The Merry Blacksmiths
Comments
79
leovenous
Nov 26, 2004
Hey y'all... nice stuff. Some friends and I were wanting to start a homeschool celtic band in Oregon, but it hasnt happened, and now I live in Arizona... so thats kinda shot for now. Nice work on the fiddle and the bodhran.
thegreatfulstones
Sep 30, 2004
Great tunes, folks! ! Nice traditional sound. We have some humble offerings you might find....well....intriguing.
skyydancer
Sep 12, 2004
We just got a beginning bodhran player for our group.. I directed him to your music page to hear a fine bodhran player like Luke..
We enjoyed all your songs.. all you guys (and girl) rock!! Many happy gigs in the future!!
lgmornathan
Aug 21, 2004
Hi, this is Nathan from up north. (For those of you who know me.) And (also for those of you who know) I finished the lego movie that I was making using your music. I sent Pat a CD with the movie on it. So, tell me what you think.
Nathan
fiddlecrazy
Jul 23, 2004
OK, let me say that in another way. They have not gotten worse. They have wandered farther and farther away from the Irish tradition. In fact, they've gone so far that their two newest albums are almost completely Bluegrass/Country sort of stuff. Call it what you like, it's not Irish. If you like what you do, then great, enjoy it! It's just not my cup of tea.
I don't even really like their earlier albums that much (some more than others). It not the musicians that I don't like, it's the way they arrange their tunes. They arrange them in a fashion quite similar to classical music, which I don't really like.
But I love the musicians individually! I love Matt's playing with the Bothies, and also his duet recordings with Sean Keane. Paddy Moloney is a great piper, and Kevin Coneff sure knows his way around the bodhran. It all in the arrangments. Every now and then, I run into one that I like, but not often.
Something else that bugs me is that a lot of people look upon them as play
lizzibee
Jul 18, 2004
Explain to me, Max, why the Chieftains' albums have got worse simply because they do bluegrass and country. Down the Old Plank Road is an awesome CD, even if Further Down was bad, and mayhap it's just a matter of taste, even though the raspy vocals in a few of their country songs were a bit much. ;)
BTW, Laura, Max popped a CD of Lúnasa on me the other day at play rehearsal, and now I'm hooked. ^_^ They are the bomb. If they could just get Ciaran Ó Gealbhain to sing for them, they'd be the absolute best band ever. Yes, I even think they're better than Danú -- I know, I'm a traitor -- but maybe I've just listened to Danú too much. =)
Captain Wonkfloosh
Jul 14, 2004
Awright then ya bampots,
Just droppin' in oan the Scottish contingent here at Soundclick and your all in Armericay...wild!
I've listened to your stuff and it sounds quite traditional. Keep it up. You can cover my tune if you like, sorry if you can...
laurapalooza
Jun 08, 2004
Right...very, very guilty feeling comes over me...er...about the Patrick Street stuff..I..well...I borrowed a burned copy of a bunch of their stuff just thrown together, a lot of stuff from "All in Good Time," but the other stuff is just stuff from other albums so I don't know. I am feel very guilty now...WAAAAAH. Are you going to hurt me now?...I don't know any of the tune titles, except I recognized a few from Lunasa albums, like Mrs. O'Sullivan's Jig, Brendon MacMahon's Reel, Rolling in the Barrel, and I think maybe Lady Birr too?? But I'm not sure...and of course I have Patrick Street, Carrowclare, and Miner, all three of which I am totally in love with, especially Carrowclare. sigh
I don't mind the Cheiftains - I haven't had enough patience to listen to all of the CDs I have of theirs - Actually I only have two but I mean I haven't sat through them all the way. I have Tears of Stone and Water from the Well.
That's fascinating about the Bothy Band - Imagine that being unhea
fiddlecrazy
May 20, 2004
Hi Laura, good to have you back.
Whoa, a lot to reply to here. Let's see.
Silly Wizard is one of my favorite bands, and I have two of their albums. Live Wizardry, and Glint of Silver. I don't like Glint of Silver half as much as the live one, but it's still nice. And I love Live Wizardry! I think Luke has the Best Of album.
I don't like the Chieftains. Sorry. Some of their earlier stuff is pretty good, but ever since they went country/bluegrass their albums have just got worse and worse. I have two of their albums from the 70s and they are great, though. Which albums do you have?
