ODDS’N’SODS. A CELTIC-PUNK ROUND UP APRIL 2023

The year is flying by and as usual March was a fantastic month for Celtic-Punk fans. Some big hitters released their first albums in ages and here’s your chance to catch up with some of them and the others in this month’s Odds’n’Sods. All the news fit to print on what’s going in our wonderful Celtic-Punk world. From the scene’s bands big and small, established or just starting out it’s all in here!

We start this month with one of my favourite Celtic-Punk bands. The new single from ‘Yorkshire Banjo Punks’ SHANGHAI TREASON is The Lighthouse and is taken from the bands upcoming second album.

THE RUMJACKS newly released video of ‘Tell Me What Happened’ off their Hestia album. Shot and edited by Mike in Reggies, Chicago.

THE TOSSERS have a new album out and it’s imaginatively called The Tossers… A mix of auld songs, some interesting and unusual covers and a smattering of some effing brilliant new songs including this the opening track. True heirs to Shane MacGowan’s legacy.

THE LONGEST JOHNS are a Bristol based, acapella folk music band, born out of a mutual love of trad folk songs and shanties. They rock maritime songs alongside the more unusual and less traditional folk tunes. Here’s the lead single from their new &-track EP.

The reb’s are sung loud and proud in NYC with THE IRISH MUTTS giving it plenty live down at the Bungalow Bar last week in Rockaway Beach, NY.

Dutch band MAGGIE’S FLOCK released a great new single dedicated to St. Patrick’s which we somehow missed for the last Odds’n’Sods but here it is!

SELFISH MURPHY formed in 2011 in Transylvania, Romania and until then Celtic / Irish Punk-Rock was unheard there. These folks are real trailblazers! In 2016 the band re-located to Budapest in Hungary where i’m hoping to see them soon!

London Irish Folk and Americana band FOLLOW THE CROWS released ‘Don’t Mind The Rain’ at the beginning of March and accompanied it with a rather good video too.

Bit of a slog at over three hours long but watch the official live stream as the New York Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment once again leads the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade as it marches down midtown Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in New York.

THE GO SET – The Warriors Beneath Us

THE LEVELLERS – Together All The Way

THE DREADNOUGHTS – Green Willow

FLOGGING MOLLY –  ‘Til The Anarchy’s Restored (EP)

THE TOSSERS – The Tossers

UNCLE BARD AND THE DIRTY BASTARDS – These Are The Days – Live In France

CRUACHAN – The Living And The Dead

LANKUM – False Lankum

THE EAST RIVER RATS – The Year Of The Rat

DAOIRI FARRELL – The Wedding Above In Glencree

THE KILMAINE SAINTS – Same Again Tomorrow

THE MUCKERS have started a kickstarter to help fund their next album. You’re invited to help out this amazing band by donating to get the ball rolling! They are offering all sorts of limited-release bonuses to folks who help fund their trip to the studio.

THE KILMAINE SAINTS have a new album Same Again Tomorrow out on April 14th. Six years on from Whiskey Blues And Faded Tattoos it’s their fourth studio album We’ll be on it as soon as it comes out as we bloody love them!

One of the best new bands around are FOGGY DUDE from the Czech Republic. They make great videos and brilliant music and even better for us all is that all their music is available for free download on the Bandzone site here https://bandzone.cz/foggydude

Our good friend CALLUM HOUSTON – Made in Bretagne. Inspired in Ireland – has just released a seven track mini album of acoustic alternative Folk Rock. Accompanied by his friend and regular contributor Alban Bauduin. Pub Poetry is available for download.

THE HEATHEN APOSTLES have a new single out and also announced a whole bunch of live dates for the UK.  ‘Gothic Western Haunt’ is from an episode of the animated series “The Goodbye Family”, which made the Top 10 animated series list of 2022 from Vulture magazine.

“This is our newest labor of love: “Green Willow”. Sea shanties, war chants, wassail songs, songs of the sea, and even an Irish-rock rebel tune. Enjoy, eh!!”

So went the announcement for THE DREADNOUGHTS new download album Green Willow. Head straight to song 5 for the best version of ‘The Foggy Dew’ I’ve heard in an age!

Rising Of The Doom the 3rd full length studio album from NYC’s the TEMPLARS OF DOOM has been released this week on vinyl but is also available for download.

We’ve been doing this now for nearly 10 years and in that time we have covered 100’s of bands and musicians but still 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 is the turn of American Celtic-Folk-Punk band BOGTROTTERS UNION from Nevada. A variety of old and popular Celtic tunes reorganized by the band including an amazing version of the Wolfe Tones ‘A Song Of The Celts’.

Totally out of the blue we found out that THE YOUNG DUBLINERS are hitting London at The Hootananny in Brixton on Wednesday 5th April supported by rowdy London Irish Folk-Punks ARSE CRAIC. Saturday 8th April sees THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG live at the Powerhaus. THE LAGAN of-shoot SUCKIN’ DIESEL are playing The Lamb in Surbiton (see below for directions) on Thursday 13th April. Great venue that’s always free entry. With the demise of the 4 piece Wolfe Tones and the inevitable split into two bands and while both offer a great night out we can’t recommend DEREK WARFIELD AND THE YOUNG WOLFE TONES enough. Power, passion and history with their charismatic leader. Playing the 229 on Great Portland Street on Friday 2nd June. American Folk-Country-Doombilly band the HEATHEN APOSTLES play The Lexington in Kings Cross on Wednesday 19th July. The founders of Alt-Country THE LONG RYDERS are coming back to these shores with a full Europe and UK tour.

