That Petrol Emotion was a London-based rock band formed in 1984 by former Undertones guitarist John O'Neill and fellow Northern Irish musicians. With American vocalist Steve Mack, the band fused indie rock, post-punk, garage rock, and dance-punk, creating a sound ahead of its time that anticipated both the 1990s dance-pop era and the early 2000s post-punk revival. Described by Rolling Stone as "The Clash crossed with Creedence" and by the New York Times as "a youthful Rolling Stones" crossed with a "revved-up Television," their eclectic style gained them a devoted following.
That Petrol Emotion released five albums between 1986 and 1994, including the critically acclaimed Manic Pop Thrill (1986) and Babble (1987), and explored political and social issues in their lyrics, particularly referencing the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Their genre-defying mix of sounds often divided critics but later earned the band recognition as pioneers in indie-dance fusion.
After a split in 1994, the band briefly reunited in 2008, touring and performing at major festivals before going on hiatus in 2010. The band's legacy has been influential, inspiring artists like The Stone Roses, Blur, and Radiohead, despite their relatively modest commercial success. In 2022, their extensive body of work was celebrated with the release of Every Beginning Has a Future: An Anthology 1984-1994.
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