Unsigned Entertainment

BAND HISTORY

 

 

 

Omagh Rock Trio, CASPER formed around 1979, three local lads, Mickey T, Peewee and Conor had a hunger to play Rock music, and after hearing a band called TOEJAM from Derry/L’Derry the boys were hooked. At first the CASPER lads were too young to get into the gigs and used to watch through the windows of local venues, until they were old enough to get into the gigs. After months of locking themselves away to rehearse they then got the opportunity to play support to TOEJAM anytime they visited Omagh, and on a number of occasions TOEJAM invited CASPER to Derry/L’Derry to also play support to them, and BOY did they impress the Derry/L’Derry crowds. On the bigger scale influences also included Deep Purple, Rush, UFO, Lizzy, Budgie, Skynyrd etc. CASPER also played a lot of gigs with MAMAS BOYS, another brilliant band, with the McManus brothers making up this great threesome, one of the main highlights of that time was when CASPER support to HORSLIPS and Played in the camp site at Slane to thousands, the night before the ROLLING STONES took the main stage the next day.

 

The boys soon established a foothold on the Irish Rock scene and were known as a hard working rock act, which turned into a 34 date Irish tour in 1981,playing in some of the top venues at the time and making an impression at every gig. CASPER were selected to headline a lot of gigs and enjoyed the challenge of ‘stepping up to the plate’, but wanted to record and produce an Album which would lead to bigger and better things, but unfortunately around1982-84 the rock scene was on its way out and punk revolution and disco scene was kicking off. Disillusioned CASPER called a halt to proceedings without getting to put anything on an album or getting a record deal. It had been about a 15-year gap between CASPER splitting up and the infamous 25^th Anniversary reunion gig in December 2005; in all that time they never found the musical satisfaction and buzz that they got from playing on stage with each other, and are now back on the road seeking to play some of the old ’haunts’ again. But it was one year exactly to the day when CASPER took to the stage on THURSDAY 28^th DECEMBER 2006 at the INF HALL, OMAGH, to launch their debut Album/CD ‘Relight the fire inside’. One year on, not thinking a reunion gig would lead to much, how wrong they were, the boys have a new web site, www.casper-rockband.co.uk and have uploaded 4 tracks from the new album/CD onto their myspace page at www.myspace.com/casperrock , they have played a handful of gigs since last May and took 6 months to record and produce their own debut Album/CD ‘Relight the fire inside’. The album boasts 11 tracks in total with the title track being written in 2006 and the other 10 being written in the early eighties recorded onto a demo and hidden away in an attic for 15+ years.

 

On Saturday 23^rd December 06 Paddy Hunter (Q101.2 FM Radio) Alternative Wireless programme Paddy aired an exclusive interview with CASPER and playing some select tracks from the new Album/CD, he said (quote)

 

“Some things, like good wine and cheese take time to mature, they say things

 

Are better when they are left for a while, like a pint of the black stuff,

 

Well the same can be said for Casper. Mickey T, Peewee and Conor have

 

Certainly matured well but they still have that youthful teenage exuberance

 

That made them such a potent force on the Irish music scene in the 1980’s.

 

Its remarkable if not unbelievable that "Relight the fire inside" is the

 

Bands first album..........but by God it was worth waiting on...This production from the band has it all that you want from a Rock album, from the steamy rock ballad; Kick ass rock from the eighties to the new sound of the current time.The boys, nay these giants of the music scene have done it for me and the Listeners, they are a sought after live act again and already we all ask

 

What about album two?..........please don’t wait as long the next time,

 

While the rest of us have grown older... if not at all much wiser, the Boys

 

From Casper are the same youthful trio from the eighties, its good to hear

 

And see that quality will always last. Indeed get better with age.”

 

CASPER intend to launch the Album/CD from January/February 07 playing various gigs in Derry, Magherafelt, Dungannon, Draperstown, Portstewart, Belfast to name a few.

 

 Mickey T (Guitarist) who produced the Album/CD, went on to say “we are very proud of the finished product and hope people will enjoy what they hear, we put a lot of energy and sweat into each track, but have plenty left in the tank for the launch gigs “.

 

Peewee (Bass player) said “even though 10 of the songs were written in the early eighties, they have been given a good dusting down with a punchy driving bass and drums, and searing lead solos from Mickey, yea it was great playing them again for the album”.

 

CASPER is also be having a competition on their web site www.casper-rockband.co.uk to give some Albums away, so get logged in onto the forums section and join in order to be in with a chance. With new found enthusiasm CASPER could turn back time and become one of the top ROCK acts in Ireland again, and with plenty of support from music lovers this could be the tip of the Ice-berg for CASPER. In fact the good folk at Wonderland Promotions, Belfast were so impressed with the bands performance at the recent Album launch gig they have just offered the support slot to English Rock legends UFO on their leg of a UK Tour at the Spring & Airbrake, Belfast Friday 23^rd March & Temple bar Music Centre Dublin on Saturday 24^th March 2007. Conor (Drummer) “ We couldn’t believe it when we got the call for this support gig, and a band that we all followed, loved and influenced us for years, its an honour to play this gig and we will definitely be up BIG TIME for this one!”  This is the type of gig that will catapult CASPER back into the top of the Music Rock Scene again, just where they belong…………

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