One Thing About Mary

Fans of Mary Margaret O' Hara are a kind of secret society. The include Michael Stipe, who led a special delegation to the artist's home in Toronto a few years ago, accompanied by the late Vic Chesnutt. They were imploring her to make a follow-up to her 1988 album, 'Miss America', one of the most entrancing records ever. Sadly, they weren't successful, and the devotees have settled for a few collaborations (she's on 'November Spawned A Minster' with Morrissey) a film soundtrack and a tune on a sea shanty compilation. Not much, but we must value what there is.

I've met the artist a few times, firstly at the office of Virgin Records when the record was released. She was a gracious person, but hard to follow as each sentence seemed to mutate into half a dozen possibilities.

Later we met up in Toronto's Queen's Street West, which was then a gloriously bohemian strip. A couple of her brothers ran a place called the Squeeze Bar, which was stuffed with squeaky toys. They come from a large Irish family, each with matching, lazer blue eyes. I loved them.

The last time I saw Mary was The Dominion Theatre, London, on Canada Day, a few years later. Most of the family had come over and think I met most of the gang, including actress sister Catherine, star of Beetlejuice, Home Alone, etc. The show was awesome, the company was grand and nobody wanted to discuss the lack of a follow-up record.

Mary once appeared on the Late Late Show, but it was traumatic, and she felt that her Irish homecoming had been less than perfect. Still, she has many fans from these parts, including the writer / promoter Paul Charles, who worked some references to the singer into his novel, 'The Hissing Of The Lonely Silent Room'. And I was delighted that Conor from The Villagers chose an O'Hara recording, 'Body's In Trouble' for our co-present, radio show earlier this week. Chap.