Feature

Joe Strummer: A Guy Named Joe: Rest in Peace / Remembering Mr. Strummer, and “The Only Band That Mattered.”

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January 2003

A Guy Named Joe: Rest in Peace.

Moving. The floor was moving. And when I say that, I don’t mean there was a packed dance floor and the seas of people gave the illusion the floor was moving. I mean, the floor was physically moving, bowing up and down. I feared the balcony would collapse, so I braced myself, but never took my eyes off the man on stage and his rocking band of musicians.

To my right – skinheads. Not wearing scowls like normal, but vibing. To my left – a 50 year old man who told me he hadn’t been to a show in ten years. Ten years. Scan the crowd. Punks off to the right. Rastafarians grooving up front. Mods drinking pints and dancing in place. Rudeboys having dance-offs. Normals all over as well. No, the kids will never be, as Jimmy Pursey once imagined, united. But this was damn close. As close as I’ve ever or probably ever will see. The occasion? Simple. Joe Strummer was in town (with his new band, the Mescaleros in tow) for the first time since the 80’s. Everyone who was once or presently part of any scene in the city, it seemed, was out to pay his or her respect. In these trying times, the Clash and Joe in particular always seemed to rise above it all – truly representing the credo they wore in the 80’s – “the only band that matters.”

But now, time has dictated, as it so often does, that everything must change. Now we reflect on what has come before and reassess it, reevaluate it and, goddammit – just listen. Joe is gone. Nothing’s gonna bring him back, and I don’t really give a damn about the circumstances surrounding his passing. There is no need for me to give you a tired history of the Clash or Joe’s early days in the pub rock scene. There are volumes of quality (and not-so-quality) work out there that do that more clearly and more accurately than I would ever be able to do. No need to present a discography. If you are a fan, you know what Joe has produced over the years. Nah, words, as so often is the case, wouldn’t do this passing justice.

The Clash, as you all probably know by now, are due to be inducted into the Rock-n-roll Hall of Fame in 2003. They were set to play a quick set at the induction ceremony, and maybe as a precursor, Mick Jones had been joining Joe onstage in England as of late, their well-known feud seemingly in the past, as Joe being the cool bastard he was has been putting the blame on himself for years now. So maybe, just maybe, the circle was complete – the bands two headmasters playing together for the first time in years signaling to someone somewhere that all was well in the rock-n-roll universe. So maybe Joe’s passing wasn’t all in vain. Maybe now his and his band’s greater message will be heard louder and clearer than before. Maybe.

But that unity vibe at that show, the sheer potpourri of the crowd that night – I’ll never forget it. I don’t think Joe did, either, as he said in print oft times that the Chicago show that I mentioned was one of the best he ever played – said it had a vibe, man. So Joe showed a lot of people the way, he gave them something to believe in, and although he’s gone, the vibe he talked about – the Strummer vibe – that’s forever.

So, in the end, I guess I simply know this – one of the coolest men to ever put on a pair of boots and play rock-n-roll is gone. I think I’m gonna cue up “Death or Glory”, have a drink, and vow to never fuck a nun and later join the church.

By Sean Holland
Remembering Mr. Strummer, and “The Only Band That Mattered.”

I think I was about 12 years old the first time I heard The Clash. It was on one of those MTV rip-off, “Friday Night Videos” program shows. . I’m sure it was “Rock the Casbah”. I liked the song, but that was about it way back then. A few years later, I started listening to punk quite regularly. I started with stuff like Black Flag, Minor Threat, T.S.O.L., GBH, and like many other kids, the music just exploded from that point on. Listening to punk band, after punk band, after punk band. I was hooked.

By the time I “re-discovered” The Clash, I realized I had heard these guys before. It suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks…. These guys are a bit different, a little bit more than the standard bands I was listening to at the time. It had more than just three thrashing chords, and the galloping drums. The Clash were one of those bands who introduced me to other music out there. “London Calling” introduced me to reggae music, and to ska music. The Clash made me open my eyes to everything else that was out there. So, I expanded my horizons and had a lot of music to catch up on. I was a busy man.

A few years ago I started listening to The Clash again. It was kind of like catching up with an old friend. Most of my old cassettes were long gone, so I slowly started recollecting them on CD. Finally, I was listening to Joe Strummer’s solo work. I don’t recall how I got ” Global A Go-Go”, It might have been after watching Black Hawk Down, and hearing “Minstrel Boy”, or maybe Joe was playing on David Letterman, or the Conan O’Brien show. What I do remember was hearing “Johnny Appleseed” and thinking goddamn how good it was. Once again I was hooked. After all those years, Joe Strummer still sang about the truth, still played with that fire, and most important, he was still very down to earth. Joe may have been older, but he was also wiser. Not to mention, he was still a very cool dude! I was glad I had the album. Everything was going along fine, until that awful December morning, when I heard the news…….

I never met Joe Strummer, but I also never felt so awful about the passing of someone I had never met. I was upset, and angry. I felt like we all were cheated. Somebody like Joe Strummer wasn’t meant to die, it simply just wasn’t on the agenda. You’d figure it was meant to be someone else, somebody less important. It just goes to show that the good ones are always the first to go.

I’d like to simply say, “Joe Strummer, Rest In Peace,” but, I think it would be more fitting if I said that “I hope you give ’em hell, up there in heaven, Joe!!”

