What Are you Listening to Right Now?

[Low Down Low]

The best song the Byrds never wrote...

A beautiful track in its own right but to me to it's only half finished without the segue straight into Dusk (basically a reprise of Daybreak) and then the way it smashes into Sword of Light, one of my favourite music intros. Anyone familiar with the album might get my drift!

I'm very familiar with the album and totally get your drift.

The best Irish folk/rock/trad album ever released for me. So criminally underrated.

I've got it on now. A strange hybrid of hard rock, trad and folk but it somehow works.

Yeah, kind of hard to define in one word which might explain why Horslips weren't commercially bigger. A concept album too so kind of has that 70s glam overwrought feel too. But everything that came after, whether Thin Lizzy or Pogues or whoeber, owes them a huge debt. I think it all begins in an Irish context with Horslips.

[Marky Dread]

A beautiful track in its own right but to me to it's only half finished without the segue straight into Dusk (basically a reprise of Daybreak) and then the way it smashes into Sword of Light, one of my favourite music intros. Anyone familiar with the album might get my drift!

I'm very familiar with the album and totally get your drift.

The best Irish folk/rock/trad album ever released for me. So criminally underrated.

I've got it on now. A strange hybrid of hard rock, trad and folk but it somehow works.

Yeah, kind of hard to define in one word which might explain why Horslips weren't commercially bigger. A concept album too so kind of has that 70s glam overwrought feel too. But everything that came after, whether Thin Lizzy or Pogues or whoeber, owes them a huge debt. I think it all begins in an Irish context with Horslips.

I think Lizzy released their first album a good year and a half before Horslips. In fact Lizzy had released their second before the first Horslips one. But still they are great.

[Low Down Low]

I'm very familiar with the album and totally get your drift.

The best Irish folk/rock/trad album ever released for me. So criminally underrated.

I've got it on now. A strange hybrid of hard rock, trad and folk but it somehow works.

Yeah, kind of hard to define in one word which might explain why Horslips weren't commercially bigger. A concept album too so kind of has that 70s glam overwrought feel too. But everything that came after, whether Thin Lizzy or Pogues or whoeber, owes them a huge debt. I think it all begins in an Irish context with Horslips.

I think Lizzy released their first album a good year and a half before Horslips. In fact Lizzy had released their second before the first Horslips one. But still they are great.

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

[Marky Dread]

The best Irish folk/rock/trad album ever released for me. So criminally underrated.

I've got it on now. A strange hybrid of hard rock, trad and folk but it somehow works.

Yeah, kind of hard to define in one word which might explain why Horslips weren't commercially bigger. A concept album too so kind of has that 70s glam overwrought feel too. But everything that came after, whether Thin Lizzy or Pogues or whoeber, owes them a huge debt. I think it all begins in an Irish context with Horslips.

I think Lizzy released their first album a good year and a half before Horslips. In fact Lizzy had released their second before the first Horslips one. But still they are great.

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

[Low Down Low]

I've got it on now. A strange hybrid of hard rock, trad and folk but it somehow works.

Yeah, kind of hard to define in one word which might explain why Horslips weren't commercially bigger. A concept album too so kind of has that 70s glam overwrought feel too. But everything that came after, whether Thin Lizzy or Pogues or whoeber, owes them a huge debt. I think it all begins in an Irish context with Horslips.

I think Lizzy released their first album a good year and a half before Horslips. In fact Lizzy had released their second before the first Horslips one. But still they are great.

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

[Heston]

Yay, I've been trying to get people to talk about Horslips for years and it's finally happened.

This is fucking great...

[Low Down Low]

I was an occasional work colleague of the drummer for a few years but he never spoke about the band much.

My favourite Horslips tune is this from one of the first albums. When i heard this first, i assumed it had to be an old traditional song adapted, couldn't believe it was one they actually wrote themsrlve.

[Marky Dread]

Yeah, kind of hard to define in one word which might explain why Horslips weren't commercially bigger. A concept album too so kind of has that 70s glam overwrought feel too. But everything that came after, whether Thin Lizzy or Pogues or whoeber, owes them a huge debt. I think it all begins in an Irish context with Horslips.

I think Lizzy released their first album a good year and a half before Horslips. In fact Lizzy had released their second before the first Horslips one. But still they are great.

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

Oh definitely I'm not suggesting Lizzy were ploughing the same furrow as Horslips. But there are some traditional elements in their sound and lyrical content. Just like Rory Gallagher and Taste they also have some of that traditional feel just played on heavier electric guitar.

[Low Down Low]

I think Lizzy released their first album a good year and a half before Horslips. In fact Lizzy had released their second before the first Horslips one. But still they are great.

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

Oh definitely I'm not suggesting Lizzy were ploughing the same furrow as Horslips. But there are some traditional elements in their sound and lyrical content. Just like Rory Gallagher and Taste they also have some of that traditional feel just played on heavier electric guitar.

