Eddie Mooney

Eddie Mooney (born 6 August 1957, Stoke-on-Trent, England), is a rock and pop vocalist/bassist. He is best known as a member of the The Fortunes.

Mooney joined his first teen pop group in Larne, Northern Ireland in 1974, called Flame, who toured with the chart acts of the time, but released no recordings. In 1975 Mooney moved to Manchester where he formed the progressive rock band "Accidents" with keyboardist Paul McKavanagh and drummer Alan Arenstein. Popular on the student circuit, the band survived the onset of punk, releasing their only EP "Execution" on their own Eye label. By 1978 Mooney had gone solo and, with backing group the Grave, featuring guitarist Mike Rowbottom and drummer Chris Fisher, he was signed to independent Manchester label TJM Records, which also released singles by Mick Hucknall, later of Simply Red, and Slaughter & The Dogs. In 1978 the label released the bizarre "I Bought Three Eggs" single, frequently played by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel. Although it didn't chart, the track attained cult status being re-released on the "White Dopes on Punk" CD in 2005 and again on vinyl on the German "Still Unbeatable" label in 2009. During the 80s, Mooney was lead vocalist and bassist with Parq Avenue, who toured with chart acts and released their only single "Raffy and Sean / No Control" on the independent "Q Records" label, which reached the lower end of the UK Top 100 in 1983. During this period Mooney recruited drummer Tony Mansfield (brother of singer Elkie Brooks), who was a former original member of 60s hit band The Dakotas, who had also backed singer Billy J. Kramer. This led to reformation of The Dakotas with original guitarist Mike Maxfield.

From 1989 to 2007, Mooney was a member of The Dakotas who toured the USA, Germany, Ireland and Sweden as well as the UK nostalgia and theatre circuit. The band released six albums, "The Dakotas", "The Beat Goes On", "Don't Look Back", "Everlasting", "Strong" and "Evolution" and were a regular fixture on the successful "Solid Silver 60s" tours (six to date), where they also backed acts such as Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits, Wayne Fontana, John Walker of The Walker Brothers and others. Mooney also appeared on a sporadic basis as bassist and vocalist with 70s Glam rock act The Glitter Band during this period, also recording new versions of their hits "Angel Face" and "Didn't Know I Loved You" with original member John Rossall.

In 2001 Mooney worked with UK comedian Peter Kay as a session singer and bassist on the successful Phoenix Nights TV series, notably singing "Don't Cry Out Loud". Mooney also sang and played on Kay's follow up series Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere. He had a cameo role in Episode 3 performing as a musician on stage with Kay's character Max, dressed as Boy George.

As a spin-off form working with John Walker of The Walker Brothers, Mooney appeared on a US PBS television special in 2007 as a member of The Walker Brothers, where they reprised the act's UK and American hits. Their performance was subsequently released on a US-only "British Invasion" DVD.

In December 2007, whilst still with The Dakotas, Mooney was asked to stand in as lead vocalist and bassist with 60s and 70s British chart band The Fortunes due to the illness of original frontman Rod Allen. In early 2008 Mooney became a permanent member following the death of Allen and has been with the band ever since. Mooney played on The Fortunes album Play On and appeared during 2008 in Las Vegas, Netherlands and Belgium as well as the UK. The band successfully toured Canada, the Netherlands and Sweden, in addition to the UK during 2009.

In 2010, Mooney reactivated "Eddie Mooney and the Grave" to release the single "Look on the Darkside" as digital download only via iTunes, Amazon.com and Spotify.

Studio albums

• The Dakotas by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, August 1991
• The Beat Goes On by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, September 1995
• Don't Look Back by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, September 2000
• Everlasting by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, February 2002
• Strong by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, February 2003
• Evolution by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, February 2007
• Play On by The Fortunes, Stormfree Records, 2008

Compilations

• Identity Parade by Various Artists (Eddie Mooney & The Grave), TJM Records, December 1978
• Nights at the Oasis by Various Artists (The Dakotas), Maximus Music Records, 1991
• Holidays in the Sun by Various Artists (Eddie Mooney & V2), Visionary/Cherry Red Records, 1999
• The British Invasion Returns by Various Artists (The Dakotas), Sony BMG Records, 2000
• White Dopes on Punk by Various Artists (Eddie Mooney & The Grave), Castle Communications, 2005
• The British Beat: Best of the 60s by Various Artists (The Walker Brothers), 2007, Public Broadcasting Service

Singles

• Execution EP - Execution/Stranglehold/Self-Indulgent Kid by The Accidents, Eye Records, March 1978
• I Bought Three Eggs/Zombie by Eddie Mooney & The Grave, TJM Records, December 1978
• Raffy and Sean/No Control by Parq Avenue, Q Records, March 1983
• Your Love Made a Man Out of Me by The Dakotas, Maximus Music Records, January 1996
• I Bought Three Eggs/Zombie by Eddie Mooney & The Grave, Still Unbeatable Records, April 2009
• Look on the Darkside by Eddie Mooney & The Grave, Eye Records, September 2010