The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985)

Celtic Punk? The term was coined because and for The Pogues at the beginning of the 80s and have its origin in the 1960s and 1970s folk rock musicians who played electric folk and Celtic rock in Ireland and Scotland, as well as in more traditional Celtic folk bands such as The Dubliners.
The story says that The Pogues were formed when MacGowan (vocals), Peter “Spider” Stacy (tin whistle), and Jem Finer (banjo) were together in an occasional band called The Millwall Chainsaws in the late 1970s after MacGowan and Stacy met in the toilets at a Ramones gig at The Roundhouse in 1977. MacGowan was already with The Nips, though when they broke up in 1980 he concentrated a bit more on Stacy’s Millwall Chainsaws who changed their name to The New Republicans. In 1982 they rename the band into Pogue Mahone. They came to the attention of the media and Stiff Records when they opened for The Clash on their 1984 tour. Shortening their name to “The Pogues” due to BBC censorship following complaints from Gaelic speakers in Scotland, they released their first album “Red Roses for Me” on Stiff that October.
“Rum Sodomy & the Lash” is the second studio album by The Pogues and it has often made its way on to lists of greatest albums. In 2000 Q magazine placed it at number 93 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 445 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Pitchfork Media named it the 67th best album of the 1980s.
Released sometimes in mid/late August – eventually on 26 😀 – 1985, “Rum Sodomy & the Lash” is a worthwhile listen. Read more The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985)

Flogging Molly – Speed of Darkness (2011)

“We drink, we fight, we puke, we die…” In very few words, this is the essence of Celtic Punk. It might be funny once, it might be cool twice, but third time it’s boring and forth time irritating. “Revolution” talking about hot topics like loosing job, just like “Don’t Shut ‘Em Down”, it seems the global crises sneaked into the hearts of everybody, even into the life of the people from the ever-shining LA.
Formed in 1997 in Los Angeles, California, Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-American band merging Punk Rock with Celtic Punk. Prior to forming Flogging Molly, Dublin-born Dave King was the vocalist for heavy metal band Fastway featuring guitarist “Fast” Eddie Clarke of Motörhead and bassist Pete Way of UFO in the early to mid ’80s. In the footsteps of The Dubliners and The Pogues, Flogging Molly fifth studio album keeps the tradition alive. Read more Flogging Molly – Speed of Darkness (2011)

Black 47 – Bankers and Gangsters (2010)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFsTrvJGiDc]

Fanii serialului „Sons Of Anarchy” au remarcat piesa „The Big Fellah” al celor din Black 47 la începutul episodului „Lochan Mor” (episodul 34 – respectiv 8 din sezonul 3). Eu am avut bulanul să dau peste CD-ul „Home of the Brave” (1994) prin 1996 în consignaţia de la Braşov unde o pensionară a adus la vânzare la un preţ derizoriu un morman de CD-uri originale – promtional use only – primite – cum am aflat ulterior – de la băiatul dânsei, radio DJ în Canada. Mi-am pus labele atunci pe o grămadă de discuri interesante ale unor formaţii absolut anonime, am cumpărat aproape tot, pe neauzite.
„Hey big fella, where the hell are you now, when we need you the most?”
Albumul poate fi ascultat on-line AICI. The Big Fellah, Different Drummer, Paul Robeson (Born to be Free), Losin’ It, Who Killed Bobby Fuller?, Oh Maureen sau American Wake sunt câteva din piesele colorate ale celor din Black 47 care amestecă rădăcinile tradiţionale irlandeze cu Raggae, Hip Hop, Rock, Punk şi ceva Jazz.
Pentru mulţi această abordare multi-culturală şi extrem de colorată n-a fost pe plac, critica şi consumatorul este obişnuit cu standardele, cu tradiţionalul, cu lucrurile clare şi etichetabile, convenţionale. Şi tot majoritatea asimilează zona Celtic-Punk exclusiv cu numele celor din The Pogues.
Povestea celor din Black 47 se leagă şi de The Pogues, Frank Murray Read more Black 47 – Bankers and Gangsters (2010)