Planxty - CD/SD

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
Planxty - amazingly innovative group who fused Irish traditional music, an almost English folk tradition, plus various Eastern European folk musics into one all conquering whole, or a load of beardy provos who debased Irish music by mixing it with alien sounds.

or something else.

I don't really know them well enough to judge, but I do like Andy Irvine's voice, playing, and songwriting.

"The Well Below The Valley" is probably my favourite album of theirs, if only for the total grimness of the title track (an unsavoury tale of incest, child murder, and damnation).

DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 22:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'd go as far as to say: the greatest band to come out of Ireland.

Andy Irvine's voice was great, but Christy Moore's was arguably even better.

Their self-titled first, The Well Below The Valley, and Cold Blow And The Rainy Night were all classics.

Some great songs (search):

Raggle Taggle Gypsy
Follow Me Up To Carlow
Arthur McBride
The West Coast of Clare
The Kid On The Mountain
As I Roved Out
Hewlett
The Well Below The Valley (completely grim, disquieting, as you say)
Johnny Cope
Mominsko Horo
Cold Blow And The Rainy Night
The Little Drummer

And also Farmer Michael Hayes from a later album (not sure which).

I don't wanna Destroy as they get little exposure, and they were the punkest Irish trad folk band evah.

David A. (Davant), Thursday, 27 March 2003 06:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

I only know them from Kate Bush's "Night of the Swallow" -- i.e. not at all really. But search that tune anyway.

Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Thursday, 27 March 2003 06:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

Saw them recently on No Disco, some 1980 live footage. Wouldn't mind getting an album at some point. I remember seeing some form of Planxty at the 1990 Feile and they created this massive sound outdoors.

David Gunnip (David Gunnip), Thursday, 27 March 2003 09:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

it was the No Disco thing that triggered the thread (I finally saw it over the weekend). interesting stuff, especially all the bitching about Phil Coulter.

DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 27 March 2003 12:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

CLASSIC.

search: everything! david a. is OTM about Farmer Michael Hayes (which i think is on After The Break). however, anyone with any sense knows that andy irvine is Da Man.

search also: the andy irvine/paul brady album, featuring not-shit performance by paul brady (i.e. before he started thinking he was an Important Singer-Songwriter)

destroy: timedance. jaysus.

david g: i also saw the No Disco thing. disappointing lack of footage of ver planx and too much david kitt, i thought. but still nice to see.

anyone got any thoughts on the role of donal lunny in planxty? it's a contentious one back where i'm from. dyed-in-the-wool tradders tend to think he was a no-talent passenger, however there's another school of thought that holds that he contributed much in the area of arrangement and, er, possibly the derek smalls factor (the lukewarm water to christy's fire and irvine's ice, or something). i'm undecided, really.

rener (rener), Thursday, 27 March 2003 12:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

There's always too much David Kitt.

They sounded great on No Disco. The opening pipes solo had the jaws dropping on everyone I saw it with. Also search Christy Moore's Prosperous, aka Planxty record #0.

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 27 March 2003 12:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

If Donal Lunny was the passenger, how come he now runs trad?

DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 27 March 2003 12:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

The same reason Stacy Peralta now makes films about Dogtown.

Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 27 March 2003 13:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

didn't see the no disco special but the andy irvine song they played last night was great

robin (robin), Thursday, 27 March 2003 14:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

robin, which one did they play? was it the plains of kildare (the one about the racehorses)? he brought down the roof in whelan's with that one when he supported will oldham last year. fab stuff indeed.

rener (rener), Thursday, 27 March 2003 15:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

it was a bulgarian folk song...
i was actually at that whelan's gig,but i don't remember much of andy irvine's set,i think he was on when i arrived,i remember thinking it was quite good and all but i wasn't that into it...

robin (robin), Thursday, 27 March 2003 15:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

three years pass...
We got the auld book about Planxty for Christmas. There is more Coulter scoving shenanigans. Apparently he wanted to play piano on one of their records and they told him to shag off.

The Real Dirty Vicar (dirtyvicar), Sunday, 21 January 2007 18:34 (seventeen years ago) link

Some good Planxty footage and info on that 'Folk Hibernia' prog on BBC4. Prob being repeated this week.

Frogm@n Henry (Frogm@n Henry), Sunday, 21 January 2007 19:21 (seventeen years ago) link

seven months pass...

I have been listening to the first album all week and it just gets better. The Blacksmith is taking first place at the moment. The last 2 minutes is just about some of the best music I've ever heard.

