Butterfly Child

Butterfly Child was a Northern Irish group led by the singer/songwriter Joe Cassidy, based in Chicago, Illinois. Described as "purveyors of shimmering, oceanic rock",[1] the band has released three full-length albums and numerous singles/EPs.

Butterfly Child
OriginBelfast, Northern Ireland
GenresIndie Pop
Years active1984—2021
Past members
  • Joe Cassidy (deceased)
  • Andrew "Pendle" Poucher
  • Richie Thomas
  • James Harris
  • Michael Paisley
  • Willy Sharpe
  • Tony McKeown
  • Merritt Lear

History

Butterfly Child was formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1984.

After playing shows throughout Ireland, Butterfly Child released an EP, Toothfairy, on A.R. Kane's H.ark! label in 1991.[2] Remarkable in its "frazzled, cracked fragility",[2] the EP caught the ear of the legendary BBC DJ John Peel, who invited the band to record its first Peel Session on 12 January 1992 at Maida Vale Studios.[3] A second EP, Eucalyptus, was released the same year.[4]

The band signed to Rough Trade Records in 1993 where it released the Ghetto Speak EP and the first full-length album, Onomatopoeia. In November 1993, Butterfly Child returned to Maida Vale for a second Peel Session. Broadcast in January 1994, the session includeded two songs that later appeared on the second album.

Work began on The Honeymoon Suite in summer 1994 with the intention to release it that autumn, but its release was delayed because of disagreements with the record company over the running order and content. After protracted discussions, it was finally released as originally intended by Dedicated Records in 1995.[5]

Frustrated by the experience, Cassidy moved to Chicago[6] in 1997 to begin work on a third album.[7] Soft Explosives was released in late 1998 by HitIt! Recordings, a Chicago label that had handled the US releases of the first two albums.[8]

Following a lengthy break, Butterfly Child released "No Longer Living In Your Shadow" as a 7" single on Dell'Orso Records in 2012.

On 15 July 2021, Cassidy died of heart problems and sepsis after falling ill earlier in the month.[9] He was 51.[10]

Discography
Albums[11]
TitleFormatLabelYear
OnomatopoeiaLP/CDRough Trade Records1993
The Honeymoon SuiteCD/cassetteDedicated Records1995
Soft ExplosivesCDHitIt!1998
FuturesLP/CDDell'Orso2015[12]
Singles/EPs
TitleFormatLabelYear
Toothfairy EP12"H.ark!1991
Eucalyptus EP12"/CDH.ark!1992
Juice7"Rough Trade Records1992
Ghetto Speak EP12"/CDRough Trade Records1993
Beaujolais EP10"/CDDedicated Records1994
Flaming Burlesque10"/CDDedicated1995
No Longer Living In Your Shadow7"Dell'Orso2012

References
  1. Young, Rob (2006). Rough Trade: Labels Unlimited. Black Dog Publishing. p. 133. ISBN 1904772471.
  2. Stubbs, David (September 1991). "Butterfly Child". Melody Maker.
  3. "Keeping It Peel".
  4. Strong, Martin (2003). The Great Indie Discography. Canongate Books. p. 467. ISBN 1841953350.
  5. McKay, Neil (10 March 1996). "Suite for my sweet". Sunday Life.
  6. Rob Young (2006). Rough Trade. Black Dog Publishing. pp. 167–. ISBN 978-1-904772-47-7 – via Google Books.
  7. Gershman, Gil (December 1998). "Butterfly Child in Bloom". Magnet.
  8. McGonigal, Mike (September 1998). "Soft Explosives". Spin.
  9. Bailie, Stuart (24 July 2021). "Remembering Joe Cassidy". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  10. Steve Krakow (29 July 2021). "Mourning Joe Cassidy of Butterfly Child". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  11. "Butterfly Child". Discogs. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  12. Laurence Day (4 September 2015). "Butterfly Child returns with new track "Lost In These Machines"". Line of best Fit. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
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