Bless that man,

Brian Gillespie

Feature

Paddy Punk in Japan

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December 2008

Paddy Punk in Japanese Rustic Stomp Scene

After being exposed to the Japanese Paddy-Punk band, THE CHERRY COKES by a fellow Shite’n’Onions contributor, I decided to investigate further into Japan’s Paddy-Punk scene to see if there were more bands like this, with an appreciation for the Celtic folk-punk music, and a flair for the execution of it with such infectious zeal. I found a number of bands with some really good material and I began to aurally gobble this stuff up, collecting whatever I could get my hands on.
Development, Styles, and Practitioners

Japan has long been known for its embrace of western customs, styles and tastes, and then putting a twist on it to make it all their own. This has held true with music as well. In the field folk-punk music, however, that ‘twist’ falls under the larger umbrella term of “Rustic Stomp.”

The term “Rustic Stomp” was allegedly coined by the band, The Tokyo Skunx, (often written “The Tok¥o $kunx,”) back in the early ‘90s, and seems to be characterized by mixing the more folk-style music instruments along with the typical rock instruments. In almost all of the bands that I have looked into, certain instruments are always present: electric guitar and a drum kit are invariably accompanied by a bass fiddle, (AKA “double bass”, “stand-up bass”, or according to many liner notes, the “wood bass,”) an accordion and a banjo. Various other assorted instruments are to be found as well, including tin whistle, trumpet, mandolin, saxophone, bouzouki, fiddle and/or bagpipes. It is a safe guess that it is the instrumentation falls under the “rustic” portion of the moniker, while the “stomp” is quite blatantly the music. Punk rock tempos and structures are mixed with elements of rockabilly, ska, cowpunk, bluegrass, country/western or seemingly any other passing influence, tossed into a giant blender, set for purée, and served at dizzying speeds. Some of the big names in the style, (aside from THE TOKYO SKUNX,) are DOG’GIE DOGG, THE CABALLERO POLKERS, and THE FUJIYAMA KINGS. (Bear in mind, that this is by no means a comprehensive list as my knowledge of these bands is quite limited.)

Among the assortment of western-influenced styles and combination of styles, is our own Celtic folk-punk. And the Japanese bands that have chosen this have continued with the manic, explosively hyperactive and energetic treatment as their fellow “Stompers.”

As some bands cross lines and can include ska, reggae, bluegrass, or a number of influencing sounds (or combinations of sounds,) on a single release, their are some bands that could be considered “Paddy-Punk” without an exclusive commitment to Celtic-influence material. A good example of such a band is THE CLASSIC CHIMES. Referred to as “The Japanese POGUES,” to me their sound is less in the Irish/Celtic style than in a some country/rockabilly with some Irish as well as “spaghetti-western” sounds stirred in. THE CHERRY COKES are another band who blur the lines between their influences so smoothly that sounds bleed into each other without the confines of definition.

Rustic Stomp in Celtic-Styled Bands

Those bands who are entrenched and committed to the Irish/Celtic side of Rustic, seem to advertise this intent in any of a number of ways. Although through the music is the most obvious way; cover/traditional songs and or jigs, reels and hornpipes, for those bands with more original material, a band name says a lot. Much like many bands in west, an Irish-styled rustic stomp band is often identifiable through their name: THE CLOVERS, THE ROYAL SHAMROCK, THE CROAGH PATRICK and MT. PAIOT’S, (formerly “MT. PAIOT’S OIRISH ORCHESTRA.”) You hear these names and you can guess what to expect. JUNIOR, on the other hand, have chosen to wear their hearts on the sleeves, or kilts, as it were, and tip their musical hand through wardrobe. Every photo of the band, JUNIOR, that I have seen, the members were proudly bedecked in various tartans. Also fairly indicative as to the music.

Comparisons and Recommendations

If pressed for recommendations from this arena, I would have more than a single candidate to suggest. If one were looking for a very western sounding, paddy-punk-style band, I might steer the listener towards MT. PAIOT’S ‘Northland Stomp’ CD due to its high ratio of English lyrics, (or at least in the song titles and liner notes,) and familiar phrasings borrowed from bands like FLOGGING MOLLY, (“Dirty Town” samples fairly blatantly a piece from “Devil’s Dance Floor”,) THE POGUES, (a version of “Repeal of The Licensing Laws” that is almost note for note!), or just some of the mood akin to those of bands like MUTINY, (“Devil’s Waltz”,) or THE GREENLAND WHALEFISHERS, (‘Wakari-Sake’.)

If however, the listener wanted to experience the origins of Rustic Stomp despite the influencing styles, THE TOKYO SKUNX are among the bands that really pioneered the movement in Japan, (as well as reputedly coined the term!) and have a sound with more “spaghetti-western”/cowpunk/psychobilly flavors at work than anything Celtic. This band also has a very large catalog to choose from.

THE CHERRY COKES, (a name recognized by most S’n’O-ers,) provides a good mix of both the Celtic and non-Celtic Stomp, delivered primarily at the typical amped up pace that this style’s sound is so frequently associated with. The availability of these guys’ material makes them very attractive for checking out as well.

The CDs by bands with the strongest thematic ties to the Celtic influence, but with a delivery firmly entrenched in the identifying exuberance of the Rustic Stomp scene, are 2003’s ‘Rights’ by the band JUNIOR, or 2007’s ‘Hell’s Jig’ by THE CROAGH PATRICK, (see the S’n’O review by ahem your humble author!) Both blast through track after track with the speed and dizzying precision of a scalded cat! And both provide a very accurate portrayal of this facet of the scene’s potential.