Rory is another terribly under appreciated artist to my mind. Depending on who you believe, might once have joined the Stones! They all definitely did have elements of trad in them for sure, though I think Rory from the start regarded himself first and foremost as a bluesman. Genuinely, i have often regretted not being 10-15 years older so I could have followed all those bands in their prime. Rory was a shell of his former self by the time I got to see him around late 80s.

[Guest1]

I love this band so fucking much. Melodic Hardcore at its finest. I would drink Frankie Stubbs’ tears for breakfast.

[Guest1]

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

Oh definitely I'm not suggesting Lizzy were ploughing the same furrow as Horslips. But there are some traditional elements in their sound and lyrical content. Just like Rory Gallagher and Taste they also have some of that traditional feel just played on heavier electric guitar.

Rory is another terribly under appreciated artist to my mind. Depending on who you believe, might once have joined the Stones! They all definitely did have elements of trad in them for sure, though I think Rory from the start regarded himself first and foremost as a bluesman. Genuinely, i have often regretted not being 10-15 years older so I could have followed all those bands in their prime. Rory was a shell of his former self by the time I got to see him around late 80s.

Indeed Phil was quite jaded of his Celtic rock roots when asked about it in later years. They even refused to play whiskey in the jar live.

[Marky Dread]

Yeah, fair point that. And also fair to say Philo was probably more blues influenced as a young musician than anything else. But that trad celtic rock sound was what Horslips pioneered I think (may have been others but not heard of them) and Lizzy and others drew from that. Love them both equally, just feel Horslips never got their proper due really.

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

Oh definitely I'm not suggesting Lizzy were ploughing the same furrow as Horslips. But there are some traditional elements in their sound and lyrical content. Just like Rory Gallagher and Taste they also have some of that traditional feel just played on heavier electric guitar.

Rory is another terribly under appreciated artist to my mind. Depending on who you believe, might once have joined the Stones! They all definitely did have elements of trad in them for sure, though I think Rory from the start regarded himself first and foremost as a bluesman. Genuinely, i have often regretted not being 10-15 years older so I could have followed all those bands in their prime. Rory was a shell of his former self by the time I got to see him around late 80s.

That's a shame mate he was a killer player in his day.

[Marky Dread]

The first two Lizzy albums are much more traditional sounding than those that followed.

Horslips were the first band to whom the term "Celtic Rock" was applied but not the first band to play any. Still I'm with you and Heston in agreeing they are under rated.

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

Oh definitely I'm not suggesting Lizzy were ploughing the same furrow as Horslips. But there are some traditional elements in their sound and lyrical content. Just like Rory Gallagher and Taste they also have some of that traditional feel just played on heavier electric guitar.

Rory is another terribly under appreciated artist to my mind. Depending on who you believe, might once have joined the Stones! They all definitely did have elements of trad in them for sure, though I think Rory from the start regarded himself first and foremost as a bluesman. Genuinely, i have often regretted not being 10-15 years older so I could have followed all those bands in their prime. Rory was a shell of his former self by the time I got to see him around late 80s.

Indeed Phil was quite jaded of his Celtic rock roots when asked about it in later years. They even refused to play whiskey in the jar live.

Can't blame him really. I think he just got sick of being known for that song. As mentioned further up the thread they had long since moved on from that style musically.

[Low Down Low]

I'm not really aware of that many Irish bands pre Horslips that were fusing trad and rock in the way they were doing tbh. I'd love to hear them though. The Pogues were getting a lot of heat for it in Ireland fully two decades later. Those early Lizzy releases sound a bit more mellowy and bluesy to my duff ears anyway, but I'm sure are traditional elements in there too. And there's whiskey in the Jar i suppose but they were already embarrassed by that while it was in the charts so not certain I'd count it!

Oh definitely I'm not suggesting Lizzy were ploughing the same furrow as Horslips. But there are some traditional elements in their sound and lyrical content. Just like Rory Gallagher and Taste they also have some of that traditional feel just played on heavier electric guitar.

Rory is another terribly under appreciated artist to my mind. Depending on who you believe, might once have joined the Stones! They all definitely did have elements of trad in them for sure, though I think Rory from the start regarded himself first and foremost as a bluesman. Genuinely, i have often regretted not being 10-15 years older so I could have followed all those bands in their prime. Rory was a shell of his former self by the time I got to see him around late 80s.

Indeed Phil was quite jaded of his Celtic rock roots when asked about it in later years. They even refused to play whiskey in the jar live.

Can't blame him really. I think he just got sick of being known for that song. As mentioned further up the thread they had long since moved on from that style musically.

I think the problem with WITJ was it was basically shit and they knew it, fake paddy whackery and when the new guys came in after Eric Bell, they wanted nothing to do with it. But it got them noticed and brought success, so they were thankful to it in that way. My own view is that Phil was hugely into his Irish trad roots, and it's there right from the start thematically, it just took him a little while to fully incorporate it in terms of the sound he wanted.

[Heston]

I love the Lizzy version of WItJ!