TERRI HOOLEYTHE MAN, THE GODFATHER OF PUNK, THE LEGEND

Terri Hooley, a music fan who risked his life by opening a record shop in 1970s Belfast during the Troubles.

During the hight of the troubles, Terri Hooley had a different response to the violence:

“I decided: Right, if they’re gonna kill me, I’m going to do something I really want to do, I’m going to set up a record shop.”

So, in 1976, he opened ‘Good Vibrations’ on Great Victoria Street in Belfast, at that time considered to be the most bombed quarter mile in Europe. The area had been so badly impacted by the ongoing violence that the shop’s landlord let Terri have the first six months of the tenancy for free.

Good Vibrations quickly became a hub for local music enthusiasts. It was here that Hooley began to champion local bands, particularly those in the emerging punk rock scene, and started to produce and release their music on his newly-formed record label of the same name.

Good Vibrations quickly gained a reputation for releasing high-energy and politically-charged punk rock music, with the label’s first release being the 1978 single “Big Time” by Rudi. This was followed by a string of successful releases from other Belfast punk bands, including The Undertones, The Outcasts, and Stiff Little Fingers.

Despite the ongoing violence and political turmoil in Northern Ireland, Hooley remained committed to promoting and supporting local music, even organizing a punk rock concert in the heart of Belfast city centre during the height of the Troubles. Hooley’s passion for music and his willingness to take risks in promoting local talent earned him a reputation as a maverick and a rebel, and he became a beloved figure in the Northern Irish music scene. However, the financial pressures of running an independent record label eventually caught up with him, and he was forced to close Good Vibrations in 1983.

In the years since, Hooley has continued to be involved in the music industry, running a record store and occasional record label, and helping to organize music festivals and events. He was the subject of the 2012 film “Good Vibrations”, which told the story of his life and work in promoting punk rock music in Belfast during the Troubles.

Today, Terri Hooley is remembered as a pioneering figure in Northern Irish music, whose passion for music and commitment to promoting local talent helped to shape the sound of punk rock in Belfast

Rudi

Formed in 1975, Rudi started as a covers band playing rock ‘n’ roll and glam rock hits, with original members Drew Brown, Leigh Carson, Graham “Grimmy” Marshall, Ronnie Matthews, and Brian Young.

In January 1978, Terri Hooley saw them perform at The Pound Club in Belfast and was so impressed that he decided to launch his record label.

“Rudi took to the stage and they blew my mind. From the moment the first chords were played I was completely in love with them - hook, line and sinker.”(Terri Hooley, Good Vibrations)

Rudi’s debut release was the “Big Time” single, which was the first record on Hooley’s Good Vibrations label and was released in May 1978.

The Outcasts

O’Neill, Michael Bradley, and Billy Doherty from 1975 to 1983.

The band recorded their debut EP, “Teenage Kicks,” on 15 June 1978 with a budget of only £200, engineered by Davy Shannon at Wizard Studios, Belfast, and released on Good Vibrations, a record label in Belfast. The EP’s title song became a hit, receiving support from John Peel, who considered it his all-time favourite song and maintained this opinion until his passing in 2004.

The Outcasts, a punk rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977 with a line-up including Blair Hamilton, Greg Cowan, Colin “Getty” Getgood, Colin Cowan, and Martin Cowan. After building a strong local following, they were picked up by the It record label, which released the band’s debut single “Frustration” in May 1978. Their success led them to be signed by Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label, which released “Just Another Teenage Rebel” in November 1978, earning the band airplay on national radio, including from the legendary John Peel. The Outcasts’ energetic sound and passion for punk rock continue to inspire fans all around the world.