Now there's a name I've rarely (if ever) seen mentioned around these parts. If the name doesn't mean much to you, she's an Irish singer with a gloriously rich, sensuous contralto voice, and a penchant for songs that explore the seedier side of life (her Wikipedia entry is here). Her last album, The House Of Ill Repute, did get an enthusiastic nod from David Hepworth in Word sometime last year, although it's over twenty years since her closest brush with international stardom.

I've just finished reading her autobiography, Bloody Mary, which is, as the cover quote from a review says, a cracking good read. She's had quite life, I tell you! I've seen her a few times in concert, and she's always provided generous helpings of craic. I'd probably name her first two albums (Tired & Emotional and Under The Influence) as her best, along with 1997's absolutely superb After The Fall.

Are there any other fans here?

For those interested in investigating, here's the completely brilliant Ice Cream Man. (Warning: this song may not be all about mobile purveyors of 99s and Magnum Classics).