NEWRY, CO. DOWN

1988 -

OVERVIEW The Four Of Us has been one of Ireland's favorite rock-pop groups since its formation in Newry in 1988. The early lineup of the group included the three Murphy brothers - Brendan [Vocals & Guitar], Declan [Guitar & Bass Guitar], Paul [Piano & Keyboards]. The brothers had spent their Summers busking in the south of France. The final member of that original lineup was drummer Peter McKinney who had previously played with Katmandu and The Fountainhead. Since then the band has gone through several lineup changes with Brendan and Declan being only surviving elements. The band launched its recording career with the single 'I Just Can't Get Enough'. However, it was with the release of their third single, 'Mary' that The Four Of Us really announced its arrival on the scene. The single reached the Irish Top 10 and has remained a national favourite ever since. The band's debut album, 'Songs For The Tempted' topped the chart upon its release and was later named 'Album Of The Year'. The band's next album, 'Man Alive' was released in 1993. During this period, the band earned some chart success in the UK. The album peaked at No. 64. However, the single 'She Hits Me' did even better, reaching No. 35. The band then went through a rocky patch. They decided to scrap the release of their next album. While the recording of 'Amplifier' was completed in 1994 and two singles released - 'Change' and 'Someone's Got To Lose' - the album was not released. The album was later made available as a free download from the band's website. Since then, the band has been less successful commercially. However, the quality of The Four Of Us' output has remained strong. The single 'Sunlight' [2003] was voted fourth in a poll to find the best Irish single ever on Today FM. In 2009, the band released its first live album 'Live At Vicar Street'. The following year, Brendan released his debut solo album 'Walk With Me'. In late 2016, the band released the album 'Sugar Island'. Named after a place in the band's home town of Newry, the album is a very personal one and paints a vivid pastiche of what it was like growing up in Northern Ireland in the 1970s. 1988 - Band formed - Release of 'I Just Can't Get Enough' single 1989 - Release of 'Drag My Bad Name Down' single [March] - The 4 Of Us appear as part of the '7 Bands On The Up' series. These concerts took place over a weekend in the SFX in Dublin as a showcase of up and coming Irish talent. The series was subsequently broadcast on RTE and 2FM. [May] - Release of 'Mary' single [June] - Release of 'Washington Down / Possessed' [November] - Release of 'Songs For The Tempted' album 1990 - Release of 'Drag My Bad Name Down [Remix]' single [March] - Release of 'Mary [Remix]' single [May] 1991 - Release of '4 Track' EP [01 October] 1992 - Release of 'Man Alive' EP [September] - Release of 'Man Alive' album [01 September] 1993 - Release of 'She Hits Me' single [February] - Release of 'I Miss You' single [March] 1997 - Release of 'Change' single [March] - Release of 'Someone's Got To Lose' single [September] 1999 - Release of 'Maybe It's You' single [10 April] - Release of 'Change' single [03 July] - Release of 'Classified Personal' album 2000 - Release of 'Volatile' single [04 February] - Release of 'Mary [Super AD Remix]' single [August] - Release of 'Off The Record' album 2002 - Release of 'Sunlight' single [October] 2003 - Release of 'Voice On The Radio' single [April] - Release of 'U Make Me Feel' single [July] 2004 - Release of 'Heaven And Earth' album 2006 - Release of 'What's To Come' single [September] - Release of 'Fingerprints' album [29 September] - Release of 'Blue' single [November] 2007 - Release of 'Wildflower' single [January] 2009 - Release of 'Live At Vicar Street' album [12 April] 2011 - Release of 'Amplifier' album as a free download from the band's website 2012 - The 4 Of Us perform as part of the Inspirations gig in aid of Barretstown [30 March] 2016 - Reelase of 'Sugar Island' album [28 November]