ODDS’N’SODS. A CELTIC-PUNK ROUND UP OCTOBER 2022

A funny auld month this. Loads of Celtic-Punk’s premier league bands have releases out and two others have them coming soon!

Find out who they are is in this month’s Odds’n’Sods. A whole load of Celtic-Punk entertainment from all the scene’s bands big and small, established or just starting out.

We kick off this month with a shout out to our good friend Roger Goeddey whose just come out of hospital after a serious operation. Thinking of you from over here and best wishes from the gang.

First we had the Murphys, then the Molly and TMTCH and now it’s the turn of THE REAL McKENZIES to  release a new album, Songs Of The Highlands, Songs Of The Sea coming on November 18th on Stomp Records in Canada and FAT everywhere else.

THE OUTCAST CREW out of Laois in the Irish midlands have a new single and video out directed, filmed and edited by Thomas Moyles.  Laois is famous for an abbey, some gardens, a castle and a couple of lakes and now a kickarse class Celtic-Celtic-Punk. They won the 2020 Celtic Punk debut album of the year and it’s about time we heard some more guys!

We lapped up SHANGHAI TREASON at the Underworld in Camden last month. Supporting The Rumjacks they played a blinding set and we were happy to see a big chunk of it appear on You Tube with all yer favourite London Celtic Punks silhouetted against the stage!

Another live set this time from Oz and Flat Cap Productions of the raging 100% Colonial Bush Folk / Punk band HANDSOME YOUNG STRANGERS recorded last week at the Crown And Anchor, Adelaide.

Nearly all the big guns get a mention this month and THE MAHONES released the first single from upcoming album Jameson Street (out October 7th). ‘Holloway Jack’ is now available on Spotify and the other platforms.

A great cover of ‘These Hands’, originally by Scots band The Wakes, from Belfast based singer-songwriter STIOFAN on his debut album Rebel Heart which you can hear on Spotify.

Sad news out of the Highlands that Iain has left THE PLACKS. No need to go into the reason but unsure if this means they will carry on but the good news is that he’s already settled into a new band THE RAMSTAMPITS and they’ve been recording so expect new material very soon. Here they playing at Punk Rock In The Peninsula in August which had a awesome line up and looked bloody marvellous!

STOP PRESS – Just heard the new album is available for pre-release from Mainstage Merch.

Ace Brazilian band LUGH we haven’t heard much from recently so completely awesome to hear new material from them with an accompanying video chronicling their 13 years on the road. 13 MORE!!!!

Comedy song from Barcelona based CAL MURPHY about an issue affecting many men… but one in particular! All proceeds from this song will be donated to charities aiding Ukrainian families affected by the war. What better way to help than by having a laugh at the expense of the prick who caused it?

We love a new band so we do! THE ENDINGS from Telford in the English Midlands have probably been around a while (some of them look like it anyway!!!) but we only just come across this video. We checked out some more of their stuff on You Tube and its well f’ing catchy! Give em a like over on Facebook and look forward to seeing them featured on these pages real soon. Whole gig here.

Came across this shared on Facebook and it blew me away! DAMH & DOVE are an American duo with drums and original Viking warrior pipes that sounds bloody amazing. Send them a like on Facebook to hear more. Recorded at this years Oregon Renaissance Fayre.

This led me onto this. This is some scary battle shit from CU DUBH another duo with absolutely stunning pipes and drums. Ancient thundering war drums and swirling bagpipe to put the fear of God into your enemies. These folk don’t need no microphones either! Send a like over on Facebook you know the score.

HOIST THE COLORS – When Daylight Breaks

DROPKICK MURPHYS  – This Machine Still Kills Fascists

FLOGGING MOLLY – Anthem

MULHOLLAND – Cumha An Ri

THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG – Running On Ice

WE BANJO 3 – Open The Road

Remember we cannot review it if we don’t hear it first!

Scots singer-songwriter LOUIS RIVE didn’t bring the weather with him when he returned to Scotland from Barcelona! Now firmly settled back in he’s still as prolific as he use to be and has a new EP just out Dear Green Place. A four-song personal journey through North-East Glasgow. From the high flats, to the M8 Motorway. From Provanmill to Springburn to Alexandra Parade and back again.

A great friend of ours in the United States has a new album out Cumha An Ri the solo album from MULHOLLAND. Loads of distorted guitars and vocals played at breakneck speed about Irish and Irish-American history. Here’s my favourite about the lie that Irish slavery never existed and to hear the rest check out the entire YouTube Cumha An Ri playlist. Written, composed, performed, recorded, mixed and produced by the very talented Colin Mulholland.

THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG have a new digital only release out from their Bandcamp page with all money to go to their Album Fund. This is the second of TMTCH’s rolling programme of digital EP’s and contains the title track, a dystopian fable set in a menacing ice rink, a cover of Ronnie Lane’s classic ‘How Come’ and original demos of two new songs, ‘Islands Of Silver And Gold’ and ‘Lonely Train’.

One of my favourite Celtic-Punk bands the Orange County based BRICK TOP BLAGGERS have a new EP Obey The Tyrant out on all platforms. Here’s ‘Denial’ from St. Patrick’s Day 2021. Watch this space for a review coming soon. (Hint – It rocks!)

In the 9 years we’ve been doing this plenty of bands have passed us by. We can’t see everything after all so this column is to remind us of bands that never made these pages at the time but deserve another mention. These hopefully come with a free download like today so you can help yourself to some free music. Today we feature PFC PIERCE and his 2018 five track EP Songs Of Hope And Hardship. It was while reviewing the debut single from Coxey’s Army recently that we came across this release. It is Coxey’s Army vocalist Nate Rising who founded PFC Pierce a sometimes solo acoustic project described as Positive Blue Collar Folk. Drawing from his extensive travels and experiences, Nate pairs positive themes to catchy, Celtic rooted, tenor guitar music. All the music is available as a ‘name your price’ download but as usual if you can afford to leave him enough for a Guinness or two as a tip.

Acoustic Irish bands THE SCRATCH and THE MARY WALLOPERS are both touring in December and playing Camden in north London so watch out for dates and a wee article on that. Expect to see a few of us at one of them. Haven’t decided which yet! MAD DOG McCREA headline Nells, 3 North End Crescent, West Kensington, London W14 8TG on Friday 21st October. It’s a eye watering £22 but they are a great band so youse get what you pay for. NEW MODEL ARMY play 3 Christmas dates ending at the Roundhouse starting on the 10th. The BIBLECODE SUNDAYS are at the Powerhaus in Camden (formerly Dingwalls) on Saturday November 5th.  DROPKICK MURPHYS have announced THE RUMJACKS, PENNYWISE and JESSE AHEARNE as support for their Euro tour starting in Jan and arriving in London on Saturday 21st January and then just 7 days later its THE REAL McKENZIES at the New Cross Inn. All these but the top gig going on this month is just coming up …

Forty years ago The Pogues played their first gig at The Pindar of Wakefield in Kings Cross. On 4th October 1982 James, Shane, Spider and Jem took the stage as Pogue Mahone and would go on to change peoples lives. The Pindar Of Wakefield is now The Water Rats and Kings Cross is, unbelievably, a most desirable place to live and The Pogues are no more either. Their spirit lives on though within The Pogue Traders. Now in their 15th year themselves of bringing The Pogues back to life they will tread them same boards 40 years on. Support for the night is from Paul ‘Mad Dog’ McGuinness And Band. Paul toured with Shane MacGowan for almost a decade as a founder member of The Popes. For an hour before that Shane’s official biographer Richard Balls will be doing a Q And A and copies of his recent book ‘A Furious Devotion: The Life of Shane MacGowan’ will be available.

The Pogue Traders live at The Water rats Tuesday 4th October 2022 https://www.wegottickets.com/event/555406

THE WORKING CLASS SYMPHONY are one of the best Celtic-Punk bands in the world. You don’t know them well that’s probably because they are from Indonesia but we love them and guarantee you will too. Check them out on You Tube and Facebook and look forward to catching them live in Europe at the end of the year. They are heading over sometime between December – January and need the help of the Celtic-Punk community. If you can help with the tour in any way then drop them a line and let them know.

If you like what we do then you can support us by checking out our online store. The Harp’n’Bones design is back in all sizes and on black or white shirts. Also we have new polo shirts, in all sizes, and some nifty woolly hats as well as the Green’n’White ‘Skully Cap’ ringer shirts. Click the link below for the full range of all our other tatt. Shirts, badges, stickers, flags, CD’s and fridge magnets all the discerning Celtic-Punk fan could ever need! Help keep Punk Celtic! https://the30492shop.fwscart.com/

Facebook is rubbish and I can’t wait to see it fold. It has a stranglehold on all forms of expression that is not good and it’s no surprise to see people leaving in droves. Don’t despair though if you are one of them as you can keep up with London Celtic Punks posts via group on the phone app Telegram. Similar to What’s App but completely free from outside interference. Join us on Telegram, don’t miss a single post and even receive the odd exclusive and special offer! https://t.me/londoncelticpunks/

Well we have been blown away by the response to the new London Celtic Punk badge. Not surprising really as they are so bloomin’ gorgeous. Just about the nicest bit of merchandise in Celtic-Punk if you ask me! Comes with butterfly clip and made in Ireland (Guaranteed Irish!) It’s available for just £5 – UK and £7 – EU post-paid and we’ll throw in a few stickers and a button badge too. For further overseas contact us and we’ll work it out. Send to Paypal (friends & family) to londoncelticpunks@hotmail.co.uk

Even though we hate it Facebook does supply the (very) occasional ray of sunshine so a shout out to some good friends of ours over on Facebook. The Dropkick Murphys- Fan Page and the Celtic Punk,  Folk And Rock Fans are two of the best music forums on FB let alone Celtic-Punk. Ran By Fans For Fans just like you and me. Like and join in the fun!

