I've spent most of my free time recently learning and perfecting the Irish traditional song Arthur McBride and The Sergeant. The song probably has as many versions as there are singers of the song (even Bob Dylan recorded it, but I think most people would agree that Paul Brady's version is definitive. Especially his gorgeous guitar arrangement. Brady is a phenomenal guitarist and song writer (even if the production of his records went a bit L.A. glossy in the 80's and 90's). In the 60's and 70's in Ireland, there was a thriving and unique music scene. Young musicians not only tuned into imported rock music, but they were also digging deep into the Irish tradition, and rescuing old songs from obscurity. Paul Brady was among those at the forefront, and was famous for his work with The Johnstons, Andy Irvine, andPlanxty, before he left traditional music and had a successful career as a solo rock artist and song writer. His rock and pop songs have been covered by Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. While working in the Irish traditional idiom, he revolutionised the use of the guitar in Irish music (something frowned upon by traditionalists at the time), by his innovative use of alternative tunings, and by mixing rich harmonic progressions with intricate embellished picking, reminiscent of a pipe or fiddle player.
You're spot-on about him going a bit "LA Glossy" in the 80's/90's. He's definitely at his best just him and the guitar, maybe with some trad accompaniment ala Planxty. I discovered "Nothing But The Same Old Story" a couple of years ago, great stuff, and listen to him on and off ever since. Cool song to learn to play John, though i find any song i love that i then learn just seems to lose a little something for me, d'ya know what i mean , sham ?
Yeah - I would love if he would do a new acoustic album. If you like his acoustic stuff, get your hands on the "Liberty Tapes", which is a live solo acoustic concert all trad stuff. All the young trad luminaries of the time, (Andy Irvine, Matt Molloy etc), make guest appearances. "Nothing But the Same Old Story" is a classic. It has just the right amount of spleen, it would be very easy for that to be an anti-Brit song, but it catches all the complexities and contradictions of forced emigration. Re songs losing something when you learn them, I used to really find that, especially playing in a band. But I find I can better internalise solo acoustic songs and make them my own. Especially the more complex ones. I get great joy out of playing Richard Thompson's "Beeswing" or "Vincent Black Lightning", or Brady's "Crazy Dreams", knowing that my fingers can, after a lot of hard work, actually play these pieces. There is also HUGE frustration in learning, and consistently playing them well :) Do you play much ?
I will! Just need a few days to sand off the sharp edges, apply some varnish and polish! I also need to teach myself some video editing and you tube putting upping.
I play in spurts John. Sometimes i don't pick up the guitar for weeks, and then other times i'll just let myself get lost in alternate tunings and kick myself for never recording or remembering wtf i was playing. I've been playing since i was about 13. Went to a few lessons with Willie Ryan (brother of Mike Ryan from Tuesday Blue) ......i pissed him off coz i was lazy about learning scales, and been beating away ever since. Used to busk the odd time on O' connell st., with Niall Quinn of "The Hitchers" fame.
I'm very stage shy, but have been harboring a desire to get out there and do something for quite a while now.
We must know some people in common. I know Andy from the Hitchers, and if I say so myself, we were the first group of youngfella's to regularly busk outside Todds, (we won the Limerick busking competition back during the Limerick millenium, 800 centenial, whatever it was called!).
Jaysus Tuesday Blue - theres a memory. Upstairs at the Pink Elephant. I'd love to get my hand's on their album and see how it stands up.
You know, the only way to get over stage fright is to go and play regularly. Despite years of playing in bands I used to still get a little nervous of doing solo shows. I took singing lessons a few years back, and my teacher used to make me do recitals, she banned my guitar, (a crutch), for the first two. I got over it pretty quickly.
Dev If I can get over a bout of allergies, which make me sound like I singing into the tail pipe of a car, I'll video and stick it up over the weekend. I have the genesis of an idea of finding the original artist on YouTube, blogging that and following it with video of me doing my version.
Does anybody know what a 'hod' is in the context of this song? It can't possibly be the brick-carrying tool - you'd never take them when out for receation on Christmas Day, would you, nor would you 'draw' them to use as weapons if you did? I do have a theory about the 'pow' that gets flattened - it's the corruption of the word 'Pauke', German for kettledrum. And wasn't the British Army of the time very Hanoverian? Just a notion.
