Gaelic Storm
Gaelic Storm | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Santa Monica, California, USA |
Genres | Celtic, Celtic rock |
Years active | 1996–present |
Labels |
Lost Again Records OmTown Music |
Website | http://www.gaelicstorm.com/ |
Members |
Patrick Murphy Steve Twigger Ryan Lacey Peter Purvis Kiana Weber |
Past members |
Jessie Burns Shasha Zhang Bob Banerjee Tom Brown Samantha Hunt Kathleen Keane Ellery Klein Shep Lonsdale Steve Wehmeyer Brian Walsh |
Gaelic Storm is a Celtic band. Their musical output includes pieces from traditional Irish music, Scottish music, and original tunes in both the Celtic and Celtic rock genres. Their most recent album, Matching Sweaters, was released July 24, 2015.
History
Gaelic Storm's origins can be traced back to 1996, when Patrick Murphy and Steve Wehmeyer joined with Steve Twigger and Uillean piper Brian Walsh to perform at O'Brien's Irish Pub and Restaurant in Santa Monica, California, of which Murphy was the manager. This led to a number of pub performances for the next year.
In 1997, Gaelic Storm appeared in the film Titanic as the steerage band, performing "An Irish Party in Third Class". This appearance catapulted them into the touring scene; their performances were met with critical praise and popularity. They have toured throughout the United States and Canada, in the United Kingdom, France and Japan.
Gaelic Storm continues to tour aggressively, playing over 125 days year. The group has released eight albums since its inception, including the compilation album Special Reserve. The band is known for their energetic renditions of traditional Irish music and Scottish traditional music, and for their albums which consistently top the Billboard world music charts.[1]
Gaelic Storm's fifth album, How Are We Getting Home?, was released in August 2004 and debuted at #3 on the Billboard World Music Charts, #10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, and re-entered the September 2005 World Albums Chart at #3. "Gaelic Storm". Retrieved 2007-11-13. The band's sixth album Bring Yer Wellies was released on July 25, 2006 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Chart, #16 on the Internet Sales Chart, and #31 on the Independent Album Chart. Gaelic Storm's next album, "What's the Rumpus?" was released on July 8, 2008 on the band's label, Lost Again Records. It reached #1 on the Billboard World Chart.
Over its history, the band has replaced its fiddle player a number of times, its drummer once, and added Highland, Uilleann, and Deger (electronic) bagpipes to its instrumentation.
In January 2006, the band released their first DVD titled "Gaelic Storm: Live In Chicago". The show was filmed live at the House of Blues in Chicago.
A Simlish version of the song, Scalliwag, from the album Bring Yer Wellies, was recorded and featured on the World music channel in the expansion pack, The Sims 2: Bon Voyage, for the popular PC Game, The Sims 2.
Gaelic Storm features Ryan Lacey on drums and world percussion (a two-time graduate of the Los Angeles Music Academy, first for hands and then for sticks), Pete Purvis of Merrickville, Ontario, on uilleann pipes, tin whistle, deger pipes and highland pipes (a Grade 1 piper who toured with award winning pipe bands including the Braemar Pipe Band and played at 2000 Sydney Olympics), and Kiana Weber of Chelsea, Michigan, on fiddle. In 2012 Jessie Burns (originally from Suffolk, England, now living in Colorado) left the band to start a family. [2]
Band members
- Patrick Murphy (Accordion, Spoons, Bodhrán, Harmonica, Lead Vocals)
- Steve Twigger (Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Lead Vocals)
- Ryan Lacey (Djembe, Doumbek, Surdo, Cajón, Ukulele, Vocals, Various Percussion)
- Peter Purvis (Highland Bagpipes, Uillean pipes, DegerPipes, Whistle)
- Kiana Weber (Fiddle, Vocals, Mandolin)
Former members:
- Jessie Burns (Fiddle, Vocals)
- Brian Walsh (Uillean pipes)
- Samantha Hunt (Fiddle)
- Kathleen Keane (Fiddle, whistle, Vocals)
- Ellery Klein (Fiddle, Vocals)
- Shep Lonsdale (Djembe, Doumbek, Surdo, and Various Other Percussion)
- Steve Wehmeyer (Bodhrán, Didgeridoo, Vocals)
- Tom Brown (Bagpipes, Tin Whistle, DegerPipes)
- Bob Banerjee (Fiddle)
- Teresa Gowan (Fiddle)
Guest musicians by album:
- Herding Cats
- John Whelan (Button Accordion)
- Eric Rigler (Uilleann pipes, Low "D" Whistle)
- Marie Reilly (Fiddle)
- Tree
- Mike Porcaro (Bass)
- Special Reserve
- Deborah Clark Colón (Fiddle on Tracks 1, 3, & 8)
- How Are We Getting Home?
- Dave Pomeroy (Bass Guitars)
- Nanci Griffith (special guest vocals on Track 5)
- Bring Yer Wellies
- Jeff May (Bass Guitar)
- Rob Forkner (Bodhran)
- Michael Ramos (Accordion)
- Lauren Dilbert (Didgeridoo)
- What's The Rumpus?
- "Crazy" Arthur Brown (Vocals)
- Jeff May (Bass Guitar)
- Lloyd Maines (pedal steel, Mandolin, Banjo)
- David Boyle (keyboards, Accordion)
- Cabbage
- Jeff May (Bass Guitar)
- Kevin Smith (Bass Guitar)
- David Boyle (Keyboards)
- Michael Ramos (Accordion)
Discography
- Gaelic Storm (July 28, 1998)
- Herding Cats (September 20, 1999)
- Tree (June 19, 2001)
- Special Reserve (August 19, 2003) (compilation)
- How Are We Getting Home? (August 3, 2004)
- Bring Yer Wellies (July 25, 2006)
- What's The Rumpus? (July 8, 2008)
- Cabbage (August 3, 2010)
- Chicken Boxer (July 31, 2012)
- The Boathouse (August 20, 2013)
- Full Irish (July 29, 2014) (compilation)
- Matching Sweaters (July 24, 2015)
Filmography
- Titanic (1997)
- Gaelic Storm Live in Chicago (2006)
Interviews
- Rambles.NET interview with Patrick Murphy
- Rambles.NET interview with Steve Twigger
- Tap Milwaukee interview w/ Steve Twigger & Patrick Murphy
References
- ↑ "Gaelic Storm - Chart history". billoard. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
- ↑ Gaelic Storm News (2012-11-08). "Please Welcome The Newest Member of Gaelic Storm...". Gaelic Storm. Retrieved 2012-11-12.