The Undertones: Derry band pointed the way for us says German punk rock star

Campino, lead singer with German punk band Die Toten Hosen, in Derry

The Undertones have influenced major bands around the world, including one of Germany's most popular ones.

That is according to punk rockers Die Toten Hosen lead singer Campino, who was in Londonderry at the weekend to perform with the iconic Northern Ireland band in their home city.

Members of both bands visited a new mural of The Undertones in Derry.

The image shows the young band sitting on a wall in a local park in the late 1970s.

"If you'd said to me 45 years ago I'd be immortalised on a wall in Derry I would have laughed in your face," The Undertones guitarist Damian O'Neill told BBC News NI.

The painting is taken from a photograph by the late Derry Journal photographer Larry Doherty.

The Undertones guitarist Damian O’Neill

The photo coincided with the launch of the record Teenage Kicks, which propelled The Undertones on the road to stardom.

Die Toten Hosen - who have sold 19 million records since they formed in 1982 - have recorded their own version of Teenage Kicks.

"It hits a sentiment," Campino said of the Derry band's best-known song.

"Although it's very powerful, it's very melancholic I think nowadays - and it was inspirational to loads of bands.

"The Undertones have written a whole bunch of really great classics - Can't Get Over You, Listening In, Mars Bars - I could name you all of the titles. But Teenage Kicks would be the one song everybody would suggest as first choice of The Undertones."

Campino first came across The Undertones as a teenager in the 70s in his home town of Dusseldorf.

Mickey Bradley of The Undertones at the newly unveiled mural of the band

"We were lucky - they [The Undertones] came to Germany in 1979 and we were blown away by them," he said.

"Since then we are big fans and followers and maybe seven, eight years ago we asked The Undertones to come along and play a few shows with us in Germany and since those days we're friends. Fans and friends."

Die Toten Hosen were guests of The Undertones at the weekend.

"Sometimes we stand in the middle of the storm and we all are not aware of what is happening but looking back to those times you must say bands like The Undertones, also Stiff Little Fingers, they were inspiration for bands like Green Day coming on later and being huge - really worldwide successful. So they were pioneers in a way," Campino added.

"It was simple music - straightforward. But also it wasn't loaded up with political cliché which a lot of punk bands in those days were carrying around, so it was easy. It was fun music in tough times."

For The Undertones, their music was created "out of boredom", according to O'Neill.

The Undertones drummer Billy Doherty

"It was pretty much a struggle for a couple of years because we were getting a lot of abuse here in Derry for being punks, for dressing different, for having short hair, you know? So that was tough," said O'Neill.

"I like to think now all these years later we're being appreciated for it so that's nice."

They are all delighted with the new mural.

"All our parents were very supportive, particularly my mum and dad, because we practised in our house in Beechwood Avenue for years - actually upstairs and we were making a right racket - and there was never any complaints from my mum and dad," said O'Neill.

"I think my mum was happy because she knew we were safe - we weren't outside getting into trouble.

"But my dad obviously, God bless him, he was the guarantor for a loan (from the Credit Union) for us to get our gear for £200 to buy proper amps and guitars and stuff.

"I'm sure they'd be very proud if they were here to see that [mural]."

Reaction is 'great'

Drummer Billy Doherty said he was "honoured and humbled" to be immortalised on a wall in his home city but admits it is the band members' parents who would be even more "honoured and thrilled to have their children painted on the wall in Derry".

"I mean if you were to think back whenever we were teenagers that this would happen you just could never consider it," he added.

For guitarist Mickey Bradley, the mural "catches us at a great time".

"It's funny because we are kind of taking the hand out of the whole showbiz thing by pointing and doing all that corny stuff - so, great photograph," he said.

"And obviously the skill of the artist means that its well replicated on the wall.

"What it says to me is that people in Derry like The Undertones - because the reaction to it has been great."