Has anyone heard about these guys??? They seem to be making a name for themselves on the scene. I got a hold of their Cd. They’re very Bothy Band-esque but something a little modern thrown in there. I still can’t get past the first few tracks. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
I can’t quite figure out what RTE programme this clip is from but i’d love to see them live.
You forgot to post a clip …
… would this be it?
http://www.myspace.com/thebonnymen/music
Thanks for the heads-up. I’m impressed.
i liked that a lot. can anybody tell me the name of the middle tune?
The First Slip
thanks, patkiwi
I loved it!
I don’t agree they’re Bothy Band-esque at all. Good music, but not THAT good. Doing music in the formula of the Bothy Band ( as many others have done ) pays homage to Mr. Lunny et al, and rightfully so, but it’s not that exiting any more, at least not to the generation that witnessed the Bothies in full flight.
Good stuff.
my first thought was bothies - not in a specifically musical sense, but in a sense of excitement generated. and some of that was staging. but definitely had my toes tapping. they obviously paid attention to the ‘old ones’.
A smile wouldn’t go amiss. Too bloody serious… 🙁
Hauled off the competition circuit? 😏
Yes.
I was expecting German-West Indian 70s Disco Music - I’m most disappointed.
"Doing music in the formula of the Bothy Band ( as many others have done ) pays homage to Mr. Lunny et al, and rightfully so, but it’s not that exiting any more"
Those were my thoughts.
"A smile wouldn’t go amiss. Too bloody serious…"
And that too - although they’re probably nervous. I’d be interested to hear where they go in a few years, once they’ve built up stronger musical relationships and developed more of a slant of their own. I’ll be watching out for them as individual players as well. In fact, it’s highly probable that they’ll all go off in different directions, anyway.
A bit predictable perhaps, but splendid players.
No doubting the talent. Hopefully they’ll eventually step past that and connect more directly to the spirit and joy of it…
I would say they’ve got the balance wrong; 4 rhythm/accompaniment instruments to 3 melody might appeal to the younger generation, but it’s not my taste.
Bonny Men…….The guy on the keyboard is definitely a girl I may be getting old but I still remember what they looked like. I’m surprised they haven’t noticed?
Do you know how hard it is to think up an original name for a band ? I wouldn’t criticise them for that.
"I would say they’ve got the balance wrong; 4 rhythm/accompaniment instruments to 3 melody might appeal to the younger generation, but it’s not my taste."
Not the ‘pure drop’, perhaps. But it’s quite beneficial in a band line-up, as it gives plenty of scope for textural variation - they don’t all have to play all the time.
"Do you know how hard it is to think up an original name for a band ? I wouldn’t criticise them for that."
Original? It has echoes of a certain 80’s British band - not to mention Ra Ra Rasputin.
Good enough music.
Nothing "original" or cutting edge.
Quite marketable, I expect.
A bit "Bothy-esque", but who would not be,
with the same instrumentation and same arrangements?
They are presumably playing what they want, the way they want.
Best of luck to them all.
PS:
My POV - that organist can leave, if that intro bit to the set was her idea. It did less than nothing for me, it was merely strange.
Not to slag her, or her musicianship.
Just me raving, folks.
😏
Good musicians but not the happiest looking souls.
They seem to be typical of students or graduates from a University traditional music course although I don’t know their history.
However, most of them "loosen up" with experience and find their own direction in the end.
Hello, this is Barry Lyons here from The Bonny Men (guitar). If anybody has anything they’d like to know about the band, or if you’ve any questions about The Bonny Men feel free to ask, I’ll gladly answer….. and don’t worry you can be as harsh as you like.
Also if anybody is interested in hearing our album its available from www.thebonnymen.ie
Look, have a listen to the album and we’ll get a good discussion going, its hard to judge a band on one youtube clip. I’d really appreciate feedback, good or bad. And if you can’t afford the album I’ll post one to your house, happy Christmas,
Barry Lyons.
Good on you for being prepared to stick you head above the parapet.
The music sounds great to me. You obviously all have the potential to develop something really special in the future and the perfromance will become much more relaxed and confident with experience.
Sorry if my comments sounded critical and I do appreciate that one You Tube video is probably insufficient to judge you.
Oops, please excuse the typos.
The lord be praised: a dynamic young Irish-music band without an accordion.
Thanks John J. That youtube clip was actually for radio, we had no idea there was going to be cameras there. But as you said , stage presence comes with stage experience…. so keep an eye for us the next time
For anybody who wants to see us play we’ll be playing on new years eve at the Frankie Kennedy Festival in Donegal, details will be on their website. We are also planning a nationwide tour of our album in 2012, we’ll post info up on thebonnymen.ie or Facebook.
And if you’re from Dublin we’re playing St. Stephens night in The Pint, on Eden Quay.
Come and see us play, then you can really make your mind up about us but I guarantee you you’ll not be disappointed with our music. I’ll be looking forward to the discussions.
To Barry:
Well spoken, sir.
Again, best of luck to you all.
(and a happy and safe Yuletide)
Hey, Barry - would you like to post your album in the "Recordings" section ? Best of luck with the band.
I’m not sure what it is about the Bothy Band but there’s a sense, among "bands" that the music started with them. I’m not sure why their direct influence is so hard to shake.
When I remember back to the first time I heard the opening of "Live in Paris", that tremendous strummy jig groove, and how bold it was.
There’s a contradiction with "trad" bands where on one side there’s the correct reverence to the tradition with there being neither desire nor need to reinvent the wheel. And on the other, the desire and need to deliver something orriginal. It’s a very hard one to square.
That organ intro kept me guessing - the only really original bit of the arrangement. It would have been nice to hear that developed later on in the set rather than just dropped.
"There’s a contradiction with "trad" bands where on one side there’s the correct reverence to the tradition with there being neither desire nor need to reinvent the wheel. And on the other, the desire and need to deliver something original. It’s a very hard one to square."
I do not think it is possible to square it.
Nor necessary, IMHO.The Bothys found a palatable (for many) balance of tradition and creativity, performed by artists with good credentials. It is tougher to tell an expert that his art is no good than a novice, it seems to me.
But —-
The love of music demands getting into it.
The ego demands that one make a personal, unique statement.
As a fiddler, my hope, within the pursuit of the tradition I like best, is to reflect what I most admired in my teacher’s playing.
But I would not wish to be a clone of my teacher.
I know he wasn’t.
😏
Frustrating, trying to find balance.
hm, the girl on keyboard is in my year in St. Pats. Shes a pretty good all round musician i think!
