With one foot in tradition and the other firmly in musical invention, The Celtic Social Club release a special edition of their 2019 album, From Babylon To Avalon, in the UK. Produced, recorded and mixed between France and the USA, their third album affirms the personal path between tradition, energy and songwriting.
The Celtic Social Club as their name suggest are a Celtic band. Not just a Celtic band but a Celtic Celtic band. Celtic music has always been popular outside of the Celtic nations, and not just among the Celtic diaspora, but it is heartening to find that the music is alive and flourishing where it was birthed. The Celtic Social Club hail from the small town of Carhaix in western Brittany between the Arrée Mountains to the north and the Black Mountains to the south. Breton culture and language flourishes in this version of Ireland’s ‘gaeltacht’ with over 20% of the areas children attending bilingual schools helping to ensure that the Breizh language not only survives but grows.
The band first surfaced in 2014 in front of a 50,000 + crowd at the French festival Les Vieilles Charrues in July and followed this up with their self-titled debut album the same year. Since then they have graced stages across the world from Europe to north America, Asia and Africa. They went on to put out a live album in 2015 and another studio album, A New Kind of Freedom, in 2017 but from the start this bunch of seven diverse musicians took traditional Celtic tunes and used that diversity to add elements of Rock, Folk, Blues, Reggae and even Hip-Hop to the mix making something contemporary and yet still traditional at the same time. From Babylon To Avalon was first released in May 2019 at home in Brittany and France but with their appearances over the last couple of years at some major British music festivals and a growing fan base here the band have decided to re-release the album complete with new artwork and added tracks. The UK version was released last month on Kitchen Disco Records and was produced, recorded and mixed at home and the United States, by drummer Manu Masko and respected NY producer, Ariel Borujow. The album will also be available on vinyl for the first time ever. The music of the Celtic Social Club knows no boundaries, taking genres from all over the world and making them their own as they continue their musical journey.
The Celtic Social Club boosts several amazing musicians and we couldn’t do them justice without a little piece on each of these tremendously talented musicians.
DAN DONNELLY – Lead Vocal, Guitars
Originally from Belfast, Dan was raised on Celtic music. His grandfather was a fiddle player and his father a guitarist. He gained some success with Irish band Watercress with whom he sang, played mandolin and didgeridoo amongst other things. In 2000 he moved to NYC where he started a solo career and played with Joy Zipper. Dan has supported Phoenix and Air and has been a touring member of The Levellers, The Oyster Band and The Wonder Stuff.
RONAN LE BARS – Uilleann Pipe, Whistles
Ronan is one of the world’s leading masters of Uillean Pipes. He fronts his own internationally renowned 5 piece group, however has been a member of Celtic Heritage with Dan Ar Bras that featured in Eurovision 1996. He has also been a recording artist with French legends Alan Stivell and Johnny Halliday.
MANU MASKO : Drums, Keyboard, Backing vocals, Musical director
Drummer and producer Manu calls himself a ‘Sound Maker’ and in this guise he has created music for radio, film and TV soundtracks. As a drummer he has enjoyed success with American rock Trio John Doe, Breton folk rock stalwarts Red Cardell and now Celtic Social Club, his own creation.
PIERRE STEPHAN : Fiddle
Pierre is a violinist steeped in the Breton Celtic tradition. He marries his years of experience in Fest Noz playing with a modern approach to the instrument that makes him one of the leading Breton players. A member of The Ronan Le Bars Group and he also plays with many in the most popular Breton bands.
Goulven is perhaps better known as a music journalist and novelist however he has a long spanning career as a rock guitarist. A one-time collaborator with Cathal Coughlan ( Micro Disney, The Fatima Mansions), Goulven was raised with Folk music both American and European; however he brings a rock element to anything he plays on.
Mathieu is one of the worlds masters of harmonica. He is personally endorsed by Lee Oskar who phoned him up to tell him he could have whatever Lee Oskar harmonica he wanted whenever. A member of French Breton institution Red Cardell, he also plays with the collective Uni.k which unites different artists.
RICHARD PUAUD : Bass, Backing vocals
Studio owner and sought after independent producer and engineer Richard is a recognized multi-instrumentalist and bass player. He has played on stage or in the studio with among others : Alexandre Varlet – African artists Mawndoé and Youss banda – Ibiza electro project La Caina
From Babylon To Avalon kicks off with ‘Sunshine’. A soft and gentle start to proceedings with a sort of dreaminess reminiscent of the UK’s 1990’s indie scene. There really is no more glorious instrument out there than the uilleann pipes and on ‘Dead End’ next Ronan’s playing is incredible and it really enhances this song. They recorded the track for Rolling Stone magazine for their ‘In My Room’ video series where the band recorded from their individual homes in support of caregivers.