My own personal favorite, (at least as of this writing,) has to be 2004’s ‘Greenfield Rumble’ by THE CLOVERS. This CD spends as much energy on creating a unique mood for each track as it does for for any other aspect involved. Each song stands apart from each other yet retains that “family resemblance,” creating a disc that remains fresh and interesting all the way through. I was also quite pleased to hear, (finally,) a song by a Japanese band that incorporated some Japanese-influenced sounds, (albeit created by the banjo,) and segued into a song that bridged that gap so smoothly, that if any tune could be nominated to represent the Paddy-Punk end of Japan’s Rustic Stomp, this one would walk away with it. The Shite’n’Onions site doesn’t handle the Japanese characters well enough for me to write the name of the song, but it is the second-to-last on the CD, just before it wraps up with a slow bagpipe tune that just gushes with touching, mournful emotion.

Or, if you are the type to sample as many flavors off of a buffet as you can fit on one plate, then 2007’s various artists’ CD, ‘Green Anthem,’ contains 14 appetizers from across the Japanese Rustic-Stomp steam table, including MT. PAIOT’S, THE CROAGH PATRICK, THE CLOVERS, as well as bands named NANCY WHISKEY, THE MERRY DRUNKARD BAND, and PRINCE ALBERT.

Some Vendors

One of the biggest hurdles that I found in acquiring some of the mentioned material has been the language barrier. Most of these bands have names in English so a web search is easy enough, but once a site that sells them is found, it is usually completely in Japanese. Fortunately, the ever growing influence of English has been recognized in Japan and many vendors’ sites are now available with a built in translation. http://www.Amazon.co.jp has an “In English” button in the upper right corner of the page, as well as Amazon.com’s “Used & New” feature for a bit of a reduction in price! http://www.HMV.co.jp also has an “English” feature. http://www.jpophelp.com is an American site devoted to Japanese media so it is fairly easy to navigate. That ease of navigation comes at a price, though, as this site, with its massive selection and English fonts was the most expensive vendor by far, even factoring shipping and handling charges, (the second biggest hurdle!).

Links

Fortunately for the linguistically limited like myself, the majority of these bands, I have found, have their MySpace pages written in English. This is quite helpful when it comes to ordering their releases as they more often than not will list who is carrying their material. MySpace is also great for hearing a track or two to see if a band catches your ear. So to assist in this, I put together a MySpace list of a few bands:

MySpace
THE CHERRY COKES: http://www.myspace.com/thecherrycokes
MT. PAIOT’S: http://www.myspace.com/mtpaiots
THE ROYAL SHAMROCK: http://www.myspace.com/royalshamrock
THE CROAGH PATRICK: http://www.myspace.com/thecroaghpatrick
THE MOONSTOMPERS: http://www.myspace.com/moonstompersyasu
JUNIOR: http://www.myspace.com/jprjunior
PRINCE ALBERT: http://www.myspace.com/princealbertcountry
THE CABALLEROS POLKERS: http://www.myspace.com/caballeropolkers
DOG’GIE DOGG: http://www.myspace.com/cowtrash
PING-PONG DASH: http://www.myspace.com/pingpongdash8969
TURTLE ISLAND: http://www.myspace.com/turtleislandpunktribeorchestra
THE RADIOTS: http://www.myspace.com/radiots

For me, discovering the world of Japanese Rustic Stomp was like being a child again and finding a hidden room full of toys in the attic. There is a thriving scene in Japan of the exact style of music that Shite‘n’Onions was built on and I am just scratching the surface. The song ‘Ace of Clover’ off of MT. PAIOT’S ‘Northland Stomp’ CD has a line that, (through it’s broken English,) reads, “We met the Irish and they’re great guys. Its our own music!” I love that. The Japanese have taken this music and embraced it as their own and created some great material for this genre.

Christopher Toler, THE Blathering Gommel

Interview

Neck come out swinging – Interview with Leeson O’Keeffe

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November 24, 2009

(S’n’O) First of all, congrats on finally getting “Come out fighting” released in the UK. Why the delay and when can we expect a proper US release?

(Leeson/Neck) Thanks John – it’s a massive relief! Well, it was set to go a year ago, but there were some last minute glitches that, due to tour commitments, we weren’t around to fix. So it got postponed – which gave us & the label time to reflect & it was decided, as Wispy was back off ‘the Subs bench’ to let him overdub some bass parts, re-master it (at the right level), completely overhaul the artwork & get proper PR campaigns working behind the album – which meant putting it back to now to enable all that.

(S’n’O) The title – “Come out fighting” and the fists up on the CD sleeve. I’m guessing there is a statement there?

(Leeson/Neck) Yep – but it’s more about having a ‘pugnacious’ state-of-mind rather than going down the boozer ready for a ruck. It’s down to the title track, which is about those times in life when the shite really hits the fan & you, literally, feel like you’ve gone 15 rounds with Mike Tyson & you’re on the ropes, emotionally, with the guy ready to throw in the towel. So you really have to dig deep, & figuratively speaking, get off the ropes, catch your breath, get your balance – put your guard up, set your brow & be downright bloody-minded & take the fecker on! If ye know what I mean…

(S’n’O) I heard a few complaints from long time Neck fans that while the production on “Come out fighting” is 1st class there’s a lot of older Neck tracks re-recorded. Any particular reason why?

