Cactus World News

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Cactus World News

| image =CWN group pose pic Panel 4.jpg

| caption =Cactus World News MCA records Publicity photo

| image_size =

| alias =

| origin = Dublin, Ireland

| genre = Rock, new wave

| years_active = 1984–1991, 2011–present

| label = MCA

| associated_acts =

| website = [http://cactusworldnewsband.com CWN website]

| current_members =

| past_members = Frank Kearns
Feargal MacAndris
Wayne Sheehy
Eoin McEvoy

}}

Cactus World News is an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in April 1984. Founded by Frank Kearns (guitar) and Eoin McEvoy (vocals), the first full stable lineup also included Wayne Sheehy (drums) and Fergal MacAndris (bass). They reformed in 2011 with a new lineup of Kearns, Sheehy and MacAndris, including Eoin Scott and Eoin Watkins. Their early influences were the Clash, Ramones, Talking Heads, U2, the Waterboys and R.E.M.

Career

Their first release, and best-known song was "The Bridge", which was produced by U2's Bono, and released on their Mother Records label. They toured the UK with The Cult in 1985 and signed with MCA Records.Henderson, Dave (1985) "Cactus World News Bridge that Gap", Sounds, 14 December 1985, pp. 26-7 They performed at the Self Aid concert in Dublin on 17 May 1986. The band released their debut album, Urban Beaches, in 1986 and gained notable hits with its three singles: "Years Later", "Worlds Apart" and a re-recording of "The Bridge". It has a five-star rating on iTunes USA.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/urban-beaches/212711112 |title=Urban Beaches by Cactus World News on Apple Music |website=iTunes |date=1986-01-01 |access-date=2020-04-18}} AllMusic gave Urban Beaches a rating of 4.5 out of 5.Sutton, Michael "[http://www.allmusic.com/album/urban-beaches-mw0000883566 Urban Beaches Review]", Allmusic. Retrieved 23 May 2016 All three singles reached the UK Singles Chart.{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 89}}

After their second album, No Shelter, was shelved in 1989, the band were released from their recording contract and underwent several personnel changes. MacAindris and Sheehy both quit in 1989. McEvoy and Kearns continued for a few more years, with various other band members coming and going, including Chris McGoldrick (bass), John Doyle (bass) and JJ Collier (drums).

In 2010, Kearns played guitar on three songs on the Australian band The Church's album Untitled #23 ("Dead Mans Hand", "On Angel Street", and "Operetta"). Praised for its moody yet strong songwriting, it has yielded some of the Church's best reviews of their career, including a 5 star review from Australia's Rolling Stone.{{Cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/~thechurch/albums/untitled-23.html |title=The Church Discography - Untitled #23 |access-date=2016-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515200103/http://home.earthlink.net/~thechurch/albums/untitled-23.html |archive-date=2016-05-15 |url-status=dead }} Kearns also contributed guitar to "Love Philtre" on the Church's 2014 album Further/Deeper.{{cite web |url=http://rollingstoneaus.com/music/post/exclusive-stream-the-church-furtherdeeper/676 |title=Rolling Stone Australia — Exclusive Stream: The Church 'Further/Deeper' |access-date=2016-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016190713/http://rollingstoneaus.com/music/post/exclusive-stream-the-church-furtherdeeper/676 |archive-date=2014-10-16 |url-status=dead }}

Discography

=Albums=

;Studio albums

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
rowspan="2"\|Year ! rowspan="2"\|Album ! colspan="2"\|Chart positions
style="font-size:smaller;" ! UK ! US {{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1986-08-22\|title=Cactus World News (US)\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=November 11, 2021}}
1986 \| align="left"\| Urban Beaches \| 56 \| 180
2004 \| align="left"\| No Shelter \| - \| -

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

rowspan="2"|Year

! rowspan="2"|Album

! colspan="2"|Chart positions

style="font-size:smaller;"

! UK

! US
{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1986-08-22|title=Cactus World News (US)|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=November 11, 2021}}

1986

| align="left"| Urban Beaches

| 56

| 180

2004

| align="left"| No Shelter

| -

;Live album

1986 – Live: Spin Magazine Concert Series

Compilation album

2015 – Found

=Singles=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"\| Year ! rowspan="2"\| Title ! colspan="1"\| Chart positions
style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="35"\| UK
1985 \| align="left"\| "The Bridge" \| -
rowspan="3"\|1986 \| align="left"\| "Years Later" \| 59
align="left"\| "Worlds Apart" \| 58
align="left"\| "The Bridge" \| 74
rowspan="2"\|1989 \| align="left"\| "Rebound" \| -
align="left"\| "Town Like This" \| 144
1990 \| align="left"\| "Don't Let Me Down" \| -

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Title

! colspan="1"| Chart positions

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="35"| UK

1985

| align="left"| "The Bridge"

| -

rowspan="3"|1986

| align="left"| "Years Later"

| 59