Dan sings the trad influenced ballad ‘I’m Free’ next and what a great voice he has. A slow song that is perfectly balanced by the uplifting ‘Remember Joe Strummer’ a track dedicated to the memory of the sadly deceased Clash front-man who passed away in 2002. it was originally released as a single in August, 2019 and 50% of all royalties were donated to the Joe Strummer Foundation. The song features the words of Joe to kick it off “every generation must have its golden day” and is followed by a nice enough slice of reggae tinged pop. Not my favourite of genres I have to admit but I did like it and again Dan’s distinctive vocals giving it a great lift.
‘Pauper’s Funeral’ was the albums second single released just last June and yet again it’s Dan’s distinctive Irish brogue that stands out among the ‘Celtic Blues-Rock’ aided by some great harmonica (one of my favourite instruments) giving it a feel of a Celtic ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’ while Dan wanders the Paris graveyard where Oscar Wilde was buried in poverty while recalling other prominent figures who went to their grave without a pot to piss in! A fantastic song and accompanying video.
‘Santiago’ slows it down again and this album seems to be balancing old and new rather splendidly with songs that start off as one thing but soon drift seamlessly into something else, often with it being the uilleann pipes that enable this to be so. ‘It’s Morning John’ is a pipes led instrumental with a offbeat Breton air. If you love the sound of the uilleann pipes it should go without saying this album is for you. On first listen it was true that you never quite knew what was coming and in ‘Black Is The Colour’ we get a really special song beginning as a acapella song before morphing into a reworked Celtic-Rock version ‘Black Lives’ with added lyrics featuring the harmonizing Israeli music troupe The Futureheads. A rather spaced out version but absolutely stunning its originality. ‘OK Let’s Go’ is performed live in the studio ‘pub style’ and the influence of Dand previous band The Wonderstuff is evident in the songs intro before it flies off the handle and turns into one almighty ceilidh! The short video here features Jon Sevink of The Levellers on fiddle and Roy Harter on accordion and the energy it absolutely tremendous.
They do the same with their song ‘Buffalo’ a ‘Celtic-Dub’ song to go along with their ‘Celtic-Blues’ of earlier. Pleasant enough and I’m not sure mant Dub songs have the uillean pipes driving them along! This leads into another version of ‘Buffalo’ but this time featuring the rapper TL. The final couple of songs are the live tracks ‘Remember Joe Strummer’ and ‘It’s Morning John’ recorded at last years Beautiful Days festival in southern England.
The sadly cancelled English tour which saw them set to play at some major festivals as well as several dates with The Levellers. All gone but set to return in 2021.
The Celtic Social Club as I have mentioned straddle the fence between old and new and trad and pop majestically and they do it in style and reverence. The perfect bridge between Celtic music, Rock music and Pop music. Taking melodies from Brittany, Ireland, Scotland and Asturias and giving them a modern edge is no easy feat especially if you want to avoid parody but it’s done with an ease here that will keep everyone happy from the Folk music snobs purists to yer average Celtic-Punker. Someone once said that “Celtic music is Folk music with drink” and no matter how grand or gigantic it should still manage to sound like The Celtic Social Club do as something best experienced in the pub.
Guana Batz | London July 10, 2022 at 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
New Cross Inn
Event: fb://event/603984730635130 Alright Mate Promotions and New Cross Live present: Guana Batz Summer 1982 in London. The city stomped. The Meteors had created a new music and life- style: Psychobilly. nLoads of young urban Rockabillies took a razor to their head and followed bands like the Stingrays, the Sharks, Restless or the Ricochets. At this…
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The band first surfaced in 2014 in front of a 50,000 + crowd at the French festival Les Vieilles Charrues in July and followed this up with their self-titled debut album the same year. Since then they have graced stages across the world from Europe to north America, Asia and Africa. They went on to put out a live album in 2015 and another studio album, A New Kind of Freedom, in 2017 but from the start this bunch of seven diverse musicians took traditional Celtic tunes and used that diversity to add elements of Rock, Folk, Blues, Reggae and even Hip-Hop to the mix making something contemporary and yet still traditional at the same time. From Babylon To Avalon was first released in May 2019 at home in Brittany and France but with their appearances over the last couple of years at some major British music festivals and a growing fan base here the band have decided to re-release the album complete with new artwork and added tracks. The UK version was released last month on Kitchen Disco Records and was produced, recorded and mixed at home and the United States, by drummer Manu Masko and respected NY producer, Ariel Borujow. The album will also be available on vinyl for the first time ever. The music of the Celtic Social Club knows no boundaries, taking genres from all over the world and making them their own as they continue their musical journey.
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