Liveline: The one where Louis Walsh and Ronan Collins had a proper on-air rager
In 2002 Liveline erupted as two titans of the Irish music scene Louis Walsh and Ronan Collins had a full-on heated debate with Joe Duffy acting as a moderator, of sorts.
The spat began when RTE DJ Ronan Collins announced he was retiring and as is the way in Montrose, Collins was invited onto Liveline to regale the nation with tales from the 'RTE crypt.'
A massive fan of Show Bands music, Ronan proceeded to launch into a diatribe of everything he loathed about the music business and top of his list was his distaste for manufactured music. Ronan Collins. Pic: RTÉ
This was certainly not music to the ears of one Mr Louis Walsh, who at the time, was riding the crest of the manufactured pop music wave. In fact, Louis had just launched his latest put-together pop act an all-girl group called SIX.
Led by Louis Walsh, the band Six were expected to take the country by storm after being formed on a talent show.
Their debut single There's a Whole Lot of Loving Going On would prove to be a smash hit. However, Collins was far too disparaging about Six for Louis Walsh's liking. Liam McKenna, Sarah Keating, Sinead Sheppard, Andy Orr, Emma O'Driscoll and Kyle Anderson from the band SIX. Pic: VIP Ireland
Speaking on Liveline in 2002, Collins labelled manufactured music the likes of which Six were belting out as 'dross' and said it was a poor reflection on music in Ireland.
'It's just absolutely awful what they have produced, just dross. It's terrible, terrible stuff. It is lacking in credibility, lacking in imagination. It's lacking in any kind of musicianship and the singing is awful…
'If they are (the best in Ireland), there is a very, very dim future for singers and dancers in this country if we are to judge by their recording of a mediocre pop song 25 years ago that has been made even worse,' said Ronan. Louis Walsh. Pic: Fran Veale
'These kids are being led up an alleyway and the only ones who will get any fame and probably ultimately anything out of this are Louis Walsh, Bill Hughes and Linda Martin.'
Listening through the wireless from his home in Dublin, Louis Walsh wasn't one bit happy.
So Louis himself called in to talk to Ro and the pair proceeded to tap out a right old ding-dong. Ronan Collins. Pic: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland
Despite being friends with Ronan Collins for many many years, Louis took aim at Collins' own career in country music decades earlier saying: 'That's a bit rich coming from a failed showband star. Ronan, get a life,' raged Louis.
'You are not going to make it on our backs. Cop on. You are a failed showband star'.
'This is going to be the biggest Irish record this year. I believe in this product. They are amazing singers. I think they are better than Hear'say or Bucks Fizz and better than any of the manufactured bands in the UK.'
And with that another golden moment of Irish radio was born.
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