LONDON CELTIC PUNKS 2022 READERS CHOICE WINNER

We finally wave goodbye to 2022 with the announcement of who you the beloved readers of this site have chosen as the best of ’22.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2018 – KRAKIN’ KELLYS 169 votes  (524 total)

2019 – MICKEY RICKSHAW 94 Votes  (476 total)

2020 – THE GO-SET 281 votes  (1105 total)

2021 –  FEROCIOUS DOG 430 votes (1576 total)

The response to this year’s poll has been incredible. Almost every year the poll has run, the number of votes has increased dramatically. This time, by nearly 200 votes to 1,726. From the very start this year it was a two horse race between England’s own Ferocious Dog and Sweden’s Finnegan’s Hell with both way ahead of newcomers to the Celtic-Punk scene Reina Roja from Madrid. For the first time ever the artist with the winning number of votes hasn’t been an album but still an excellent show from Finnegan’s Hell. A mention here for Yorkshire banjo Punks Shanghai Treason too finishing in sixth place. There were over 600 votes in the ‘other’ section which I had to count individually and then go back and double check as some results were very close. Over here we believe in getting things right when people vote (!) so that’s why it’s taken a couple of days to tally up the final scores but here at last they finally are. Congratulations to everyone and cheers and beers to all who voted!

We have had such a diverse group of artists to win this award and this years winners Finnegan’s Hell are no different. We could see the writing on the wall with all the people from Sweden voting. Not that their fan base is reserved to their home country. They’re pretty popular in Hackney too! Reina Roja have done exceedingly well for a new band to these pages, coming in second place. In the Murphys Vs Mollys competition it was Flogging Molly who won easily winning over their Boston rivals in both the official London Celtic Punks Best Of 2022 awards and the 2022 Readers Choice.

1. FINNEGAN’S HELL – One Finger Salute

2. REINA ROJA – Hooligan Folk

3. FLOGGING MOLLY – Anthem

Usually it stands to reason that most votes will go to the ones that were actually listed on the poll but this year Ferocious Dog stormed away with the title with 455 votes. A record for our Readers Poll which they already held from last year! Only two other EP’s gathered any significant votes with loads more getting only single figures.

1. FEROCIOUS DOG – Too Late

2. BRICK TOP BLAGGERS – Obey The Tyrant

3. THE DEAD IRISH – Four Corners Of Hell

Thanks dear readers for taking part in the poll and congratulations to Finnegan’s Hell and Ferocious Dog. The further away we move from the covid lock downs the more it seems like some dystopian nightmare. Those days could have destroyed the Celtic-Punk scene, but on the evidence of last year’s releases the scene has bounced back and is as strong as ever. Our dream is that 2023 will bring these bands the recognition and success they richly deserve. Thanks to you for supporting London Celtic Punks and we ended ’22 with our highest yearly readership of all time, so expect good things from us too! Why not consider subscribing and never miss a post (the box is on the left when viewed on your lap top) or send us your email through the Contact Us page.

PREVIOUS READERS CHOICE – 2018 * 2019 * 2020 * 2021

LONDON CELTIC PUNKS PRESENTS THE BEST OF 2022!

It’s that time of year again for the London Celtic Punks annual Best Of list. Has it really been a year since The Peelers waltzed (or should that be jigged) off with album of the year? It’s been possibly the best year for Celtic-Punk since we started doing this site and this was easily the closest it has ever been in that time. Pretty much all the big hitters, with one or two one notable exception (The Tossers where were you!), released records and on top of that a bunch of debut albums that were top class too.

so without further ado…

CLICK ON THE GREEN LINK TO BE FORWARDED TO REVIEW

2022’s #1 was the amazing new album from THE MAHONES. That they are as prolific as they are and yet can still put out quality like this 30 + years on is incredible. Well done Finny & co. FLOGGING MOLLY won the battle of the big Celtic-Punk 2 with the DROPKICKS and were also the best gig of the year for me personally (August in Dublin with Ferocious Dog). THE LUCKY TROLLS followed on from their Best EP award from 2019 with the highest place for any ‘outsider’ this year while Scandinavian stalwarts SIR REG gave us possibly their best album yet. REINA ROJA from Spain were another highly placed new band and their were several others among the Top 30. Their were also a handful of albums that didn’t qualify for the chart but were worth noting including a couple of greatest hits albums THE REAL McKENZIES – Float Me Boat and UNCLE BARD AND THE DIRTY BASTARDS – The Story So Far that were both superb introductions to the bands, the second volume of the Black 47 covers compilation AFTER HOURS VOL. 2 and finally the HEADSTICKS 10th anniversary album of the best songs of their career to date re-recorded.

