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"THE BEST CELTIC ROCK CD PRODUCED THIS YEAR!"
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“Overnight sensations” never happen overnight, despite what you may see on “American Idol.” It takes...“Overnight sensations” never happen overnight, despite what you may see on “American Idol.” It takes years of practice, performing and sacrifice. But when it happens, the audience is the prime beneficiary of all the time and effort.
The Rogues, a well-known “regional” group (although its lineup consists mainly of Canadians) together for 16 years, has released its ninth album, “3 Lbs. of Rage,” and it wouldn't be far to say it’s the finest effort this band has ever produced, and one of the best Celtic rock albums in many moons.
The heart of the group is lead singer Nelson Stewart, who also plays piano, electric bass and acoustic guitars, accordion, mandolin – you name it. The album was recorded in his basement studio (Mayhem Studios) at his home in Hamilton, Ontario.
“In some ways, it is my Magnum Opus,” he said. “I’ve been playing Celtic music for 20 years and this album is the culmination of all those years. I was finally able to bring together all the various elements of Celtic music I’ve learned, including the various instruments and styles; plus the Rogues finally have the line-up of fantastic musicians who could pull it all off. “To me, the Rogues have become one of the shining examples of NAFTA.”
There are many Celtic rock groups employing a bagpiper, but the Rogues use two excellent pipers (Lyric Todkill and Doug MacRae) along with drummer Randy Wothke, fiddler Corey Walden and bassist Tyson Kipfer.
To place a specific label on The Rogues’ new album would be incorrect; it showcases a complete range of Celtic music – from songs done by a great pub band (“Andrew Duthart/Clumsy Lover” and “Panda”) to the ethereal “Enya”-esque tones (“The Gael”). “The Deuce” uses the Scottish pipes and Scottish snare drum to summon images of the Black Watch, “Sommertime” is Wothke’s original lovely melody that is an obvious love song without the words and “The Wish” is Todkill’s excellent solo effort.
The album opens terrifically with a bagpipe fanfare (“Dawning of the Day”) blending perfectly into the rocking “Winnipeg Forger,” showing why two pipers are better than one.
Most of the “songs” (save for the oft-recorded and popular “South Australia,” using the Pogues’ arrangement) are love songs, or so it seems, all written by Stewart. “I’ve always had a problem writing an out-and-out love song for fear of the cheese factor,” he said. “That’s why ‘She Walks on Water’ is dark, and ‘Hollow’ is an attack on myself. They’re all about different women I’ve known, although I often tell people that they were all written for my wife before I knew her.”
Stewart’s wife, Jeania, is the focus point of the one song that will remain with the listener long after the CD has ended. The traditional Welsh ballad, “Suo Gan,” a tribute to motherhood, is one of the pieces that evokes tears with the very first note. If it doesn’t, you need to see a cardiologist (you’ve got no heart). Jeania Stewart, backed by her husband on piano and the two pipers, delivers a sterling rendition – an absolute showstopper (I’m sure) in concert. “When we perform live, we go from rocking ‘Measure of a Man, to getting feet-stomping with ‘Andrew Duthart’, to making people cry with ‘Suo Gan,’” Stewart explained.
'3 Lbs. of Rage' ends with a strong non-love song, an angry protest Stewart wrote years ago. “It’s about different kinds of weakness and I was railing against authority (I’ve always had a bit of a problem with bureaucrats and misplaced power),” he explained. “I proudly come from a hard-working family in a working class city. I had lost faith in most politicians and I was concerned about the way many of them seemed willing to sell us (Canadians) out. There is no indictment of the U.S.; I love your country deeply for everything it has given me. But I’ve always been concerned about Canada’s identity; I was worried at the time about people who would gladly give up what makes us who we are. I guess there is a certain degree of irony in the fact that I now perform in an American band.”
In the Southwest, they are best known in Houston (home turf for Wothke) and have played at past North Texas Irish Festivals. But the Rogues are continuing to make great strides in the world of Celtic music (not just rock music). Last December, the group won a major battle of the bands contest (from among 65 other groups) and earned a St. Patrick’s Day appearance at Las Vegas’ Monte Carlo Resort and Casino. Around the same time, their instrumental recording of “Bonny Portmore,” (from the “Roguetrip” album) was included in the movie soundtrack for “The Irishman” with Christopher Walken and Val Kilmer. And the triad of good luck had the lads performing with the U.S. Air Force Symphony Orchestra at Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Hall.
In addition, the Rogues support U.S. military personnel, raising funds for wounded veterans through “Deakstock,” aiding the Air Force Aid Society, and Operation Ward 57 – the amputee ward at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Not bad for overnight sensations.
As for the album title, it’s the Stewarts’ own old blind dog – a 17-year-old Applehead Chichuaha named Si. According to the liner notes, “He’s Irish and has the heart of a lion… (and) he could kick your dog’s ass.”
As coordinator for Performer Products for the NTIF and recently-completed Cowtown Celtic Festival, I listen to many of the new musical efforts released within a 12-month period. I am here to testify on a stack of vinyl LPs that “3 Lbs. of Rage” is the best Celtic rock CD produced this year and one of the best Celtic “music” CDs … period!
Of course, I don’t want the dog to clamp onto MY leg…
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"ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF REVIEWING!"
