Aslan star Billy McGuinness recalls hilarious performance for Henry Mountcharles

Sunday World

2 days ago

It took place a decade ago as Billy was camping in front of Slane Castle with his wife, Adreena, and their two sons, Jake and Liam, now 21 and 26
ASLAN star Billy McGuinness once supported David Bowie in front of 80,000 fans at Slane with the band, but today he recalls another hilarious performance at the castle for an audience of one – owner Henry Mountcharles.
It took place a decade ago as Billy was camping in front of Slane Castle with his wife, Adreena, and their two sons, Jake and Liam, now 21 and 26.
'We had got permission from the Slane groundskeeper to set up camp and we had the guitars out and I was singing ballads – The Wild Rover, Whiskey In The Jar, all that sh*te – and we were drinking cans,' Billy tells the Sunday World.
'Our tent was pitched in front of the castle and the next thing we saw Henry's wife, Iona, coming towards us.
Aslan with new frontman Lee Tomkins
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'I went, 'oh balls, we're in trouble now!' I said, 'this is Henry's wife, she's coming down to stop us and tell us to take the tent down.'
'But she said, 'Henry is up in the bedroom, he has the window open and he's listening to you singing. Can you sing a bit louder he's really enjoying it? So, of course, I said that was no problem.
'We had a box of wine and we said, 'Do you want a glass of wine?' She said, 'Yes, I'd love one.' She sat down with us for the night and she got stuck into the box of wine…absolutely brilliant.'
Billy struck up a friendship with Henry Mountcharles through the years and says he was deeply saddened to hear of his death last month at the age of 74 after a long illness.
'The first time I met him was when Aslan were supporting Bowie at Slane in 1987,' he recalls.
'Henry poked his head around the door of the dressing room that day and he said, 'I love that song, This Is.' He was passionate about music.
Henry and Iona Mountcharles
'I live in Bettystown and I met him a few times out in Slane. One time I was out there in the bar and Iona said, 'Henry is in the snug, will you go in and chat to him. We had a great chat and I discovered that he was so knowledgeable about music.
'Henry put Slane on the map. I know you had Lisdoonvarna, but there were never gigs like Slane. He got the ball rolling to have a real rock venue outdoor and it was in a natural amphitheatre.
'So many fans have seen the biggest bands in the world at Slane and have such great memories from those days thanks to Henry.
'He'll be missed big time and I hope his son, Alex, keeps the buzz going. It would be great if he keeps the gigs going in Slane.'
Aslan, who will next Friday release a stunning new single called A Hand To Hold, have re-established the legendary band and are enjoying a new wave of success since losing their much-loved iconic songwriter and frontman Christy Dignam.
With their new singer Lee Tomkins (39), the band will head out on tour to Australia this coming week and have a string of UK and Irish shows taking them up to Christmas.
'We're going 43 years this year, so Lee wasn't even born when Aslan formed, which is making me feel very old,' Billy laughs.
'But Lee has fitted in and has now taken control of the band. The big test for Lee when we came back from Australia last year was getting up with Coldplay.
Aslan's new single
'I said, 'Is Lee going to be able for this?' But I was more nervous than he was. I was bricking it going on stage. He took it in his stride. He's fearless.
'Aslan played with Bowie and with Elton John and so many brilliant artists over the years, so it was great for Lee to experience the biggest one – Coldplay.'
Lee, a native of Finglas, said he's been working as a singer with different bands for more than two decades.
'It's not a case I was on the streets and they picked me up,' he tells me. 'I've been around the block a few times so you just know what to do.
'I remember going to see Aslan playing in Finglas and the places would be crammed.
'I was watching them and thinking how great the band were, but I never thought I would be singing with them now. That's one of them chances life gives you.'
Aslan's new single, A Hand To Hold, will be released on all music platforms next Friday.