Born in Limerick, Ireland, followed my nose to the U.S. in 1993, settled in California married, and have three kids (they are the three funniest people I know). I work in software, which I like. My main passion, though, is music. I still wanna be a rockstar/professional surfer - during my daily allocation of 2.5 minutes of free time.
10 Comments:
You're spot-on about him going a bit "LA Glossy" in the 80's/90's. He's definitely at his best just him and the guitar, maybe with some trad accompaniment ala Planxty.
I discovered "Nothing But The Same Old Story" a couple of years ago, great stuff, and listen to him on and off ever since.
Cool song to learn to play John, though i find any song i love that i then learn just seems to lose a little something for me, d'ya know what i mean , sham ?
Derfen
Yeah - I would love if he would do a new acoustic album. If you like his acoustic stuff, get your hands on the "Liberty Tapes", which is a live solo acoustic concert all trad stuff. All the young trad luminaries of the time, (Andy Irvine, Matt Molloy etc), make guest appearances.
"Nothing But the Same Old Story" is a classic. It has just the right amount of spleen, it would be very easy for that to be an anti-Brit song, but it catches all the complexities and contradictions of forced emigration.
Re songs losing something when you learn them, I used to really find that, especially playing in a band. But I find I can better internalise solo acoustic songs and make them my own. Especially the more complex ones. I get great joy out of playing Richard Thompson's "Beeswing" or "Vincent Black Lightning", or Brady's "Crazy Dreams", knowing that my fingers can, after a lot of hard work, actually play these pieces.
There is also HUGE frustration in learning, and consistently playing them well :)
Do you play much ?
Do it!
Mairead
I will! Just need a few days to sand off the sharp edges, apply some varnish and polish! I also need to teach myself some video editing and you tube putting upping.
I play in spurts John. Sometimes i don't pick up the guitar for weeks, and then other times i'll just let myself get lost in alternate tunings and kick myself for never recording or remembering wtf i was playing.
I've been playing since i was about 13. Went to a few lessons with Willie Ryan (brother of Mike Ryan from Tuesday Blue) ......i pissed him off coz i was lazy about learning scales, and been beating away ever since.
Used to busk the odd time on O' connell st., with Niall Quinn of "The Hitchers" fame.
I'm very stage shy, but have been harboring a desire to get out there and do something for quite a while now.
Go for it John.That's one of my all time favourites and it would be great to see you preform it.
derfen,
I went to school with and was a pal of 'Hoss'Carney.I recently found a confirmation picture of us from 1985....aaaargghhhh
Derfen
We must know some people in common. I know Andy from the Hitchers, and if I say so myself, we were the first group of youngfella's to regularly busk outside Todds, (we won the Limerick busking competition back during the Limerick millenium, 800 centenial, whatever it was called!).
Jaysus Tuesday Blue - theres a memory. Upstairs at the Pink Elephant. I'd love to get my hand's on their album and see how it stands up.
You know, the only way to get over stage fright is to go and play regularly. Despite years of playing in bands I used to still get a little nervous of doing solo shows. I took singing lessons a few years back, and my teacher used to make me do recitals, she banned my guitar, (a crutch), for the first two. I got over it pretty quickly.
Dev
If I can get over a bout of allergies, which make me sound like I singing into the tail pipe of a car, I'll video and stick it up over the weekend. I have the genesis of an idea of finding the original artist on YouTube, blogging that and following it with video of me doing my version.
Brady is a king, John. I even love his LA Glossy stuff. It has a twist.
In total agreement on his guitar work - he can really use the dusty end.
the dusty end - never heard that expression before!
Does anybody know what a 'hod' is in the context of this song? It can't possibly be the brick-carrying tool - you'd never take them when out for receation on Christmas Day, would you, nor would you 'draw' them to use as weapons if you did? I do have a theory about the 'pow' that gets flattened - it's the corruption of the word 'Pauke', German for kettledrum. And wasn't the British Army of the time very Hanoverian? Just a notion.
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