A feel good sleeper hit, Good Vibrations is based on the life of Belfast’s godfather of
punk Terri Hooley. Set during the 1970s and 80s with civil war raging across Northern Ireland,
Hooley set himself apart from the political and religious fighting by opening a
record shop in the troubled capital. Maintaining neutrality and encouraging the
same, he drew people from both sides together through their shared love of
music before becoming an instrumental figure in the burgeoning punk scene with
Good Vibrations Records, a small label that signed the likes of Rudi, The
Outcasts and The Undertones.
Good Vibrations didn’t get a huge release back in March 2013 and it
deserves more attention that it’s been getting since. It’s a charming, funny
and engaging film which put a smile on my face and helped me look beyond Belfast’s infamous past.
