A band name implying comedy of some description was grossly misleading – ‘Gags’ was actually the nickname of one Gerry Gallagher - another St Michael’s schoolmate and ex-roadie for Pig’s Trotters – whose name fitted the bill when they were looking for something ‘short and punchy’.
In one respect the same could be said of the band’s menacing on-stage demeanour: to the point and not to be messed with. With pugnacious front man Brendan Gore prowling the stage like a nightclub bouncer the audience rarely needed to go far looking for trouble.
As John Kelly recollects, ‘We never needed doormen, and bookers tried to short change us at their peril.’

Gerry Gallagher (left) with Brendan Gore.