BRYAN McPHERSON / ANTO MORRA PLAYING LIVE IN LONDON!

Words can’t describe how happy we are to be able to put on BRYAN McPHERSON. Eight years on from his first and only visit to these shores it’s been a long time coming. Born and raised on the mean streets of Dorchester, a blue collar working-class Irish-American Catholic neighbourhood in Boston, that was also home to half the members of the original Dropkick Murphys. He was inspired at a young age by the raw energy and angst of Punk Rock, as well as the lyrically driven American folk songs of the early 1960’s. His first performances were street corners, house parties, and subway stations in Boston’s inner city. In 2001 he burst onto the acoustic music scene, he has played the length and breadth of North America and was recently spotted opening up for the Dropkick Murphys’ at their famed St. Patrick’s shows in Boston. This is passionate, acoustic-punk from the heart. Street life, politics, addiction and moments of beauty, anguish, clarity and dissent litter the alleys of McPherson’s songs. Recently he was awarded the #1 Folk/ Roots Album Of 2022 on the London Celtic Punks web-zine. The words are as honest as they are urgent…every second counts!
http://bryanmcpherson.com/

He is supported on both nights by the London Irish Punk Folker – Anto Morra. A staple of the London Irish music community sightings of Anto have been restricted die to the lockdown but pleased to have him trod the boards for us again with his extra special brand of Punk-Folk.
https://www.antomorra.com/

Bryan is playing two nights for us the first at The Bird’s Nest. One of the great last standing live venues in SE London and one of the best. Located at 32 Deptford Church Street, Lewisham, London SE8 4RZ. close to New Cross and New Cross Gate tube stations so easily accessible from across London.
http://www.thebirdsnestpub.co.uk/

The following night sees them take the stage at The Lamb, 73 Brighton Road, Surbiton KT6 5NF. Ph. No. 020 8390 9229. Just a couple of minutes walk from Surbiton station only 20 odd minutes from London by train and walking distance from Kingston it promises to be a fantastic night.
https://www.lambsurbiton.co.uk

Entry for both shows is free but their will be a whip round (as you can imagine getting here from the States as a DIY musician isn’t cheap) and every single penny from London Celtic Punks merchandise on the night will go directly into Bryan’s pocket.

Our gig last month with The Whipjacks was a great success and great fun but now we are broke again! All money we raise from our merch we put back into the Celtic-Punk scene so if you like what we do then you can support us by checking out our online store and buying something. The Harp’n’Bones design is back in all sizes and also on black or white shirts. Also we have the last few remaining polo shirts, nifty woolly hats and Green’n’White ‘Skully Cap’ ringer shirts that we need to get rid of. 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 go broke and a return to the era of paper flyers and fanzines. It has a stranglehold on all forms of expression that is far from healthy. If you are thinking of leaving and still want to keep up with us you can do via the London Celtic Punks 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/

The response to the new London Celtic Punks badge has been amazing. Not surprising really as they are just about the nicest bit of merchandise in Celtic-Punk if you ask me! Comes with butterfly clip and made in Ireland (Guaranteed Irish!) 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!

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NEW SINGLE: CALLUM HOUSTON – OKTFTW (2023)

New single from Graveyard Johnnys guitarist Callum Houston.

Acoustic Alternative Folk Rock – Made in Bretagne – Inspired in Ireland.

Carrigaline, county Cork native Callum Houston can usually be found singing songwriting around his home near Lorient in Brittany in the local pubs and clubs. When he’s not doing that he plays guitar in Premier League Psychobilly band the Graveyard Johnnys. It’s been almost a couple of years since his last recordings came out, the fantastic ‘As I Roved Out One Morning’ but he has just released ‘OKTFTW’ the first single from a forthcoming new EP to be called Pub Poetry due out on the 3rd of March 2023.

The bell rings and you’re calling them in
One last before closing time
You’re wondering round with thoughts to drown
Words you cannot soundAnd it’s alright
Well it’s ok
To feel this wayShes in the kitchen and there’s clearing something missing
And she finally starts breaking down
The tears fall and the words are crawling
Out from her mindAnd it’s alright
Well it’s ok
To feel this way

And before it’s too late
We’ve gotta find some time to sit and evaluate
Well I hope that in this song
You might find something that

Let’s talk about life your struggles and your strife’s
Let’s talk about you
All the things you need all the things you grieve
And all that is true

And it’s alright
Well it’s ok
Wake up in the morning to a bright brand new day
We can turn ourselves around
Pick ourselves up off the ground

And it’s alright
Well it’s ok
Wake up in the morning to a bright brand new day
We can turn ourselves around pick ourselves up off the ground
And before it’s too late
We must find some time to sit and evaluate
Well I hope that in this song you might sometime to
Well I hope that in this song you might sometime to help you move on

OKTFTW was released just last Friday on February 3, 2023. It was recorded at Humbu Studio by Alban Bauduin and mastered by Sleeper Bill. OKTFTW is available for streaming and download via the Bandcamp player below. It only costs a pound so buy Callum a quarter of a pint.

