The Bothy Band

April 23, 2009 1:06 PM

The Bothy Band - Ireland's finest traditional folk ensemble - rip it up in 1977. (SLYT)

The Bothy Band may well be the finest Irish traditional folk band you never heard of (some history from Folk World). Releasing three albums between 1975 and 1979 (The Bothy Band, Old Hag You Have Killed Me, Out of the Wind Into the Sun), their mix of technical virtuousity and attack was highly influential. Previously mentioned here, but never YT'd here, until now. "Genius and Joy," says one of the YouTube commenters, and you can't argue with that.

Drunken landlady
The green groves of Erin
Music in the Glen/The Humours of Scariff
Martin Wynne's/Reels
Old hag you have killed me/???/Morrisons (front page link)
The Humours of Loughrea
Do you love an apple
16 come next Sunday
Fionnghuala
Casadh an tSugain 19
Tiocfaidh an Samhradh
Matt Molloy & Donal Lunny: Bucks of Oranmore
The laurel tree

posted by carter (20 comments total)

Grabs a pint of Guinness.
posted by rageagainsttherobots at 1:17 PM on April 23, 2009

Excellent use of the and tag.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:21 PM on April 23, 2009

It's been a long day ...
posted by carter at 1:24 PM on April 23, 2009

For the Previous mentions, check the comments. There are 12 references to the band, no FPPs. There's a wiki stub for the band, which links to the definition for a bothy band (a band made up of young, single men who lived in bothies). The Bothy Band are on Last.fm, someone made them a Myspace profile, and here's a more detailed look at their discography.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:28 PM on April 23, 2009

Major good stuff here. I was just going through some old Planxty and Bothy band stuff the other day. Now I have more!

Matt Molloy is the Eric Clapton of the Irish Flute.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 1:29 PM on April 23, 2009

Matt Molloy is the Eric Clapton of the Irish Flute.

You mean, then, that he's yawningly predictable and that his playing suggests none of the color, spontaneity and personality that we normally associate with his chosen genre?

/your-favorite-English-blues-superstar-sucksFilter
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:53 PM on April 23, 2009

And going back to that Bucks of Oranmore link, I remember seeing the original show. James Galway and Matt were sort of duelling. All was very well when they stayed in their own realms of experience, Matt on the traditional stuff and James Galway on the more classical side. If I remember rightly, when they switched genres, Matt won hands down (at least in the opinion of teenage flautist Nick Verstayne anyway).
posted by Nick Verstayne at 1:55 PM on April 23, 2009

You mean, then, that he's yawningly predictable and that his playing suggests none of the color, spontaneity and personality that we normally associate with his chosen genre?


You've never heard Eric's solo on "Five Long Years" on the From The Cradle album then?
posted by schleppo at 2:00 PM on April 23, 2009

We yanks do it better.
posted by The White Hat at 2:22 PM on April 23, 2009

I sort of see your point there Flapjax. I was really referring to Clapton's "God" status (though, If I could be as boring and soul-less on the guitar as you feel he is I'd be happy enough, but I digress). In any case, it does sort of turn my later comment around. James Galway in the show I talked about was exactly that - a technician. Molloy brought something new (to me) to the flute, and I suspect it was the way he played it like a piper might rather than a flautist.
posted by Nick Verstayne at 2:52 PM on April 23, 2009

Heh heh! Points taken, Nick. And apologies to carter for the slight derail...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:25 PM on April 23, 2009

After hearing "Music at Matt Malloy's" I decided I had to visit Westport to see the pub for myself. It's not exactly an undiscovered place but it is brimming with the kind of brilliant musician who can also deliver a calf or age a donkey from its teeth.
posted by rongorongo at 3:57 PM on April 23, 2009

Yikes. I remember when "Old Hag You Have Killed Me" came out, I listened to the tape until my ears bled. This is still some of the best stuff (Irish music) ever recorded.

20 years ago in a pub in Ireland, I remember this guy saying "you know, Matt Molloy is just another flute player over here - there's dozens like him, and some of them are louder." It's true that there are lots of other flute players - me, for example - but after all this time I think he's doing something really unique, not only among flute players, but among Irish players in general.

Anyway, that was a great time! Thanks for the links.
posted by sneebler at 5:31 PM on April 23, 2009

Thanks! This is the sound of weekend mornings in my NE Ohio childhood - I remember the Bothy Band being on heavy rotation on WKSU's in the mid-80's. Good to finally see 'em.
posted by Knicke at 6:32 PM on April 23, 2009

While I agree with Matt Molloy being a fine flute player, as an uilleann piper, I'm just going to point out that Paddy Keenan is incredible. I've been fortunate enough to have had several workshops with him. Really a wonderful gentleman.

And now go forth and discover the world of uilleann piping that can be found on YouTube.
posted by misterpatrick at 9:43 PM on April 23, 2009

As Run DMC used to say... "you be uilleann!"
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:10 PM on April 23, 2009

God, this is awesome. Two Irish music posts in as many days!

I had the pleasure of seeing Paddy Keenan in concert here last year. It was organized by a friend of mine, an enthusiast of all things Irish music. All the Irish musicians in town came out to the concert, everyone with an instrument case in tow. Of course, word had gotten round that a couple of musicians would have the opportunity to jam with Paddy onstage, so everyone was electric with anticipation.

Paddy came out and played a great couple of sets, really showed off what he could make such an unwiedly instrument do. (In case you're not in the know, uileann pipes are one of those kinds of instruments where any number of things can go wrong at any given time, so getting a good sound out of them for any length of time is quite the challenge). Then came time for some performers to get up and jam. There was a bodhran player, who provided one of the most sensitive and nuanced performances I've ever seen on a frame drum. Even Paddy smiled and nodded at his performance.

Next on was an elderly man who's been a fixture on the Irish music scene in the Ottawa Valley for decades, named Don Kavanagh. Don plays Irish tunes on the harmonica. So Don gets up to play some reels, and decided he was going to show this young whippersnapper of a piper what was what. So he launched into an intricate and virtuosic series of ornaments and variations of the tunes he was playing. So virtuosic, in fact, that Paddy was left a bit agape at the performance. Of course, Don got lots of applause from the audience for his playing. Then, the concert was over, and to thunderous applause, Paddy was asked to play an encore.

Paddy played the exact same set as Don, and copied all Don's ornaments, exactly.

That is how awesome and kickass Paddy Keenan is.
posted by LN at 8:25 AM on April 24, 2009

Thank you, enjoying this right now! also I do not recommend sharing a flat with someone practising uileann pipes (maybe unless they're Paddy Keenan).
posted by yoHighness at 3:18 PM on April 24, 2009

Paddy Keenan plays an absolutely astonishing Bucks of Oranmore on the Bothy Band "Live in Concert" album.
posted by carter at 4:41 PM on April 24, 2009

Plus - he's touring east coast US in April/May.

Plus - downloads on his site.
posted by carter at 5:17 PM on April 24, 2009