Fun interview with Paddy Moloney about the new Chieftain’s album. He talks about the state of piping which is great to see in a major publication.
You may need to register to read the article.
The new album comes out next week and I already have it pre-ordered on Amazon. I love Bon Iver and the Decemberists and while I’m much more of a traditionalist when it comes Irish music and piping, I am looking forward to this.
Paddy was also on PRI’s The World yesterday.
You can check out the interview here: http://www.theworld.org/2012/02/the-chieftains-voice-of-ages/
Another Chieftain’s Album? I’ve only just got the Wild Dog Rose.
Paddy must have the most commercial recordings of any traditional musician in the world.
You can actually stream the entire CD on the page. Some great stuff. Love the version of The Frost is All Over with the Punch Brothers.
Paddy was also on NPR the other day: http://www.npr.org/2012/02/14/146821406/the-chieftains-for-50-years-irish-music-for-the-world
Well, here’s my chance, finally, to be surly on the UP Chiff Board!
At least one of us read the NY Times article and screamed in frustration. Paddy was “50 / 50” about doing a 50 year reunion album with original members of the Chieftans, but no, his American producer convinces him to do yet another album with the Red Hot Chili Cookoff singing Bob Dylan songs . . .
F*#K!
Getting all the surviving members together would have been great, but are they still playing?
I’d buy a CD of them talking about playing traditional music. It is especially frustrating after some of the talk floating around on the board about Paddy doing a solo piping album . . .
Well, of course it would be awesome of them to make something like “boil the breakfast early”. But, it’s not for us to decide. If Paddy decided to record this kind of album- i think that it was the best choice for the time.
And i for one just love this record, there are really cool songs and tunes, and, at the end of the day, old members are there in “reunion” set, aren’t they?
Maybe the next one will be more traditional, and now we can enjoy another Chieftains album, i think, we’re real lucky=))
that was exactly my reaction. I would love a retrospective album and in particular an album of all traditional Irish music.
the Chieftans have done too many collaboration/fusion albums already in my opinion. I couldn’t care less for these current pop stars and I have no interest in this 50th anniversary album. What a shame! If Paddy had been left in control it would have been brilliant.
Very presumptuous…
If you knew Paddy, you’d know he’s always in control.
I didnt really want to return after several years’ absence to C&F with a negative post, but I’m afraid I have to agree with this sentiment.
However, we have to salute what the Chieftains and especially Paddy have done for the music over the years, even if the musical “name-dropping/social climbing” aspect is a bit tiresome. As he says himself in the interview, he wanted traditional music to have the same access to the Carnegie and Albert Halls as the Clancys were getting, and he was willing to do what it took to break through the glass ceiling.
My feelings about Leo Rowsome are somewhat similar: I was thrilled the first time I heard him, but as my taste developed I found his piping harder and harder to listen to. Nevertheless, I still respect and am grateful for what he did to preserve and transmit piping through his playing, pipemaking and especially teaching. He never diluted the tradition in the way Paddy has, but thanks to both of them it is strong enough now to accommodate a lot more crossover/fusion than would have been imaginable without them, while remaining able to survive in its own right in its purest form.
As he says himself in the interview, he wanted traditional music to have the same access to the Carnegie and Albert Halls as the Clancys were getting, and he was willing to do what it took to break through the glass ceiling.
A few years ago he was on the tellie and did his ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ ‘To play with the Chieftains’ spiel. At least he has a sense of humour about it.