Download As I Roved Out One Morning  Bandcamp

Contact Callum Houston  Facebook  YouTube  Spotify

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

It’s time now again for this months London Celtic Punks round-up of all the band news, record releases and videos from bands big and small from across the Celtic-Punk scene.

We start with some interesting news from West Britain Dublin of a new Celtic-Punk band THE BLACK IRISH. Whistle, sax, mandolin, accordion, fiddle, bass, drums, 2 guitars, 4 vocals. Brand new, formed with experienced trad and punk musicians. Looking for gigs in the UK and US. The Bhoys have already played a stack of gigs and have more lined up. Sep 10th – IE – Dublin, Grand Social Sep 25th – FR – Montpellier, Secret Place Sep 26th – FR – Montpellier, Secret Place, acoustic sessions Nov 19th – IE – Dublin, Grand Social, with Booze and Glory Dec 10th – FR – Paris, Montreuil, la Comedia Dec 11th – BE – Ghent, Nazareth, Grand Canyon Jan 7th – NI – Belfast, voodoo. You can check them out yourselves on their Facebook page.

More from the ‘Auld Sod’ now and news of two projects to help and promote the Irish language. The idea is to make music under two different band names – PONCCC and DRAOI.MUIR. As Ponccc it will mostly concentrate on post-punk/shoegaze kind of music. As Draoi.Muir the style of music will be more droney/ambient rock. They recently recorded a King Gizzard cover for You Tube. There’s an example of their work as PONCCCC and the song ‘Mo Scriobhaí’ below. The Welsh languages strong position is due in no small measure to its success in the 80’s/90’s in various music genres from Punk legends Anhrefn to rubbish pop band Super Furry Animals! We hope to be looking into this project in more detail soon.

Even more news from home and their debut song, a hardcore ‘Drunken Sailor’, from up and coming North Sligo band the CHURCH HOUSE CREEPERS. They said to expect more of this kind of stuff to follow so keep an eye out here!

The Graveyard Johnny’s CALLUM HOUSTON has featured on these pages several times and he has just released a radically different version of ‘Gravities’ from the EP of the same name. The EP was reviewed back in 2019 if you want to check out the EP that made #5 in our Best Of list that year.

Prescription Punk Rock interviewed Tim Brennan about the new Dropkick Murphys album Turn Up The Dial. Here’s the whole interview without any editing.

THE BLAGGARDS – Blagmatic (review on it’s way!)

GERRY RAFFERTY – Rest In Blue

PHIL ODGERS – Ghosts Of Rock’n’Roll

TORTILLA FLAT – New Stuff In An Old Barrel (review on it’s way!)

THE STAB ROVERS – Beyond The Waves

CONNEMARA STONE COMPANY – For One Ireland

THE O’REILLYS AND THE PADDYHATS – In Strange Waters

remember we can’t review what we don’t hear!

Top geeza FRANKIE McLAUGHLIN is keeping busy and has just done guest vocals for another band. This time Greek’s BACK PAGES on their song ‘Glory Comes’. The song features the sound of Greek bagpipes and a wicked geetar solo!

I hate the word ‘contempory’ as it conjures up an image of a table full of ex-public schoolboys stroking their beards trying to outdo each other with the latest trend but for once the word fits quite nicely when applied to GLENN HODGE BANNED. A solo artist whose previous single ‘As It Is’ we positively loved. Well he’s a new album out, The Long Run, and just released the first single ‘Jack Of All Trades’ Filmed in one shot on the iPhone 12 and recorded in a theatre in Camden Town the song speaks of the journeyman artist that continue against all the odds.

Came across this by accident not long back and really liked it. Recent release to YouTube from PINE TREE RIOT. Riot seems to be replacing ‘Bastard’ as the most popular Celtic/Folk- Punk name. I even think the Yanks call this style of music Riot Folk or something. Anyway its pretty decent.

Dutch band PLUNDER released their new album Vrijhaven last July and here have put out the second single from it. Seems to be a bit of a renaissance among Pirate themed bands of late. Absolutely brilliant video.

“LIVE MUSIC LIVE MUSIC LIVE MUSIC LIVE MUSIC”. It just sounds so good even to just say it!!! ‘Bastard’ will always be favourite band-name though (except for one!) and just to prove it here’s BASTARD FOLK from faraway Russia giving it large.

We mentioned the The Swamp Rabbit Celtic Punk Fest in South Carolina last month well it went ahead and was by all accounts a damn good laugh. Here’s our old mate TC COSTELLO who organised the whole shebang playing with THE PYRATE QUEEN.

