# Microdisney > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Microdisney > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Microdisney.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdisney > Source revision: 1300921838 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Irish band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Microdisney | image = Microdisney.jpg | caption = Coughlan and O'Hagan in the late 1980s | image_size = | landscape = | background = group_or_band | origin = [Cork](/source/Cork_(city)), Ireland | genre = {{hlist|[Pop](/source/Pop_music)}} | years_active = {{hlist|1980–1988|2018–2019}} | label = {{hlist|Reekus|Kabuki|[Rough Trade](/source/Rough_Trade_Records)|[Virgin](/source/Virgin_Records)}} | spinoffs = {{hlist|[The Fatima Mansions](/source/The_Fatima_Mansions)|[The High Llamas](/source/The_High_Llamas)|[Stump](/source/Stump_(band))}} | website = | current_members = | past_members = [Cathal Coughlan](/source/Cathal_Coughlan_(singer))
[Sean O'Hagan](/source/Sean_O'Hagan)
[Mick Lynch](/source/Mick_Lynch_(musician))
[Giordaí Ua Laoghaire](/source/Giorda%C3%AD_Ua_Laoghaire)
Nick Montgomery
Jon Fell
Dave Galvin
Chris McCarthy
Aisling Hayden
Rob McKahey
Tom Fenner
[James Compton](/source/James_Compton_(UK)) }} '''Microdisney''' were an Irish [rock](/source/rock_music) band formed in [Cork](/source/Cork_(city)) in 1980.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor-first=Colin|editor-last=Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[Virgin Books](/source/Virgin_Books)|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=840/1|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music}} They were founded and led by songwriters [Cathal Coughlan](/source/Cathal_Coughlan_(singer)) (keyboards, vocals) and [Sean O'Hagan](/source/Sean_O'Hagan) (guitar).{{cite web|last1=Ankeny|first1=Jason|date=n.d.|title=Microdisney|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/microdisney-mn0000891124/biography|publisher=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)}} Originally typeset as Micro Disney, the band had become Microdisney by the time they (Coughlan and O'Hagan) had relocated to London in 1983 and signed to [Rough Trade Records](/source/Rough_Trade_Records).{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/learn-and-sing/iron-fist-in-velvet-glove-the-story-of-microdisney-part-1-244e583c690b|title=Iron Fist in Velvet Glove (Part 1)|first=Paul|last=McDermott|date=27 April 2021|website=Medium.com|access-date=20 June 2021}} Between 1983 and 1986 the band recorded six [Peel Sessions](/source/John_Peel){{Cite web|url=http://www.furious.com/perfect/microdisney.html|title=Perfect Sound Forever: Microdisney – their story|website=Furious.com|access-date=20 June 2021}} for BBC Radio and released their debut album for Rough Trade called ''[Everybody Is Fantastic](/source/Everybody_Is_Fantastic)''. In 1985, their album ''[The Clock Comes Down the Stairs](/source/The_Clock_Comes_Down_the_Stairs)'' reached number one in the [UK Indie Chart](/source/UK_Indie_Chart),{{Cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/radio-documentary-celebrates-career-of-recently-reformed-microdisney/|title=Iron Fist in Velvet Glove : radio documentary celebrates career of recently reformed Microdisney|website=Louderthanwar.com|date=29 November 2017|access-date=20 June 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.joe.ie/music/microdisney-back-touring-best-album-one-night-607674|title=Microdisney are back and touring their best album – for one night only|website=Joe.ie|access-date=20 June 2021}} and they reached number 55 in the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) and the top 40 in Ireland with the 1987 single "Town to Town".{{cite web|url = http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&placement%5Bartist%5D=microdisney | publisher = [Irish Recorded Music Association](/source/Irish_Recorded_Music_Association) | title = Singles Charts – Placement – Search – Microdisney |access-date = 23 June 2018 }}{{cite news |last1=Power |first1=Ed |title=Sean O'Hagan returns to 'cosmopolitan' Cork |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsfilmtv/sean-ohagan-returns-to-cosmopolitan-cork-453498.html |work=[The Irish Examiner](/source/The_Irish_Examiner) |date=28 June 2017}} This single, released by Virgin Records, was followed into the UK chart by "Gale Force Wind" in March 1988. That July, days after supporting [David Bowie](/source/David_Bowie) at London's Dominion Theatre, the band split up.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/04/how-i-fell-in-love-with-microdisney|title=How I fell in love with Microdisney | Pádraig Collins|date=4 February 2019|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=20 June 2021}} O'Hagan and Coughlan formed separate bands, [the High Llamas](/source/the_High_Llamas) and [the Fatima Mansions](/source/the_Fatima_Mansions), respectively, with Coughlan also going on to work with [Sean Hughes](/source/Sean_Hughes_(comedian)) in Bubonique{{Cite web|url=https://brandnewretro.ie/2012/04/26/sean-hughes-cathal-coughlan-fatima-masions-nme-may-1992/|title=Sean Hughes & Cathal Coughlan (Fatima Mansions), NME, May 1992|website=Brandnewretro.ie|access-date=20 June 2021}} and [Luke Haines](/source/Luke_Haines) as part of [The North Sea Scrolls](/source/The_North_Sea_Scrolls) project.