1. THE MAHONES – Jameson Street

2. FLOGGING MOLLY – Anthem

3. DROPKICK MURPHYS – This Machine Still Kills Fascists

4. THE LUCKY TROLLS – Raised Fist And Rebel Songs

5. SIR REG – Kings Of Sweet Feck All

6. REINA ROJA – Hooligan Folk

7. FINNEGAN’S HELL – One Finger Salute

8. REAL McKENZIES – Songs Of The Highlands, Songs Of The Sea

9. HOIST THE COLOURS – When Daylight Breaks

10. SHANGHAI TREASON – Shanghai Treason

11. PADDY’S PUNK – With Full Horse

12. THE TAN AND SOBER GENTLEMEN – Regressive Folk Music

13. ZECKYBOYS – Dirty Brands

14. THE MOORINGS – March On

15. THE MULLINS – Gold In Our Hands

16. PADDY AND THE RATS – From Wasteland To Wonderland

17. SYR – Sentinel 

18. MAN THE LIFEBOATS – Soul Of Albion

19. THE GROGGY DOGS – Still Groggin’

20. WHISKEY’S WAKE – Wake Up Whiskey

21. JAMIE CLARKE’S PERFECT – Monkey See Monkey Do

22. O’HAMSTERS – From Green Hills To Raging Sea

23. SLAINTE – Up Down 95

24. THE ENDINGS – Completely Pickled

25. THE CUNDEEZ – Geez It

26. THE ROYAL SPUDS – Roots Of Life

27. THE DREADNOUGHTS – Roll And Go

28. THE SCARLET – Freedom Call 

29. TEMPLARS OF DOOM – Rising Of The Doom!

30. DRUNKEN FIGHTERS – Someday

Bubbling over: THEIGNS AND THRALLS – Theigns And Thralls 

As funny as it may seem the Best Debut Album award for 2022 was decided way back in January last year when the long awaited self titled debut album from Yorkshire banjo Punks SHANGHAI TREASON arrived in the post. Eleven original songs of high tempo energetic Celtic-Punk with some of the best banjo we heard all year long! On top of that later in the year they released a 3-track EP of songs that didn’t make the album that was also superb!  That’s not to say it was a easy choice as by the end of the year REINA ROJA, THE LUCKY TROLLS and ZECKYBOYS all put out albums that challenged the Treason and in any other year could easily have won the award themselves.

A well deserved top two for THE RUMJACKS and their new singer Mikee. The split EP with FLATFOOT 56 in particular was absolutely flawless! Their were fantastic debut releases from THE DEAD IRISH, THE GALLOWGATE MURDERS and THE RAMSTAMPITS out of the Celtic nations of Ireland and Scotland that completely blew us away and were eagerly anticipated. A word here for BOG IRON from California who I found completely by accident and been playing ever since.

1. THE RUMJACKS / FLATFOOT 56 Split EP

2. THE RUMJACKS – Brass For Gold

3. THE DEAD IRISH – Four Corners Of Hell

4. THE GALLOWGATE MURDERS – ‘ Dead, Gone And Living On’

5. BRICK TOP BLAGGERS – Obey The Tyrant

6. BOG IRON – Star Of The County Down

7. DISTILLERY RATS – We Are Rats

8.  THE KILLIGANS – Dread Naught

9. KRAKIN’ KELLYS – Old Ways New Days

10. THE RAMSTAMPITS – Light The Beacon

Bubbling Under: THE CLOVERHEARTS – Still Pissed / JAMESTOWN BROTHERS – Just Is

In what is usually the hardest category to choose from we actually had a very easy choice this year with the new album from Boston singer-songwriter BRYAN McPHERSON never off our play list all year long. The great news is that Bryan is heading to these shores in the Summer and we are very happy to be helping out. Dundalk’s THE MARY WALLOPERS were busy all year round and ended 2022 with a sell out London show and a debut album in December. The debut album from THE WINTER CODES saw a welcome return to the wider music scene for Barney the original vocalist for Blood Or Whiskey. Some may be surprised to find the first solo album from MARCUS MUMFORD listed but it really was a great album both musically but especially lyrically. 