(Leeson/Neck) Of course: rather than selling people short, we’re just trying to give them the best we can – we thought that, as this is our first world-wide release, & particularly with legendary producer Pat Collier’s alchemy at our disposal, we had the opportunity to re-visit & improve upon songs that we love & are live favourites, but the previous recordings are either really old or were recorded either so cheaply, in a rush or mixed at silly o’clock with one eye on the clock, that we find them hard to listen to now. We knew Pat could help us do a better job of them. Which we have, and which, it appears, everyone does actually agree with!

(S’n’O) We’ve been following Neck here in Shite’n’Onions for about 8 years and while a lot of bands that started out around the same time as Neck have had a lot of success stateside Neck are still a unknown quantity – do you feel disadvantaged being based in the UK? Any plans to raise your US profile.

(Leeson/Neck) Well, none of our stuff’s been widely available in the US up ’til now (apart from a Heroic effort via your very own ‘Shite ‘n’ Onions’ – named after on of our very own tunes! – with ‘Here’s mud in yer eye!’); Also, the costs of touring & promotion without big label backing make things virtually unfeasible for us. But, despite that, because of the immense support for us over there from you guys – we’ve tried to hang-in there. We know we’re a good band & things are progressing: our two U.S. trips last year were proof of that. It’s just finding a way to make sure people know about us, & now that we’ve got a U.S. label – Abstract Recordings –  who are going to get behind the album, hopefully we’ll get our arses back over there & put together a tour around the album release in the new year.

(S’n’O) Finally, with “Come out Fighting!” finally out. What are Necks next plans – tours, next CD?

(Leeson/Neck) Well we’ve started the rolling UK tour & then, with the album being released in the USA the week before St. Patrick’s Day, it makes sense that, if it’s at all possible, we need to be in the U.S. for that – so we need to get onto things like ShamrockFest in DC, etc. to ensure that. Then we’ll be touring the album in Europe in April, with more dates & festivals all over the place to follow throughout the summer into The Fall / Autumn – so 2010 may be our busiest year ever! Release-wise, we’re starting to work on the next Neck album, & we promise it will defo be all new material.

(S’n’O) There’s also a rumour of a CD of covers already recorded, any truth in that?

(Leeson/Neck) Yes indeed: we’d already recorded a covers album (with Pat) before ‘Come out Fighting!’, but it was ultimately felt that it was better to put out an originals album as a first release. It was inspired by Johnny Rogan’s writings &, is, subsequently, ‘Necked-up’ versions of songs by other 2nd & 3rd-generation Irish artists – from Johnny Cash to The Libertines. It’s a testament to our contribution to popular music & how far we’ve punched above our weight! The front cover & title’s actually our best-selling T-shirt ‘Plastic ‘n’ Proud’ (‘Plastic Paddies’ is a derogatory term – so we’re turning the insult on it’s head, like black folk do with the ‘N’ word). The version of The Sex Pistols ‘Anarchy in the UK’ is already reaching cult status! (there’s a clip on YouTube of 5,000 people singing along to it at Glastonbury festival)!.

Interview

THE SWAGGERIN’ GROWLERS: Interview

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April 25, 2009

THE SWAGGERIN’ GROWLERS: Boston based The Swaggerin’ Growlers have just released their 2nd full length CD – Keep Your Head Held High. In honour of that momentus ocasion we asked Johnny Swagger a few dumb questions.

s’n’o: First off, can we get a brief history of the band and personally how did you get involved in playing Celtic-punk?

Johnny Swagger: The band started, like all good folk bands, in the pub. Over pints of Franconia Notch Brewing Companies’ Mountain Stout, in the summer of 2004. We rehearsed in Seth’s (of the Pubcralwers ) basement and played our first show on St Patrick’s day of 2005. Somewhere over the last two years we had a lot of lineup changes, as well as a relocation down to Boston. We finally locked everything down in the beginning of this year, and decided it was high time we put out a new record. Now, we’re off to take over the world.

As far as Celt Punk Goes: Flogging Molly got me interested, and the Pogues changed my life: The idea that you can cause that much intense insanity with acoustic instruments is glorious. It’s hard to avoid the influence of Irish music on the folk scene here in Boston, and in New England as a whole.

S’n’O: Your Head Held High! is your 2nd full-length. How does it compare to your 1st (The Bottle and the Bow)? Is there growth, maturity, keyboards etc., or did you go the AC/DC, Ramones, Motorhead route?

Johnny Swagger: It blows it away, outright – I couldn’t be more proud of the family. There’s a whole lot of growth on this record, and a lot more of our influences shine through considerably more: Bluegrass, Old Tyme, Ska, Swing, and Hardcore. We recorded the majority of it at the band house, behind a schedule that can best be described as insane, so we could have it out for the 17th. And we pulled it off, goddamn it.

S’n’O: I know you headlined the Middle East Club in St. Patrick’s Day for the CD release party. How did it go?

Johnny Swagger: It was a few people shy of selling out, actually – It was a complete frenetic mess. Jubilant, boisterous, brash. I’ve played hundreds of shows at this point in my musical career, and I can definitely say this was my favorite show to date. We were completely surrounded by friends and family, both on and off the stage, and the after party easily ran until 6am. Could anyone ask for anything more? I was in awe the whole goddamn time.

S’n’O: Any plans to tour to support the new release outside New England? Anyone you’d like to tour with?

