A memorable year, for so many reasons, ’87 promised much but ultimately failed to deliver the musical goods we’ve been waiting for since the beginning of the decade. Certainly, no revolution took place and no bona fide rebels emerged to shake the foundations of pop formulisation and corporate marketing.

Lone riders Anthrax made the most inventive moves, and they continue to intrigue and entertain. ‘Among The Living’ represented a further development both in style and status, while their current single ‘I’m The Man’ underlines the amount of sheer garbage we’ve had to listen to all year and easily gets my Single of the Year vote, followed closely by Iggy Pop and Sakamoto with ‘Risky’.

On the domestic scene, QED (who may well have to change their name, there being a UK act of the same name) were undoubtedly best ‘newcomers’ and I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for the former Fastway lads in ’88. The third Monday of their first Baggot residency ties for Gig of the Year in my book with Paul Clearly and the Partisans’ devastating set in Hawkins.

While it seemed that almost any band who put strings on a guitar got signed this past year, it was comforting to know that talent looks set to re-emerge in the shape of groups like The Slowest Clock, Hallelujah Freedom, Burning Embers, Toucandance, Rex and Dino, The Candy Shop, and The Elite. Hopefully most established acts like Flex and The Fastweather, Assassin and Touchdown will be treating ’88 with more ambition and authority than we’ve seen from them over the past few months. Meantime, the race for next year’s Best Irish Album award is a mouth-watering prospect. Who’ll take it? Something Happens!, Aslan, Stars of Heaven, Hothouse Flowers, Light A Big Fire, or A House? Or will Tuesday Blue confirm my suspicion that they’ll give all the rest a few extra things to think about?

Whatever transpired, I hope they’ll prevent me from having to search out old records and obscurities for sustenance.

Apart from the consistent brilliance of REM and newcomers Deacon Blue – and Anthrax, of course! – I found a few minor treasures. Willie Nelson’s ‘Island In the Sun’, Nathalie Archangel’s ‘Nathalie’, Andreas Vollenweider’s ‘Down To The Mood’, Alice Cooper’s ‘Raise Yer Fist And Yell’, and Joe Satriani’s ‘Surfing With The Alien’ retained my interest for all the right reasons. The best discovery entitled ‘The Very Best Of Trash Horror!’ (MBC Records) with tracks like ‘Monster Mash’, ‘Jack The Ripper’, ‘Twilight Zone’ and ‘Cemetery Girls’. Fangs Ta Ra!

Roll on ’88.