Feargal Sharkey Explained

Feargal Sharkey
OBE
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Seán Feargal Sharkey
Birth Date:13 August 1958
Birth Place:Derry, Northern Ireland
Years Active:1975–1991 (as an active performer)
1992–present (within music management)
Label:Virgin Records
A&M Records (U.S.)
Zarjazz Records
Past Member Of:The Undertones, The Assembly
Associated Acts:The Undertones, The Assembly

Seán Feargal Sharkey (born 13 August 1958) is a singer from Northern Ireland. He was the lead vocalist of punk band The Undertones in the 1970s and 1980s and a solo artist in the 1980s and 1990s. His 1985 solo single "A Good Heart" was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands. After becoming less musically active in the early 1990s, he has performed various roles supporting the UK's commercial music industry, winning several awards and honours for his work in that area.

Sharkey is also a lifelong fly fisherman, has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers (particularly chalk streams), and is the Chairman of the Amwell Magna Fishery. He has become a figurehead for the campaign to prevent water companies dumping sewage into UK waterways and coasts.

Biography

The Undertones (1975–1983)

Sharkey, who was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, joined The Undertones shortly after their formation in 1975.[1] They had several UK hits, with songs such as "Teenage Kicks", "Here Comes The Summer", "My Perfect Cousin", "Wednesday Week" and "It's Going to Happen!". The band split in 1983 citing musical differences, with Sharkey pursuing a solo career and other members of the band forming That Petrol Emotion the following year.[2] [3]

The Assembly (1983)

Before his solo career took off, Sharkey was also the singer of the one-shot group The Assembly with ex-Yazoo and Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke (pre-Erasure). In 1983, their single "Never Never" was a No. 4 hit in the UK Singles Chart.

Solo career (1984–1991)

Sharkey's debut single was a collaboration with Madness member Cathal Smyth titled "Listen to Your Father". The single was released on Madness's label Zarjazz Records in 1984, reaching No. 23 in the UK chart. The track was performed on Top of the Pops with members of Madness.

Sharkey's solo work was significantly different to the post-punk offerings of The Undertones. His best-known solo material is the 1985 UK chart-topping single penned by Lone Justice frontwoman Maria McKee, "A Good Heart", which went to No. 1 in several countries including the UK in late 1985. He also had a UK Top 5 hit in 1986 with "You Little Thief". His eponymous debut album reached No. 12 in the UK Albums Chart.

Following on from his second album Wish in 1988, he achieved further success in 1991 with his UK Top 30 album Songs From The Mardi Gras, which produced the No. 12 hit single "I've Got News for You".

Music industry (1992–present)

Starting in the early 1990s Sharkey moved into the business side of the music industry, initially as A&R for Polydor Records, and then as managing director of EXP Ltd. He was appointed a member of the Radio Authority for five years from December 1998 to December 2003.

When the Undertones reunited in 1999, Sharkey was offered the opportunity to rejoin the group but turned down the offer.[4] His position as lead vocalist/frontman for the Undertones was taken by fellow Derry native Paul McLoone, who is also a radio presenter for the Irish national and independent radio station, Today FM.

Sharkey became chairman of the UK Government task force the 'Live Music Forum' in 2004, to evaluate the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on the performance of live music,[5] and gave public evidence before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee[6] on 11 November 2008.

In 2008, Sharkey was appointed as the CEO of British Music Rights, replacing Emma Pike.[7] In October 2008, he became head of UK Music,[8] an umbrella organisation representing the collective interests of the UK's commercial music industry. He has become prominent in criticising the use of Form 696 by the Metropolitan Police' requiring event promoters to provide data on performers and audiences.[9] Sharkey resigned from UK Music on 11 November 2011.[10]

In 2011, Sharkey made a one-off appearance in a set named Erasure + Special Guests, singing "Never Never". He stated that he had not sung live for 20 years and that Vince Clarke was the only person he would have returned for.[11]

Sharkey appeared on BBC Newcastle, interviewed by Simon Logan on the afternoon show on 7 August 2013. He spoke about his career and his decision to retire from the stage: "I've had an absolutely brilliant career... It's time to get off the stage and make room for [new artists]".

