Reviewing Tonite's Gig: Horslypse

From the Official Horslips Guestbook

Firstly, Barry came on to rapturous applause to sing GOTN backed by Horslypse. He also came back a little while later to do Furniture another track expertly handled by the lads in Horslypse. Jim & Johnny duly made their appearance and the hall which was already fairly hoppin' went wild. From here on in it was a case of 'rollback' the years as among others Trouble, KOTF and a house raising Dearg Doom to finish were performed to an audience gone wild. Everyone was on their feet. I swear I felt the hair raise on the back of my neck. It was almost like being transported back in time. Of course it had to come to an end and following Dearg Doom the 'bands' made their way off the stage only to be forced to return as the 'Horslips' chant reached a crescendo. So back they came to finish the night as one might expect with - Shakin' All Over. It felt right. A wonderful performance by Horslypse enhanced by the presence of Johnny, Jim & Barry and all for a good cause too...

Posted by Laobhan. There's more at the link. There's sure to be pictures and soundfiles and more to follow.

Promoting Tonite's Gig: Horslypse

Horslips find imitation flatters

The nine County Tyrone students, who reproduce the distinctive music of the 1970s Celtic rockers under the title 'Horslypse', have been invited to play with their heroes.

Horslips members, including veteran musician Barry Devlin, were so impressed after meeting the group at an exhibition in Drogheda that they offered to share a stage with them.

The lads leapt at the opportunity and the gig was scheduled for Omagh on Friday.

Another bit:

Speaking on BBC's Good Morning Ulster, Michael said: "It was an inheritance of several records from the garage.

"My father had all sorts of records. Horslips were one of many bands."

He said he and his friends were drawn to Horslips music because of its "link with Irish mythology".

"Although the albums were conventional studio albums, there was a story that ran through most of them and I just thought it was very interesting," he said.

"They were all albums you could listen to from cover to cover and not lose concentration at any point, very fascinating."

Michael, a pupil at Omagh Christian Brothers Grammar School, said they decided to "try a one-off gig of Horslips music".

"It just worked. That was a year and a half ago and we are still here and now we are to play with the Horslips," he said

"There are not many tribute bands that get to play with people they copy.

"As far as tribute bands go, we have gone as far as anyone would like to go."

A bit more from Barry Devlin:

Barry Devlin said he was "looking forward to jumping up on the stage and making a show of myself" at the Omagh performance.

Barry said he had been deeply impressed with Horslypse's version of Horslip's music played "by kids who were born long after we stopped".

"It's a bit scary for the original to find itself a pale imitation of a tribute band. We were kind of sitting in the audience going, 'so that's how it's done'." he joked.

"Discovering that, as they then were, a bunch of 16-year-olds, had actually blown the dust off the vinyl and done things we never done, for instance the album, the Book of Celtic Symphony, well, we have never actually played it in its entirety from start to finish.

The whole article and pictures at the link. Gig is less than two hours away. Myself, I'll be listening to the same band 'live' circa August 20th at the Errigle Inn, Belfast. And then I'll be looking forward to pictures on Ryan's site and all the news.

Promoting the Next Gig: St Joseph's Hall, Omagh

Just a day or so away!

From the Email Suggestion Bag: New Horslips Links

I thought I'd found everything on the web about Horslips, but this afternoon brought me a suggested new link:

Horslips Highlighted on Irish-Showbands.com

The site obviously expanding its range to "Irish Pop, Rock, Country, [and] Folk..."

There's an amazing picture of the Zen Alligators that I've never seen before!

And, inexplicably, over at The Best of British Rock, I found another Horslips discography. I like the use of the sidebar to hold singles and the main frame to hold albums.

It turns out, though, that the curator of this site is a kindred soul in his own discovery of music:

If I can remember, it was probably in the summer of '65 when two brothers, ages 6 and 7 took party to countless visits by their cousin - age 9 - and convened to the basement of a home in Pasadena Maryland. A brand new 45 - courtesy of our cousin - was placed on our portable record player. With tennis rackets in hands, not to mention a set up that consisted of shiny trash cans, we became The Beatles.

After our session of endless lipsynching to The Beatles' Please Mr. Postman, I Should Have Known Better and A Hard Day's Night, I myself would be hooked forever, specially after the night my grandmother sat with me as we watched a televised concert of the Fab Four playing The Shea Stadium - sadly, my grandmom would pass on that winter - but the seed was planted, the radio played endlessly. I Fought The Law by The Bobby Fuller Four and Devil With A Blue Dress by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels and scores of other great American classics were listened to, albums and singles were bought and I loved them all. But the sound of guitars being played through Leslie cabinets, the melodicisms, the blues, the progressions, the rockers from the U.K. is what snatched me up.

Ten years on, I'd been introduced to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple - courtesy of two more cousins. I had joined my first band two years prior (I can still see my step-father grimacing as he splurged to purchase my first drum kit). I saw my first of many concerts with my cousins in '75. Suzi Quatro's thunderous bass still echoes in my memories, as does Alice Cooper, Kiss and even Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band - Amercian bands will always be in my heart.

Twenty years on, children came - three son's God blessim'. I'd been in and out of the U.S. Army, been in countless bands and went to many concerts - I would purchase my third drum kit at my own expense. Musical success has pretty much eluded me, but the love and taste of the musical electricity is still there - it's in my soul, and there is where it shall stay.

And, hey! He likes Horslips!

Promoting the Next Gig: St. Joseph's Hall, Omagh

And Visit Horslypse Tribute Band on MySpace.

From the Email Suggestion Bag: Derry, March 2004