HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM LONDON CELTIC PUNKS. 2020… THE STATISTICS

Well not much to say about 2020 is there. The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown was a disaster for music in general but for Celtic-Punk especially. In a genre where bands have many more members than ordinary bands it was harder to get together and with the cancellation of gigs its been even harder. Still though we have got through it and finally the light at the end of the tunnel is not the light of an oncoming train (for now!). During 2020 we here at London Celtic Punks have published a whopping 122 posts which is the most we ever had in a year. It’s also the fifth year in a row our number of posts has increased. Most of these posts have been reviews and we also introduced the popular Odds’n’Sods feature making us the only place to find out what’s going on in the Celtic-Punk world. We have again had fantastic feedback from bands that our reviews have had a positive effect on music sales and things like Facebook Likes so we’re even more grateful that you seem to be listening and acting upon our recommendations.

TOP TEN COUNTRIES VIEWING

(2013/2014/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019 in brackets)

1. United Kingdom ( (1/1/1/1/1/1/1)

2. USA (2/2/2/2/2/2/2)

3. Ireland (4/7/4/4/5/4/3)

4. Germany (7/3/3/3/3/3/4)

5. Canada  (6/6/7/8/9/5/5)

6. Spain (8/8/6/7/6/8/8)

7. Italy (9/10/9/8/9/9/9)

8. Australia (5/4/8/6/7/7/6)

9. France (3/5/5/5/4/6/7)

10. Norway (29/22/18/19/26/23/18)

11. Netherlands 12. Sweden 13.Belgium 14. Indonesia 15. Finland 16. Japan 17. Czech Republic 18. Brazil 19. Switzerland 20. Poland

To go to the relevant article/review simply click on green link.

TOP TEN ARTICLES VIEWED

We tried during 2020 to steer the site away from just doing reviews and we achieved that somewhat as you can see from our top ten. Thanks to all who contributed and we welcome articles so please get in touch.

1. The Day The Fighting Irish Took On The Ku Klux Klan

2. London Celtic Punks Presents The Best Of 2019

3. Let The Music Keep Your Spirits High – Part One

4. Pogue Laurete – The Lyrics Of Shane MacGowan

5. The Irish Soldiers Of Mexico In Film And Song

6. The Best Song Ever Written

7. ‘Return To Camden’ by Terence O’Flaherty

8. Top Ten Anti-War Songs

9. Let The Music Keep Your Spirits High – Part Two

10. Film Review: Clash Of The Ash

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TOP TEN MUSIC REVIEWS VIEWED

1. UNCLE BARD AND THE DIRTY BASTARDS – ‘The Men Beyond The Glass’

2. OGRAS – ‘No Love In The City’

3. KRAKIN’ KELLYS – ‘Burn Your Flag’

4. THE POGUES – ‘BBC Sessions 1984 – 1986

5. BATALLON DE SAN PATRICIO – ‘Hermanos De Guerra’

6. PADDY WAGGIN – ‘Race To The Bottom’

7. 1916 – ‘Meant To Be’

8. THE MAHONES – ‘Unplugged’

9. QUINTESSENTIAL QUARANTUNES

10. PADDY MURPHY – ‘Rams Rebels Goats And Girls’

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2013 THE STATISTICS * 2014 THE STATISTICS * 2015 THE STATISTICS * 2016 THE STATISTICS * 2017 STATISTICS * 2018 STATISTICS * 2019 THE STATISTICS *

Despite 2020’s problems (!) live music continued to come out and this Christmas has seen a flurry of releases the like of which we have never seen before and as we never like to miss a chance to give you some new music so here’s Rover MacChroi, better known as The Irish Rover- the essential Irish Punk singer and lyricist and his brand new track based on you know what!

IRISH ROVER – Fairytale Of Cov!d Flu

Irish Rover  WebSite  Facebook  YouTube 

REMEMBER TO TUNE BACK IN ON JANUARY 17th WHEN THE LONDON CELTIC PUNKS BEST OF 2020 LISTS ARE REVEALED!!!

GET IN THE FESTIVE SPIRIT WITH THIS CHRISTMAS CELTIC PUNK TOP-TWENTY!

It’s December so let your pint glass be half full for a change and get into the festive spirit with what started as a Top Ten but but soon became the London Celtic Punk’s Top Twenty of the best kick-arse Christmas Celtic-Punk tunes ever written and absolutely no surprises at #1.

20. THE PRIESTS FEATURING SHANE MacGOWAN-  ‘Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth’

Yeah you read that right. It may not quite reach the heights of Bing’n’Bowie but feck it nothing this man does is anything short of brilliant!

19. THE RUFFIANS- ‘Christmas In Killarney’

The Ruffians cover the holiday classic ‘Christmas In Killarney’ on their 2005 Christmas EP Together at Christmas.