Awards and honours

In 2004, Sharkey was awarded the "Scott Piering Award", by the radio industry for "recognising achievement in the promotion of music and the understanding of the music industry to their colleagues in radio". He is the only member of the Radio Authority to have been honoured in this way by the radio industry.[12]

In 2006, he received the "Bottle Award" at the International Live Music Conference for "outstanding contribution to the live music industry".[13]

In 2008, Sharkey was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts, by the University of Hertfordshire in recognition of outstanding achievement in the field of music.[14]

In 2009, he entered The Guardians MediaGuardian 100, described as the "MediaGuardian's annual guide to the most powerful people in television, radio, newspapers, magazines, digital media, media business, advertising, marketing and PR", at number 56.[15]

In 2010, he appeared in Wireds The Wired 100, "Who are the people who shape the Wired world," at number 45.[16] The same year he received a Doctor of Letters honoris causa from the University of Ulster in recognition of his services to music.[17]

Sharkey was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to music.

Environmental campaigning

Sharkey is a lifelong fly fisherman and has campaigned against the pollution of British rivers (particularly chalk streams),[18] and the regulations of the water industry which affect British water resources.[19] He gave the keynote address at The Rivers Trust Autumn Conference 2018.[20]

On 30 August 2020, Sharkey appeared in episode 2 of the third series of to discuss the environmental pressures faced by Britain's chalk rivers, during a conversation beside the River Lea.[21] [22] He reappeared on episode 6 of the fifth series of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing on 14 October 2022, and discussed pollution in English rivers including the Thames and Wye.[23] He is Chairman of the Amwell Magna Fishery.[24]

He has subsequently become a figurehead for the campaign to prevent water companies dumping untreated sewage into UK waterways and coasts, appearing on television news coverage and gathering a large following on Twitter,[25] as well as supporting The Times campaign to "clean it up".[26]

Hobbies

Sharkey holds the amateur radio callsign G0OAN.[27]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
DetailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
UK
[28]
AUS
[29]
CAN
[30]
FIN
[31]
GER
[32]
NLD
[33]
NZ
[34]
SWE
[35]
SWI
[36]
US
[37]
Feargal Sharkey 12 7 17 13 29 6 16 11 75
Wish
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: Virgin
66 22
Songs from the Mardi Gras
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Virgin
27 41
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
UK
AUS
BEL
[40]
CAN
[41]
GER
IRE
[42]
ITA
[43]
NLD
NZ
SWI
US
[44]
"Listen to Your Father"198423 22 rowspan="2"
"Loving You"198526 97 23
"A Good Heart"1 1 1 4 4 1 17 2 3 3 74 Feargal Sharkey
"You Little Thief"5 4 9 30 3 10 38 27
"Someone to Somebody"198664 64 30
"It's All Over Now"
"More Love"198844 61 43 Wish
"Out of My System"45
"If This Is Love"
"I've Got News for You"199112 193 8 Songs from the Mardi Gras
"Women & I"86
"To Miss Someone"102
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Promotional singles

