SoundClick artist: Ceili Moss - We like to define ourselves as acoustic folk-rock with a Northern European edge, thats not afraid of

CEILI MOSS is an acoustic folk-rock band from Belgium founded in 1996. We describe ourselves as "acoustic folk-rock with guts and melodies, with a Northern European edge, not afraid of colouring a bit outside of the lines". Perhaps it is Genevieve Williams from Widdershins who described us best : "They are not as punk as The Pogues, but they have a bit of that attitude and it gives them an edge many folk groups lack". Other frequently heard comparisons are Ambrozijn, Tri Yann, Jaune Toujours, Les Ogres de Barback, the old Clannad...

Like many, we started with (and still enjoy playing) a "Spanish drunken Danny rover of the County Down in the jar" repertoire, we have nevertheless constantly broadened our musical spectrum: Celtic, Flanders, Scandinavia, klezmer, medieval music, French chanson, Eastern Europe, ska, Balkanbeat, kleinkunst, singer-songwriter, blues, we take whatever we like, put it in our cauldron and whoever says it's not "orthodox" or "as it should be" gets a smack bottom! We play an approximately 2/3-1/3 mix of our own tunes sung in English, French or Dutch, and of mistreated traditionals.

What more ? We're probably not going to be 'bigger than Oasis', but our warm and heartfelt music has generally been well received everywhere we've played. When performing live, we are more in it for the energy and sincerity than for the academically irreproachable reproduction of the genre's schemes.

Why this name?

The name of the band comes from Ceili (pronounced like Kylie), the Irish word for party, and Moss, which was the nickname of Alain Mossiat, boss of the pub "L'Eblouissant", where we first learned to deal with stage fright.

Do you play live?

We play live about twice a month. It's what it's all about, actually.

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?

Seriously reduced the power of all self-proclaimed censors of what's hot and what's not. Opened immeasurable fields of opportunities to do it your way. On the other hand, there's so much music available on the web a lifetime would not suffice to listen to 30% of it, and it gave the opportunity to all whining brats who learned 2 1/2 chords to make a record and show the world the meaning of boredom...

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

Not really interested. We're perfectly okay with being semi-amateurs and have an almost obsessive will to remain independent. We would not spit on a distribution deal, though, to give our CDs more visibility.

Band History:

It all started in Namur, a picturesque city in the south of Belgium, in the fall of 1996. Benjamin Delforge, Laurent Leemans, Emmanuelle Miserrocchi and Yannick Sterpin started a folk band, merely to have fun and a few free pints...

The band had its coming and goings: Emmanuelle left in 1997, Yves Van Elst and Michael Goffioul joined the same year, we first had a drummer named Pierre Poucet, who left in 2004 and was replaced by Jeremy Pinera, after Emmanuelle, we remained for a time without fiddler until we met Jean-FranÃ§ois Durdu in 2001. He stayed until 2006, and was replaced by Mathieu Collard. Vocalist Sophie Toth also was one of us from 2003 to 2007. And Yannick Sterpin deprived us of his guitar, harmonica and vocal skills in 2006. Michael will be leaving at the end of 2008, so we hired Thibaud Misson and his double bass and also well-known (in Belgium) guitarist Stephane Jalhay. Early in 2009, it's benjamin who has decided to take break to finish his studies.

Through these years, we started playing in pubs, then small venues, then small festivals, and have gradually established a much more than decent reputation as a live act in Belgium and the neighbouring regions. We also have released four self-produced CDs: "be there & be drunk!" in 2001, "glad to find you well" in 2003, "on the shore" in 2006 and the brand new "la vie sent quoi?", which is available since september 2010.

Your influences?

The Pogues, The Chieftains, The Dubliners, Alan Stivell, Ambrozijn, Kadril, The Waterboys, The Levellers, the old Clannad, Altan, Ewan MacColl, Tri Yann, Les Ogres de Barback... but we also listen a lot to stuff like Morissey, Echo & The Bunnymen, Led Zeppelin, Noir Desir, The Cure, so I guess it had to influence us somehow.

Favorite spot?

Namur is a very charming city, though a bit quiet... Brussels is fantastic if you're not afraid of noise, the impossility to park your car and architectural nonsense...

Equipment used:

Acoustic 12- and 6-strings guitars, electric guitar, transverse flute, fiddle, drums, doedelzak, double bass, various percussions

Anything else...?

Always look on the bright side of life!

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Photos