1. BRYAN McPHERSON – How To Draw Everything

2. THE MARY WALLOPERS – The Mary Wallopers

3. OYSTERBAND – Read The Sky

4. IAN PROWSE – One Hand On The Starry Plough

5. PRONGHORN – Welcome To Pronghorn Country

6. BODH’AKTAN – Valcourt Sessions

7. BURBRIDGE AND BOOTH – Icons

8. THE WINTER CODES – Set The Darkness Reeling

9. THE ALT – Day Is Come

10. MARCUS MUMFORD – (self-titled)

A new section this year and the first winner is THE OUTCAST CREW out of Laois in the Irish midlands. A new single and video directed, filmed and edited by Thomas Moyles that came out at the end of the Summer. 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!

The competition for best Celtic-Punk video of the year was incredible so next year (which will be our 10th anniversary) we will make a bit more effort and maybe even include you in the decision!!

There were several people involved in the collation of these results and so it is that some of those people may not have heard every album listed or released through the year. If you’re album is not listed maybe you didn’t send it us or not all the folks here heard it so couldn’t give a opinion so really don’t feel too put out. We’re not perfect but we do try our best.

This is the ninth year we’ve been doing these Best Of lists. It seems incredible looking back at some of the previous winners and also-ran’s just how many bands are still with us from Year 1. Have a look for yourselves just click on the year below to redirect.

*  2013  *  2014  *  2015  *  2016  *  2017  *  2018  *  2019  *  2020  * 2021 *

THE LONDON CELTIC PUNKS SHOP

If you like what we do then why not visit our  shop where you can buy all manner of Celtic-Punk tatt including t-shirts, badges, stickers, CD’s, fridge magnets, patches, Celtic nations flags and we just got in new for ’22 some bobble hats and polo shirts.

https://the30492shop.fwscart.com/

Alongside the Best Of polls we also run a special Readers Choice poll where you get to pick your favourite release of the year. This will be the fifth year it’s been running with Krakin’ Kellys, Mickey Rickshaw, The Go-Set and Ferocious Dog our previously champions! Last year we had well over 1500 votes (the most ever!) so remember the auld Irish adage ‘Vote Early – Vote Often’. There is only room on the form to list the Top Ten albums but there is an option for YOU to write in your favourite release (album or EP) of the year.

Poll will run until midnight on Tuesday 31st January 2023. You can vote twice. If the release you want to vote for is not listed then you can write it in.

Keep up to date with London Celtic Punks web-zine for all the latest news, record reviews, features and plenty more. Find all our social media here

https://linktr.ee/londoncelticpunks

to subscribe to the web-zine email londoncelticpunk@hotmail.co.uk

The poll will close at midnight on Tuesday 31st January 2023 with the result to be announced soon afterwards.

Dedicated to our good friend Scott Chrystal

Slainte, The London Celtic Punks Bhoys – January 2023

EP REVIEW: THE DEAD IRISH – ‘Four Corners Of Hell’ (2022)

The Dead Irish formed during the pandemic in Dublin and describe themselves as Irish trad/punk band based in Dublin. Their brilliant debut single just came out and is four songs of original proper Irish styled Celtic-Punk.

The most surprising development in Celtic-Punk since the end of the Covid lockdowns seems to have been that the Celtic nations have finally got Celtic-Punk, if only in a small way. Bands from the various Celtic nations have been slim on the ground but three bands have popped up recently – Gallowgate Murders from Scotland and The Outcast Crew and, today’s band, The Dead Irish from Dublin.

The first ‘proper’ track we heard from The Dead Irish was ‘Lost In the City’ which was also the lead single for the EP accompanied by a great video filmed in and around Dublin. It’s a great song based around the old Irish Folk song ‘The Spanish Lady’ but is given a great chorus and a 1970’s style Punk rock backing but feet remain firmly entrenched in Irish Folk. A catchy number that will I am certain prove Punk enough for the Punks and Folk enough for the Folkies. A real crowd pleaser for sure.

