Butterfly Child Explained

Butterfly Child
Origin:Belfast, Northern Ireland
Genre:Indie Pop
Years Active:1984 - 2021
Associated Acts:A.R. Kane, The Webb Brothers, Assassins
Past Members:
  • Joe Cassidy (deceased)
  • Andrew "Pendle" Poucher
  • Richie Thomas
  • James Harris
  • Michael Paisley
  • Willy Sharpe
  • Tony McKeown
  • Merritt Lear

Butterfly Child was a Northern Irish group led by the singer/songwriter Joe Cassidy, based in Chicago, Illinois. Described as "purveyors of shimmering, oceanic rock",[1] the band has released three full-length albums and numerous singles/EPs.

History

Butterfly Child was formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1984.

After playing shows throughout Ireland, Butterfly Child released an EP, Toothfairy, on A.R. Kane's H.ark! label in 1991.[2] Remarkable in its "frazzled, cracked fragility", the EP caught the ear of the legendary BBC DJ John Peel, who invited the band to record its first Peel Session on 12 January 1992 at Maida Vale Studios.[3] A second EP, Eucalyptus, was released the same year.[4]

The band signed to Rough Trade Records in 1993 where it released the Ghetto Speak EP and the first full-length album, Onomatopoeia. In November 1993, Butterfly Child returned to Maida Vale for a second Peel Session. Broadcast in January 1994, the session includeded two songs that later appeared on the second album.

Work began on The Honeymoon Suite in summer 1994 with the intention to release it that autumn, but its release was delayed because of disagreements with the record company over the running order and content. After protracted discussions, it was finally released as originally intended by Dedicated Records in 1995.[5]

Frustrated by the experience, Cassidy moved to Chicago[6] in 1997 to begin work on a third album.[7] Soft Explosives was released in late 1998 by HitIt! Recordings, a Chicago label that had handled the US releases of the first two albums.[8]

Following a lengthy break, Butterfly Child released "No Longer Living In Your Shadow" as a 7" single on Dell'Orso Records in 2012.

On 15 July 2021, Cassidy died of heart problems and sepsis after falling ill earlier in the month.[9] He was 51.[10]

Discography

Albums[11]
Title Format Label Year
Onomatopoeia LP/CD1993
The Honeymoon Suite CD/cassette1995
Soft Explosives CDHitIt! 1998
Futures LP/CDDell'Orso 2015[12]
Singles/EPs
Title Format Label Year
Toothfairy EP 12" H.ark! 1991
Eucalyptus EP 12"/CD H.ark! 1992
Juice 7" 1992
Ghetto Speak EP 12"/CD Rough Trade Records 1993
Beaujolais EP 10"/CD 1994
Flaming Burlesque 10"/CD Dedicated 1995
No Longer Living In Your Shadow 7" Dell'Orso 2012

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Young, Rob. Rough Trade: Labels Unlimited. Black Dog Publishing. 2006. 1904772471. 133.
  2. Butterfly Child. Stubbs. David. September 1991. Melody Maker.
  3. Web site: Keeping It Peel.
  4. Book: Strong, Martin. The Great Indie Discography. Canongate Books. 2003. 1841953350. 467.
  5. News: Suite for my sweet. McKay. Neil. 10 March 1996. Sunday Life.
  6. Book: Rob Young. Rough Trade. 2006. Black Dog Publishing. 978-1-904772-47-7. 167– . Google Books.
  7. Butterfly Child in Bloom. Gershman. Gil. December 1998. Magnet.
  8. News: Soft Explosives. McGonigal. Mike. September 1998. Spin.
  9. News: Bailie . Stuart . Remembering Joe Cassidy . The Belfast Telegraph . 24 July 2021 . 26 October 2023.
  10. News: Mourning Joe Cassidy of Butterfly Child . Steve Krakow . Chicago Reader . 29 July 2021 . 26 October 2023.
  11. Web site: Butterfly Child. Discogs. 7 May 2015.
  12. Web site: Butterfly Child returns with new track "Lost In These Machines" . 4 September 2015 . Line of best Fit . Laurence Day . 26 October 2023.