The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #82634 Message #1514397
Posted By: Brendy
03-Jul-05 - 11:04 AM
Thread Name: Brendy dips his bucket one more time
Subject: RE: Brendy dips his bucket one more time
Oh I know, SINS...., the city fathers and I have had a long running dispute going, and Donegal chicken ranches are only part of it... I'm afraid 3 Báidín Fheilimidh's and 1 Silent O'Moyle ain't gonna cut it anymore...
80% of our stuff is instrumental, and Pete Gallagher's song is about the only recognisably 'commercial' song in our set. We do a few of the old trad classics; the Christy Moore version of 'As I roved Out', The Well Below The Valley, Casadh an tSúgain, for instance, but we're trying to marry a few different influences, here (a first, at least in Scandinavia). I am of the firm opinion that I couldn't sing in a fit, anyway, and in this band I just really want to be the accompanist.... where I started out life....
We are still heavily in experimental stage, and the demo was more for our benefit in a way, than it is for prospective festival organisers. Myself and Stein (the box player) have been regularly playing together for over 10 years, and he has won a few 'All Norwegian' titles in his own folk music. This band is his opportunity also to have a sound canvas to weave the ancient melodies through.
We played Vikingland (Scandinavia biggest After-ski venue) a few times over the winter, and tried the set lists out. Where in Ireland, we have been used to bands like Horslips, Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, etc., who have paved the way (and taken the abuse of the city fathers) in interpreting our music, in Norway, the folk boom has really to take off yet. Judging by the reaction and feedback of the 18-30 age group, just down from the slopes, they got off on the material fairly well; even the 'trancy' 'The Well Below The Valley'.
I've been messing around with the studio masters at home here, since, and I must have come up with 4 or 5 different mixes for those songs and tunes. We're playing at a wee Irish festival in the middle of Norway at the end of this month, and I know that what we'll do will knock the audience back a bit. This is the homeland of the Landskappleik, and the Norwegian 'Comhaltas', and we're going to go in like a cross between the Afro-Celts and Ole Bull.... (... crash helmets and hurley sticks at the ready, lads...)