Music for the Deaf coalesced in late 1978/early 1979 and comprised school friends Colin Woods guitar, Mark Wilson vocals, Maurice McKeown bass/backing vocals and Colin Kenny on drums. They were originally called The Stabilisers, then The Stabs (a name Wilson adapted from his workplace Stability). They quickly changed their name to Music for the Deaf, another Wilson steal from an old Eric Morecambe joke – “Des O’Connor, that’s music for the deaf”.

Their original set list included (almost) solely Woods originals, such as “Gee Harry”, “Vagrancy” (lyrics by Kenny), “Trendy”, “Them”, “Room for Manoeuvres” (lyrics by McKeown), “Blinkers” & “Maurice Doesn’t Like the Buzzcocks Anymore”. Kenny acted as de facto Manager in the early days, organising band practice and (mostly non-paying) gigs. Practice sessions were held in Glengormley in Kenny’s garage, then the Barron Hall. The band’s first proper gig was at Larne Tech Old Boys Club, playing a guest spot during the interval of show band Ram (friends of Mark’s), who played mainly Status Quo and Eagles covers (but at least they were actually competent musicians). The audience was stunned into silence, being used to a diet of light rock and country. They didn’t get invited back.

The band had a great live reputation in and around the Glengormley area. They also played live at all the usual dives, including the Harp and Pound Bars in Belfast (where, at the latter, vocalist Wilson put his foot through the rotten floorboards on the stage, but kept singing anyway, whilst glued up Mohicans spat beer at the stage), St Mary’s on the Hill (with The Outcasts), various youth clubs and even the “dreadful” (Woods)/”legendary” (Wilson) Pig ‘n’ Chicken Hotel/Bar in Templepatrick. At the latter gig so much dry ice and smoke bombs were set off that no-one could see the band for, the first three songs, and Wilson coughed more than he sang.

Another memorable gig was at Williamson House Orphanage, where the band played with The Escorts, and The Allotropes. The kids were dressed up as punks and were enthralled, asking the band for autographs and enquiring when we were going to be on “Top of the Pops”! A gig with The Allotropes at a Methodist Church youth club ended prematurely when a senior member of the church switched off the power (during the Allotropes’ set) and declared, “We’re not having that filth here!”. Bizarrely that kind of felt like success.

Wilson began submitting lyrics to Woods and McKeown’s music with new songs such as “Honesty Fails”, “Unsaid Words” and “New Feelings” appearing in the set. Kenny was asked to leave over lyrics he submitted as his own work, but which turned out to be “borrowed” from Gary Numan! He was replaced by Davy Lynas (later of Dogmatic Element) who has fond memories of his time in Music for the Deaf. He says: “It was my first drum- kit and I can remember my dad running me to practice sessions and gigs. Initially we practiced in a UDA club (once!) and then later in the Barron Hall in Glengormley. Great memories as this is where I served my drumming apprenticeship”.

The rest of the band were blissfully unaware that the boarded-up farmhouse, to which they briefly had access, was actually linked to a paramilitary group, with Lynas claiming at the time that it belonged to “my mum’s wee women’s group”. Such were the hazards of the time in Northern Ireland. Lynas’s friend and Carnmoney neighbour Ronnie Bashford was soon recruited to play rhythm guitar and the song arrangements became more musically complex. Woods, however, wanted a musical change and to experiment with his new synthesiser, and prior to the Pig ‘n’ Chicken gig, advised the band he was leaving. On reflection, Woods now thinks that he was probably suffering from an episode of severe depression a condition that would plague him in later life. McKeown and Wilson approached another local guitarist and tunesmith, Davy Breen, who agreed to replace Woods and MFD MkII were born.

Woods remembers that he was glad that the band continued without him and comments: “Breen was great. I had sold him my old guitar two years previously, showed him how to tune it, and play a few chords. He very quickly became a much better player than me and came up with great riffs. But he was more influenced by bands like the Stones, the Doors, Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix than anything from the punk scene”.

Maurice McKeown recalls:”I must confess that my memories of who played in what band and when are to say the least hazy, but I do recall being involved in the Stabs, then MFD, Control Zone and the Pool of Life. In the early days, not everyone had their own instrument and I was always indebted to Peter Todd (from The (Fab) Allotropes) for the loan of his bass. Eventually after getting my dad to go guarantor I bought an Aria Pro 2 on tick. Happy days. I was never proficient on the bass and was again indebted to Colin and Davy to tell me where to put my fingers and I was terrible singer which taking both together are the basis for a good punk / rock band member. Playing in The Pound and The Harp Bar were achievements in their own right, it didn't make us any good but not everyone has done that. I don't know why the bands split up, but they all did. However, it was a big part of my life from aged 16 to 20 something and I am still friends today with some of the people who were tolerant enough to let me join their band. We were just friends trying to make other people happy through music, it's just a pity we never recorded everything we played for prosperity. It would be nice to hear it all again, there were a few hits in there, honest. I no longer have or play the bass, but I think my time as a musician has well passed”.

MFD Mk II were more rock influenced, due to Breen’s melodic tunes and wider influences. The band quickly created a new set of original Breen/Wilson songs such as “Shattered Illusions”, “Time”, “Stage Fright” and “Sunday Morning 3 AM”. The band were improving musically but gigs in 1980 were becoming more and more difficult to find. As a result, stagnation set in, and McKeown and Lynas left to be replaced by Micky McDonald (from a local metal band) and Gary Millar (The Escorts). The band soon imploded after a drunken gig at a Glengormley Youth Club.

Where are they now? Mark Wilson left the world of music for 40 years, but just this year (2020) he and Breen have started to write songs together again, which are coming along well. David Breen continued in music as a teacher of various instruments such as fiddle, banjo and guitar. Colin Woods went on to form the short-lived Paradise Lost with former Control Zone members Keith Barry and Stephen (Gus) Craig (currently of the Organ Grinders), and occasionally collaborated as part of The Allotropes with Steve Swales. He is now living in New Zealand, where he went back to university in 2010 to study composition and then Creative Technology. He now works as a freelance sound artist. (see our links page for directions to Colin’s website). Maurice McKeown still loves going to gigs but has given up playing music.

David Lynas went on to play with Dogmatic Element. He is currently involved in the world of competitive darts. Ronnie Bashford, Colin Kenny, Micky McDonald and Gary Millar have not been heard of since by any of their former bandmates, but we’d love to hear their memories of the band at some point.

On 29th March 2022 Spit Records released Shellshock Rockers Vol. 3, a compilation CD of previously unreleased tracks, all salvaged from old cassette tapes. This featured Music For The Deaf track ''Shattered Illusions', recorded in 1980.

If anyone former band members are reading this, or anyone else with photographs of this band, then please DO get in contact via spit77to82@aol.com