What’s in a name?
Stockton’s Wing frontman Mike Hanrahan explains that the inspiration for the name, Stockton’s Wing, came from a line in Bruce Springsteen’s song Backstreet:
Slow dancin’ in the dark on the beach at Stockton’s Wing
The band tried to create a rich history for the origin of the name but nothing stuck.
“It was just the wing of a hotel in Stockton in America. At one stage we were telling people it was Cú Chulainn’s other dog called Stockton’s Wing, but we couldn’t keep it together. You’d throw it out for a bit of craic you know.”
People often ask me where I’m from and I say I’m from Ireland and Ireland is Co Clare
The band originated in Ennis, Co Clare, and most of the lads were from Clare and Tommy was from Limerick. Nowadays, members are spread across the island of Ireland. Mike is a proud Clare man living in Dublin and always will be.
“People often ask me where I’m from and I say I’m from Ireland and Ireland is Co Clare. It’s the home of everything down there.
“I sometimes play Ralph McTell’s song From Clare to Here. I usually introduce it as, ‘The song from the home of everything and from the home of hurling’. That usually gets people up, but it’s all a bit of craic really.”
Change
In the music industry, it is not uncommon to see bands go through transitions of change as members come and go. Stockton’s Wing is no exception in this, with Mike himself joining after the band’s singer left in 1979.
Stockton's Wing originated in Ennis, Co Clare where most of the original members hailed from.
“We’re a transient band. People come and go, but the music never really changes. Whoever joined us, and there’s been numerous amazing musicians we’ve met along the way, they all tap into the energy of Stockton’s Wing.”
Mike, along with Paul Roche are the last two standing. “We’ve maintained that fusion of good characters just getting on with it.”
The charts
Mike recorded Stockton’s Wing’s second album with them in 1980. In 1981, the band recorded Mike’s song Beautiful Affair which was a huge hit.
“That was really the turning point for the band. We were charting so we got the exposure we need and it changed almost overnight. The gigs were getting bigger, the demand was bigger and that was our first jump on the wagon.”
To have your first song in the charts was amazing
Beautiful Affair went into the charts, ranking in around 12th position. Mike remembers well the first time the band heard it played by the late Larry Gogan.
“We were actually sitting around waiting. You were told on the Wednesday of the week that you had charted and Larry played the songs on the Sunday. To have your first song in the charts was amazing. It stayed in the charts for weeks, it seemed like forever.”
Following charting in Ireland, the late Terry Wogan started to play the song on his show in London, because of this exposure they played plenty of gigs in the UK.
Venues
Not all venues are created equal though; some venues have that magic feeling that makes them stand out.
“There was a great old venue in Dublin called ‘The Meeting Place’ and it was just magic, all over the world you’ll find these places.
Mike Hanrahan joined Stockton's Wing in 1979.
“There’s something in the walls, the energy is in them. Whether it’s past musicians or whatever but some places have that magic energy that when you play the music, the music goes into all the cracks and crevices in the walls.”
Another memorable venue was First Avenue Nightclub in Minneapolis, owned by none other than Prince. The same place where he recorded Purple Rain.
We played and suddenly it was like we had found a new family
“I always remember that gig, because I’d say we were the first Irish band to play in this venue, because they were looking at us with the banjos, and fiddles, thinking, ‘Jesus what’s going on here?’
“We played and suddenly it was like we had found a new family, and we played there quite a few times.”
Mike has learnt so much from those in the industry and notes that the support they received early on was very important. Outside of the band, Mike has toured with numerous people, but two stand out. Finbar Furey is an example of one such mentor and friend.
“He always stood up before a show and said, ‘Let’s go out there and tell them who we are’. I’ve never forgotten that. You can spend the first 20 minutes being nervous on the stage and you’re losing 20 minutes of possible magic. You just get rid of all those nerves and say this is who I am.”
I miss him every day
Ronnie Drew was also a great friend and teacher to Mike.
“I miss him every day. When you spend every day for 10 years solid in the company of one person mainly in the car travelling around or in dressing rooms at gigs. You develop a really close bound and friendship.
“I always say to people Ronnie was like my dad, like my brother and like my son. They are very special people to have in your life.”
Read more
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What’s in a name?