Johnny Swagger: You better believe it. We plan on fully supporting this record over the next few years, in the states and abroad, starting this summer with a full US tour, then again in the fall. Stay tuned, we plan on announcing dates in the next week or so. Anyone got a van they can sell us? Growlersarus Rex is a little too battered to be roadworthy at this point.

S’n’O: myspace or facebook?

Johnny Swagger: I’ve done more social networking in our living room during a folk jam than on either of those. But Myspace is great for porn and spam and facebook is great for being a creepy stalker. so naturally, we’ve got both, and you should check them out.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Swaggerin-Growlers/38568332154

http://www.myspace.com/theswaggeringrowlers

S’n’O: In closing, anything you’d like to say in general?

Johnny Swagger: Check out our friends, The Old Edison and Faulty Conscience, our sister bands. They’re both gearing up for new releases in the near future. Also a big thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years, the friends we’ve made, and the bartenders that didn’t throw us out when the damn well should have. Oh, and buy our new record, and come out to a show or fifty. Cheers.

Interview

Andy Nolan of BibleCodeSundays is interviewed

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November 19, 2010

Andy Nolan is the accordion player with London’s BibleCodeSundays and a budding movie screenwriter and producer who’s first movie CLAN LONDON is in pre production at the moment. We thought we catch up with Andy and see what’s going on with the BibleCodes and how the movie business is treating him.

SnO – Andy, with the movie and Ronans solo CD what’s happening with the BCS? Any plans to start working on a third full length?

Andy – Yes we are recording our third album in the coming weeks before Christmas! Really looking forward to it as it’s been a long time coming and we have some great songs!

SnO – Ghosts of our Past was release in the US through Cosmic Trigger records. Will we be seeing a US release of Boots or No Boots (and a tour)?

Andy – Yes we are planning a US tour for May next year! We’re looking to play Boston, NYC and Chicago! We will be promoting songs from the new album so for those that haven’t heard Boots or No Boots grab a copy from our website http://www.biblecodesundays.co.uk

SnO – How’s Ronan’s sold CD doing – I was very impressed, different from the BCS but still good in a Elvis Costello kind of way.

Andy – Yes Strawberry Hill! It’s doing very well and available on Itunes so check it out! It’s always been a very strong side to Ronan’s writing and he’s glad it’s finally out there for people to hear! He’s been writing songs like that since he was a kid. I think a second solo album will soon be on it’s way! He has hundreds of great songs like that ready to record! We played on most of the first album and hopefully can help him with the next one too!

SnO – Speaking of the brother any chance of persuading Elvis and your former bosses Spider Stacey and Shane MacGowan to guest on the next BCS release – on the same track even (I know, wishful thinking)?

Andy – There has been talk of this for a while now! Yes one day I think we could get everyone in to record on one of our albums! That would be amazing! With this third album though we had around 30 very good songs of our own and we had to narrow them down to 12. We realised that we had loads of our own material we had to get out there first! I’d say the next album after this would be a good time to get Elvis, Shane and Spider in! Do watch out for Spider Stacy featuring on the Clan London Movie soundtrack though! We plan to put together The Vendettas to record one or two songs for the movie!

SnO – When you played in Spiders band – The Vendettas – did you guys record anything proper (I’ve heard live bootlegs but no studio stuff) and will anything ever be released?

Andy – Yes we did! We recorded around 15 tracks that have never been released. With the band reforming to record for my movie Clan London you will certainly hear The Vendettas on the movie soundtrack!

SnO – Switching gears. The Movie! I know you have a big interest in gangsters and especially those with Irish blood – so can you tell us what the movie is all about and how the idea of making a movie came about?

Andy – Clan London is a crime drama set in London, UK. It tells of three second generation Irish brothers growing up in 1970’s London up to the present day. Against the backdrop of anti – Irish feeling this particular family refuse to keep their heads down and become heavily involved in organised crime. So much so the rise to the top of the British underworld.

I’ve always been a huge movie fan and always thought there was a gap in the market for an Irish gangster movie set in London. It’s based on people I grew up with, real life criminals and fiction – a melting pot of ideas really.

SnO – Your in pre-production right now? How has it being going to get to this stage –   from the facebook page for CLAN LONDON it looks like everything is coming along nicely?

Andy – Yes we’re in pre-production now. We’ve already had auditions in Galway City. We are holding auditions in Dublin on Sat 29 January next year and we will move on to London shortly after that. We also plan to audition in Boston as we have some scenes set in Southie. Jay Giannone from The Departed and Gone Baby Gone is helping us with that. For more details go towww.clanlondonmovie.com

SnO – I also see a couple of big names associated with the movie – boxer Steve Collins and author and ex-gangster Noel “Razor” Smith – how did you hook up with those guys and what type of parts have you got for them?

Andy – Yes Steve will play Paddy McDonagh – the father of the three boys. Paddy is The Godfather of the McDonagh empire, a role Steve is really excited about playing. Steve heard about the movie project and contacted me through a mutal friend. Steve is one of my all time sporting heroes so to have him involved is a dream come true. He appeared in Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and more recently The Kid directed by Nick Moran (Lock, Stock). He is currently filming Blood Sweat and Wars with Clan London director Stephen Patrick Kenny. He is very committed to his acting career. His passion for the role of Paddy is second to none and will have you on the edge of your seat believe me!

