The Wormholes (originally Wormhole) were one of this country's greatest-ever bands. Hailing from the same dockside suburb that spawned The Blades, the Ringsend trio were sporadically active until drummer and vocalist Dave Carroll died of cancer in 2019.
Graham Blackmore and twin brothers Dave and Anthony Carroll participated in a vibrant Dublin scene in the early 1990s alongside Jubilee Allstars, Pet Lamb, Mexican Pets, Pincher Martin, Female Hercules, Luggage and The Idiots.
The trio remained resolutely independent while contemporaries such as Therapy? and Whipping Boy signed with major labels, although they did have a stint on the metal-orientated Roadrunner Records, which didn’t produce any music until an independent release in 1999, pointedly entitled Parijuana – Four Years in Captivity.
Most of The Wormholes' output was released on Dead Elvis, a label founded by Eamonn Crudden and Eamonn Doyle. Its existence forced Richard Fearless and Steve Hellier to change their name from Dead Elvis to Death in Vegas.
The Wormholes sound amazing after all these years. This anthology benefits from a sonic sheen by their original producer and collaborator Marc Carolan, who is now a sound engineer for Muse, Snow Patrol and The Cure. Niall Crumlish and Stephen Rennicks contribute terrific sleeve notes.
While it is terribly sad that The Wormholes can’t function in their original form after the premature death of Dave Carroll (who sings on a gorgeous track called Rooftops) You Never See the Stars When it Rains 1994-1999 is their definitive statement. It will prove to future generations just how brilliant these lo-fi pioneers with a fearless gift for improvisation and tremendous pop sensibilities really were.