The Corrs are one of the only bands that I really, really can't stand. And they're so popular!!! Man, that bugs me.
I don't know too much about Planxty. The only time I ever heard them was on the radio once. They sound really cool, and I love andy Irvine and Donal Lunny. Donal Lunny is one the most amazing figures to come on the ITM scene ever. He was the primary mastermind behi
bodhrans mom
May 20, 2004
So glad to see you back, Laura! Goat Whacker asked me to let him know if I see any new posts, so I'll have to tell him you're back. Luke's been really busy finishing the track season. He got 2nd place in Varsity Ventura County Track Finals for the 100m and the 200m and broke the Santa Paula records (not to mention new personal bests). Please forgive a proud mother for bragging! Nick Collins and Pat Coughlin were also in the Varsity Finals and did very well. Pat got 2nd in High Jump and Nick got 2nd in the 400m and 4th in the 800m. Needless to say, they added a lot to our small track team. THEN later that same day, they joined the Merry Blacksmiths for a performance. I am so proud of all of them. (Oh, really?!)
laurapalooza
May 19, 2004
oh my goodness!!!...silent indeed!! Max, I guess your carpet issue explains your absence from Lunasa boards as well...I'm so sorry I haven't been here in ages - I always forget to come, sneef. But here I am!! For now. :D
Yes Max I have heard of Solas, but there's no way I could like anyone half as much as Lunasa...nope, never, not gonna happen ;). But I will defo check them out. You should be so proud of me - I got a Silly Wizard cd from the library, I think it's their "Best OF" one, and I like it but I haven't had a chance to listen to all of it. I also got a bunch of Cheiftains stuff, the Corrs (BLAH) (I got "In Blue" at a yard sale for twenty-five cents...DON'T buy it), a cd with one Planxty set on it, some weird Scotish band called Steeleye Span, aaaaaand...The Bothy Band!!!!! The First Album, 1975!!! And I love it!!! I especially like the Kesh Jig set and the one with Pretty Peg/Craig's Pipes. I love Craig's pipes, ever since I heard it done by the Bothy Band, I can't
bodhrans mom
May 09, 2004
My! How this site has gone silent. Laurapalooza, where are you? I guess Max still can't get onto the computer at his house very often.
fiddlecrazy
Apr 22, 2004
Yeah, but every now and then, I can hop on my Mom or Dad's computer. Like now.
Laura! Have you heard of Solas!? If you think that Lunasa is the coolest band, then you haven't seen Solas! I saw them last Sunday with my Dad. You have to check them out if you haven't already. Before the gig, I liked Lunasa and Solas about the same, but now I'm afraid it's all Solas. Once I see Lunasa in October, I supose the tables will turn. :-)
-Max
goatwhacker
Apr 21, 2004
As of now, Max does not have internet access Laura. His family is putting a new
carpet in right now so his room has been cleaned out.
kehli2001
Apr 16, 2004
Terr4ific music. Just the soundI've been searching for!
Kehli
laurapalooza
Apr 15, 2004
HEY I just looked and they're number 8!!! dude that's awesome...hahaha phatness...and thanks for telling me how to look, I always miss things like that, heh...
where has Max gone???
bodhrans mom
Apr 10, 2004
Wow, that's great! #10 on the Traditional Celtic chart today and #91 on the World chart yesterday! Hurrah!
bodhrans mom
Apr 03, 2004
Laura,
If you have The Merry Blacksmiths as a band on your soundclick page, look at the top. It says "Home--World--Traditional Celtic--The Merry Blacksmiths".
If you click on the word "world", it takes you to the world chart. Today they are at #176, up from #186.
You can also check where they are on the Traditional Celtic by clicking on those words at the top. Today they are at #20.
Someone else may be able to tell you more about it. But that's just the bare bones of the charts. Now you can keep an eye on them, too.
laurapalooza
Apr 02, 2004
What???? World charts?? How does one keep track of such things...and how do I miss out on all the good stuff...I listened to the new set - fabo!! awesome possum - I lov the beginning, I lov it all but ya know...
Hey Max you like Patrick Street don't you? Do you know the song Carrowclare? and possibly the lyrics??...
Real lively music. Joy with Rhythm and talented players!! Blessings.