The Defenders - Happy Surfin Santa (1979)

 

b/w Christmas Up On Venus

As a post-script to the earlier Zen Alligators post here is the Dublin all-star Benefit band's only 45 

The short-lived group The Defenders [Active July '79 - Oct '79] were formed to help Dublin-based Heat Fanzine* pay legal costs to U2’s manager Paul McGuinness.

McGuiness had objected to an article in Vol. 2, No. 2 of the fanzine entitled “McGuinness (Isn’t) Good For U2′”. 

 

The article accused him of using back-handed tactics to bump a rival local band [Rocky De Valera & the Gravediggers] from the bill & get U2 the prestigious support slot to Joe Jackson at his Trinity College gig.   --The story was later proved to be wrong. -- 

*Heat was one of the most well-respected and well-designed punk fanzines in the 1977-79 period. Co-owned by Ray Gunne [AKA Jude Carr, Eamon’s brother] and Pete Nasty [Pete Price] 

A benefit gig at the National Ballroom, Parnell Square was staged on the 25th July '79 and followed in October by the recording of this single at Keystone Studios, released a month later on Guided Missile Records. The label being owned by Jude Carr and Karl Tsigdinos [DJ and graphic designer with Hot Press]. 

Unfortunately, the magazine had to fold despite their efforts.

The Defenders were: 
Donal Broughan (Lead Voc), Charles O'Connor (Guitar Voc), John Fean (Guitar), Billy Morley (Guitar,) Gary Eglington (Bass), Eamon Carr (Drums), Al Cohol (Maracas), Frankie Morgan (Keys), Mark Megaray (Voc), Paul Verner (Voc), Steve Rapid (Voc), Peter Hunter (Voc)
 
Read more here 

Useless info - The Guided Missiles label logo was designed by "Uncle Karl" who also designed "The Blades" band logo used on their Energy Records releases

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