Tir na nOse recently received the script for a planned episode of VH1's "Behind the Music" featuring the nOg's own "Johnny Come Latelies."  Unfortunately, due to lawsuits threatened by "Latelies" leader Robert Elliott, the episode had to be scrapped.  Here, now, is your only look at the Johnny Come Latelies -- Behind The Music!

bottle.  And soon his problems began to spill over.
Neil: I remember one night, Fluffy hadn't been drinking for a week or so and was singing totally on key, and it really got to Robert.  I ordered a Harp and asked Robert what he wanted, and he said "Fuck it, nothing."  Pretty soon we were all sober on stage, and the gigs got really terribly professional.
Narrator: The Johnny Come Latelies had hit rock bottom.  The fans had begun to notice their lack of inebriation, and had begun flocking to still-loaded bands such as Jacob's Plea.  And Fluffy's sobriety wasn't getting any better.
Fluffy: Those were bleak days, sure.  I nearly finished me album, mostly because I didn't have anything else to do.  I mean, actually finishing that thing would probably ruin me--what if people heard it when they weren't locked?  I don't know where I'd be if not for Feargal O'Toole.
Feargal: I remember the band came to me one night and begged me to do something about Fluffy.  They were all pretty sober themselves, and in no position to deal with him.  I, of course, was completely bollixed, so I set everything straight.
Fluffy: Feargal dragged me right off the stage and over to the bar.  He handed me an Amstel and insisted that I drink it right then and there.  It was a long, hellish night, but he stayed right there with me until I was as loaded as a punter on Paddy's Day.
Robert: By the time Feargal was done with him, Fluffy was back in the groove.  The very next week our timing was all off, we were barely coherent and things were back to normal.  Our crowd started coming back, and  it was just like old times.
Narrator: The Johnny Come Latelies are still working on reestablishing themselves, and are showing signs that they might regain their position among the top of the Irish pub bands.  Fluffy is still struggling with his sobriety--after we filmed his interviews, he briefly fell on the wagon again--but with the help of his bandmates and bartenders, he's taking it one drink at a time.

Narrator: In late 1999, the Johnny Come Latelies were one of the fastest rising stars at Tir na nOg.  The original line-up featured some of the top local musicians - Robert "I Can't Believe I'm Still Singing 'Break Away'" Elliott, Damon "Not Damien" Liebert, Andrew "I Look Like I'm Listening, But I'm Not" Oinkle and Neil "Bongos Can Be Punk" Cadogan.  The music was top-notch, the audience was enthusiastic, and it looked like the Johnnies had the world at their feet…
Robert: Sure, we were flying high then.  We couldn't come up with shite '70s covers fast enough!
Damon: I was sure this was going to be my big ticket out of chauffeuring Feargal and Robert in the company car.
Narrator: But all that changed when Ronan "Fluffy" Quinn joined the band later that year.
Neil: When we first played with Fluffy, it was great.  But he was still drinking then--we couldn't see what was going to happen.
Fluffy: When I look back on it now, I realize that I had already started drinking too little when I began playing with the boys.
Narrator: Within a few weeks of joining the band, Fluffy was hardly drinking at all, and it wasn't long before his sobriety began to take its toll.
Andrew: It was really hard to work with Fluffy when he wasn't drinking.  I mean, he started counting the beats, making set lists, remembering lyrics--it was like a totally different band up there.  Narrator: Fluffy tried to keep up with the other band members, but had trouble keeping on the