This section is for Celtic-Punk bands that have (on the large) left us but their music is still deserving to be heard and there are still so many out there that passed us by. Today is the turn of THE SORRY LOT, a nine piece Irish Folk and ballad group from Napa, California. High-energy renditions of trad drinking songs, as well as a few modern and original tunes, while keeping the music true to it’s roots. The Beer Flood EP dates from 2015 and the band have a wealth of other music on their Bandcamp page that is also available for free download including a live album from St. Patrick’s Day 2013 recorded at Downtown Joe’s Brewery in their hometown. It’s a bit unclear if they are still playing or not but you can still contact them over on Facebook.

Don’t forget the big news of next month is the release of the new FEROCIOUS DOG album The Hope. The single ‘The Hope’ comes out on the 10th and the album is out the 15th. Reviews are already sneaking out. You can pre-order it here: https://thehope.ferociousdog.co.uk/

Forty years after breaking up in their prime. A band has returned from the ashes to give it another lash… No not Abba but VENTURA HIGHWAY from Derry. One of the cities original New Wave / Punk bands. Loads of recent live videos over on their Facebook page.

Interesting video here. Yer-man may be a bit of a prick and he could have chosen an actually Irish Folk song (facepalm!) but at least he’s honest prick! Give it a go as some Irish diaspora Hip-Hop out there is pretty good. Check out SLAINE for a start.

The more I see of Facebook the more and more I dislike it. It’s stranglehold on all forms of expression is not good 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 and completely free from Facebook control. Join us on Telegram and don’t miss a single post! https://t.me/londoncelticpunks/  

Some London Celtic Punks news now and we still have a handful of Green’n’White ‘Skully Cap’ ringer t-shirts available. They come in all sizes from Small right up to XXX-L and are available from our online store. Also available are 2 other shirt designs so click the link below for our full range of other tatt. Shirts, badges, stickers, flags, CD’s and fridge magnets all the discerning Celtic-Punk fan could ever need!  https://the30492shop.fwscart.com/

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 and join in the fun!

*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.

NEW SINGLE ‘As I Roved Out One Morning’ FROM CALLUM HOUSTON

Acoustic Alternative Folk Rock.
Made in Bretagne. Inspired in Ireland.

We’re big fans of Callum Houston and when we heard he had a new single out we had a quick chat to find out the lowdown on what it was all about.

This song first started out as a chord pattern I randomly came up with and posted on Facebook. I was then convinced to make a song out of it by my friend Anthony who plays with the Ska band The Groovin’ Jailers from the North of France. I had meet him previously while on tour with the Graveyard Johnnys when we had shared a stage together. I quickly made a structure for the song and sent it to him to put record some Dobro over the top. I had just got back from doing a week long St Patrick’s Facebook tour where I played live with a number of musicians in different locations all across Bretagne. My head was full of old Irish ballads so I cut a load of lines from songs and pasted them together to make a Frankenstein style ballad of my own. The words seemed to fall into place easily and actually pretty well portrayed the week that proceeded them. Both my parts and Anthony’s parts were recorded in our own home studios. I then sent the track over to another great friend and even better musician Sleeper Bill from Rennes, he added some piano and then with ease took over the mixing and mastering malarkey which I am hopeless at. The beautiful artwork was hand crafted by my good neighbor Maire Pauline. It was great fun creating it together and I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did. More music will follow in the coming months and some concerts (fingers crossed).

As I roved out one morning, at the dawning of the day,

I meet a pretty maid, traipsing along my way,

Like a fox caught in the headlights,

I looked with surprise,

My mind being bent on rambling,

away I did fly

*

I said no nay never, no never again,

I’ve traveled many miles, from glen to glen,

There’s some that you fuss over, and some that you forgo,

I fell right for a raggle taggle gypsyo,

*

 Her eyes they shone like diamonds,

she’s the queen of this town,

Like an angel I have lost my wings, fallen to the ground,

There was whiskey in the jar, and the maid behind the bar, it was the parting glass,

Her eyes they shone like diamonds,

she’s the queen of this town,

Like an angel I have lost my wings, fallen to the ground,

There was whiskey in the jar, and the maid behind the bar gave the parting glass,

That went just a little too far

*

 Now through the Foggy Dew,

I search for you, as I rove around,

the streets of this Dirty old Town.

*

Callum Houston – Guitar, Vocals / Anthony Francois – Dobro / Sleeper Bill – Piano
Mixed and mastered by Sleeper Bill / Artwork by Marie Pauline Van Parys

To promote the single Callum performed a craicing live stream set of original material. If you missed it fear not click here to be re-directed straight there! Music begins from 3 minutes in and lasts just over a hour. The single costs just €0.99 so help out struggling artists by helping them to get a pint!

Download As I Roved Out One Morning  FromCallum

Contact Callum Houston  Facebook  Bandcamp  YouTube  Spotify

ODDS’N’SODS. CELTIC-PUNK ROUND UP SEPTEMBER 2020

We want to move away from just being ‘ReviewReviewReviewReview’ so we have started this monthly feature that comes out on the last day of each month. All news items that we otherwise miss will get a mention but I need YOU to be the eyes and ears if it’s going to work so send over to us any band news, record releases, videos, tours (not individual gigs though yet sadly), live streams, crowd funders etc., to us at londoncelticpunks@hotmail.co.uk or through the Contact Us page and it will go in here!

