'We'll let you know when we are ready to party': Pillar of live music scene forced off road as founder reveals heart condition - hours before bandmate's wife passes in double blow for classic Ulster punk
One of the staples of Northern Ireland’s live music scene has cancelled all upcoming gigs for the rest of the year after its founder was diagnosed with a serious heart condition.
Ian ‘Buck’ Murdock’s medical status, which he has stated requires surgery, is forcing his hard-touring band Doghouse Ska off the road. The group has pledged to return to the stage, defiantly stating: “We’ll let you know when we are ready to party.”
Formerly of 1980s band the Defects, Ian publicly revealed his diagnosis on Tuesday evening – but this week proved to be a double-blow for the world of classic Ulster punk, as just hours later Ian’s bandmate in reunited 1970s first-wavers the Outcasts, singer Greg Cowan, announced his wife Yvonne had passed.
Tributes have been paid to Yvonne, a lifelong face at live music gigs, and a crowdfunder has been set up in her memory aiming to raise £5,000 for hospice charity Marie Curie.
Revealing funeral details in a social media post today, Greg stated: “Dress glam – only wear black if it really suits you.”
The province’s arts scene has paid tribute to Yvonne, with author Colin Bateman stating on social media he was “very sorry to hear” of her passing while broadcaster and DJ Joe Lindsay stated she was “one of the most beautiful souls I’ve ever met, a truly wonderful person”.
The Outcasts were among the initial wave of Belfast punks, their 1978 single ‘Justa Nother Teenage Rebel’ becoming the third release on Terri Hooley’s famous record label Good Vibrations – the label’s next 7” being ‘Teenage Kicks’ by the Undertones.
Their 1979 song ‘Self Conscious Over You’ remains one of the anthems of Northern Irish punk; splitting up in 1985, they’ve reunited over the last 15 years and in 2022 were joined on guitar by Ian Murdock.
In the 21st century Ian had formed nine-piece ska and punk covers band Doghouse Ska, who rapidly became pillars of the live music scene and at the end of last month played a triumphant set at Belfast’s Limelight.
Revealing his condition, Ian stated “life is catching up on all of us”, while the nine-piece band said they are “sending positive vibes and energy to our founder”.