The Blades are an Irish new wave band who formed in the late 1970s in the South Dublin neighbourhood of Ringsend, with Paul Cleary on bass and vocals, his brother Laurence on guitar and friend Pat Larkin on drums.
Pat left the band in March 1981, to be replaced by Jake Reilly on drums, the new lineup of Paul, Larry and Jake played first gig in The Magnet on Pearse Street on 18 July 1981, later that summer Paul switched to guitar, bringing in bassist Brian Foley (formerly of The Vipers) and added a brass section including Frank Duff (formerly of the Mod-ls).
The band signed to Irish label Reekus, and a double A-sided single, "The Bride Wore White" / "Animation" was released in March 1982.
The Blades were flung from record company pillar to post but never lost their knack for three-minute pop-soul classics – not least Hot for You and Ghost of a Chance."
[8] In November 2015, they released their first new music as The Blades since 1985 with a 4-track EP entitled Smalltime, including the single "Harder Times" which received positive reviews.