BRENDAN MULKERE -REST IN PEACE – 28th AUGUST 2020

Such sad news that the legend of Irish music in London, Brendan Mulkere passed away in the early hours of this morning.
Brendan’s all-consuming passion for traditional Irish music, his unfaltering determination to pass the culture on to the next generation and put Irish music on the London stage for the first time has left an indelible mark on London’s cultural landscape.
His epic work over decades produced countless fabulous second generation traditional Irish musicians and brought a wide audience to value and respect our music as much as any other genre in this city.

Deepest sympathies to Sharon, Claire, Sinéad, Collette, all of Brendan’s family, friends and to the huge number of his ‘jellybabies’ who will undoubtedly continue his legacy.

May he Rest in Peace.

DROPKICK MURPHYS are never ones to hide their political views when it is warranted and the Bhoys did a short but brilliant acoustic Live Stream to promote Joe Kennedy III in the Democratic primary for United States Senate. The vote takes place on Tuesday, September 1st so vote early and vote often as they say in the 6 counties! The music kicks in after ten minutes.

We put on THE DIRTY ARTICHOKES in London a couple of summers ago. Jeez The Fighting Cocks was hot that night. Maybe the hottest gig I ever been to! Glad to hear some new stuff from this massively multi-talented Italian band.

Godfather of Celtic-Punk SHANE MacGOWAN is looking better than he has done in years and he has even defied Covid-19 with two all-night sessions which continued into a third late one but the 62-year-old is recording — not boozing — into the small hours as he called band members back to work on his new solo album.

San Diego Fiddle Rock band LEXINGTON FIELD have graced these pages many times and have hit the jackpot again with their brand new video just out featuring ‘Dear Sorrow’ from their forthcoming new EP Win The Day due out later in the year and is previewed here.

Dutch band MAGGIES FLOCK continue with their plans to release a new song on the 23rd of every month during 2020. At the end of the year all twelve songs will become the album Party At The Cemetery. This months song is called ‘The Pogey Club’ and can be heard here but check out some of their previous songs ‘Battle Song‘, ‘Bored Beyond Death‘ and ‘Maggie Of The Moor‘. To be kept in the loop like them on Facebook.

London Celtic Punks Facebook page put on two Live Streams during August. Both were very well ‘attended’ and seemed to have gone down a storm. CALLUM HOUSTON of Psychobilly legends The Graveyard Johnnys accompanied by Alban performed a wonderful set of Dubliners classics while TIM HOLEHOUSE did an interesting a varied set of his own material. Don’t forget to tune in on Monday 7th September for the next Live Stream starring THE TEMPLARS OF DOOM doing a full band live set.

CALLUM HOUSTON    TIM HOLEHOUSE

Remember if you want your release featured then we have to have heard it first!

THE JAMESTOWN BROTHERS – Rebels, Rogues And Regrets

ASHPIPE – Sbandati (13 Years And Still Waiting For Wave)

THE WATERBOYS – Good Luck, Seeker (Deluxe Edition)

PADDY O’TURNER – Rocky Road To Wherever

LEVELLERS – Peace

CATGUT MARY hailed from Melbourne, Australia and released their one and only album Bourbon And Black Porter twelve years ago way back in June, 2008. Twelve songs of Australian Colonial Punk taking in a couple of Irish classics among the bands mainly own compositions. Catgut Mary received plenty of critical acclaim at the time and were famous for their high energy blend of ‘Folk’, ‘Punk’ and ‘Rock’ in a very Australian context. You can stream the album from the link above. It’s also available to download for only five Aussie dollars which works out around three quid or US $’s.

They may have abandoned progressed from Celtic-Punk but another great video for THE STANFIELDS came out last week and as to be expected its quality. These guys use to tour England regularly but haven’t seen them for a few years now.

It’s not Celtic-Punk but it sure is powerful and incredibly beautiful too. Check out the brand new album from Portland based duo KATE POWER AND STEVE EINHORN. If you’re a fan of traditional Irish Folk like Solas or Runa then you’ll love this album I guarantee.

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 and join in the fun!

… and finally some great news over at the London Celtic Punks Facebook page as we reached the fabled target of 5000 likes. Needless to say we were steaming along with likes coming in left, right and centre and then as we got closer it slowed right down dooooooowwwwwnnnnnnn and took forever to get over the line!! Still we have made it and though it may seem silly we are all very proud of ourselves and you all of course.

So you get the idea so all we need to do now is fill it with news and remember if you are new to the London Celtic Punks blog it is easy to subscribe / follow and never miss a post. Also if anyone is interested in helping out on the reviews front then let us know via the Contact Us page.

NEW SINGLE FROM CALLUM HOUSTON ‘ONCE UPON A TIME IN CARDIFF’

Acoustic Alternative Folk Rock.
Made in Bretagne. Inspired in Ireland.

Among the first reviews of 2020 is the new single from a relatively new favourite of ours Callum Houston. I say relatively as we have been big fans of his other band the Welsh Psychobilly band The Graveyard Johnnys for years. The last few years have seen Callum move from Cork to Bristol to Wales and then to Lorient in Brittany where he has become a much loved fixture on the Breton Irish music scene playing regularly around the country. His debut single from last year Gravities was a big hit reaching #5 in our recent Best Of 2019 poll. It led to a successful mini tour of England including a fantastic London Celtic Punks gig down at Frosty’s Bar in Kenton. His new single Once Upon A Time In Cardiff came out just last week and keeps up the high standard with a tale of a long forgotten love affair suddenly remembered.

