Biography
Though Irish band the Cranberries were most often associated with lead singer Dolores O'Riordan, she was actually the last to join. The Limerick quartet, originally called The Cranberry Saw Us, was formed in 1989 by brothers Mike (bass) and Noel (guitar) Hogan, with drummer Fergie Lawler and a male singer, Niall Quinn. When Quinn split the band they placed an ad for a new singer; O'Riordan came in with a strong voice and stage presence, and songs she had already worked on. One was "Linger," based on one of Quinn's demos, to which she added lyrics about her first kiss. Thanks in part to that song, the band caught on fast, and got the attention of former Smiths manager Geoff Travis. With his help the band supported its first album, 1993's Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, on a US tour with Suede. The Cranberries easily did better in America than the headliners; thanks in part to the striking onstage look of O'Riordan who was now sporting close-cropped hair and Doc Martens boots. "Linger" was released as the second Cranberries single after "Dreams" didn't catch on; it became their only Top Ten hit in America. The band continued its rise over the next three years, despite a short layoff caused by O'Riordan's 1994 skiing accident, which led to a metal rod being put in her leg. "Linger's" followup "Zombie," written in response to an IRA bombing, showed an angrier side of the band, 1996 brought their second Top 40 single "Free to Decide." After releasing Wake Up and Smell the Coffee the band went on hiatus in 2003, allowing O'Riordan to raise her three children, and begin her solo career. Noel Hogan also formed a new group, Mono Band, essentially a solo project that used a different vocalist on every song. The band didn't play together again until 2009, at first adding some of O'Riordan's solo material to their sets. The original lineup reunited with producer Stephen Street for 2011's Roses, hailed as a return to the lyrical sound of early Cranberries. It would however be their last album of new material with O'Riordan. The 2017 album Something Else featured acoustic/orchestral arrangements of older songs (including "Linger" and "Free to Decide"); a US and European tour behind the album was cancelled with O'Riordan citing health problems. On January 15, 2018, O'Riordan died suddenly at the London Hilton, during a break from a recording session. The Cranberries did not make any statements about whether the band would continue.
