Celtic Rock

Horslips Can Save the Day

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I have been into all sorts of trouble lately and the only thing that makes  me save face is listening to Trouble (With a Capital T) by  Horslips .Here’s a band that has been around for quite sometime and still resonates that Rock sound with the Capital C. I got this inspiration to spin out my Celtic rock tunes after having this conversation with a person from New York who has been to Ireland and has seen a lot of Celtic rock bands from all over. The great thing about music is that it breaks all barriers and you always end up with a big smile.  If you want to know more about Horslips then you can listen to some track off their MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/horslips or the Official site: http://www.horslips.ie/ and yes tell your friends about the music too.

Lyrics to Trouble With A Capital ‘T’ :
High on the mountain stands a boat,
But are they gods or real folk?
We can’t see the fire but we smell the smoke.
Who’ll take the plough? Who’ll be the yoke?
Night after night I don’t believe.
We are the ones you won’t deceive.
Not a thing will you achieve
‘cos we belong and we won’t leave.

Trouble, trouble.
I try to chase trouble but it’s chasing me.
Trouble, trouble.
Trouble with a capital T.

Lay down your silver and your gold.
I’m a man who can’t be sold.
And, even when my heart grows cold,
I’ll curse your evil stranglehold.
The waves are running much too high.
It’s got so dark can’t see the sky.
But a change is coming by and by,
A time to laugh, a time to die.

Trouble, trouble.
I try to chase trouble but it’s chasing me.
Trouble, trouble.
Trouble with a capital T.

Been so long away from home,
I almost made this place my own.
Now it seems I’ll soon be gone,
Moving on and all alone.
High on the mountain stands a boat,
But are they gods or real folk?
We can’t see the fire but we smell the smoke.
Who’ll take the plough? Who’ll be the yoke?

Trouble, trouble.
I try to chase trouble but it’s chasing me.
Trouble, trouble.
Trouble with a capital T.

Trouble, trouble.
I try to chase trouble but it’s chasing me.
Trouble, trouble.
Trouble with a capital T.

Seven Nations Rocking On!

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SevenNationsNew York based Celtic Rock band  Seven Nations can fuse their sound successfully into Modern Rock radio format. The name is based on the  seven Celtic nations namely : Ireland, Scotland,Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and Galicia. Strong vocals ( if you dig Lifehouse and Creed) and tight musicianship mark their every song.

Seven Nations follows the blaze set by Waterboys and Simple Minds. These guys grew up listening to Celtic music which explains the style of their music. The tunes are very catchy. They’ve released a couple of albums. If you want to include them in your growing album collection, then visit their official site http://www.sevennations.com . Include your selves in the newsletter and also check tour dates. You can also listen to their songs via their official MySpace page.

Rock Pranksters Scythian

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scythianIf you want your music to be definitive/distinctive but not too serious, then you might want to listen to Scythian. These are four guys originally fromWashington D.C. They’re classically trained but found common ground in Rock, Jazz, Blue Grass and Celtic music. The members are: Alex (Violin); Joe (Violin); Dan (Guitar/Keyboard); Danny (Vocals/Drums); and joined occasionally by Larissa (Bodhran/Percussion); and Melanie (Violin/Mandolin/Flute). Isn’t it good to know that there are many young bands out there who contribute to the whole thread? This whole umbrella called Celtic music.

You can check their main site here.

And their official MySpace page here

scythian1

Band Profile:Needfire

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NeedFire1

After listening to “Dance With Me” off  their 2006 “Cat in a Cannon” album. I am convince that I will love most of their stuff. If you love Teenage Fanclub,The Waterboys and Toad The Wet Sprocket, then you will love Needfire’s brand of Celtic rock. It is smooth but hard hitting sometimes but nevertheless melodic. Click on their official site to listen to song samples, latest news, tour dates and yes they have a new album out called  “Chasing Orion”

According to their official website:

Blending soaring bagpipes, reeling Celtic fiddles, & tribal didgeridoo with modern rock guitars, bass, and drums, Needfire takes traditional Celtic melodies into a modern rock context with original lyrics and hard hitting performances. Since 2005 these Texas-based Celt-rockers have headlined some of the nation’s largest Celtic and arts festivals. Songs from their first three cd releases have been aired on radio stations and Celtic music programs throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 2009 the band will be on tour in support of their 4th and newest cd “Chasing Orion” performing at festivals coast to coast. On “Chasing Orion” the band once again takes all engineering, producing, and creative decisions into their own hands. Killer songwriting, great guitar work, a rock n’ roll backbeat, catchy fiddle and bagpipe hooks and a mix of eclectic influences drawing equally from rock, folk, Texas blues, and traditional Celtic music. This cd has all the elements that continue to affirm Needfire as one of America’s most distinctive and original bands.

Needfire’s high-spirited, powerhouse live shows and original sound are praised by music fans of all ages and critics worldwide. “One of today’s most popular Celtic rock bands” (WBKO TV- Bowling Green, KY); “…furious toe-tappers that owe as much to the Beatles as to Celtic music” (Ink 19); “…just at ease in the rock songs as in the ballads, Needfire is fresh and explosive!” (Highlands Magazine, France); “…uplifting, invigorating” (Shotgun Reviews).

Don’t forget to add them and listen to their tracks in MySpace http://www.myspace.com/needfiremusic

How to make your own Celtic band

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  offkilterYou don’t have to be geographically related to Ireland or Scotland to make your own  band that plays beautiful music.All you need is the passion to do it. So these are my 10 on the list.

 

1.Make sure you are a musician and you know how to play any Celtic instruments or sing.

 

2.Make sure you know a lot of about Celtic music. So listen,buy records and get acquainted with people who play Celtic music. The best source of this would have to be www.liveireland.com.Just in case you live away in a foreign country and has so little resources to get your records on line.If you don’t know one yet,I’d suggest you consult my older posts especially Articles from the Web for helpful links.

 

3.Participate in forums related to Irish ,Scottish and Welsh music discussion. Read books related to the music and culture.Do your research in Irish ,Scottish, Welsh or any history related to countries of origin.

 

4.Learning the language is not really a prerequisite. There are artists on the same category who never even sang a single song in Gaelic so you are in luck!But still…you have to understand that Gaelic is a beautiful language and singing in it is sublime.

 

5.Court the audience that will love your music. Go out there and perform but make sure you do it with the right people. But then again you’d be surprise that people will really  love what you are doing. Don’t underestimate people these days. They want to hear something fresh, something new.