Ned Trifle II, Sunday, 9 September 2007 15:07 (sixteen years ago) link

Check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z3A5Tgy47M

Ned Trifle II, Sunday, 9 September 2007 15:09 (sixteen years ago) link

andy irvine/paul brady record is the best planxty related release for me, but most of them are pretty great

gershy, Sunday, 9 September 2007 19:04 (sixteen years ago) link

Ned Trifle OTM.

Also, this is worth a look (Part 1 of 3).

Lostandfound, Monday, 10 September 2007 00:39 (sixteen years ago) link

i've been meaning to check this lot out ever since a drunken taxi ride in perth about six months ago, soundtracked by their truly exquisite music. go on, someone tell me an album to start with. the note i wrote in my "stuff to get" list says: "awesome dark folk with exquisite moments of harmony".

go on, someone tell me where to start.

grimly fiendish, Monday, 10 September 2007 09:39 (sixteen years ago) link

First album!

Tom D., Monday, 10 September 2007 09:40 (sixteen years ago) link

consider it done!

grimly fiendish, Monday, 10 September 2007 09:40 (sixteen years ago) link

Then work chronologically!

Tom D., Monday, 10 September 2007 09:40 (sixteen years ago) link

easy!

grimly fiendish, Monday, 10 September 2007 09:41 (sixteen years ago) link

three years pass...

Andy Irvine playing a few gigs in London over the weekend, be there or be square

Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Friday, 24 September 2010 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link

@Tom A. (or anyone): Did you go see him? He's playing Cambridge on the 23rd but I really ought to be leaving town that day; I could rearrange if top form is guaranteed.

On the back of this thread I went and bought the first two albums last week; I'm spellbound. I grew up with a half-intentional disinterest in traditional music - it always seemed to be either over-reverential or just guys belting it out in the pub. I must have heard Planxty before but never paid attention...what's amazing is the great subtlety in their arrangements and delivery, but also the feeling that you're hearing the musicians creating a new expressive language for Irish folk music. It reminds me a bit of another favourite of mine, Folk Roots New Roots by Shirley Collins and Davy Graham.

seandalai, Saturday, 2 October 2010 15:54 (thirteen years ago) link

i saw andy irvine play in new york a couple of times about 20 years ago. very good performer. can't go wrong with any of the planxty records (i think there's one i never heard tho).the andy irvine/paul brady record is the pinnacle of that era of irish folk music imo. paul brady was such a great folk artist, shame he moved on although i suppose those bonnie raitt residuals are nice. did not know about this
He performed Gaelic songs as a character in the 2002 Matthew Barney film Cremaster 3.

-hot-dean ge-fever- (buzza), Saturday, 2 October 2010 17:40 (thirteen years ago) link

he andy irvine/paul brady record is the pinnacle of that era of irish folk music

^^^^

This

sonofstan, Saturday, 2 October 2010 18:16 (thirteen years ago) link

Co-sign

The Bartered Bride (Ówen P.), Saturday, 2 October 2010 18:21 (thirteen years ago) link

This is Planxty in 72(I think)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtUhxhYAxSg&feature=youtu.be

Watch as they turn into the Gansey Underground at the end, with Christy as a Nico/ Mo combo on harmonium and bodhran, and Liam óg as the John Cale of the pipes.

sonofstan, Saturday, 2 October 2010 19:21 (thirteen years ago) link

Wrong link sorry *red face*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtUhxhYAxSg&feature=youtu.be

sonofstan, Saturday, 2 October 2010 19:22 (thirteen years ago) link

Fuck.... sorry.

Look it up its the Blacksmith by Planxty on the Late Late....

sonofstan, Saturday, 2 October 2010 19:23 (thirteen years ago) link

hot hurdy gurdy action!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN9Y3ChP1go&feature=related

-hot-dean ge-fever- (buzza), Saturday, 2 October 2010 20:06 (thirteen years ago) link

he andy irvine/paul brady record is the pinnacle of that era of irish folk music

^^^^

This

― sonofstan, Saturday, October 2, 2010 6:16 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Co-sign

― The Bartered Bride (Ówen P.), Saturday, October 2, 2010 6:21 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark

If ever there was a case of "ILM told me to do it"...

seandalai, Saturday, 2 October 2010 21:48 (thirteen years ago) link

i hate paul brady tho

plax (ico), Sunday, 3 October 2010 18:07 (thirteen years ago) link

eight months pass...

