It’s hard to believe but Shite’n’Onions is about to hit the legal drinking age – that’s 21 for anyone not in the USA. Shite’n’Onions was started because I couldn’t find anything about Celtic-punk in one place on the web. The original inspiration was a paper zine called BROADSIDE that features folk-punk. Having some basic HTML skills I decided to replicate online. Grabbing some CDs from my collection I reviewed them and posted the reviews. Next, I wrote to various Celtic-punk bands and, asked them to send in music to review and to my delight bands like The Mahones and The Town Pants did. Here Shite’n’Onions was officially born. Over the years, on top of hundreds of reviews, Shite’n’Onons has released two Celtic-punk compilations CDs, a split CD, watched the death of CDs as a medium, released two vinyl albums by legendary Irish punk band The Radiators from Space as well as a Celtic-punk tribute to Horslips.

To celebrate the big 21 I wanted to give a shoutout to some great bands that unfortunately flew under the radar of most folks but deserved to be heard and enjoyed by way more people. 

Catgut Mary is from Sydney Australia. (I think they are still going) and featured future founding member of The Rumjacks, Will Swan. Very similar to The Rumjacks, just maybe a little more rougher and gruffer. Only one full-length album,  BOURBON & BLACK PORTER, was released as well as a split EP with The Mahones that Shite’n’Onions put out. BTW if anyone has a copy of  BOURBON & BLACK PORTER that they want to part with let me know. 

The Bloody Irish Boys. Initially a one-man band for their (his) first album, Drunk Rock, with a sound that was just a little too close to Flogging Molly they became a Myspace sensation. The second album, Auld St. Patrick (2011), saw the Bloody Irish Boys become a full band and it’s a bloody great album. 

The Fisticuffs from the southside of Chicago followed in the steps of The Tossers and showed huge potential. Three studio albums of supercharged, attitude-filled DIY Celtic-punk were released with the last release, You’ll Not Take Us Alive, coming out in 2011. I’m not sure if they are still going or not but they have been quiet.

Nogoodnix. From update NY. Nogodnix released one album Pub Punx United in 2001. Punk with touches of Irish. They contribute Angelina to our Shite’n’Onions volume 1 comp.  

Hailing from the blue-collar, Irish American enclave of South Buffalo, New York, came Jackdaw. I thought these guys were going to be huge. Raw, nail spitting, in-your-face rock’n’roll ala classic AC/DC with bagpipes, tin whistle and accordion. The band built a huge following in their hometown, winning best of Buffalo four times. The band self-released four albums and, killed live.

Big Bad Bollocks was one of the earliest Pogues-inspired bands on the US scene. Based in western Massachusetts but fronted by English ex-pat Johnny Allen the Bollock had a certain north of England Ah-up charm and a love for whiskey in their tea.

The Skels. Despite near God-like status in North Jersey and parts of Boston The Skels profile was never as high as it should have been. Still going after 25 years so there is always a chance of well-deserved greatness happening.