They follow this up with the instrumental ‘Morrisons Jig’ which will be familiar to many Celtic-Punk fans as the ‘Swallowtail Jig’ which for some reason has become pretty popular of late in the scene. It’s a great tune and perfect for speeding up and punking up. It’s not a easy song to pull off and even harder to give it the Punk treatment and still remain true to the songs Irish trad roots. I’ve heard plenty versions of this but this is seriously one of the best. Next onto ‘Ballad Of The Working Man’ and more traditional music but this time trad Punk. A bog standard Punk-Rock tune and absolutely fantastic. The tin whistles are put away this time for saxophone and the tale of working-class life strikes a chord in these tough times as the protagonist sees not much solidarity around him. David was lead singer of Irish Punks Hooligan who featured many times on these pages and his vocals are still as strong and powerful and here backed up by Rachel Lally on vocals is a great contrast.

For the last song we turn to Hooligan again and a cover of their great song ‘No Blacks No Irish No Dogs’. If Hooligan are remembered for anything then it should be this song. Recalling the anti-Irish racism of the 1950’s that newly arrived working class Irish immigrants found when arriving in England, especially the major cities, to work. Some play this down, even staggeringly In Ireland as it destroys their silly notions of ‘white privilege’, but talk to any Irish of that era or look up what they had to say and they’ll tell you.

(You can stream ‘No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs’ on the Bandcamp player below where it is also available to download as ‘name your price’)

Sadly that generation are in the main no more. Many moved back home and others passed away but we can be thankful for them. They were the people who fought and struggled and lived their lives so that one day the Irish as a race here could live in peace. The song rattles along in that accessible way The Dead Irish seem to have with chugging guitars and thumping drums and bass with plenty ‘whoops’ and mandolin keeping it well lit!

I was a huge fan of Hooligan back in the day (though I’m not sure if they are officially no more?) so it’s great to hear David back again. He has a real knack for writing superbly catchy and accessible music that is neither weak kneed or cliched. On top of that The Dead Irish have found a fresh approach to Celtic-Punk that will gain them plenty of fans. The band are doing something pretty novel for both the Irish Punk and Folk scenes and surely to God their must be market for it back on ‘the auld sod’ as I’m pretty sure their is over here!

CD’s of Lost In The City are available via the bands Facebook page

Contact The Dead Irish  Facebook  YouTube  Instagram

Here is Hooligan’s original version of ‘No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs’ performed in north London a few years back on my birthday with me there singing along in the background!

NEW SINGLE: THE DEAD IRISH ‘Lost In The City’ OUT NOW

Trad Punk from the depths of Dublin city!

Lost In The City is the first release from Irish trad punk band The Dead Irish. Filmed in Dublin, Ireland during February 2022 and released one evening in July. The band was formed during Ireland’s strict lockdown during 2021 and Lost In The City is the first single to come out from their first EP.

As I walked down to Dublin town one evening in July

I met a little girl on Grafton Street She smiled as she passed me by

Such a charmin’ elf I had to coax myself to see if I was really there

She looked so neat from her head to her feet

The colour of her nut brown hair

I said “hey little girl won’t you tell me your name”

And “can I walk with you a while?”

I’m lost in the city all on my own

Lost in the city far away from home

*

 On Chancery Street at the Christian Mission I was looking for a place to hide

At the gates of Mountjoy Prison I was trying to get inside

She looked at me through her big brown eyes

She looked at me and smiled

She said I am your destiny

We took off side by side

We wandered north, we wandered south

And then we wandered back again

We were lost in the city all on our own

Lost in the city far away from home

*

 When I woke up the next morning

 Well I knew she wasn’t there

She left no note, nothing that she wrote

Just a lock of her nut brown hair

Won’t you listen to my story boys Its a tale I have to tell

If you see the girl with the nut brown hair

 Won’t you say that I wish her well

We talked all night till the break of dawn

 And fell asleep in each others arms

Lost in the city to all her charms

Lost in the city

 All night long

Contact The Dead Irish  Facebook  YouTube  Instagram