Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings

Subject: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Genie
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 03:32 PM

When I read this thread on Sweet Tibbie Dunbar, I thought of the erstwhile group Howlin' Gael and of Bob Kotta. who was at one time their lead (male) singer. They did cut one album, "Rant and Roar," in their early days, but I'm wondering if there are any other commercially available recordings of the early group (with Mary Benson) or of the later group (with Robin Banks and Peter what's his name).

Any old Howlin' Gael afficionados out there with more info? (Mark C., your picture is here at Mudcat with Mary Benson at Singtime Frolics. Maybe you know?)

Genie

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: artbrooks
Date: 26 Jul 02 - 08:23 PM

Hi, Genie...There were at least 2 albums made. I have "Rant and Roar" on an LP, c. 1978, and I have a dead cassette that is simply called "Howling Gael", c. who knows.

I've long since lost the notes for the cassette...it contains the following, but I have no clue who is on it.
Rights of Man
Harvest Home-3 Drunken Maidens
John Ryan's Polka-Sorry I Was Married-One Morning in May-Spanish Cloak-Swallow's Tail Reel
Nine Points of Roguery
Twa Corbies-Fishers
Rickett's Hornpipe-Leave her Jhonny-Bug Eye'd Sprite-FDR-Black Nag
Child Grove-Fairwell to Tarwithie

I would gladly exchange a home-made tape of "Rant and Roar" for a working tape of the other one, for non-commeercial use only, of course.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Lane
Date: 27 Jul 02 - 12:30 AM

I remember them.... they did some fine stuff. Unfortunately I have no more than a foggy recollection.... (as I do about most things)

Lane

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 27 Jul 02 - 04:55 AM

Yes, I knew Mary Benson when I was in Portland (Oregon) in 1982-84, and knew she had been in Howling Gael, but didn't know any more about the band or their music or recordings. Mary and David Ingerson and I performed at Folklife together in '83 and were going to repeat in '84 but Mary decided to go into premature labor instead, so Meryle Korn stood in for her. The photo on the Mudcat photo page was taken at the Portland Folklore Society's "Singtime Frolics" in February 2000, performing my "Brandywine Goodbye"; amazingly, Mary and David remembered all the harmonies after 16 years. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, Genie.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Genie
Date: 27 Jul 02 - 02:05 PM

Thanks, anyway, Mark. Wish I could've heard you sing with Mary and David or Meryle and David. Maybe I will someday.

Genie

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 01:03 AM

that's funny...I ljust posted something about Bob Kotta in the Sea Shanty thread...here's too him..I'll email MB and point her to this..

mg

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Genie
Date: 28 Jul 02 - 01:29 AM

Thanks, mg. However, Mary may not have kept abreast of the doings of Howling Gael after she left the group.

Genie

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,MJC
Date: 15 Mar 11 - 08:39 PM

I have both of their albums, unsealed, in my garage. Need someone to convert them to mp3, so I can listen to them. I no longer have a turntable.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Victoria
Date: 24 Apr 11 - 08:55 PM

Artbrooks- I have the LP of Howling Gael's Rant and Roar- in a topic written in 2002, you mentioned having a tape titled simply Howling Gael? I am interested in the songs you listed, as I sang some of those songs in an SCA group about 5 Years before that. If you still have that tape, would you be willing to make a copy of it for me? I would be willing to pay whatever you feel is a fair price. Thank you for your response~ Victoria

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: artbrooks
Date: 24 Apr 11 - 10:06 PM

Sorry, Victoria - but the cassette was terminally busted and I pitched it. MJC, maybe we can cut a deal...where you at?

As a general rule (and this topic has been discussed to death on this forum), I don't believe in copying material. Musicians, especially folk musicians, don't get fair payment for what they do most of the time anyway. However, this group has been gone for something like 40 years and I can't find any indication that any of their material was ever reissued. I'd be glad to be proven wrong.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 24 Apr 11 - 10:19 PM

MB is in assisted living post-stroke and Bob is dead..it would be great to get permission to re-do that on CD or whatever so she at least could get a little pin money...mg

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: artbrooks
Date: 25 Apr 11 - 01:20 AM

Would need a decent copy - what I have is an old cassette dubbed from a well-worn LP.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 25 Apr 11 - 01:30 AM

I think that Rant and Roar may be among the very small number of vinyl records I held on to in the last purge because I was pretty certain I'd never find it on cd. It was a favorite. I'm sure I have it on cassette, wherever that box is stashed. I haven't heard it in years.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Ann Lovejoy
Date: 11 May 11 - 05:16 PM

My kids made me decent cd copies from vinyl of both Howling Gael and Rant and Roar that I would share for cost (postage and etc.). I loved hearing them back in the day in Seattle and was delighted when my sons found the albums for me. It still sounds terrific; great pacing and nice harmonies!

