Non-traditional "Irish" Music

[kokopelli]

Today I thought back to when I first picked up a whistle and the influences that drove me to keep at it during those first few months. I found my first whistle shortly after I was first introduced to the music of Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy's and those were the first influences on my playing. The first songs I learned were by those two groups and Dropkick Murphy's transitioned me into more of the traditional Irish music with songs like The Rocky Road to Dublin and The Fields of Athenry. Since then my musical interests have expanded quite a bit but I still listen to those groups and play their songs sometimes.

This has left me wondering, What other non-traditional groups have influenced other whistle players and inspired you to pick up the instrument or learn some new tunes?

[JTC111]

Great Big Sea

[kokopelli]

Great Big Sea is one of the bands I have come to love.

[JTC111]

Great Big Sea is one of the bands I have come to love.

My favorite of all time ...they knocked Dire Straits out of the top spot and that took some doing.

[MadmanWithaWhistle]

The scottish celtic rock band Runrig. Very scottish influences and some great wooden whistle parts in many of its songs.

[kokopelli]

I've heard of Runrig but I'm not sure I've heard any of their music. I might have to look into that.

[JTC111]

I'm not sure if this fits the thread as The McDades do a lot of trad music. However, their version of Rocky Road to Dublin isn't trad at all. This song kicks ass.

[kokopelli]

I'm not sure if this fits the thread as The McDades do a lot of trad music. However, their version of Rocky Road to Dublin isn't trad at all. This song kicks ass.

That certainly wasn't traditional at all, but it was really good. I'm surprised I've never heard of them before. I love the style of their whistle player.

[Mr Ed]

Traditional Catholic Hymns by Fr. Stan Fortuna. It's the first album I heard high and low whistles, uilleann pipes too.

[brewerpaul]

I'm a huge fan of "Enter The Haggis". This Toronto band is picking up steam nationwide, and they really deserve it. Their live shows are terrific.

[highland-piper]

My favorite whistle player is Neil Anderson of the celtic rock band Rathkeltair.

[Feadoggie]

While far from causing me to pick up a whistle (that happened decades ago) Afro Celt Sound System with James McNally on whistles did inspire me to rethink the music and take it in new directions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTTDsD9DDBc

I'm a huge fan of "Enter The Haggis".

My kids are Haggis Heads. They have been quite popular around here for some time.

I found my first whistle shortly after I was first introduced to the music of Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy's and those were the first influences on my playing.

My older Brother (65 years young) is a Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy camp follower. Of course he had his Pogues phase too. We grew up on the Clancys, Dubliners, etc. and this is what it has come to.

Feadoggie

[StefD]

When I picked up the whistle I was absolutely addicted to the playing of Brian Finnegan because this man played what I felt.
His playing has influenced my whistle style very much and I spend many month practising.
Later I've started to play the irish flute and new, more traditional influences came through many workshops, trough being a member of our local session for a few years now and through listening to players like Matt Molloy, Kevin Crawford, Seamus Egan, Mike Rafferty, Seamus Tansey, Catherine McEvoy, Steph Geremia - just to name a few of them.

[JTC111]

While far from causing me to pick up a whistle (that happened decades ago) Afro Celt Sound System with James McNally on whistles did inspire me to rethink the music and take it in new directions.

If you haven't heard it already, I'm betting you'd love Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul

[The_walrus0]

Flogging Molly was actually the complete reason I discovered what a whistle was.

Now I've listened to the Clancy brothers since I was a kid but had not heard much whistle playing from them, and if I did it wasn't what stuck out in my mind. Their lyrics and liveliness are why I enjoyed them, but in Flogging Molly's Devil's Dance Floor I just loved the sound of what I thought was a flute.

Eventually I tried to find flute tabs for it and guess what I found? A video of a pretty lady playing what looked like some sort of recorder( ) and decided I wanted it.

I really never got into Dropkick Murphy's because around here there are a lot of 'punk' kids who love shoving their interests in your face to prove they are somehow better fans than you. It stifled a lot of interest that could've turned into like because if you're a new fan you're kind of looked down on for not being a 'real' fan.

Needless to say I hang out with a different crowd now. I think I'll give all these bands a listen.

I really enjoy a band called Finntroll but they aren't irish and, as far as I know, don't incorporate tin whistle. They sing in Finnish as well. I don't know why I brought them up. I think they're good though and if you like metal/folk metal then you might like them. Norther is in that category as well, I think. And possibly Wintersun.

Edit: Actually Finntroll sings in Swedish, sorry. They are Finnish though. You would think I could tell after studying Swedish and Finnish separately, eh?