Kerbdog is an Alternative rock band from Kilkenny in the Republic of Ireland who began writing in 1991.

Originally named 'Rollercoaster', Kerbdog was formed in 1991 by Cormac Battle (vocals/guitar), Colin Fennelly (bass guitar) and Darragh Butler (drums) while attending a school run by the Christian Brothers. The band members were underage drinkers and self-described "lousy students", and although they obtained 3rd level degrees, they devoted their energies to music rather than studies. Their early live shows primarily consisted of cover versions of songs by Sonic Youth, Loop, Spaceman 3 and Fudge Tunnel.

Rollercoaster spent a year in London, but they failed to win much interest from the UK music press and returned to Kilkenny,

Billy Dalton (guitar) joined the band in March 1992 and initially Cormac was suspicious of Billy's liking for Metallica and Slayer. Though Cormac liked elements of the sound, he feared the genre's tendency toward dragging its knuckles along the ground. Equally, Billy regarded Cormac's fascination with the British and New York undergrounds as obnoxious and elitist. What they both recognised in each other was a certain uncompromising determination.

The songs that resulted from the disparate influences of the band's primary members were visceral and cerebral; a large sound that left you "thinking as your mind blew". Realising that they had a potential for success with the band, Cormac, Colin, and Darragh dropped out of college and Billy left his job as a truck driver with his family's prosperous milling company (Billy can be seen in the video for Dry Riser and in early promo material).

After only three gigs at the New Park Inn (since demolished) in Kilkenny, their fanbase grew rapidly within Ireland. By mid-1992 word of the band reached the ears of an A&R man from Los Angeles, who, finding himself in Ireland, decided to hear them play. Before the end of the opening number of the band's act, Cleaver, he found himself winded and crushed against the stage beneath swarms of sweaty teenagers. Battered and bruised, he returned to Los Angeles, wondering whether to sign the band or sue them.

In the summer of 1993, Kerbdog recorded their self-titled debut album at Rockfield Studios in Wales, during which time Sepultura were also there recording their 1993 album Chaos A.D.. The album was produced by Jack Endino, who helped cement the Seattle Grunge sound along with Conrad Uno and Sub Pop. Endino has also notably worked with Nirvana, Babes in Toyland, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Tad and Gruntruck. Whilst recording, Kerbdog were also planning a major tour of the British clubs.

1994 saw another run of gigs, including a support slot with fellow Irish rockers Therapy?. The debut album was released that year to great acclaim, and two further singles were released, namely Dry Riser and Dummy Crusher. The latter charted in the UK top 40 and so it was shown in the chart listed in weekly UK music television show, Top of the Pops.

1996 saw the band back in the recording studio. Kerbdog were signed to Vertigo Records, a part of the Mercury Music Group, but after that became part of PolyGram, Kerbdog shifted to Vertigo's sister label at PolyGram, Fontana. Produced by GGGarth of Rage Against the Machine fame, On The Turn was recorded in Los Angeles and set out to be what many consider their best album. Billy left Kerbdog a few months after the band returned from Los Angeles after the album had been completed.

Music magazines such as Kerrang and Metal Hammer where full of praise for both of Kerbdog's albums and featured them frequently, Kerrang's editor even spent a weekend out with the band in Kilkenny. They quickly gained a reputation for being up for a good time and generally good fun to be around. In late 1996, the band found time to record a session for Dave Fanning's show on 2FM RTE radio. Tracks recorded were Sally, Hard To Live, Mexican Wave and Secure.

GGGarth said, on the making of On The Turn, "We did one record with a band named Kerbdog, and we started off with about 25 cabinets and amps. It took about two days just to go through 'em all, but we got the best sounds that we have ever gotten. We used old Les Pauls, old Strats and Teles, different strings, different pickups."

Unfortunately, the album was delayed and never sold in great enough quantities to satisfy the record label. Kerbdog were dropped, and their back catalog was deleted in 1997.

The band soldiered on without a record label for about a year but eventually disbanded and played their final gig at Dublin's Mean Fiddler in Temple Bar on March 7, 1998. The venue sold out well before the day, and Cormac joked whilst on stage that had they sold out the Mean Fiddler on more occasions in the past they might have not split. Billy Dalton was in the crowd at the gig, but both he and the band declined to reform for the full classic line-up.

Wilt

In 1998 Cormac and Darragh with a new bassist Mick Murphy, went on to form another band, Wilt. They played their first gig at The Funnel in Dublin on March 26, 1998. Their music was more of a poppy rock, which saw their music even making it to the background music of the popular UK television program EastEnders on the BBC. However, after two albums (Bastinado and My Medicine) Wilt broke up in 2002/2003.

Reformed?

Following Wilt's split and after much speculation, Kerbdog reformed in 2005. They played several gigs in Ireland that year, most notably two sell-out concerts in February at the Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin, followed by a set at the Oxegen music festival in July. They have since stated that due to the great changes in their lives they have no plans to record any new material. Kerbdog have continued to play occasional one-off shows, such as at the Camden Barfly in London on August 16, 2008 as part of the Kerrang 'Week of Rock'. Kerbdog also played at the Pumpalooza in Kilkenny, on August 23, 2008 in aid of the Susie Long Hospice Foundation. Billy Dalton joined them on stage for 7 songs during the Pumpalooza gig, marking the first time since 1996 that the four piece have played together. Since Kerbdog reformed in 2005, the band has played the following shows:

• January 29, 2005 - Cleeres, Kilkenny
• February 4, 2005 - Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin
• February 5, 2005 - Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin
• April 1, 2005 - Spring & Airbrake, Belfast
• April 8, 2005 - Nancy Spains, Cork
• April 9, 2005 - Nancy Spains, Cork
• April 15, 2005 - Roisin Dubh, Galway
• May 28, 2005 - Dolans Warehouse, Limerick
• July 9, 2005 - Oxegen Festival, Punchestown Racecourse
• December 16, 2005 - An Cruiscin Lan, Cork
• December 19, 2005 - Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin
• December 28, 2005 - Limelight, Belfast
• June 3, 2006 - Murphys, Thomastown
• August 4, 2006 - Fibber Magees, Dublin
• December 15, 2007 - Cleeres, Kilkenny
• December 22, 2007 - Village, Dublin
• August 16, 2008 - Camden Barfly, London
• August 23, 2008 - Pumphouse, Kilkenny
• December 19, 2008 - Andrews Lane, Dublin

And Now

Cormac Battle lives in Dublin, Ireland and hosts a Sunday night radio show on Ireland's national 2FM.

Colin Fennelly lives outside Dublin and works as a civil engineer in a cement factory.

Darragh Butler lives and works in Kilkenny, Ireland where he owns a music store Rollercoaster, a nod to the original name Kerbdog played under and also perhaps a reference to the nature of his musical career.

Albums

• Kerbdog - (1994) (UK #97)
• On The Turn - (1997) (UK #64)

Singles

Chart positions are for the UK. If none shown, single did not chart.

• Earthworks - (1993)
• End of Green - (1993)
• Dry Riser - (1994) #60
• Dummy Crusher - (1994) #37
• JJ's Song - (1996) #139
• Sally - (1996) #69
• Mexican Wave - (1997) #49

• Kerbdog.com The site for fans of Kerbdog. Find their videos and pictures of the band in the past and in recent gigs in Ireland.
• [1] Comprehensive Wilt discography.