The Blades, an Irish new wave band, formed in 1977 in Ringsend, South Dublin. The original lineup consisted of Paul Cleary on bass and vocals, his brother Laurence on guitar, and Pat Larkin on drums. Their initial breakthrough came with the release of their first two singles, "Hot For You" (1980) and "Ghost Of A Chance" (1981), the latter of which they performed on The Late Late Show. The band's debut album, The Last Man In Europe, was produced by John Porter in 1985. Despite critical acclaim and a notable rivalry with U2, the Blades faced challenges with record labels and personnel changes. Their single "The Bride Wore White" (1982) was voted best single in the Hot Press National Poll, and Paul Cleary was named 'best Irish songwriter'. The band disbanded in 1986, but reunited in 2013 for live performances and released new music with the EP Smalltime in 2015.
