Interview with Morty McCarthy: Drummer of legendary Cork band, Sultans of Ping FC
by Cormac McCarthy (Music Editor)
All glory might be fleeting, but it can leave one hell of a legacy. Few artists have managed to sustain such a potent following like Cork punk-rock band The Sultans of Ping FC. While they may have only released 3 albums over a five-year period in the mid 90s, their impact is such that they can still reform many times a year all over Ireland and the United Kingdom. Songs such as “Where’s me Jumper” and “Give Him a Ball and a Yard of Grass” still hold a huge place in our cultural zeitgeist to this day.
Having released their debut album “Casual Sex in the Cineplex” some thirty years ago, the Cork natives have decided to celebrate this anniversary with two nights in the Opera House in early February. With support from both up-and-coming rock groups as well as contemporaries of The Sultans themselves, it sure to be as pure a celebration of Cork rock music that could ever exist.
I was privileged enough to get an interview with Sultans of Ping legend and all-round gentleman, Morty McCarthy, last week. The band have all gone their separate ways with Morty currently living in Stockholm and the rest of them dotted around London.
He’s enthusiastic about the upcoming gigs, in particular the younger crowd that are taking a keen interest in their work. “The internet‘s been very kind to us. Back in 2005, pre-internet it would have been all the older crowd there. Various different shows like Young Offenders allow us to have a new audience. On The Ball podcast uses “Give em’ a ball” as their theme.”
Before being the resident drummer, Morty himself had a bit of experience working behind the scenes, as he was originally the manager of the band, having been a loyal fan before that. “I was in the college bar where it all started. Niall and Pat were doing a show, they had a sideline thing, an acoustic set called ‘Sexy Shop’ in the college bar. I was their manager at the time, so I was in the crowd. All the crowd were shouting for Sultans’ songs. I knew the songs pretty well and I was a drummer. I went up, did eight songs and people loved it. Niall just said to me after the show, ‘That’s it, you’re the drummer’. The other drummer had moved to Tibet, so they were looking for a replacement anyway.”
The Sultans’ live performance was a crucial part of the overall attraction, drawing Morty to the band in the first place. “I saw the band first in 1989 and I became a fan. I think they were almost too crazy though. They were young, all of the fans were young and there was a lot of drink involved.”
The flamboyance of Niall Flaherty’s stage presence was enjoyed by all fans at the time. “Niall was a star, you could see that from the beginning, Niall was a star in Cork when he was a kid. I can remember him 14,15 busking in Cork city. He was a character, he stood out even then. He still stands out, to this day.” After that, it was only upwards for the group. They played a showcase gig, Cork Rock, in June of ‘91 in the famous nightclub, Sir Henry’s. “They had 16 groups from different parts of Ireland for four days, of which 11 got record deals afterwards. They had The Cranberries, Therapy, The Frank and Walters. It was a great show.”
While there was a great reception in Ireland and Europe, the band also managed to gain a bit of success in Japan. There was even one fan who had seen them in the Phoenix Bar in 1989 while studying as a UCC student. Following that, he moved to Japan and happened to catch them again five years later while they were playing in Hiroshima. “Japan was fantastic, we did five tours there. For some reason, they really took to us there, they liked the pop element. We played absolutely everywhere.” I asked Morty if a reunion to Japan was on the cards? “I’m not sure, Japan is always about the new you know. Maybe there would be an interest.”
He disregards any notions about the band being purely a novelty band. “I never agreed with it and if you talk to our fans, I don’t think any of them would say that it’s their favourite song. Where’s Me Jumper was very quick. We started recording in Autumn ‘91 and Where’s Me Jumper was out in January ‘92. For the general public, that would be the song that’s most recognised. We didn’t really suffer from that too much in the UK, to be honest. We were a big college band. I think the whole album was a big deal rather than particularly Where’s Me Jumper”. I guess we were known more mainstream in Ireland. Larry Gogan played us on daytime radio. I think in Ireland everyone knew the song.”
Like any artist on such a whirlwind of fame, success can often be daunting, and it was no different for The Sultans. “We had lived in Cork all of our lives and suddenly moved to London. We had success in relative terms, nothing like U2 or anything, but we had independent chart hits. It was very new for us to deal with so there was definitely a strain. You have to remember, we were very young to deal with that kind of change in your life so quickly, I was 22, the rest were just 20.”
And what about the descent from said fame? “You do think you’re going to be there forever. We managed to get three albums out of it. Most bands don’t keep rising and rising generally, there’s a quick rise to the top and a slower fall to the bottom. That’s tough because you can see that coming where the audiences start to dwindle. It’s a bit like losing a hurling match with ten minutes to go. You know you’re not going to win but you still have to see out the game. It was a different band from the third album to the first. I think most bands, like Arctic Monkeys with their latest record, once you find a new audience you can progress artistically. You have to make the right steps. That's why I really like Fontaine’s [DC]. I think they’ve made the right step with each album each time. I remember at the time, with the third album, we weren’t playing Where’s Me Jumper or Stupid Kid, we had played them for too long. It’s different now where not promoting any new material so we can just enjoy ourselves.”
While they haven’t gigged in Cork since 2014, the excitement is palpable. “We’re thrilled to return to our hometown. We average around two gigs a year then see if we want to do another. We take it on a case-by-case basis. There’s no logic there really. Trying to coordinate a weekend that all of us are free is the only way.”
He still has a fondness for the band itself and loves the live performance. “I love it. I am a very organised person but the Sultans of Ping is definitely the most chaotic thing in my life, that’s never changed. With the band, I don’t know if dysfunctional is the word but we’re like a relationship where the couples don’t talk to each other about the relationship. They kind of keep stumbling along. It’s very spontaneous and I think the fans seem to really like that chaos.”
He is still heavily involved in the Irish music scene and enjoys seeing the new bands rise to the top. “I’m at shows, festivals all the time. I think last year was the best year for Irish music in years. I think Fontaine’s D.C. is absolutely fantastic. I saw them in Stockholm, and it was the best show I’ve seen in ten years. I saw The Murder Capital twice. We have a tradition of always having Cork bands play with us, whether it’s here or in the U.K. We played in Birmingham in October, and we had Big Boy Foolish with us.” The band’s contemporaries, A Cow In The Water from Blarney, will be supporting them in the Opera House.
Morty, like many artists of that era has a huge reverence for the nightclub Sir Henry’s, it being the venue where they got their big break. “It’s really sad when I come home because nothing has replaced the building, it was just knocked and left there. You’re talking about a venue that had a world reputation. It was considered one of the best dance clubs in the world. Any band that have played never forget it really. It’s a big loss to Cork. Cyprus Avenue is a great venue but I don’t think it will have the world reputation that Sir Henry’s will have.”
The Sultans of Ping play in the Opera House on the 10th and 11th of February. Tickets are still available for the Friday.
