where ever we went, mostly church halls up and down the country. It was pretty exhausting but you know, the more you play the better you get.”
Although Greg has been front man since the band was formed 47 years ago he says he’s loving it more than ever: “We’re a small outfit, brother Martin, Ian Buck Murdoch, Jean Phillipe Morer, roadie Billy Hunt, Sharon Dolly Murdoch, merch.” Short for merchandise! “We tour the world, Germany, playing in the Hamberg venues the Beatles made famous, Japan, Canada, when we played in Brooklyn we were treated right royally, flown over two days before hand, a beautiful hotel, great hospitality and a day to recover after the show.” Recently it was Poland, Vienna, the Czech Republic, the UK, Ireland and a date every August playing Blackpool’s Winter Gardens where 26,000 punks arrive from all round the world. “And an opening night invitation to the premier of the stage play of Good Vibrations was something else, especially the glamorous after party in the Irish Arts Centre in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City.”
Whiskey Galore
Despite their image as tearaway rockers, the band is very disciplined, a couple of beers before the show, a strenuous hour long set, one encore and then party. “Some of the boys like to relax in the dressing room but I’m buzzing, I have half a pint of whiskey before going into the audience to meet people, I like to be told how brilliant I am!”
One last question. How does the lead singer of The Outcasts make his platinum hair stand up so straight and proud? “Rod Stewart and I do the same thing. A good pasting of Imperial Leather soap, spike it, allow to dry and there you have it.”
Royal Ulster Academy of Arts 143 Annual Exhibition
I recommend a visit to the Royal Ulster Academy exhibition being held at the Ulster Museum, The first exhibition was held 81 years ago when Winston Churchill was prime minister, World War ll was causing fear and destruction, a BOAC Flight DC 3 was shot down by eight German Junker aircraft, all 17 passengers died including the actor Leslie Howard. Harland and Wolff launched three ships June, July and November of that year, two aircraft carriers and a cruiser. The RUA itself was established in 1879 and it’s impressive to imagine the quality of artists and their work since then. Today the criteria is wide and so the interest is also wide. You’ll find yourself forgetting time and just appreciating works including, traditional painting to bronze figures, to plaster, wood and silver forms to fascinate.
Storytelling is big news these days and Ciaran Gallagher has captured an expressive image in his work The Storyteller which, thankfully is not for sale because I’d love it! Prices are on all the items in the exhibition and there are bargains and then again there are investments, not to make money but for endless enjoyment.
One of the more unusual works is the Tim Shaw RA bronze figure (below) entitled We Remain At The Mercy Of Nature, £10000
President of the Academy Dan Dowling has put together a remarkable event and one can only imagine how long and how detailed the preparation has been, however he has gathered a great team with Simon McWilliams the new administrator. One of Dan’s own exhibits shows Queen Mary’s Gardens with local lads in jeans and baseball caps, as he says, showing life as it is today rather than the staid matrons who used to frequent the gardens at the Waterworks. This work costs £7000. Something has gone wrong with my laptop and I can’t show you Dan’s painting but I hope to do so over the next weeks.
There are many more attractive offerings at much lower prices and with an expected audience of up to 10,000 people from near and far it will be another resounding success for the Academy. The exhibition runs until 6th January 2025 with opening hours Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
By the way, did you know there is a new football manager for the English team. Together with the sad news of the death of pop star Liam Payne, this was the headline news story and wide spread discussion for about three days. Never mind the Middle East or Ukraine.