Hooligan – Teenage Rebel EP (featuring Christy Dignam)

Irish Street Punk band Hooligan formed in Dublin back in 2009, to date they have released four EPs. Teenage Rebel is their fifth EP released via Reekus Music Ireland Ltd in Autumn 2017. The lead track is a cover of (Justa Nother) Teenage Rebel by Belfast Punk band The Outcasts, which was released in 1978 featuring Christy Dignam from Aslan on vocals, after Hooligan front man Dave Linehan bumped into him by chance and told how he had met him 25 years ago at an Aslan gig and how Christy had inspired him to try playing music himself. He bought a guitar the following day! Christy was thrilled with this tale of his contribution to the Irish music scene and agreed to work with Hooligan on Teenage Rebel, which was recorded and mixed by Al Cowan at Sonic Studios in Stoneybatter. The EP has three other songs, written by Dave Linehan and recorded by Hooligan.

The lead track remains true to the original The Outcasts song (listen here) although they have managed to play it faster, all of two seconds to be precise! With the chorus ‘Another teenage rebel, another spotty problem kid’ it’s got an undertone of The Undertones and forty years on the lyrics could be changed to ‘Another middle-age rebel’ but the spots should be long gone so better left as is! We remain with the Belfast influence for Generation on Fire with it’s Stiff Little Fingers vibe. Calling Joe Strummer started off slower then sped up with some great rock n roll riffs in the middle, I’m thinking something along the lines of the Buzzcocks meets Hospital Food. We stay with the late Joe Strummer for the last and shortest track Gang War with it’s The Clash meets The Stranglers vibe I’m thinking London Calling meets No More Heroes.

(Justa Nother) Teenage Rebel stays true to the original The Outcasts song with three Hooligan originals making up the four tracks on the Teenage Rebel EP. I picked up more Irish influences in Stiff Little Fingers and The Undertones then came across the channel for flavours of Hospital Food, The Clash and The Stranglers. Short but sweet, something for those Hooligans to vandalise your ears with whilst we await a full length release.

1. (Justa Nother) Teenage Rebel – (The Outcasts Cover)
2. Generation On Fire
3. Calling Joe Strummer
4. Gang War

Band Members: –

David Linehan – Guitar / Vocals
Eoin Page – Bass / Backing Vocals
Paul Price – Drums / Backing Vocals

Hooligan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hooligan.dublin/