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JJ72 were an indie rock band from Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

History

The band was formed in 1999 by lead singer Mark Greaney and drummer Fergal Matthews. The two recruited Hilary Woods as bassist to complete the trio, playing gigs in Ireland while still studying for their Leaving Cert exams.

The band released their debut album, the self-titled JJ72 in autumn 2000. A great critical and commercial success alike, the album has sold in excess of 500,000 copies in their native Ireland and in the United Kingdom. The album spawned the singles "Snow", "October Swimmer", "Long Way South", "Oxygen" and "Algeria", and saw the band perform promotional tours in Europe, the U.S. and Japan.

The band's second album I To Sky followed in October 2002. It reached the Top 5 of the Irish album charts and the Top 20 of the UK Albums Chart, and contained the singles "Formulae" and "Always and Forever".

In March 2003 bassist Hilary Woods left the band "to pursue other interests".

Greaney and Matthews recruited Canadian born bassist Sarah Fox as her replacement. After a two-year silence, the band embarked on their first tour with Sarah Fox in May 2005, and released the download and 7" only single "She's Gone". A second single, "Coming Home" followed in August 2005, peaking at number 52 in the UK Singles Chart. A small venue tour followed in September 2005, with Greaney expressing from the stage his frustrations regarding the release of the third album. The band's third album was said to be complete, with the title rumoured to be On or Heaven City Falls, but no release date was set, pending an ongoing dispute with current record labels Lakota Records and Columbia Records/Sony. Songs rumoured to be included on the new album included "Take From Me", "Rainfalls", "Underground", "Maria", "Everything", "Heat", "Radio" and "Some Day".

However, on June 22, 2006, JJ72 issued a press release announcing they are to split up after eleven years together. They cited their struggle with their record label as their main reason for the split. Mark Greaney has already revealed he is in the recording studio working on a new project at the moment. He will embark upon his first tour as a solo artist this May 2007. Sarah Fox is now playing bass for a band called Lluther, whilst the future of Fergal Matthews is as yet unclear.

This press release read:

Reader, we are to let thee know,

JJ72's body only lies below;
For could the grave JJ's soul comprise,
Earth would be richer than the skies.

JJ72 was born during an Easter many seasons ago; today it dies on the cusp of midsummer eleven years later. Mark Greaney, Fergal Matthews & Sarah Fox wish to express their deepest and darkest gratitude to all of those with impeccable taste who helped and supported the band. We remember everything, from mechanical birds in Japan to angels in arid Arizona, from broken bones and Berlin birthdays to predatory Portsmouth spiders. For those who disliked and perhaps despised (gasp) JJ72, thank you - how did beautiful photographs exist without a negative?! We crafted two monuments of magnificence for the future aural pleasure and pain of all would be JJ believers and doubters....and for those who care not for the passing of the petulant yet powerful pup....shame on you! Thank you to Hilary Woods for being a dazzling damsel and thank you to all who played music in/with the band. You know who you are.

Band member details

• Mark Greaney (born 23 June 1980).
• Fergal Matthews (born 29 January 1980, in Dublin).
• Hilary Woods (born 30 May 1980) - member up to March 2003.
• Sarah Fox - from 2003 onwards.

Name

The origin of the band's name has been subject to much fan discussion. Speculative guesses have included:

• Janis Joplin's weight at the height of her demise.
• James Joyce 1972. A reference to Greaney and Matthews' old school Belvedere College. James Joyce is a past pupil, and at the time they had last won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1972.
• A reference to the number of jam jars (72) that had lined Greaney's classroom.
• JJ - the name of an uncle of Matthews' who had died at the time of forming the band, 72 - a year important to both Greaney and Matthews' parents.
• James Joyce and 1972 - The year Greaney's parents got married

Discography

Albums

• JJ72 (August 2000) #16 UK
• I To Sky (2002) #20 UK

Singles

• "Pillows" (Later renamed "Oxygen") (Spring 1999)
• "October Swimmer" (November 1999)
• "Snow" (February 2000)
• "Long Way South" (May 2000) #68 UK
• "Oxygen" (August 2000) #23 UK
• "October Swimmer" (October 2000) #29 UK
• "Snow" (January 2001) #21 UK
• "Formulae" (September 2002) #28 UK
• "Always and Forever" (February 2003) #42 UK
• "She's Gone" (June 2005)
• "Coming Home" (August 2005) #52 UK

External links

• Offical JJ72 website
• www.jj72.org.uk- Includes Mark Greaney solo details
• October Swimmer fansite
• The band's online blog

• JJ72 discography at Discogs
• JJ72 discography at MusicBrainz

• Irish musical groups
• 2000s music groups
• Musical groups established in 1999