Stockton’s Wing frontman Mike Hanrahan explains that the inspiration for the name, Stockton’s Wing, came from a line in Bruce Springsteen’s song Backstreet:
Slow dancin’ in the dark on the beach at Stockton’s Wing
The band tried to create a rich history for the origin of the name but nothing stuck.
“It was just the wing of a hotel in Stockton in America. At one stage we were telling people it was Cú Chulainn’s other dog called Stockton’s Wing, but we couldn’t keep it together. You’d throw it out for a bit of craic you know.”
People often ask me where I’m from and I say I’m from Ireland and Ireland is Co Clare
The band originated in Ennis, Co Clare, and most of the lads were from Clare and Tommy was from Limerick. Nowadays, members are spread across the island of Ireland. Mike is a proud Clare man living in Dublin and always will be.
“People often ask me where I’m from and I say I’m from Ireland and Ireland is Co Clare. It’s the home of everything down there.
“I sometimes play Ralph McTell’s song From Clare to Here. I usually introduce it as, ‘The song from the home of everything and from the home of hurling’. That usually gets people up, but it’s all a bit of craic really.”
Change
In the music industry, it is not uncommon to see bands go through transitions of change as members come and go. Stockton’s Wing is no exception in this, with Mike himself joining after the band’s singer left in 1979.
Stockton's Wing originated in Ennis, Co Clare where most of the original members hailed from.
“We’re a transient band. People come and go, but the music never really changes. Whoever joined us, and there’s been numerous amazing musicians we’ve met along the way, they all tap into the energy of Stockton’s Wing.”
Mike, along with Paul Roche are the last two standing. “We’ve maintained that fusion of good characters just getting on with it.”
The charts
Mike recorded Stockton’s Wing’s second album with them in 1980. In 1981, the band recorded Mike’s song Beautiful Affair which was a huge hit.
“That was really the turning point for the band. We were charting so we got the exposure we need and it changed almost overnight. The gigs were getting bigger, the demand was bigger and that was our first jump on the wagon.”
To have your first song in the charts was amazing
Beautiful Affair went into the charts, ranking in around 12th position. Mike remembers well the first time the band heard it played by the late Larry Gogan.
“We were actually sitting around waiting. You were told on the Wednesday of the week that you had charted and Larry played the songs on the Sunday. To have your first song in the charts was amazing. It stayed in the charts for weeks, it seemed like forever.”
Following charting in Ireland, the late Terry Wogan started to play the song on his show in London, because of this exposure they played plenty of gigs in the UK.
Venues
Not all venues are created equal though; some venues have that magic feeling that makes them stand out.
“There was a great old venue in Dublin called ‘The Meeting Place’ and it was just magic, all over the world you’ll find these places.
Mike Hanrahan joined Stockton's Wing in 1979.
“There’s something in the walls, the energy is in them. Whether it’s past musicians or whatever but some places have that magic energy that when you play the music, the music goes into all the cracks and crevices in the walls.”
Another memorable venue was First Avenue Nightclub in Minneapolis, owned by none other than Prince. The same place where he recorded Purple Rain.
We played and suddenly it was like we had found a new family
“I always remember that gig, because I’d say we were the first Irish band to play in this venue, because they were looking at us with the banjos, and fiddles, thinking, ‘Jesus what’s going on here?’
“We played and suddenly it was like we had found a new family, and we played there quite a few times.”
Mike has learnt so much from those in the industry and notes that the support they received early on was very important. Outside of the band, Mike has toured with numerous people, but two stand out. Finbar Furey is an example of one such mentor and friend.
“He always stood up before a show and said, ‘Let’s go out there and tell them who we are’. I’ve never forgotten that. You can spend the first 20 minutes being nervous on the stage and you’re losing 20 minutes of possible magic. You just get rid of all those nerves and say this is who I am.”
I miss him every day
Ronnie Drew was also a great friend and teacher to Mike.
“I miss him every day. When you spend every day for 10 years solid in the company of one person mainly in the car travelling around or in dressing rooms at gigs. You develop a really close bound and friendship.
“I always say to people Ronnie was like my dad, like my brother and like my son. They are very special people to have in your life.”
Read more
The Riptide Movement: plastic free and going vinyl
Born in Connemara: Ten Ton Slug
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