We end with something a wee bit different. No bagpipes or shouting but some beautiful acoustic music from Scots singer-songwriter Dan Wilson who records under the name WITHERED HAND. His fantastic debut album New Gods has just been re-released with bonus tracks.

A reminder too that we need your news so anything you would like to share with the rest of the Celtic-Punk scene send it onto us.

If you are new to the London Celtic Punks blog it is easy to subscribe / follow and never miss a post. Bands, promoters, record labels, venues send in any news to londoncelticpunks@hotmail.co.uk or via the Contact Us page.

ODDS’N’SODS. A CELTIC-PUNK ROUND UP DECEMBER 2021

We take Christmas very seriously at London Celtic Punks and so begins the countdown to the second best day of the year! Expect much Christmas themed Celtic-Punk in the coming weeks but in the meantime here’s this months biggest yet round-up of all the band news, record releases and videos from bands big and small from across the Celtic-Punk scene.

6’10 the utterly brilliant offshoot from Flatfoot 56 just put out a new video to accompany ‘The Road’ taken from their awesome last album, Carried In Retrospect.

We missed the release of the new SHANGHAI TREASON single but needless to say it is again fantastic fast and punky Celtic-Punk and quite unlike anyone else knocking about. The album draws ever nearer and we cannot bloody wait to her it! Catch’em on tour in the UK with The Rumjacks soon.

It is probably easier to stop a train going at full speed than to convince the former members of the Black Tartan Clan to put an end to their musical adventure. After a small pose due to a change of line up at the end of 2017, the black kilt wearers have reformed ranks and changed their name, becoming BLACK TARTANS. The new group has a solid experience of live and studio work and continues to bring an energetic mix between trad Celtic instruments (bagpipes and banjo) and Punk-Rock. Here’s some footage of them playing live from their Facebook page. They’ve also started a You Tube channel so give that a follow if you can. Lots of new footage promised.

A little late for Halloween or especially early for next years? PADDY FINNEGAN’S GREEN MACHINE is no other than London Celtic Punks columnist Raymond and he put out a five track EP of scary covers and originals just in time to go trick or treating!

Another Halloween release we missed (except this was from last year!!) was When The Tombstones Speak a 4-track EP from Chicago band WORK THE COUNT. A collaborative music project that draws inspiration from American and Celtic Folk, Punk and Pop. Available as a ‘name your price’ download.

While it’s been many a year since The Dublin Castle in Camden has been much of a Irish pub Peggy Conlon talks about life behind the bar at the iconic pub.

THE RUMJACKS released a new video last month for the lead single off an upcoming new release. A eight track EP titled Brass for Gold is due out 11th February 2022 and is available for pre-order. 

BLACK MATILDA are a new Celtic-Punk band from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in Canada and just put out their debut song, ‘I Must sail Away’, on You Tube accompanied by a fantastic stop motion animation video. You can find the band on their Instagram page.

THE CUNDEEZ new single ‘The Stornoway Stomp’ is out now on major download sites along with the bands brilliant Scottish football anthem ‘Kilts On Taps Aff’. Both tracks are taken from the forthcoming album ‘Geeez It’ and the song tells the tale of a trip to the Isle o Lewis.

Acclaimed Pirate band and pure theatrical spectacle YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS announced the release of a Christmas themed album next month and I am really hoping we get a copy! A Pirate Stole My Christmas comes out on December 3rd and is on preorder here: https://smarturl.it/APirateStoleMyXmas

London Gaelic Athletic Association launched a commemorative 125th anniversary booklet, which lays out the history of the county’s past century and a quarter. You can read it here.

Speaking of Instagram (Remember it is owned by Facebook so none of your photos are safe!) THE TENBAGS from Birmingham have just discovered it and have been posting some great content on their page. Well worth looking up.

I’m not much of a whiskey man I’d be the first to admit. My father-in-law always gets the Bells out for me and my brother just shakes his head disappointedly when I put Cola in but here’s a good wee video from a couple of Aussies reviewing THE POGUES Irish whiskey.

HAWTHORN are from Tucson, Arizona and just released their second album, All The Light We Cannot See. An aggressive mix of raw energy and fast punk rooted in traditional Celtic music.

