PHILIP CHEVRON

Philip Ryan, professionally known as Philip Chevron, was best known as the lead guitarist for the celtic punk band The Pogues and as the frontman for the 1970s punk rock band The Radiators from Space. 

In the mid 1970s Philip became mesmerised by the blossoming Punk movement. He joined Pete Holidai and Steve Rapid in forming Ireland’s first punk band, The Radiators From Space. They reached number 17 in the Irish charts with their debut single ‘Television Screen’. During the recording of their first album lead singer Steve Rapid left and Philip stepped forward to fill the role. The group moved to London, changed their name to The Radiators, and recorded the LP Ghostown.

In 1981 Philip recorded a five-track mini LP of Berthold Brecht and Kurt Weill songs called Songs From Bill’s Dancehall. He performed his Brecht/Weill show with Christy Moore and Donal Lunny’s group Moving Hearts, but it wasn’t successful.

Philip produced among others The Men They Couldn’t Hang and Agnes Bernelle. The Pogues were going on their first tour outside the UK but Jem Finer was unable to tour so somebody had to replace him. Frank asked Philip and he agreed to do it, even though he’d never played the banjo before. Philip stayed in the band and took over guitar.

In 1989 Philip took part in a tribute album to Phil Lynott called Ode To A Black Man which was released on cassette in different versions in 1989 and 1991. He sang a duet with Mary Coughlan on the title track of a 1990 charity album For The Children by the group LILT and did a solo version of ‘Thousands Are Sailing’ for the soundtrack to a BBC documentary about Irish music called “Bringing It All Back Home”.