From car to car and bar to bar, underneath the castle lights,
It was the time of year that brings good cheer, there was warmth in the city that night,
Though I talk some junk, I’m a romantic drunk and to you my words fell right,
So we cut the rope, we pushed the boat, set sail into the night

You don’t have to think about it,
Because it’s not for real,
Pay no attention to,
The things that I say or how I feel

From drunken chat in your student flat, the seeds of lust are sown,
Though I never really wanted it to be this way, I just hate to be alone,
Well these poster walls reflect your soul, all the books that you have read,
So I flick through the pages of a magazine, I found beside your bed,

The morning rain is falling down, clears my soul anew,
Cliches keep calling and most of them, most of them are true

And you roll a smoke, I toke, I choke, well never going to do it again,
And there’s hope in your eyes, there is no disguise, let’s leave it at that my friend,
Well you played me a song, I heard it wrong, the words didn’t get right through,
Six years from then, I hear it again, it makes me think of you, that life that I knew.

The track is available from the link below for a paltry Euro. Yes a single Euro! It was recorded at Sleeper Studio, Châteaubourg in Bretagne. Callum was vocals and acoustic guitar and Sleeper Bill was on everything else. Callum will be treading the boards again in London again soon with both The Graveyard Johnnys and as a solo artist so keep and ear out here for any developments.

Download Once Upon A Time In Cardiff   FromCallum

Contact Callum Houston  Facebook  Bandcamp  YouTube  Spotify

LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS THE BEST OF 2019!

Well here we go again. It only seems like five minutes since I was compiling all the votes into last years Best Of that saw The Rumjacks romping home with Album Of The Year. This year has been a bit quieter on the Celtic-Punk front but as last year was so busy that is perhaps not surprising. That’s not to say their weren’t some fantastic releases as their were plenty and it was still really difficult to come up with the various lists below. Not so many big bands this year so it was left to the lesser known bands to shine but remember this is only our opinion and these releases are only the tip of the iceberg of what came out last year. Feel free to comment, slag off or dissect our lists. As a bonus we are adding the Readers Poll again this year so you can even vote on your favourite release of 2019 yourself. If it’s not listed then simply add your choice.

We don’t pretend to be the final word as that my friends is for you…

(click on the green link to go where you will find more information on the release)

1. THE WALKER ROADERS – Self Titled

2. MICKEY RICKSHAW – Home In Song

3. FEROCIOUS DOG – Fake News And Propaganda

4. GREENLAND WHALEFISHERS – Based On A True Story

5. BARLEYJUICE – The Old Speakeasy

6. THE NARROWBACKS – By Hook Or By Crook

7. McDERMOTTS TWO HOURS – Besieged

8. PIPES AND PINTS – The Second Chapter

9. THE RUMJACKS – Live In Athens

10. SELFISH MURPHY – After Crying

11. TORTILLA FLAT – Live At The Old Capitol

12. FIDDLERS GREEN – Heyday

13. THE RUMJACKS – Live In London Acoustic Sessions

14. THE WHIPJACKS – This Wicked World

15. 13 KRAUSS – Redención

16. ALTERNATIVE ULSTER – Craic Agus Ceol

17. AIRES BASTARDOS – Self Titled

18. THE TEMPLARS OF DOOM – Hovels Of The Holy

19. THE FIGHTING JAMESONS – A Moment In California

20. ANGRY McFINN AND THE OLD YANK – Songs of Whiskey, Women & War

21. THE SHILLELAGHS – Ripples In The Rye

22. HELLRAISERS AND BEERDRINKERS – Pub Crawl

23. BODH’AKTAN – De Temps Et De Vents

24. HEATHEN APOSTLES – Dust To Dust

25. SONS OF CLOGGER – Return To The Stones’

26. THE CHERRY COKE$ – Old Fox

27. THE FILTHY SPECTACULA – The Howl Of The Underclasses

28. THE POTATO PIRATES – Hymns For The Wayward

29. TC COSTELLO– Horizon Songs

30. THE TENBAGS – ‘Bags o’ Craic’

How to compete with last year? Every single top band in the genre released an album so things were always going to be a bit quieter for 2019. Top spot this year unsurprisingly goes to The Walker Roaders Celtic-Punk super group! With Pogues, Mollys and Dropkicks making up the team how could they possibly go wrong! Everyone’s ‘next big thing’ Mickey Rickshaw came in a well deserved second and Ferocious Dog took third after releasing their best album, for me, since From Without. Greenland Whalefishers celebrated 25 years on the road with their best album for quite a while and what Best Of would be right without some bloody brilliant Irish-American bands challenging at the top too. Pipes And Pints new album with a new singer received acclaim from across the Punk media and The Rumjacks couldn’t follow up last years unanimous victory despite having two album releases (both sort of live) in the top thirteen. Fiddlers Green continue to make consistently great albums and go into 2020 celebrating thirty years together! Good to see homegrown bands The Whipjacks, The Tenbags, The Filthy Spectacula and Sons Of Clogger making it too. The top thirty was made up of thirteen countries from USA, England, Norway, Czech Republic, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Argentina, Japan, Quebec, Hungary, Spain and Japan.