I wrote See You at the Crossroads about Razor Smith which was on our last album Boot or No Boots. After reading his book A Few Kind Words and a Loaded Gun I was moved to write a song about his life. Razor is London Irish like me. Great book by the way! I highly recommend it! Razor, now a best selling author, was part of the inspiration behind the movie and has recently been released from prison. He has fifty-eight criminal convictions and has spent the greater portion of his adult life in prison. Whilst in prison he taught himself to read and write, gained an Honours Diploma from The London School of Journalism and an A-Level in Law. He has been awarded a number of Koestler awards for his writing and has contributed articles to the Independent, the Guardian, Punch, the Big Issue, the New Statesman and the New Law Journal. Razor is also helping with research to make Clan London as authentic as possible and will be cast very soon!

SnO – Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this the first movie about London-Irish organized crime (excluding ‘The Long Good Friday” which was Cockney gangsters verses Irish politicals) – why hasn’t the subject been tackled before (it’s not like there aren’t Irish families that are major players in London organized crime)?

Andy – Yes it is the first! There always been a huge Irish community in London but with the Troubles back home much of what the Irish achieved in the UK has been overlooked. I wanted to highlight that in the most explosive way possible – through a gangster movie. There have been many cockney Irish criminals down through the years. One of the most infamous was Billy Hill who ruled the London underworld for decades. He was the UK’s first celebrity gangster and handed down his empire to his proteges The Krays.

SnO – As far as Irish gangster movies and books what would you recommend to see/read?

Andy – Well State of Grace will always be one of my all time favourites along with Goodfellas and Carlito’s Way. Regarding books I would highly recommend Rat Bastards by John ‘Red’ Shea, Street Soldier by Eddie MacKenzie and A Criminal and an Irishman by Pat Nee! Amazing stuff! All three authors are fans of Clan London too!

SnO – Andy, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Anything you’d like to add?

Andy – Anytime John! Yes keep an eye out for Clan London in 2012! We plan to shoot it next year! And our third album will be released next year too!

Interview

Philip Chevron (Pogues/Radiators From Space) Interview

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March 4, 2012

It may have taken nearly 30 years for the seminal Irish punk band Radiators From Space to cut their third album, but don’t tell Phil Chevron that they sound any different than before. “To me, it doesn’t sound any different,” says Chevron. To him, even though their debut, T.V. Tube Heart, had a sound more like their contemporaries in the late 70’s punk scene, the fact that their latest, Trouble Pilgrim, has slower-tempo songs and more of a pop sensibility has more to do with their growth as musicians, as well as their changing influences over the years. “When you’re young, you start out playing what you can, and eventually you end up playing what you want.”

And don’t call this a “Reunion Album.” “We really never actually split up,” he says. “We just ran out of road…but it was always the idea that, when the opportunity arose, we would get back together. And we have done a few times before this.” The difference now? Says Chevron: “There isn’t that sort of pressure to return to the hamster wheel of commercial grunt work. We do what we like, without the pressure of having to have a career plan, as such.” And in that spirit, the Radiators have gotten back together several times in recent years. Does the fact that they’re older, and not trying to compete in the same markets as younger bands? “Oh, of course,” he says. “None of us, at this point, have any interest in going back in the factory line. We’re competing with no one.”
Chevron, as a member of the Pogues, has toured the world many times over the years. Are the Radiators planning on touring behind this release? “If someone wanted to arrange that, we’d definitely be interested, but it doesn’t seem very feasible at this point.” And as for the gap between the new CD’s release in Ireland and it’s appearance in the States, Chevron says this has more to do with the fact that the band has no plans to try and sign with any major distributors. “The album’s been out there, available for anyone who wanted to release it. We knew that Shite ‘N’ Onions were champions of the album when it was first released. When you own your own masters, which we do now, you have the freedom to license to whoever you want.”

That the album makes references to US foreign policy is only natural, says Chevron, but “America has such a huge footprint on the world, it has to accept people commenting about it.” He points to the fact that Shannon airport is now virtually being run like a US military installation as a reason that someone from Ireland might have cause to make their feelings about the conflicts going in the Middle East known.

The track most likely to get people’s attention this time around is the song “Joe Strummer,” the subject of which should be obvious to anyone with ears. According to Chevron, it’s a kind of musing about what the great Clash front man and solo artist (and, for a brief period, a member of the Pogues) would have to say about the state of the world today. “We started out admiring him, as everyone did at the time, to working with him as our producer, to being mates with him. We introduced him to football.” Strummer’s ability to, as Chevron puts it, “put that point of view across,” makes to world a completely different place for not having him in it.

Trouble Pilgrim may not sound like your classic 1-2-3-4 punk rock album, but the subject matter is as passionate and as pointed as the Radiators From Space have always been. The nearly 30-year gap between albums has only served to ensure that the band put its best foot forward.

Trouble Pilgrim is available in the US from Shite’n’Onions

Interview by: John Curtin – Comedian, Irish Musician, Dork

Interview

6 Questions – PRYDEIN

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July 19, 2012

(SNO) So who are PRYDEIN (when formed, band members, where are you from)?
(Pryden – Aron) Prydein actually started out as a band I formed with some friends back in college in 1995 out of a desire for something new in the music scene. There weren’t too many rock bands with bagpipers back then so we thought we’d give it a shot. That band was called Whisky Before Breakfast. After that band split up in 1998 I got to keep the bagpiper in the divorce settlement. Our fiddler, Ellery Klein, went on to play with Gaelic Storm and we became Prydein. Prydein now consists of myself (Aron Garceau) on Guitar, Vocals and other random things found round a studio, Iain MacHarg on Highland Bagpipes, flute and pennywhistle, Andy Smith on Bass and Caleb Bronz on drums. We recently a new member to the band, Dan Houghton of the band Cantrip also plays highland bagpipes as well as bouzuki, flute, whistle, etc. As we say on our website, the sound of two bagpipers playing tight harmonies backed by a rock band is enough to make the blood shoot right out of your eyes!

