Formed in 1978 by a trio of bored teenagers in Merville Garden Village, Wardance (Simon Thomson - guitar and vocals, Denis McBride - drums and Alastair Graham - bass guitar) were heavily influenced by the Stranglers and the Fall. However, the absence of keyboards resulted in a sound somewhat like a cross between the rather less influential, and soon forgotten, acts the Motors and the Membranes. Mostly playing in youth clubs in the Newtownabbey area, their career peaked with a few support slots at the Harp Bar before running out of steam. After the band split in 1980 Denis McBride gave up drumming and pursued the less punk-rock pastime of rugby, eventually playing regularly for Ireland, captaining Ulster and currently can be seen as a rugby commentator on local television. Alastair Graham became a photographer for Alternative Ulster fanzine and contributed regularly to the NME. Simon Thomson kept the flame burning in local bands the Suss and Rhythm Method.