1. THE LUCKY TROLLS – Self Titled

2. DRUNKEN DOLLY – The Party

3. LORETTA PROBLEM – The Waltz Of My Drunken Dream

4. THE CLOVERHEARTS – Sick

5. KRAKIN’ KELLYS – Irish Tribute

6. THE PLACKS – Rebellious Sons

7. GYPSY VANNER – Five Distilled Celtic Punks

8. THE RUMPLED – Grace O’ Malley

9. FOX’N’FIRKIN – Hey Ho! We’re Fox n Firkin

10. SHANGHAI TREASON – Devil’s Basement

The Lucky Trolls took #1 spot with their brilliant self-titled EP following on from fellow countrymen the Krakin’ Kellys multi award winning 2018. Trust me it would have taken an exceptionally good release to keep The Party by Drunken Dolly off the top spot but that is what happened. Dolly’s excursions over to these shores this year j=has seen them grown in stature and you can’t go to a Ferocious Dog gig without spotting at least a dozen of their shirts. Loretta Problem wowed us with their single ‘Waltz Of My Drunken Dream’ which took us right back back to The Pogues glory days and what about that accompanying video too!! If we had a award for best video then that would have walked it. The Kellys had a quiet year with comparison to ’18 but still managed a respectable #5 and great debut releases from The Placks our sole representative from a Celtic nation (big things are going to happen to this band in 2020 mark my words), Italian/Aussies The Cloverhearts and, from just down the road from my Mammy, Shanghai Treason from Sheffield who only put out one song… but what a song! Eight countries represented from Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Scotland, Argentina, Australia and Yorkshire!

AIRES BASTARDOS– ‘Self-Titled’

Argentina is becoming a bit of a hot-spot for Celtic-Punk with not only some well established bands but also some new ones starting up too and with this release Aires Bastardos announced their arrival on the international scene too. Not afraid to dive straight into a folk number after a Cock Sparrer cover they veer from standard Celtic-Punk to Folk and back to fast as hell Punk but in that really accessible way that only Celtic-Punk (and maybe Ska-Punk) bands can do.

1. THE DREADNOUGHTS – Into The North

2. CROCK OF BONES – Celtic Crossbones

3. 6’10 – Where We Are

4. BRYAN McPHERSON – Kings Corner

5. CALLUM HOUSTON – Gravities

6. PYROLYSIS – Daylight Is Fading

7. SEAMUS EGAN – Early Bright

8. LE VENT DU NORD – Territoires

9. DONNY ZUZULA – Chemicals

10. DERVISH – Great Irish Songbook

The Dreadnoughts don’t really think of themselves as Celtic-Punk so I reckon they’d be happier to win this than Celtic-Punk Album Of The Year. A superb collection of sea shanties that is a pleasure to listen to that was always going to be #1. Crock Of Bones representing the London Irish in 2nd with an album of trad folk with punk rock attitude and it’s especially good to hear some originals done in the style of the ‘auld ways’. 6’10 challenged for the top spot as they always do with everything they release and Bryan MacPherson and Callum Houston both produced great releases of singer-songwriter acoustic folk with Irish roots.

Sadly the Celtic-Punk world has shrunk a little regarding Web-Sites. Winners of the last two years the Mersey Celt Punks have been slacking (sort it out lads!) and enjoying their gigs too much to tell us while Shite’n’Onions have been too busy transferring everything onto a different platform and preparing for a bit of a re-launch I expect. Sadly celtic-rock.de have shut up shop after twelve years so it just makes it all the more clear how much we all miss Waldo and his fantastic Celtic-Folk-Punk And More site. As regular as clockwork and all the news that was ever fit (or not!) to print. Closing down the site in its 10th year in March must have been a tough decision to make and so this year we award best Website to Waldo and let it be known that no Celtic-Punk site will ever come close to replacing you. We would certainly not exist without his kind help and inspiration. All the best comrade enjoy your retirement! One welcome addition is Michu and his Celtic-Punk Encyclopedia site from Poland. Worth checking out especially if you are in a band.

We are not alone in doing these Best Of 2019 lists in fact all the major players in celtic-punk do them so click below to check out what they thought.

THE CELTIC PUNKCAST

FOLK’N’ROCK

MERSEY CELT PUNKS

So there you go. Remember we don’t pretend to be the final word on things in fact if you check the other Celtic-Punk media I’m sure we’ve all come up with relatively different lists. Our Best Of’s are cajoled and bullied out of the admins from the London Celtic Punks Facebook page. The assorted scraps of paper and beer mats were then tallied up please remember not all of us heard the same albums so like all the various Best Of’s ours is also subjective.