(SNO) What inspired the formation of the band?

(Pryden – Aron) In the 90s, all the music being played on the radio either sounded like Sound Garden or R&B Hip hop pop-a-lop. Not for us. We wanted something different… very different. I think we found it! We also noticed quite a lack of young kids in the trad music scene, we felt like this was a way to trick them into getting interested in what was going on.

(SNO) Describe your sound (and influences)?

(Pryden – Aron) We are a Celtic rock band blending the influences of our piper Iain (who grew up listening to NOTHING but bagpipe music, Tannahil Weavers, Bothy Band, Battlefield Band, Gordon Duncan) and myself who grew up listening to… well, everything else. I was a huge Zeppelin fan as a kid as well as Jethro Tull and so I think of this as Scottish-Folk-Zeppelin.

(SNO) What going on with the band right now (recording, touring etc)?

(Pryden – Aron) Since the lot of us are a bunch of public school music teachers, we keep our tours heaviest in the summer time. With that being said we’re in the season deep now with a Scottish Festival in Northampton Mass this Saturday (The Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival) with Enter the Haggis, a highland games in Detroit as well as Maine and our home-state of Vermont. The big news this year is that we’re about a month away from releasing our first live album; Prydein: Live From the Fort. We can’t wait!

(SNO) What song in you catalog best defines your sound (and why)?

(Pryden – Aron) Our fans would say “Stairway to Scotland”, it’s our show ending mashup of Amazing Grace and Scotland the Brave. However I think that the reel rocker, “Loud Pipes (save lives)” is probably the one that captures it best. A couple of reels put to a pretty straight ahead rock background, it’s strong, it’s solid and I think it is, in its entirety, Celtic Rock. It’s also the video on youtube that has gotten over 100,000 hits and has introduced our music to the world. We recently found out that there is a band in Russia who is covering our stuff! The internet is amazing.

(SNO) Soapbox – anything you’d like to say?

(Pryden – Aron) We’re pretty lucky, I think, to have found the niche that we’re in. It’s tough you know, often times we find that we’re too “rock” for folk festivals but at the same time we’re too “folk” for mainstream rock festivals. Heck, sometimes we find that we’re too Irish for Scottish Festivals and too Scottish for Irish Festivals. We take the gigs as they come and love talking to the crowd both before, during and after the show and found that we’ve got some amazing, dedicated and loyal fans and we strive to bring them 110% all of the time. Every new show brings more folks into the fold and we look forward to doing so for a long, long time.

Thanks John, and thanks for all that you do to introduce folks to new music. Your efforts are
appreciated!

Cheers,

Aron

Interview

Kevin Flynn and the Avondale Ramblers

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July 21, 2012

(S’n’O) So who are Kevin Flynn and the Avondale Ramblers?
(KF) The Avondale Ramblers had been around for a year or two before I joined them in 06′. They had been backing a girl who was supposed to be the next Shania Twain – or something like that… Andrew Gerber plays the mandolin, Frederick Frey is the percussionist, Nils St. Cyr plays guitars and Sean Mulroney plays stand-up baby-bass. The band hails from the Avondale neighborhood in Chicago. I was born, raised and died (time of death TBD..) in the Windy City.

(S’n’O) What inspired the formation of the band?Describe your sound (and influences)?

Andy was looking for someone to replace their frontwoman after she fled to the West Coast. He had always wanted to do Irish music and knew I was available. I had been recording with him for years and we used to talk about Irish music and our Irish heritage all the time. Andy called me up and we got together and talked about the Pogues, Clancy Brothers, Dubliners, and the Tossers (who he had been recording in his studio for the past coupke of years). I said that I wanted to sing songs about Chicago. My family’s been here a long time – we can’t even trace the Flynn roots back to Ireland. Chicago’s all I’ve ever known… By the next week, we were rehearsing. Andy had hand-picked these guys from his years of playing and recording. We sounded great right off the bat.
(S’n’O) What going on with the band right now (recording, touring etc)?
We’re a couple of weeks away from finishing the album. It sounds terrific. This is the first time we’ve done a full-length and I think we nalied it. We’re looking to tour the East Coast and Midwest in the fall to help promote it. The Avondale Ramblers and I just played Irish Fest at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago – and killed it! We’ve got a couple more fests to play this summer and Guinness Fest here in September.

(S’n’O) What song in you catalog best defines your sound (and why)?

There’s a song on the new album titled “Notes From an Insomniac/Insomniac Blues” that sounds like the Clancy Brothers playing with Ry Cooder. It has that,”Irish folk meets-barroom rockabilly” sound that’s often prevalent in our music. The Avondale Ramblers come from a rock, blues and country background. Combine that with my acoustic storytelling, and there you have it! If you’re looking for one on our existing catalogue, I would say “Stand Tall” does it.
Soapbox – anything you’d like to say?
Cheers – Here’s to you!

Interview

LEXINGTON FIELD

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July 25, 2012

(S’n’O) So who are LEXINGTON FIELD (when formed, band members, where are you from)?

