Shooglenifty
Shooglenifty is an innovative British folk rock band that originated in Scotland .
Band history
The Scottish folk rock band Shooglenifty was formed in Edinburgh in 1990 from the members of the pre-existing Cajun band Swamptrash (which called their style "Psycho-Bluegrass"). Some of the musicians had already gained experience with street music . Shooglenifty play purely instrumental folk rock where the melodies are played by the violin and mandolin and the rhythm section consists of banjo, guitar, bass and drums. Shooglenifty call their music "Acid Folk" themselves. Many of her pieces are hypnotic and fast-paced. A peculiarity of the sound of Shooglenifty is the "Banjax" developed and played by Garry Finlayson, an electronic, five-string banjo that offers a different pitch range than a conventional banjo.
While only the instruments mentioned were used on the first two albums Venus in Tweeds (1994) and A Whiskey Kiss (1996), the band has also been using samplers and electronic sounds since the third studio album Solar Sheats (2000). The music can always be heard in its Celtic and folkloric tradition. Due to the unusual technology for folk bands, the band is one of the most innovative of the genre.
The musicians of the original line-up once got to know each other during regular sessions in a music bar in Edinburgh. Up to the present day, the spirit of these early joint appearances has kept the band rarely rehearsing, but performing all the more often. Correspondingly, two of the six releases presented so far are also live albums. Shooglenifty have been seen in many countries including Germany, Australia, India and Japan. Most concerts naturally take place in England or Scotland. In March 2006, a nearly three-week tour led to Australia again.
Drummer James MacKintosh has played with numerous other folk musicians such as Capercaillie , Mouth Music , Sola , James Grant and Michael McGoldrick. Iain McLeod, who played the mandolin on the first two studio albums, is now teaching students on this instrument. Luke Plumb, who has taken his place at the mandolin since 2000, has also been on tour with Simon Bradley .
occupation
Current occupation
- Malcolm Crosbie (born 1961) - guitar
- Garry Finlayson (* 1954) - Banjo, Banjax
- Quee Macarthur - bass
- James MacKintosh (born 1966) - drums
- Eilidh Shaw - violin
- Ewan MacPherson - mandolin / tenor banjo / jaw harp
- Kaela Rowan - vocals
former members
- Iain M. MacLeod (* 1963) - mandolin
- Conrad Ivitsky - bass
- Angus R. Grant (* 1968) - violin
- Luke Plumb - mandolin
Discography
- Venus In Tweeds (Greentrax / FMS) 1994
- A Whiskey Kiss (Greentrax / FMS) 1996
- Live At Selwyn Hall, Box (Real World) 1996
- Solar Shears (Vertical / Indigo) 2000
- The Arms Dealer's Daughter 2003
- Radical Maestizo - Live 2005
- Troots - 2007
- Murmichan - 2009
- The Untied Knot - 2015