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 11 May 11 - 05:55 PM

I have the "Second Wind" LP, trackage as follows:

Sailor's Alphabet
Lanigan's Ball/Behind the Bush ion the Garden
The Baron of Braikley
Sweet Tibby Dunbar
The Grumbling Old Man
Wellington`s Advance
Rollin`Down to Old Maui
La Bastrangue
Roll, Alabama, Roll
Breton Suite

Personnel: Bob Kotta, Patrick Salsich, Robin McRevey, Paul Susen
The date appears to be September 1979.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: artbrooks
Date: 11 May 11 - 06:36 PM

Ann, would you email me at artbrooksATearthlink.net?

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Paula Green
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 11:29 PM

Trying this again. I have been looking for a way to get Howling Gael music since 1980. The album I am looking for has Rant and Roar, Dusty Miller, Riding on a Donkey, John Barleycorn, Keep the Smoke from Rising Barney, I think, etc. If anyone could make me a copy of this on cd or cassette, if they still make them, it would be beyond wonderful. Please let me know at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Patrick (Pete) Salsich
Date: 26 Sep 11 - 03:02 PM

Hi all,
I am still alive and kickin and sure miss my friend Bob Kotta. He and I went to Ireland in '78 just to immerse ourselves in the music and culture so we could be better at doing the Howling gael gig... We lugged around guitar, mando, bodhran and hammer dulcimer... can you believe it? We played on the streets and in bars and were treated very well, except by the cops. Robin joined the group just before the second LP. Mary left the group right after that. there were a lot of hard feelings I am sorry to say. being in a band is like a marriage... only without the sex to keep it together (in most cases) Anyway, it just so happens I am headed to Portland Oct 2nd for a reunion of sorts. Robin and Lex have promised to join me onstage at White Eagle's open mic 10/2/11 if you care to join us. This is totally ad libbed... no promotion of any kind.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Steven McGeady
Date: 08 Nov 11 - 06:26 PM

Hi, on a whim I Googled 'Howling Gael' and found this thread. I ran the Folk Music Coffeehouse at Reed College in the late 1970s, and I have a small stack of live recordings of the Howling Gael from that time period into the early 1980s. Most are recorded on either 7-inch or 10.5-inch reel-to-reel tapes, directly off of the mixing board.

I have both of the tape machines used to record these, but I haven't had the time to digitize anything, and neither the tapes nor the machines have been touched in close to 20 years. I'm concerned about the tape delaminating when played, so I want to get set up to be sure they get captured on the first try. If there is anyone who would like to undertake this, please contact me -- I have all the needed equipment, but not the time. I live in Portland and can be contacted at @gmail.com

If someone wants to undertake this, there are also numerous other live recordings of folk music guests to Portland in my "vault".

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Steven McGeady
Date: 08 Nov 11 - 06:30 PM

The last post should have said I can be contacted at "my last name" @ gmail.com. The board somehow ate the quoted part.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Stephen Cutler
Date: 02 Jul 13 - 01:34 PM

I have a few sealed copies of the Rant and Roar LP that I would like to donate to Mary Benson if she is still around and interested in them. I can be contacted at gmail with the word motoplane.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) CD's
From: GUEST,Lynne Murphy Miller
Date: 26 Mar 14 - 12:55 AM

Ann,
I read your post that your kids had pulled CD's of Howling Gael, and I'd LOVE to have copies of anything you have!!! I have old, mostly homemade tapes, and I'm afraid to play them any more.
I used to go to their gigs in Portland at the Horse Brass Pub every time they played there - which was often!!

You know, Mary is gone, now. It hurts just to know that beautiful voice is not in the world.

ANY help in finding their music on CD is gratefully anticipated.
Thanks, Lynne.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 14 - 08:32 AM

Much of their stuff in on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Bonnie S
Date: 23 Apr 16 - 08:41 PM

Mary's not gone - she had a stroke but is still alive & kicking in Vancouver, WA. I visit with her whenever I go down there to see relatives.

I have their first album, which I think was called Three Sheets to the Wind - but my memory may not be too good. Unfortunately, I got the 8-track instead of the record, so it's in a box somewhere. I'm thrilled to finally be able to hear them on Youtube - used to have dial-up but finally crawled into the 21st century. :)

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Mar 17 - 09:08 AM

Subject: RE: Help: Howlin' Gael (Howling Gael) recordings
From: GUEST,Patricia Burkey
Date: 03 Nov 18 - 07:30 PM

Do you have contact information for Patrick Salsich.