Title! scope="col"
YearAlbum
"Cry Like a Rainy Day"1991Songs from the Mardi Gras

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: bio--The-Undertones . uk.music.yahoo.com.
  2. Teenage Kicks: My Life as an Undertone p. 214
  3. Web site: My Life As An Undertone : Part Four . Michael Bradley . Theundertones.com . 16 June 2016.
  4. Web site: Feargal Sharkey: 'I will never sing on stage again' . https://web.archive.org/web/20130626073008/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturevideo/musicvideo/10141572/Feargal-Sharkey-I-will-never-sing-on-stage-again.html. dead. 26 June 2013. Telegraph.co.uk. 20 September 2020.
  5. News: Where I live – Berkshire. 1 December 2005. BBC.
  6. Web site: Parliament.uk . Parliament.uk . 28 April 2010 . 2011-11-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100227083907/http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/culture__media_and_sport.cfm . 27 February 2010.
  7. Web site: BMR appoints Feargal Sharkey and Andy Heath. 2008-09-24. British Copyright Council. British Copyright Council. United Kingdom. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725075933/http://www.britishcopyright.org/page.asp?site=main&pagetype=newsstory&id=34. 25 July 2011.
  8. Web site: UK Music Staff. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090129101845/http://ukmusic.org/page/staff. 29 January 2009.
  9. Web site: Sharkey Warns MPs on Policing of Concert Licensing. Billboard.biz. 11 November 2008. 2009-02-20. Paine. Andrew. 24 July 2012. https://archive.today/20120724004049/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003889459. dead.
  10. Web site: Feargal Sharkey stands down as chief of UK Music. The Guardian . 11 November 2011. 2011-11-17.
  11. Web site: ERASURE, YAZOO + THE ASSEMBLY Live at Short Circuit Presents Mute. Electricityclub.co.uk. 4 June 2011. 20 September 2020.
  12. Web site: Honours . The Radio Academy . 2011-11-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150901030000/http://www.radioacademy.org/about/honours/ . 1 September 2015 .
  13. Web site: Ilmc.com . Ilmc.com . 2011-11-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006153553/http://www.ilmc.com/arthurs_hall_of_fame.html . 6 October 2011.
  14. Web site: Ashton . Robert . Musicweek.com . Musicweek.com . 20 November 2008 . 2011-11-18.
  15. News: Feargal Sharkey. The Guardian . London. 13 July 2009. 2010-05-02.
  16. Web site: Wired.co.uk . Wired.co.uk . 19 July 2011 . 2011-11-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100411231838/http://www.wired.co.uk/wired-magazine/archive/2010/05/features/the-wired-100-positions-11-to-50.aspx . 11 April 2010.
  17. Web site: University of Ulster News Release – Honorary Degree for Music Innovator Feargal Sharkey . News.ulster.ac.uk . 2011-11-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120307214145/http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2010/5213.html . 7 March 2012.
  18. Web site: Feargal Sharkey's mission to save our chalk streams. Andrew. Anthony. 1 December 2018. 20 September 2020. Theguardian.com.
  19. News: Feargal Sharkey: 'The Cam is no longer a proper river'. 17 December 2020. Cambridge Independent. 26 November 2020.
  20. Web site: Feargal Sharkey demands immediate action to restore rivers back to sustainable flows during The Rivers Trust Autumn Conference 2018. 22 November 2018. The Rivers Trust. 20 September 2020.
  21. Web site: Paul didn't get his 'Teenage Kicks' . Bbc.co.uk.
  22. Web site: Bbc.co.uk . Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - Series 3: Episode 2 . en-GB . 2022-11-07.
  23. Web site: Bbc.co.uk. Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - Series 5: Episode 6 . en-GB . 2022-11-07.
  24. Web site: Here Comes The Summer: but are our waterways safe to be enjoyed recreationally?. UK Parliament. 19 April 2021. 21 May 2021.
  25. https://twitter.com/Feargal_Sharkey Feargal Sharkey
  26. News: Feargal Sharkey: Why I'm backing The Times Clean It Up campaign. Thetimes.co.uk. Sharkey . Feargal .
  27. Web site: Famous Hams and their Callsigns.
  28. Web site: Official Charts > Feargal Sharkey. The Official UK Charts Company. 2016-06-11.
  29. Australian chart peaks:
  30. Web site: Canadian Albums . RPM Magazine . 2016-06-11.
  31. Web site: Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1961 . Includes the hit: Records and artists on the Finnish music charts since 1961 . fi . Sisältää Hitin - Suomen listalevyt (Timo Pennanen) . 2016-07-14.
  32. German chart peaks:
  33. Web site: dutchcharts.nl > Feargal Sharkey in Dutch Charts. nl. Hung Medien. 2017-05-06.
  34. Web site: charts.nz > Feargal Sharkey in New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. 2017-05-06.
  35. Web site: swedishcharts.com > Feargal Sharkey in Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. 2017-05-06.
  36. Web site: hitparade.ch > Feargal Sharkey in der Schweizer Hitparade. de. Hung Medien. 2017-05-06.
  37. Billboard > Artists / Feargal Sharkey > Chart History > Billboard 200. Billboard. 2017-05-06.
  38. Web site: BPI Certification . . 2016-06-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151027024307/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx . 27 October 2015 .
  39. Web site: Canadian Certification . Music Canada. 2016-06-11.
  40. Web site: Belgian Singles . ultratop.be . 2016-06-11.
  41. Web site: Canadian Singles . RPM Magazine . 2016-06-11.
  42. Web site: The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for Feargal Sharkey (from irishcharts.ie). Imgur.com (original source published by Fireball Media). 2017-06-03.
  43. Web site: Italian Singles . hitparadeitalia.it . 2016-06-11.
  44. Billboard > Artists / Feargal Sharkey > Chart History > The Hot 100. Billboard. 2017-05-06.