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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZHORSLIPSIrish folk-rock group formed '70; turned pro '72 on St Patrick's Day. Lineup: Barry Devlin, bass and vocals; Charles O'Connor, mandolin, fiddle and vocals; Jim Lockhart, keyboards; Eamon Carr, drums; Declan Sinnott, guitar (replaced by Gus Gueist, then John Fean; Sinnott later with Moving Hearts). Had hits in Ireland '72 ('Johnny's Wedding', 'Green Gravel'), then formed own label Oats, licensed through others outside Eire; LP Happy To Meet ... Sorry To Part '73 made on Rolling Stones mobile studio, featured self-indulgent (but then fascinating) 'concertina' sleeve: best-selling LP of all time in Eire, with mix of trad, original folk tunes incl. outstanding 'Furniture'. Cranked up rock content for The Tain '74, concept LP built around a Celtic legend, performed in its entirety on tour in UK as support for Steeleye Span, breaking them to mainland audience. Dancehall Sweethearts '74 failed to match Tain, though continued policy of merging trad. tunes into contemporary-sounding original material; The Unfortunate Cup Of Tea '75 was too poppy for folk fans on whom they still relied; they reverted to pure unamplified folk for Drive The Cold Winter Away '76 before starting folk--rock synthesis anew. The Book Of Invasions -- A Celtic Symphony '77 was first UK top 40 LP and best since Tain, which it paralleled as another mythic concept album, showing off members' multi-instrumental skills (all except lead vocalist Devlin doubled on trad. Irish instruments, a regular feature of stage act). But growing acceptance in USA led to increasingly rock-oriented productions; studio LPs -- Aliens '77, The Men Who Built America '79 (concept LP on Irish emigration to USA), and Short Storied Tall Tales '80 -- lacked their original freshness: they sensed this too and split up, leaving The Belfast Gigs '80 as second live offering, flawed by Fean's sub-heavy metal guitar. They played UK, USA, north and south of Ireland without fear or favour and were much-loved at home; records were often reissued, incl. compilations of early singles and folkier material. Spinoff group Host with the group's diehard folkies Fean, O'Connor and Carr, plus Chris Page, bass, Peter Keen, keyboards, made concept LP Tryal on Aura '84, based on 19th- century witch trial. |