Engine Alley formed at the latter end of the 1980's in
the shape of Kilkenny boys, Canice Kenealy
(Vocals), Brian Kenealy (Guitar) and Eamonn Byrne
(Bass). Moving to Dublin in 1989, they recruited
drummer Emmaline Duffy-Fallon and the line-up was
completed in 1991 with the addition of Ken Rice
(Orchestra) from Kerry on Violin.
While living in Dublin they took their name from a
grey barren street in the heart of the Liberties, an old
part of Dublin's south inner city. They quickly
established a loyal following with their generally
manic live performance and colorful appearance.
They were signed by Mother Records and their first
release was the FLOWERBOX EP in August 1991.
The next single INFAMY was followed by their
excellent debut album A SONIC HOLIDAY (produced
by Steve Lillywhite), which won a Smithwicks / Hot
Press award for Best Irish Album of 1992. The album
contained a fine collection of tracks including the
singles MRS. WINDER, SONG FOR SOMEONE and
INFAMY.
In September 1993, INFAMY was released in the UK
followed by a return to the studio in the company of
Pat Collier. The results were included on a revamped
version of A SONIC HOLIDAY entitled ENGINE
ALLEY which was released in the UK in November
1993 and included the single SWITCH. At this stage
Engine Alley had moved lock, stock and barrel to
London. SWITCH was released in Ireland in
December 1993 with three other new tracks from the
Pat Collier session.
The band relocated to Dublin in 1994 and the album
ENGINE ALLEY was released Stateside on Island
records. October of that year saw the band on a
short but very successful tour of the US. On their
return home in November 1994 there was a slight
setback with the sudden departure of drummer
Emmaline. This was quickly redressed by the
inclusion of ex-Hothouse Flowers drummer Jerry
Fehily.
February 1995 saw the band part company with
Mother. Not ones to hang around they immediately
began to write and entered Sun Studios, Dublin with
an armful of songs ready to record. They emerged
triumphant with a ten-track album entitled SHOT IN
THE LIGHT, produced, engineered and recorded by
Engine Alley.
SHOT IN THE LIGHT which was released on 28 July
1995 on the Irish independent label, Independent is a
move away from the pseudo-glam rock/pop,
sound/image of A SONIC HOLIDAY. The new sound
is a raw, rocky, live sound which shows the darker
sound of Engine Alley. There is now more emphasis
on the guitar/bass/drum nucleus of the band.
1996 the band decided to take a break. Canice and
Brian pursued separate musical and non-musical
endeavors while Eamonn landed bass duties with
'The Lord of the Dance' show. In early 1998 the lads
felt ready to reconvene and along with Paul O'Byrne
(drummer from Brian's interim project, The Valleys),
played a triumphant return gig in April in The Da
Club. That gig found the collective engines in fine
form with Canice as irrepressible and compelling as
ever and band locked into a fresh accomplished
groove, onwards as ever!
