New Planxty compilation CD/DVD

[Martin Jonas]

Well, not quite new -- it came out in October -- but I've only just seen it in the shops and picked it up.

This is a CD & DVD set selected by the band, with the CD being a compilation of 17 remastered studio tracks and the DVD containing 36 live recordings from the RTE archives (10 from the original incarnation 1972/73 and 26 from the reunion years 1979-82).

Track listing here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Between-Jig.../dp/B01LXPAUFN

Note to UK members: it's only GBP 9.99 off the shelves at HMV, so no need to go Amazon.

Martin

[acousticphd]

The Amazon listing inexplicably does not list the tracks - maybe because the CD/DVD is currently out of stock (?).

Here are the contents listed on another site:

1. True Love Knows No Season (Billy Gray)
2. Pat Reilly
3. Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór
4. Follow Me Up To Carlow
5. Băneasă’s Green Glade / Mominsko Horo
6. The Aconry Lasses / The Old Wheels Of The World / The Spike Island Lasses
7. The Pursuit Of Farmer Michael Hayes
8. Accidentals / Aragon Mill
9. The Irish Marche
10. The Rambling Siúler
11. The Well Below The Valley
12. Junior Crehan’s Favourite / Corney Is Coming (Reels)
13. Roger O’Hehir
14. Smeceno Horo
15. The West Coast Of Clare
16. Nancy Spain
17. Timedance
DVD:
1. The Blacksmith / Blacksmithereens
2. Three Drunken Maidens / The Foxhunter’s Reel
3. When First Unto This Country
4. Sweet Thames Flow Softly
5. The Gold Ring (Jig)
6. Hey! Sandy
7. Kitty Gone A Milking / Music Of The Forge (Reels)
8. Only Our Rivers Run Free
9. Raggle Taggle Gypsy / Tabhair Dom Do Lámh
10. Three Drunken Maidens / The Foxhunter’s Reel (Reprise)
11. The Good Ship Kangaroo
12. Ride A Mile / Hardiman The Fiddler / The Yellow Wattle (Jigs)
13. The Hackler From Grouse Hall
14. An Bonnán Buí / The West Wind (Reel)
15. The Jolly Beggar
16. Sally Brown
17. Bean Pháidín / Rakish Paddy
18. Little Musgrave
19. East At Glendart / Brian O’Lynn / Pay The Reckoning (Double Jigs)
20. The Lady On The Island / The Gatehouse Maid / The Virginia / Callaghan’s (Reels)
21. As I Roved Out
22. Smeceno Horo
23. Johnny Of Brady’s Lea
24. The Pullet / The Ladies’ Pantalettes (Reels)
25. I Pity The Poor Immigrant
26. Arthur McBride
27. True Love Knows No Season (Billy Gray)
28. Timedance
29. You Rambling Boys Of Pleasure
30. The Good Ship Kangaroo
31. Táimse Im’ Chodladh
32. Thousands Are Sailing
33. The Queen Of The Rushes / Paddy Fahy’s (Jigs)
34. Little Musgrave
35. The Scholar / The Chattering Magpie / Lord McDonald’s / The Virginia / Callaghan’s (Reels)
36. The Cliffs Of Dooneen

[CelticDude]

Hmm, for me the above Amazon link goes directly to the US site, where this is only a CD. Still looks interesting.

Correction: Looking at the picture of the product, it says "Disk+DVD". Now it looks really interesting.

[Martin Jonas]

I posted the link to Amazon UK, but it seems to auto-forward to the US site for Americans. The UK link does have the full track listing as posted by Jeff. Quite a lot cheaper than at the US site as well, and even cheaper at HMV.

I have it in my hands, and can confirm it has a CD and a DVD. Way better sound quality on the CD than my old Shanachie and Tara CDs, which were always a bit rough.

Martin

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Wow.. this is very nice. Thanks for the heads up. Out of stock on the US Site. Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on one soon.

[s1m0n]

Anyone know if the band is actually making any money from this, or are all the profits going to Phil Coulter, as usual?

[Martin Jonas]

Anyone know if the band is actually making any money from this, or are all the profits going to Phil Coulter, as usual?

No idea, but it does say that the tracks were selected by the band themselves. In addition, about half of the CD and two-thirds of the DVD comes from the 1979-82 reunion period, and I don't think Phil Coulter had any involvement at that time.

