A to Z of N. Ireland Punk Bands

THE DIPLOMATS

Diplomats was formed in 1979 by three school friends (De La Salle, West Belfast). The band were Nicky McElwee (Bass Guitar), James McElwee (Guitar/Vocal) – brothers, and Michael Mason (Drums).
The band played gigs locally, in bars and clubs and had a residency in the Lake Glen Hotel on the Andersonstown Road, where they played every week to a large crowd of fans. The type of music played was a mixture of original material and 1960’s cover versions of bands such as the Beatles, The Who, and The Small Faces. As Michael recalls “Gigs, particularly those in the Lake Glen Hotel were really lively and on one occasion during a rendition of The Who’s ‘My Generation’, the crowd was dancing and jumping up so much, that some ceiling tiles actually came down onto the dance floor! Management weren’t best pleased at the over enthusiastic crowd”.
The band recorded four original tracks at a local recording studio in 1980. The tracks being used as demos to help acquire gigs and for radio exposure on the likes of Downtown Radio.The main song writer in the band being James. Tracks recorded were ‘Make It Real’, ‘King Street’, ‘ Here Comes That Girl Again’ & Mr Johnstone’.
The band fizzled out in 1982 before releasing anything on vinyl.
If anyone has any further information or photographs of this band, then please DO get in contact via spit77to82@aol.com