The Bluebells

During their brief time together in the early ’80s, the Bluebells (songwriter Robert “Bobby Bluebell” Hodgens [born on June 6, 1959] [guitar], Kenneth McClusky [born on February 8, 1962] [vocals/harmonica], Dave McCluskey [born on January 13, 1964] [drums], Russell Irvin [guitar] [replaced by Craig Gannon (born on July 30, 1966)], and Lawrence Donegan [bass] [replaced by Neil Baldwin]) made a small amount of music — several singles, most of which showed up on one EP — but that is not proportional to the quality of their music. Like fellow Scots Aztec Camera, the Bluebells crafted impeccable, jangly guitar pop, only with better melodies and stronger hooks. Two of their singles (“I’m Falling” and “Young at Heart”) hovered around the lower reaches of the U.K. Top Ten in 1984, but they soon broke up, leaving a small, but impressive, body of work. David McCluskey and his brother, Ken, formed a folk duo. Robert Hodgens formed Up. Craig Gannon briefly filled in for bassist Andy Rourke in the Smiths on tour, then stayed as a second live guitarist; he joined Adult Net after being fired from the Smiths in 1986. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine