Mama's Boys

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Mama’s Boys were a rock band from County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The group was started in 1978 by the McManus brothers: Pat (guitar and fiddle), John (bass and vocals), and Tommy (drums). They began as traditional Irish musicians but were inspired by Horslips and moved into hard rock and metal.

They first played under the name Pulse, then became Mama’s Boys after Barry Devlin of Horslips saw them rehearse and got them a support slot for Horslips’ 1979 tour. They didn’t stick to Celtic fusion, but kept Pat’s fiddle occasional and focused on a harder rock sound.

Their first self-funded album, Official Album (re-released in 1981 as Official Bootleg), came out in 1980. In 1981 they supported Hawkwind on a UK tour. Their second album, Plug It In, was released in 1982 and included the Ireland hit “Needle in the Groove.” The third album, Turn It Up, appeared in 1983. That year they toured with Thin Lizzy, played Reading Festival, and signed with Jive Records.

One of their singles from the Jive era was a cover of Slade’s “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” which reached the US charts and got airplay on MTV. The band toured the United States in 1984. Their 1985 album Power and Passion did well, but Tommy had a relapse of leukemia during the European tour, so a temporary drummer, Jimmy DeGrasso, joined for that stretch. Tommy rejoined in Ireland but soon relapsed again.

In 1987 they brought in Keith Murrell as a vocalist, replacing Rick Chase, and released Growing Up The Hard Way. Murrell left in 1988, and Connor McKeon briefly filled in before Mike Wilson joined in 1990. The band moved its base to the UK in 1990, released a live album Live Tonite in 1991, and followed with Relativity in 1992.

While touring Italy in 1993, Tommy became ill again and the tour was canceled. In 1994 he died after a bone marrow transplant, and Mama’s Boys stopped performing.

After the band ended, John and Pat formed Celtus, returning to traditional Irish music. Pat later played with Indian, the Painkillers, and then formed the Pat McManus Band. The band released Tattooed in Blue in 2018 and Rewind in 2019, with live shows in Europe.