Martin

[s1m0n]

No idea, but it does say that the tracks were selected by the band themselves.

Well, that's hopeful.

[kmmando]

This is a delight! Wish they made more programmes like this!

[Martin Jonas]

Interesting by the way to read Christy Moore's comments on the various Planxty albums at his homepage: Link

Other than the first album (and possibly "After The Break", which he is non-committal on), he doesn't really have much good to say about their studio albums:

The Well Below The Valley: "At the time we were having a bit of difficulty in communicating with each other but the work was done and we made a good album but without the fun of our two previous albums."

Cold Blow And The Rainy Night: "We were only the band – the Producer and engineer were driving the session – at least that’s how I remember it. The band was sick and sore and a sorry sight. (These are purely my memories and may differ greatly from others). I was unable to play my keyboard parts and Phil Coulter sat in and deputised. When we returned to the island I was beginning to eye the exit."

The Woman I Loved So Well: "There are tracks that I like but it lacks the fire that I loved in the early band. The set of reels nods in the direction but even on this track for me there is too much going on. I do like the band on “ Little Musgrave” but my own singing on this album sounds drawn and distant almost as if I was drugged. The band sounds more like a becalmed yacht than a whitewater raft. We were coasting, over-fed and in need of the whip."

Words & Music: "I can’t remember much about this or why we recorded it. Donal and I spent a lot of time in Windmill Lane and Liam and Andy came in when their schedules permitted. I heard the album a couple of year ago and thought I sounded whacked."

He's not much more complimentary about his solo albums either...

Martin

[Mike Anderson]

Thanks for this interesting post Martin, didn't know Christy felt so badly about most of the Planxty catalogue. If you're a fanatic like me, it's worth tracking down "The Humours of Planxty" by Leagues O'Toole, who did the liner notes for the new compilation CD/DVD, obviously an old friend of the band as he also produced the "No Disco" TV special. It's a fascinating and often really hilarious read. Just checked on Amazon and resellers with the book are obviously getting greedy though.

[Reinhardt]

Read the humours of Planxty in 2 sittings. Great book for all of us die hard Planxty Fans. Someone should write a book on the Bothy Band!! Any takers??

John

[Nick Gellie]

A brilliant rundown on Andy Irvine and the history of him and the bands he has played with.

[Reinhardt]

Hi Nic, Hows things with you, still waiting patiently for your Tobin ????

Speaking of Andys bands. I used to play in a band in the 80s called Fionnuisce. we were lucky to have Andy twice as a special guest at our thursday night residency in a pub in Dublin called the Earl Grattan. The place was packed to the rafters on both occasions and Andy really had the crowd in the palm of his hands. He was such a gentleman and really nice to talk to.

Anyway... Fionnuisce ( my band) played at the Vienna Folk Festival in 1985. Among the acts appearing were, the Dubliners, Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, The Pogues and a host of others including the first incarnation of a band called Mosaic!! They were fantastic and the line up was, Andy, Donal Lunny, Declan Masterson from Dublin on pipes, Marta Sebastyn from Hungarian band Musikas on vocals and Hans Van Theesink on guitar. There was also a blonde lady base player who I think was from Denmark.Was a great weekend and there was a bar for the artists which was even better. We had a mighty session and were joined by Donal and John Sheahan on fiddle until well after midnight. I was so excited to be playing with Donal that I wanted to get my photo taken with him. A friend took the photo ( pre digital age) but unfortunately you cant see Donal's face as I jumped in the way at the last second!! I must dig it out and post it if I can find it!! There was drink taken I'm afraid!!

John

[Reinhardt]

Hi Nic, Hows things with you, still waiting patiently for your Tobin ????

Speaking of Andys bands. I used to play in a band in the 80s called Fionnuisce. we were lucky to have Andy twice as a special guest at our thursday night residency in a pub in Dublin called the Earl Grattan. The place was packed to the rafters on both occasions and Andy really had the crowd in the palm of his hands. He was such a gentleman and really nice to talk to.

