As The Undertones celebrate 50 years together with a major UK and European tour, drummer Billy Doherty tells Liza-Lou Campy why every show still feels new, why mistakes are part of the fun and why he still feels ‘very privileged’ to be part of the band.
You’re heading out on tour to celebrate 50 years in music. Does the anniversary change how you approach the shows?
No, not at all. For me, every show that I do with the band is a brand-new show. The enthusiasm, the passion and the conviction that I had in 1970 are still exactly the same now. I think that applies to all the guys in the band. We don’t take it lightly. We don’t go up there and go, ‘Oh my God, not ‘Teenage Kicks’ again’ or ‘Jimmy Jimmy’ or ‘My Perfect Cousin’. We don’t have that attitude. We’re just very lucky that people like us.
When you started out, did you realise how far it could go?
Probably like any other band starting out, we were just into music. We wanted to form a band and make music. But you need to learn to play your instruments, so for us it was really important that there was nothing more important than being in a band and trying to play the best you could. For maybe a year, if not longer, we basically just rehearsed, rehearsed, rehearsed until we felt confident enough to go out and play live. We took what we did very seriously. I didn’t do it to become rich or famous. I just wanted to be in a band with my pals, doing songs that we all liked.
After five decades, do you still notice what the others are doing on stage?
Absolutely. I think John is more nervous in the later years. Damien is very confident, Paul just gets on with it, and Michael is like the compere for the band. If I can see John enjoying himself, I feed off him. If John’s struggling, I sense that as well. But I have to consider myself when I’m on stage. I have to do the best I can and try not to make a mistake. And I make loads of mistakes, by the way.
What’s one that sticks in your mind?
We were doing ‘Wednesday Week’ and I counted the song in at completely the wrong tempo. Michael turns to me and goes, ‘What are you doing?’ I tried to deflect the blame onto Damien, but it was never Damien’s fault – it was mine! We did it a second time and I got it wrong again. Third time, I got it wrong as well. So Mikey turns to me and says, ‘F*** this, let’s do ‘Here Comes the Summer’’Then there was ‘Family Entertainment’, where John forgot the guitar riff. Rather than be discreet about it, Michael went over to the microphone in front of a packed venue and went, ‘John, it goes like this…’ and played the riff into the microphone. We all still make mistakes. But there could be worse things in life.
So what keeps you wanting to get back on stage?
I never really got nervous. We could be sitting backstage thinking, ‘I want to be back home,’ and then the minute we walk on stage, something happens. I don’t know what it is, but we just burst into this thing. Any time I do a show, I want to make it as good as I can. My job in the band back in 1970 was exactly the same as it is now. Don’t take it lightly. Don’t take it for granted.
And will you keep going after the 50th anniversary?
We actually turn down more shows than we’re offered. We could probably tour a lot more, but we don’t really need to do it. We don’t depend on it for a living because our day has come and gone. We’re grateful that we can still do it and we’re lucky in many respects that we can pick and choose. For me, if it’s finished tomorrow, that’s fine. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. But I don’t take it for granted. I really feel very privileged and honoured and proud to be with the guys in the band. I really treasure that. I’m very, very happy.
The Undertones head to The Fire Station, Sunderland, on Thursday 22nd October. Tickets, priced from £38.00 in advance, are available at thefirestation.org.uk.