SONS OF CLOGGER are a well known fixture on the English Folk-Punk and festival scene with a good few releases behind them. On finding a bass player they are now casting their net out for a rhythm guitarist and keyboard player so if you live anywhere near Staffs. give them a shout on their Facebook page. ‘Siabost Beach’ is taken from their last album The Neolithic as filmed in the Outer Hebrides/ Western Isles.

Irish born Barcelona based tongue-in-cheek singer-songwriter CAL MURPHY released The Partin’ Rocky Rattlin’ Lass 4-track EP earlier in the year but we only just got round to hearing it. All cover versions the EP covers modern day Irish music pretty damn well from the Celtic-Punk of ‘Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go’ to it’s polar opposite ‘The Parting Glass’ stripped down to just vocals and acoustic guitar. 

THE OUTCAST CREW – Myths And Yarns (review coming)

WHISKEY OF THE DAMNED – We Made Bail

BRIAN FALLON – Night Devine

THE GROGGY DAYS – Grog ‘o’ Clock

HAWTHORN – All The Light We Cannot See

remember we can’t review it if we don’t hear it

A wee plug for London Irish Rugby Club. After years in the wilderness out in Reading and some would say a watering down of the club’s Irish ethos they arrived back in London at the tail end of last season and a joy to behold it was too, except for the last minute defeat after being miles ahead at half time!! The club is back in the heart of the Irish community so check out the clubs merchandise and show your roots and get some mates together and get down there. Eight train and tube stations within a 20 minute walk and no shortage of decent pubs too means their is literally no excuse. Games against Newcastle Falcons December 4th, CA Brive in the EPCR Cup December 19th and the first home fixture of the New Year against Bath on Monday January 3rd.

This section is for Celtic-Punk bands that have (on the large) left us but their music is still deserving to be heard and heard for free courtesy of a free download. Well here’s a band that are still together and playing. FALPERRYS are one of them actual Celtic-Punk bands from an actual Celtic country (I use to call that Keltic Celtic-Punk) in Galicia. Do Amor e das Mentiras was their debut album from 2011 and is available as a ‘Name Your Price’ download as is their more recent album Nova Abordagem.

Everyone is wetting themselves that THE DROPOUTS are fronted by former Booze & Glory singer and guitarist Liam well we remember his glory days when he nonchalantly would play the banjo for London Irish Ceilidh rockers Neck whilst dreaming of the day he could be in a Oi! band! A top geezer he moved off to Sydney a couple of years back and hasn’t looked back since. This self-titled release is the bands debut and though only seven tracks it’s all great stuff and perfect melodic and hard hitting Punk Rock.

The more I see of Facebook the more and more I dislike it. It has a stranglehold on all forms of expression and this isn’t good. Anything that breaks their monopoly is a great thing (except Twitter equally as shit!) so if you feel the same you can now subscribe to London Celtic Punks posts via our group on the new phone app Telegram. Very similar in style (but better and easier to use) than What’s App but the best thing is that it is completely free from Facebook control. Join us on Telegram, don’t miss a single post and even receive the odd exclusive and special offer! https://t.me/londoncelticpunks/  

We’re not beyond a wee bit of crass commercialism so just to let you know that London Celtic Punks merchandise would make great Christmas presents! We still have a handful of Green’n’White ‘Skully Cap’ ringer t-shirts available in all sizes from Small right up to XXX-L from our online store. Also available are 2 other shirt designs so click the link below for our full range of all our other tatt. Shirts, badges, stickers, flags, CD’s and fridge magnets all the discerning Celtic-Punk fan could ever need!  https://the30492shop.fwscart.com/

On the live front here in London town we have the return of London Irish Pyscho-Ceildh rockers NECK to the New Cross Inn on December 10th with support form the awesome CROCK OF CELTS. The following day sees THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG at the Subterania in Ladbroke Grove and then  a choice of the London Folk legend SEAMUS MOORE at the Sporting Green in Enfield EN3 5JF or THE FIREPIT COLLECTIVE Irish-Folk offshoot from the Inner Terrestrials at the New Cross Inn sees us into Christmas on Sunday 19th. There was also talk of a secret POGUES TRADERS afternoon show somewhere in Central London. Keep an eye out for that. Lots of gigs being announced check the LCP FB events page but the new year will see the return of our dedicated London ‘What’s On’ page.

A plug for some good friends of ours over on Facebook. The Dropkick Murphys- Fan Page and the Celtic Punk, Folk And Rock Fans are two of the best music forums on FB let alone Celtic-Punk. Ran By Fans For Fans just like you and me. Like and join in the fun!

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If you are new to the London Celtic Punks blog it is easy to subscribe / follow and never miss a post. Bands, promoters, record labels, venues send in any news to londoncelticpunks@hotmail.co.uk or via the Contact Us page.

NO ODDS’N’SODS NEXT MONTH BUT IT WILL RETURN FOR FEBRUARY