Beau Gray – Vocals, Guitar
Cami Smith – Violin
Bryan Hane – Lead Guitar
Casey Jones – Bass
Vincent West – Drums
Lexington Field is from San Diego, CA and formed in 2009.

(S’n’O) What inspired the formation of the band?

After experimenting in pubs around San Diego as Fiffin Market for a couple years (2007-2008), playing more of an acoustic/folk style of the classics, a turn of fortunate events in 2009 led to the formation of Lexington Field. We wanted to write our own original sound, that we call American Fiddle Rock, and with our punk roots and our folk experience, we brought that to our live show and have been rocking it that way ever since. Lexington Field was named after a song Beau wrote called “The Spirit of Lexington Field”. He wrote it for his grandfather, who passed away in 2005. A true love from your family and friends that is constant and will last forever, seemed like an appropriate, and well-timed, reason to name for the band. We are five people with a goal to make catchy, original, high energy, unique music that will stand the test of time, and bring happiness to as many people as we can. That is the spirit of Lexington Field.

(S’n’O) Describe your sound (and influences)?

American Fiddle Rock

Definition: Using the influences we learned from bands such as Young Dubliners, Flogging Molly, and Great Big Sea and taking elements from all over North America (punk, rock, country, bluegrass) and blend it with the Irish traditional music we all love.

Other influences are Gogol Bordello, Dropkick Murphys, Rise Against, Dave Matthews, Good Old War, The Tossers, and many, many more.

(S’n’O) What’s going on with the band right now (recording, touring etc)?

In March we released our new 6-song EP, Poor Troubled Life, on New Folk Records. We also re-released our debut full length Old Dirt Road, on New Folk Records this year. In August 2012 we will embark on our first national tour! We will be playing 22 shows in 20 cities as we bring our American Fiddle Rock to the rest of the country. We are calling is the “2012 Midwest Missile Tour”! We also have been real busy writing new songs for a brand new full length album. We already have half of the album written and will be playing some of the new songs on our tour. When we get back from the road we will finish writing and head back to the studio in the first quarter of 2013. If you like the songs off Poor Troubled Life, then you will love what we have in store for everyone next year! We plan on releasing the new album in the Summer of 2013!

(S’n’O) What song in you catalog best defines your sound (and why)?

“Tracy Boys Fight The World”

Its a song about a bunch of thugs up to no good! From the fiddle intro to the sing along choruses, this song captures the energy and excitement of our live show. The music video we did for it pretty much says it all! 1-2-3…FIGHT!
See it here:

Interview

Dublin Public – Interview

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August 5, 2012

(Shite’n’Onions) So who are Dublin Public (when formed, band members, where are you from)?

(Shea – Dublin Public) I started Dublin Public in March of 2011 a few months after my previous project broke up. I have always had a love of Irish songs and I have booked many a St. Patrick’s Day party over the years, but the real reason I started this project was to expand my skill set as a musician and venture into a genre I had no experience with. The first year was pretty much shite, as I tried out many, many musicians, but no one quite fit the group. In November of 2011 I met our current upright bass player Nate Morefield and lead multi-instrumentalist Steve Lorentzen in the same week! I was almost floored by what I had found, and as we came together as a group over the next few months we played our first show on February 2nd, 2012 in Long Beach where we are all from.

Drummers had been an issue as our previous guy also played in another Irish band so we went on the hunt, while still playing shows, for a few months until we came across Smilin’ Jack DeBaun who has a great feel for the music and brings his unique “cocktail-style” drum kit to the group. At the same time we happened upon our fiddle player, Carrie Mock, who runs a talented string quartet as well and things finally felt complete after over a year! It was rough wading through tons and tons of Craigslist postings but every member was found there and drunken good times have been had ever since!

(Shite’n’Onions) What inspired the formation of the band?

(Shea – Dublin Public) I have been pretty inspired by both the legends [Dubliners, Clancy Brothers, Pogues] as well as local bands like The Leperkhanz, The Mighty Regis, The Mahones, Shillaly Brothers, etc]. It was the local bands that really got me into the music as I do booking in my city for various venues. I saw how much fun everyone was having, drinking and singing along and that really pushed me to start a project of my own.

(Shite’n’Onions) Describe your sound (and influences)?

(Shea – Dublin Public) We are very Folk/Traditional rooted but add a tinge of rock to our arrangements. We try to make the songs feel modern while keeping all the traditional stuff in. The Clancy’s Brothers are one of my favorites, but I we draw influence from other great bands like the Dubliners, The Irish Rovers, Pogues, Wolfe Tones, Great Big Sea, and more.

(Shite’n’Onions) What going on with the band right now (recording, touring etc)?

(Shea – Dublin Public)   We just finished our debut album of Irish drinking standards that you can pick up online for just $7! That’s 14 tracks of some of your favorite songs like The Wild Rover, Fields of Athenry, and Finnegan’s Wake to name a few. Besides that we are just starting to work on originals and get our name out there in the local scene!

(Shite’n’Onions) What song in you catalog best defines your sound (and why)?

(Shea – Dublin Public) I think our song “Beer, Beer, Beer” really reflects what we are going for. We love to drink and get the party going and this song exemplifies that pretty well!

(Shite’n’Onions) Soapbox – anything you’d like to say?

(Shea – Dublin Public) I love stout!

http://www.dublinpublic.com/

Potato-eating, Whiskey-drinking, Bog-trotting, CELTIC PUNK ROCK