The Moondogs (1976-1980)

The Moondogs (not to by confused with the Irish band with the same name) were formed in 19876 Ian Irvine (guitars, vocals, later English, Z Victor 1), Patrick Colohan (guitars, vocals, later English, Z Victor 1, X-Deceptive, In Cahouts), Dave Gough (bass, vocals, later English, Z Victor 1) and Steve Plumber (drums), later replaced by Tony Dolman (later English, Z Victor 1, Lawnmower).
The band played mainly Chuck Berry and Gene Vincent cover versions and were chiefly influenced by the early Beatles (of the Hamburg era).

Ian Irvine about the band:
‘The Moondogs were formed in 1976. Their first gig was the Hope St. Fringe Festival in the summer of ’77. […] The Moondogs were given an unprecedented eight gigs at the new Eric’s club in Matthew St., after Roger Eagle heard them rehearsing in a warehouse known as the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream & [Pun], run by local poet Pete O’Halligan. They supported such local bands as the Darts, the Pirates and Billy Boy Arnold. Steve Plumber later left the Moondogs and was replaced by a young ‘teddy boy’ from Crosby called Tony Dolman. With Tony on drums they cut a single financed by Roger Eagle / Erics on their own ‘Moondog’ label, released in 1979 and produced by ex- Deaf School drummer Tim Whittaker. It was a pleasant enough ditty, but sounded weedy in comparison to the band live. The band had so many relatives, tat the single did reasonably well!!
There was also a gig at Erics filmed for TV, which was a support for Alexis Korner who was the main subject of the programme.’ (Ian Irvine, 1987)

'They looked like Hamburg period Beatles and were the only ’77 band to have the bottle to be really different.'
(form Liverpool Cult Classics Unearthed, Volume 2)



Heads I Win (1979)
- Heads I Win
- Two’s a Crowd



In 1980 the Moondogs became the English.

moondogs