18. REILLY- ‘Paddy’s Christmas’

Milwaukee Celtic punk band Reilly’s version of Snoopy’s Christmas, now called ‘Paddy’s Christmas’ on their 2008 album Kick Ass Celtic Christmas.

17. THE GOBSHITES- ‘Christmas Eve In The Boozer’

Boston Celtic punk band The Gobshites’ cover of the Yobs’ Christmas Eve in the Boozer. On The Gobshites’ album When the Shite Hits the Fan.

16. IRISH ROVER – ‘Christmas Time In Hells’

Performed entirely by  Rover MacChroi and one for the miserablists out there. This guys glass is definitely half empty!

15. DROPKICK MURPHYS- ‘AK47 [All I Want For Christmas Is An]’

Proof the Murphs can do no wrong…

14. THE REAL McKENZIES- ‘Auld Lang Syne’

Now not strictly a Christmas song but I’ve met Scots who actually enjoy Hogmaney (New Years Eve) more than Christmas!

13. THE MAHONES- ‘Angels Without Wings/Merry Christmas Baby’

From The Mahones 2012 album Angels & Devils here is their awesome Christmas song featuring Felicity Hamer.

12. SHANE MacGOWAN- ‘Christmas Lullaby’

Gotta love this tune. Irish blues with a punk rock edge. McGowan nails it again.

11. STIFF LITTLE FINGERS- ‘White Christmas’

Belfast punk rock legends, and still going from strength to strength, cause Bing to rotate in his grave with this which appeared on the B-side of ‘The Edge’ 7″ in 1979.

10. SHILELAGH LAW- ‘Christmas In New York’

Christmas is many things to many people. I will always remember that a good mate Steve died on Christmas Eve and so it’s also a good time to think of those who have passed and raise a glass to them. Here’s a tribute to the victims of the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, by NY’ers Shilelagh Law.

9. LEXINGTON FIELD- ‘Christmas At The Pub’

This spot was originally held by the Spanish/German band Malasaners but their video disappeared overnight during the clampdown so the search was on for a replacement and last years Yuletide tidings from American- Irish fiddle rockers Lexington Field seemed an obvious choice seeing as we have spent most of the year outside pubs looking in!

8. FINNEGAN’S HELL- ‘Drunken Christmas’

Sweden’s Finnegan’s Hell deliver an unorthodox Christmas anthem and yeah, yeah, yeah some Irish stereotyping sure but get over yourselves. What is it you think The Dubliners sang about? My house at Christmas was more like this than what you see on the BBC I can tell you. Anyway judge for yourself!

7. CelKILT- ‘Santa Santa!’

CeltKilt from France even released a full album of Christmas themed songs Kiltmas Songs! in 2015 and as they say themselves, and it sounds better in French I think, “festive celtic rock celtique festif”.

6. THE WAGES OF SIN- ‘Merry Christmas From The Wages’

Enjoy the festive sights, sounds, and smells of the season with Wages Of Sin and their first, and possibly last, holiday single!

5. DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE- ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’

Possibly a bit much for this Catholic Bhoy to bare so if you of a delicate disposition skip to #6. It is hilarious though from this Oregon band from their 2007 album Christmas Songs for Drunken Atheists.

4. KRAKIN’ KELLYS- ‘Christmas In Kelly Green’

This space was previously occupied by West Virginian Celtic-Punk legends The Gentlemen but the You Tube account closed and the video has been lost in the ether so after a bit of thought I settled upon Krakin’ Kellys 2018 Christmas themed track ‘Christmas In Kelly Green’. The hottest new band in Celtic-Punk its hard to imagine these Belgian rockers only formed in 2017!

3. THE NARROWBACKS- Prodigal Son (I’ll Be Home For Christmas)

Part filmed at Paddy Reilly’s in New York this song actually brought a tear to my eye when I first heard it. After a couple of years of not speaking to my Mammy after a stupid argument we had only just made up. Kids look after your family. Keep them close and love them lots.

2. THE DROPKICK MURPHYS- ‘The Seasons Upon Us’ (2016)

Unfortunate to go up against The Pogues this is The Murphys superb Christmas epic. Hilarious video of Irish-American life. Sure to lift the spirits.

1. THE POGUES FEATURING KIRSTY MacCOLL- The Fairytale Of New York

When you see other Christmas best of list’s they always put ‘Arguably the greatest Christmas song of all time’ well we’ve no time for that bollocks. It is without a doubt THE greatest Christmas song of all time so there! R.I.P Kirsty

so there’s our Top Twenty. If you think we missed any post in the comments as is usually the way with these things we couldn’t stop there so bubbling under here’s one to play loud and proud!

…and so we end with some great words “let’s not fight tonight”. Just listen to The Ramones instead.