Anyway... Fionnuisce ( my band) played at the Vienna Folk Festival in 1985. Among the acts appearing were, the Dubliners, Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, The Pogues and a host of others including the first incarnation of a band called Mosaic!! They were fantastic and the line up was, Andy, Donal Lunny, Declan Masterson from Dublin on pipes, Marta Sebastyn from Hungarian band Musikas on vocals and Hans Van Theesink on guitar. There was also a blonde lady base player who I think was from Denmark.Was a great weekend and there was a bar for the artists which was even better. We had a mighty session and were joined by Donal and John Sheahan on fiddle until well after midnight. I was so excited to be playing with Donal that I wanted to get my photo taken with him. A friend took the photo ( pre digital age) but unfortunately you cant see Donal's face as I jumped in the way at the last second!! I must dig it out and post it if I can find it!! There was drink taken I'm afraid!!

John

[Reinhardt]

Hope above photo attached

[Mike Anderson]

Picture came through just fine John, thanks, another rarity for sure! Very different lineup from the one I'm familiar with on the albums. Great stories too.

Decided to do a bit of research on the early Mosaic (and yes, that's the spelling that was used) and learned that the bass player was indeed Danish and her name is Lissa Ladefoged. That linked me over to a nice website with a pic of Donal Lunny's first bouzouki by Peter Abnett - enjoy!

[Reinhardt]

Hi Mike, hate to contradict you and I could be wrong but honestly dont think so. That was actually Donal's 3rd Abnett!! I bought an Abnett about 12 years ago and in the course of my discussions with Peter ( Abnett) , he told me that he made a bouzouki for Donal circa 1972/73. It actually features on the Planxty compilation DVD. A black and white segment you'll notice that the bouzouki has quite a small pick guard. Well Peter told me that Donal wanted a slighlty larger bouzouki so he made him a second one which is the one he used most of the time with Planxty and all of the time with the Bothy Band. Apparently sometime inthe early 80s there was a fire in Donal's house and most of his instruments were badly damaged including the second Abnett and his first Blarge which was made by Andy Manson and features on the After the Break Album.

Donal played a succession of bouzoukis then including a 10 stringer by Andrew Robinson and an interesting one made by Dave Farmilloe which had a fibreglass back like the ovation guitars. He then seems to have picked up a 3rd Abnett bouzouki which I think is the one in the photo you sent me. I sound like a total nerd don't I!!! I have followed his career very closely as you can see!!! I'm going to try to load up a few photos to illustrate my point!! Hope it works...


Hope you dont mind the history lesson!!! The black and white one is an excerpt from one of the videos on the DVD. You'll have to look at the DVD to see what I mean.

John

[Mike Anderson]

I always enjoy a history lesson and thanks for this one! Great Getty pic of the band too. I think the pic I posted came from someone's blog and it was just labelled that way, no idea if it was genuinely Abnett's first for Donal so I absolutely defer to your knowledge of both Mr. Abnett and Mr. Lunny.

Speaking of Andy Manson, I love the one Andy Irvine played for a time with Planxty, apparently a gift from the woman who produced "The Gathering" (Diane Hamilton aka Guggenheim) and now (I think) in the hands of Sean Corcoran of Cran.

[Reinhardt]

Hi Mike, a friend of mine, Sean Howley , has a Manson exactly the same as that. Lovely instrument. The only bouzouki he ever owned, that says it all. He has it well over 30 years now. Wouldn't mind a present like that!!

John

[kmmando]

By the way, I have a few original vinyl Planxty LPs for sale in the Other bit of classifieds if anyone is interested, would be good if they went to an afficionado and enjoyed.....

[Mike Anderson]

Yes, they're something special all right. Know a guy online who lives in Clarecastle, Seanie McGrath, who has been through many bouzoukis over the years including Crump and Foley, but he ordered two (bouzouki and cittern with lower courses in octaves) from Andy Manson, and they are gorgeous. You can see both on the "Folk Instruments" section of the Manson website. If you're ever out that way you should look Seanie up! He's also a great bodhran builder and player and an all-round nice guy.

Hi Mike, a friend of mine, Sean Howley , has a Manson exactly the same as that. Lovely instrument. The only bouzouki he ever owned, that says it all. He has it well over 30 years now. Wouldn't mind a present like that!!

John

[Reinhardt]

Beautiful , check James Fagan playing a Manson below.

[Mike Anderson]

Ah, that's very nice John, thanks. Always some great stuff happening in Australia.

Beautiful , check James Fagan playing a Manson below.

[Reinhardt]

James plays in a lovely duo with English Fiddler/Singer Nancy Kerr.

https://youtu.be/2RvwoDmt8jQ