{{Cite web|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/06785-north-sea-scrolls-cathal-coughlan-luke-haines-andrew-mueller|title=The Quietus | Features | A Quietus Interview | North Sea Scrolls: Coughlan, Haines, Mueller Present New History|website=Thequietus.com|access-date=20 June 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://louderthanwar.com/luke-haines-cathal-coughlan-and-andrew-mueller-the-north-sea-scrolls-album-review/|title=Luke Haines, Cathal Coughlan and Andrew Mueller: The North Sea Scrolls – album review|first=Ged|last=Babey|website=Louderthanwar.com|date=20 January 2013|access-date=20 June 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2.2117/north-sea-scrolls-1.1584469|title=North Sea Scrolls|first=Tony|last=Clayton-Lea|newspaper=[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times)|access-date=20 June 2021}} In 2017, a radio documentary was made about the band called ''Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – The Story of Microdisney'' by producer [Paul McDermott](/source/Paul_McDermott_(documentarian)), which was re-broadcast by Newstalk 106-108fm as part of their ''Documentary on Newstalk'' season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstalk.com/documentary-and-drama-on-newstalk/documentary-on-newstalk-iron-fist-in-velvet-glove-the-story-of-microdisney-506328|title=Documentary on Newstalk: Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisney|website=Newstalk.com|access-date=20 June 2021}} In 2018, Microdisney reunited for the first time in 30 years, performing live in Dublin and London.{{cite news |last1=Clayton-Lea |first1=Tony |title=Microdisney come full circle. Welcome back, you little rascals |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/microdisney-come-full-circle-welcome-back-you-little-rascals-1.3518500 |work=[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times) |date=3 June 2018}} In February 2019, they played their last shows in Dublin and Cork.{{cite web | title=Cathal Coughlan: 'Microdisney ran its course. Let's just leave it' | website=The Irish Times | date=2013-03-21 | url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/cathal-coughlan-microdisney-ran-its-course-let-s-just-leave-it-1.3786845 |last1=Clayton-Lea |first1=Tony}} The members of Microdisney were awarded an [IMRO](/source/Irish_Music_Rights_Organisation)/NCH Trailblazer Award, given to "culturally important" Irish albums (in this instance, for ''The Clock Comes Down the Stairs'') in 2018. A 2024 documentary, titled ''Microdisney: The Clock Comes Down the Stairs'' and focusing on the band's formation and career and reformation, was broadcast on BBC4 on 15 March 2024.{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001x9fs | publisher = BBC | title = BBC Four – Programmes – The Story of Microdisney: The Clock Comes Down the Stairs | accessdate = 7 March 2024 }} ==Discography== ===Albums=== '''Studio albums''' *''[Everybody Is Fantastic](/source/Everybody_Is_Fantastic)'' (1984) [UK Indie](/source/UK_Independent_Singles_and_Albums_Charts): 6 {{Cite web |title=Indie Hits "M" |url=http://cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/m.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006222230/http://cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/m.htm |archive-date=2008-10-06 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=cherryred.co.uk}} *''[The Clock Comes Down the Stairs](/source/The_Clock_Comes_Down_the_Stairs)'' (1985) [UK Indie](/source/UK_Independent_Singles_and_Albums_Charts): 1 *''[Crooked Mile](/source/Crooked_Mile_(album))'' (1987) *''[39 Minutes](/source/39_Minutes)'' (1988) '''Other albums''' *''[Kaught at the Kampus](/source/Kaught_at_the_Kampus)'' (1980) *''[We Hate You South African Bastards!](/source/We_Hate_You_South_African_Bastards!)'' (1984) [UK Indie](/source/UK_Independent_Singles_and_Albums_Charts): 7 *''[The Peel Sessions Album](/source/The_Peel_Sessions_Album_(Microdisney_album))'' (1989) *''Big Sleeping House'' (1995) *''Daunt Square to Elsewhere: 1982–1988'' (2007) ===Singles=== *''"Hello Rascals"'' (1982) *''"Pink Skinned Man"'' (1983) *''"Dolly"'' (1984) *''"In the World"'' EP (1985) [UK Indie](/source/UK_Independent_Singles_and_Albums_Charts): 7 *''"Birthday Girl"'' (1985) [UK Indie](/source/UK_Independent_Singles_and_Albums_Charts): 6 *''"Town to Town"'' (1987) [Ireland](/source/Irish_Singles_Chart): #30,{{cite web|url = http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=Microdisney | publisher = irishcharts.ie | title = The Irish charts - All there is to know - Microdisney | accessdate = 24 June 2025 }} [UK](/source/UK_Singles_Chart): #55 *''"Singer's Hampstead Home"'' (1987) *''"Gale Force Wind"'' (1988, [UK](/source/UK_singles_chart): #98) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Sources== * McDermott, Paul. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkW1Qad5Zwc&feature=emb_logo Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisney]". Audio documentary, [Newstalk](/source/Newstalk) / [University College Cork](/source/University_College_Cork), 2018 ==Further reading== * Mark. J. Prendergast (1987) ''Irish Rock: Roots, Personalities, Directions''. O'Brien Press. {{isbn|9780862781491}} * Mark McAvoy (2009) ''Cork Rock: From Rory Gallagher to the Sultans of Ping''. Mercier Press. {{ISBN|9781856356558}} ==External links== * [http://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/microdisney.html Microdisney entry in The Irish Punk & New Wave Discography] * [https://soundcloud.com/ucc98-3fm/iron-fist-in-velvet-glove-the-story-of-microdisney Microdisney documentary podcast] * {{discogs artist|Microdisney}} {{Microdisney}} {{Authority control}} Category:Cathal Coughlan (musician) Category:Irish rock music groups Category:Irish alternative rock groups Category:Musical groups from Cork (city) Category:Musical groups established in 1980 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2019 Category:1980 establishments in Ireland Category:2019 disestablishments in Ireland Category:Rough Trade Records artists Category:1980s in Irish music Category:2010s in Irish music --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Microdisney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdisney) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdisney?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.