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We all grew up listening to the Irish music scene of the 1960's and early 70's. The Wolf Tones, The Royal Showband, Dickie Rock and the Miami Showband and Johnny McEvoy just to name a few. These were all great showman with great songs. As much as the Beatles, Punk, and New Wave, these bands and singers were a big part of all of our collective youth.

The beginnings of the Ballymun Bootboys, can first be traced to the late seventies, when lead guitarist Johnny B formed the band, "The Young Generation".

This group lasted for about one year, racking up such prestigious gigs as, The Towers Cabaret and the Boot Inn. At one remarkable gig they were placed between the headlining Mr. Pussy and the Una Larkin Irish Dancers. The performance was a resounding success. They became the talk of Ballymun.

But this quick rise to stardom was dashed when the bands co-founder Leggy, who was 64 at the time, got a job in a battery factory. Doubts of selling out quickly ensued and the 13 year old band members were devestated when Leggy left the band.

John, shortly there after left for England, where he became a wretch living in London, off stolen goods. This self imposed exile from main street lasted many years. Feeling the call to rock or something, he returned to Dublin where he found a squat. He rented out the rooms, to the up and coming local bands. It was during this time because of a freak accident with a shrubbery that he changed his name to, "The Hedge". Many thought ,because of his wild ways that he was living on the edge, but it was really because he was living in a hedge, down the lane. Another guitarist in a local band, that used the rehersal rooms, liked the name and used it, but dropped the "H". For privacy's sake, they will remain annoymous.

The Larkin brothers moved from America to Ballymun in 1971 and quickly became aclimated to their new state of affairs. Jimmy was able to create, in short fashion, a crime empire through the clever ruse of working at Joe Winn's shoppo, while ripping off the store when ever possible. It became known in Ballymun, that if you wanted cadbury's extra large chocolate bars, cheap smokes or bangers, Jimmy the the man to see.

Lee at one point, because he was soft in the head, thought he was Howard Hughes but, eventually settled for a career in the Irish Army. He felt he had made the big time and found his calling. Fifteen pound a week was a fortune at the time, but this budding career was short-lived after the Army doctors discovered that Lee was mad and sent him packing.

With all these adventure larks under their respective belts, they all decided spontaneously, become to become, " gentlemen of leisure", and went on the dole. It was then that they turned to music, forming the band, "The Ballymun Four". Even though there were only three members they liked the name because it gave them room to maneuver.

Undaunted by their confusion, they continued their quest for rock stardom. Their first song entitled, "In my own Helicopter", was horrible and the second, "The ballad of old fashioned peanut butter", rotten! On a roll they continued with their song craft to almost present day.

The sound of the Ballymun Bootboys is best described as the outcome of a shag between the Undertones and the Wolf Tones. It's a tone thing. The groups goal has always been to try and write great pop tunes. A wee borrow from this or that group, and a little innovation and Bob's your uncle.

It is our commitment to our fans, to create the finest music, using the finest instruments, lifted from the finest music stores in Dublin.