The Sultans of Ping

The Sultans Of Ping FC are an Irish band formed in 1988 by Niall O'Flaherty, Pat O'Connell, Paul Fennelly and Ger Lyons. It was not until another couple of line up changes later that the band came to the attention of the music press, when the song "Where's Me Jumper" was released. This was an energetic punk song about Karl Marx, eating mushrooms, filling one's nostrils up with gravy and losing one's jumper whilst on a night out at the local discotheque.

After another couple of independently released singles, the band signed to Epic Records, through a deal organised by Rhythm King Records's Martin Heath.

With Epic, the band released their debut album Casual Sex In The Cineplex, and its follow up Teenage Drug. By this time The Sultans Of Ping were becoming popular in Japan, with many tracks gaining release in that market only. The latter album was called Teenage Planet Sexy War in Japan, and included the single "Michiko".

Controversery

After dropping both the FC and the Ping from the band's name, The Sultans returned in 1996, with their third album Good Year For Trouble. However, the album cover's artwork caused problems, as major record chains like HMV and Virgin decided that the display of bondage and S&M was too explicit. By this time, Rhythm King had been absorbed into Arista Records, as Martin Heath became the head of the department. However, the record label no longer wanted to be associated with the band, and released them from their contract.

Reformation

Following a split 1996, McCarthy joined the band Pharmacy, O'Flaherty was involved in producing the Japanese girl band Mika Bomb, while McFeely joined the band Sister, with former members of The Young Offenders.

The band reformed as The Sultans of Ping in 2005, and played a number of gigs with Jim Bob, from the band Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine. In 2006, the group played a show with Radio 2's Mark Radcliffe, and his band The Family Mahone, as part of Manchester's yearly Irish Festival.

Band Members

• Niall O'Flaherty - vocals
• Pat O'Connell - guitar
• Paul Fennelly - bass (until 1990)
• John McAuliffe - bass (until 1991)
• Alan McFeely - bass (1991 - 1996)
• Ian Olney - bass (2005 - )
• Morty McCarthy - drums (from 1991)
• Ger Lyons - drums (until 1991)
• Sammy Stieger - guitar (from 1995)

Singles

as The Sultans Of Ping FC:

• "Confessions of a Sellafield Sex Guru" EP featuring "Stupid Kid" / "Riot at the Sheepdog Trials" / "Eamon Andrews"
• "Where's Me Jumper" (Divine Records ATHY 01 - Feb 92) #67 (UK Singles Chart)
• "Stupid Kid" (Divine Records ATHY 02 - May 92) #67 (UK Singles Chart)
• "Veronica" (Divine Records ATHY 03 - Oct 92) #69 (UK Singles Chart)

as The Sultans Of Ping:

• "You Talk Too Much" (Rhythm King Records - Jan 93) #26 (UK Singles Chart)
• "Teenage Punks" (Epic Records - Sep 93 ) #49 (UK Singles Chart)
• "Michiko" (Epic Records - Oct 93 ) #43 (UK Singles Chart)
• "Japanese Girls" (Sony Japan - 1993)
• "Wake Up And Scratch Me" (Epic Records - Feb 94) #94 (UK Singles Chart)
• "Miracle Michiko" EP (Japan only release - 1994)

as The Sultans:

• "Mescaline" (1996) #21 (UK Independent Chart)

Albums

as The Sultans Of Ping FC:

• Casual Sex In The Cineplex (Rhythm King Records - Feb 93) #26 (UK Albums Chart)

as The Sultans Of Ping:

• Teenage Drug (Epic Records - Mar 94) #57 (UK Albums Chart)

as The Sultans:

• Good Year For Trouble (Arista Records - June 1996)

Trivia

The band's name is a play on the Dire Straits song Sultans Of Swing.

External links

• Originals Sultans website
• The Sultans Of Ping
• Sultans Of Ping entry in The Irish Punk & New Wave Discography