1) first 3 planxty albums are the shit
2) andy irvine/paul brady LP is even better. damn.

by another name (amateurist), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 06:17 (twelve years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_9MJVqsOFY

by another name (amateurist), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 06:19 (twelve years ago) link

those are some deeply satisfying chord changes btw

by another name (amateurist), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 06:19 (twelve years ago) link

andy irvine/paul brady LP is even better. damn.

yup

buzza, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:20 (twelve years ago) link

four months pass...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiysyMvHX3Q

buzza, Friday, 4 November 2011 06:56 (twelve years ago) link

no embed?

buzza, Friday, 4 November 2011 06:57 (twelve years ago) link

didn't know johnny played the fiddle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAYW5dwZJRA&feature=related

buzza, Friday, 4 November 2011 07:04 (twelve years ago) link

no YouTube at work.

I was at a music festival last weekend where local psych rock improv etc band United Bible Studies did a storming version of 'P Stands For Paddy, I Suppose', which I am guessing they knew from "Cold Blow...". I liked it, though trad purist Mrs The New Dirty Vicar was bit annoyed.

The New Dirty Vicar, Friday, 4 November 2011 13:22 (twelve years ago) link

ten months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyP407UnUWw

buzza, Monday, 24 September 2012 00:51 (eleven years ago) link

ten months pass...

quality of christy's voice at points here just killin me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4w2_sal2bA

Dr Peter Who? (darraghmac), Saturday, 10 August 2013 05:26 (ten years ago) link

The book on them by Leagues O'toole was a very good read. Wish Shanachie would remaster the lps, I think the most recent reisue was just a straight non-remastered one. Think that was about 3 years ago. & since they did actually do a good job of the Culture 2 7s Clash cd remaster reisue at the time I don't know why they didn't with Planxty.

Stevolende, Saturday, 10 August 2013 09:25 (ten years ago) link

The No Disco/documentary thing is up on YouTube btw:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvoA959GYIA

Please review your choices carefully. (seandalai), Saturday, 10 August 2013 10:56 (ten years ago) link

This is a good a place as any to recommend Andy Irvine's prior group, Sweeney's Men

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpAGKahR9sQ&feature=player_detailpage&t=135

Duke, Saturday, 10 August 2013 12:53 (ten years ago) link

three years pass...

I've been on a big Planxty-related buzz over Christmas and I was thinking - reharmonising of old well known songs, adding virtuoso instrumental sections, bringing in instruments and tunes from other traditions and making it your own, a whole overlapping ecosystem of bands and members where you can start from one album and branch out as you see fit, all while being fully grounded in an oral tradition that goes way, way back - it's basically Irish jazz, isn't it?

Sweeney's Men were great, but Liam O'Flynn was Planxty's secret ingredient. Like for The Blacksmith they're playing an old English song they got from Steeleye Span, as a duet between mandolin and bouzouki, with an original Balkan-inspired coda at the end, but the pipes come in and suddenly you're in west Clare. The bit where everything but the pipes drop out and then they come back in with the bodhrán makes the whole song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_1YIJCrYHk

B-Boy Bualadh Bos (ecuador_with_a_c), Tuesday, 3 January 2017 15:08 (seven years ago) link

one year passes...

Liam O'Flynn RIP

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0314/947337-liam-oflynn/

Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Wednesday, 14 March 2018 12:06 (six years ago) link

Learned this on guitar once, DADGAD of course...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw5Gi6U4MQ0

Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Wednesday, 14 March 2018 12:09 (six years ago) link

https://youtu.be/YMvBnEvuBuA

Duke, Wednesday, 14 March 2018 17:07 (six years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMvBnEvuBuA

Duke, Wednesday, 14 March 2018 17:10 (six years ago) link

Second attempt. Amazing performance from the 2004 gig

Duke, Wednesday, 14 March 2018 17:10 (six years ago) link

four years pass...

What a fuckin band tbh

ian, Friday, 16 December 2022 16:00 (one year ago) link

eleven months pass...

No love on this thread for the Andy Irvine/Dick Caughan record 'Parallel Lines'?
I kinda get hung up on the Creggan White Hare and forget how stunning most of the rest of the record is - the main exception being the sax coda on "My Back Pages"... some stunning stunning material on here. "At Twenty One"? Damn!

ian, Tuesday, 5 December 2023 00:36 (four months ago) link

Planxty!!!!!

ian, Tuesday, 5 December 2023 13:45 (four months ago) link


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.