This is our 8th year of making these Best Of lists so if you would like to check out out who was where in our previous ones then just click on the link below the relevant year.

https://wp.me/p3Huvn-es

https://wp.me/p3Huvn-Oq

https://goo.gl/RXNtMC

https://wp.me/p3Huvn-21o

https://wp.me/p3Huvn-29L

https://wp.me/p3Huvn-37h

https://wp.me/p3Huvn-3EI

Last year we introduced a new feature THE READERS PICK. We had no idea if it would work or not but it was a raging success so we going to do it all again this year. With well over 500 votes cast you lot chose the debut album from the Krakin’ Kellys as a worthy winner. Only the Top Ten albums are listed but there is an option to write in your favourite release or just to send us love… or abuse!

You are allowed to vote twice but not for the same artist.

The Poll will close at midnight on Friday 31st January with the result announced soon after.

remember any views, comments or abuse or slander we would love to hear it…

 Sláinte, The London Celtic Punks Crew- January, 2020

EP REVIEW: CALLUM HOUSTON- ‘Gravities’ (2019)

Acoustic Alternative Folk Rock.
Made in Bretagne. Inspired in Ireland.

I first became aware of Callum Houston a few years ago when I was spending another rainy day off work trawling through YouTube and settling again on a couple of hours of videos of my new favourite band The Graveyard Johnnies. Watching away further evidence if it was ever needed that I have indeed turned into my Grandad was my eyes were drawn to their awesome guitarist Callum’s tattoo of an Irish harp on his arm. Grandad could spot an Irish connection at 100 yards and could name any famous person with even the smallest of Irish roots. Not many will know this but my BIG love besides Celtic-Punk is Psychobilly which is the bastard love child of both Rockabilly and Punk and The Graveyard Johnnys are that rare thing in the Psycho scene of being a young band but also massively popular, headlining most of their gigs. Not one to keep this to myself I rushed off a message to the band and found out that indeed Callum was Irish but was also living in Brittany and allied to that The Graveyard Johnnys were based in south Wales it makes them probably the most Celtic band in existence!

Born in Bristol before his family washed up in Carrigaline in Cork when young Callum was the tender age of 4 his formative years were in Ireland before a move back to England at 15 and then a return back to Ireland to Dublin to study Irish music. As he says

“Cork will always be home, it’s not where your born it’s where you grow up and learn about life.”

Callum was back again in England when he read The Graveyard Johnnys were a guitarist down so Callum jacked in his job and moved to Wales, sleeping on the floor in the band practice room for five months till he found somewhere to live. These were wild times with the Johnnys touring non stop all over Europe and it was on one of these tours whilst playing in Paris that Callum met his partner. They would go on to have a child and he moved to Paris to join them. He began playing regular solo gigs in Paris many Irish bars as well as busking on the Metro to earn a living. Later on they moved to Brittany where the standard of living is better (and cheaper!) and the where the culture is very similar to that of Ireland. The Breton people are very proud of their Celtic roots and Callum felt at home. He now performs regularly throughout Brittany and France playing anywhere from Irish bars to Bistros to street corners as well as jetting back and fourth to Wales to play with the Graveyard Johnnys.

Gravities is Callum Houston’s debut release and the striking photo on the sleeve of the EP is not actually of a young Callum at all but of his Grandad on the Houston family farm in Donegal. The record begins with the title track and while their are only slight signs of the Rock’n’Roll and Irish folk that Callum usually plays you can hear in these original compositions how he manages to make his living playing Irish ballads around the bars of Brittany. Here he takes a more contemplative turn and the lyrics like the music are thoughtful and clever. Their may be none of the urgency associated with the music that Callum usually plays but that’s not to say its soft or throwaway. It may be gently played acoustic music but it comes with more than a edge of something a lot harder. Callums acoustic guitar is aided by banjo and what sounds like a cello making a great combination that would more than sound at home across both a busy pub or a quiet intimate bar. These are the kind of songs that cut across the noisy chatter of a pub and demand attention. ‘Sink Or Swim’ takes a similar route and again that menacing edge to it keeps it from sliding completely into the folk section. Callums voice with its gentle Cork lilt is perfect for this and you can see why he’s made a success of playing solo gigs. Catchy and upbeat and perfect for them toe-tapping moments.

On ‘Euroline’ the tale is of travelling back and forth across Europe, of times spent waiting and waiting for trains and coaches. Told with humour and played with gusto the song again hits the spot and over four minutes is allowed plenty time to develop. In fact at fifteen minutes the four songs here fly past much quicker than you may expect and on ‘City Of Lives’ the EP comes to an end with the records standout track. At times dark and slow and menacing before busting into life as a catchy foot stomper.

Gravities was mixed and mastered by Jacky Cadiou At The Movies Studio, Brest and was released at the end of last month. It’s available on download and also as a compact disc that comes with a few free gifts and is only €5. So about a quid a song! Having grown up listening to traditional Irish music and spending most of his adult life touring across the world with Punk and Country bands Callum has developed a unique and original style. A talented songwriter and musician and with fans spanning genres from punk to trad folk it would be a shame if this record somehow fell into the mid way ground between them.

(you can stream Gravities on the Bandcamp player below for free but it’s only £4 to download so put your hand in your pocket Celtic-Punkers!)

Buy Gravities  FromCallum

Contact Callum Houston  Facebook  Bandcamp  YouTube