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The Rogues ~ 3 LBS. of RAGE Album Review
December 27, 2010
This past September 4th, The Rogues r...The Rogues ~ 3 LBS. of RAGE Album Review
December 27, 2010
This past September 4th, The Rogues released their much anticipated ninth album, 3 LBS. of RAGE. To say it has been well received by the fans is an understatement. Initially offered on their website, the first batch of CDs sold out within a day of release. The second batch followed the same path shortly thereafter. Without question, 3 LBS. of RAGE is the best compilation of music released by The Rogues to date. With an excellent variety of music, it will appeal to every Celtic music lovers taste. Scattered among the many original pieces are covers, traditional numbers, fiddle and bagpipe solos, ear splitting CeltRock and a Welch lullaby. The vocal and instrumental choices are many and each better than the next depending on ones mood at the moment. Over the past few weeks, I’ve listened to this CD again and again, each time discovering something distinctive about an arrangement or the lyrics of a song. A great deal of thought went into the song selections for the album and the choices are just right.
The first of my many favorites on the album is South Australia (not the Dubliners or Clancy Brothers traditional old sea chanty), the rousing adaptation arranged by The Pogues and by Nelson Stewart for this album. Nelson performs a masterful CeltRock version with backing vocals by The Steel City Boys Choir. Another favorite is Suo Gan, a traditional Welch lullaby also arranged by Nelson and sung by Jeania Stewart. This arrangement is striking in its simplicity and a brilliant addition to the song list. I do enjoy the bagpipes and The Wish, written, arranged and performed by Lyric Todkill is one of those hauntingly beautiful bagpipe instrumentals that remain in your mind and play over and over again. It’s truly amazing.
I believe I could go on and on about my favorites here. To be honest, there isn’t a song on this album that isn’t a favorite. This is one of the best albums I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing here at Fanrealm. Rogues, you’ve outdone yourselves with 3 LBS. of RAGE and you deserve all the accolades you’re receiving with its release. This is an exceptional album!
The Rogues:
Randy Wothke, Nelson Stewart, Corey Walden, Lyric Todkill, Doug MacRae, Tyson Kipfer & Ewan Brown
3 LBS. of RAGE
* Winnipeg Forger
* Home at Last
* The Deuce
* Big Blue
* The Gael
* South Australia
* Andrew Duthart
* She Walks on Water
* Sommertime
* Hollow
* Panda (the Other White Meat)
* Suo Gan
* The Wish
* The Measure of a Man
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"IF THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A COOL AND CUTTING EDGE CELTIC BAND THE ROGUES DEFINE IT!"
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If there is such a thing as a cool and cutting edge Celtic band The Rogues define it! Lend your ear...If there is such a thing as a cool and cutting edge Celtic band The Rogues define it! Lend your ear lad's and lassie's to a treat you will not forget! This band can do it all, from traditional Celtic to toe stepping pop with a wee taste of Ireland to remind you of where it all came from. This music is an absolute a joy to hear!
Bio:
If the 78th Fraser Pipe Band sat down with the Waterboys, the Chieftains, the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Matthews Band, and then asked some friends from a symphonic orchestra to join them at the table the resulting sound might begin to resemble the ROGUES. Over the past 16 years the performances of this CeltRock Folk Classical group have electrified audiences on two continents. They have added to their ever-growing family of fans -- affectionately known as the Rogue Army -- at music festivals, theaters, Highland Games, renaissance festivals, clubs, pubs, and corporate events -- anywhere that presents top-quality, high-energy music. This has even included regular rotation on satellite radio station, XM. Their hard won road successes have established them as artists with bona fide international acclaim. Renowned for their musical skill, quick wit, and engaging stage show the ROGUES have mastered the art of creating an immediate connection with their audiences. The ROGUES are fast becoming a household name with music lovers around the world, loved by young and old of all backgrounds.
In December of 2009 the ROGUES defeated nearly 65 other bands from all over the world to win the 1st Battle of the Celtic Bands. Their win meant they appeared at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on St. Patrick's Day, 2010. Shortly after their win the ROGUES recording of "Bonny Portmore" was chosen to appear in the 2011 film, The Irishman, starring Christopher Walken and Val Kilmer. A week later the ROGUES were invited to perform in Chicago at the prestigious Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park. The ROGUES have performed at numerous large venues including the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, the North Texas Irish Festival, CeltFest Chicago, the Chicago Highland Games, and the Texas Scottish Festival, among many others. They have shared the stage with the Battlefield Band, Bad Haggis, Natalie McMaster, and Seven Nations to name but a few. They have also hosted their own exceptionally well-received variety shows, "Celtic Crossroads", which included performers from all over North America and Europe. The ROGUES even appeared on the red carpet with Robert Duvall at the premier of his film, A Shot at Glory. With a unique, multi-instrumental sound that crosses the musical landscape to include traditional and original rock/pop songs, film soundtrack music, and Irish-based foot-stompers, the ROGUES are proving they have the creativity and the drive to conquer the combined worlds of Celtic, Rock, Folk, Pop, and Classical music.
The ROGUES have produced nine albums and two DVDs. Ceili Magazine called "3 LBS. of RAGE", the newest album, "The best Celtic rock CD produced this year and one of the best Celtic music CDs … period!" Dirty Linen Magazine called "American Highlander", "Outstanding" and chose it to appear on their Editor's Choice CD with such legendary performers as Billy Bragg. Few bands like the ROGUES provide both the highly polished instrumentals that only elite musicians can perform, and the rousing songs that inspire crowds to sing. Indeed, listen to the audio tracks provided on this site's music player and you will see that the ROGUES are several exceptional bands in one.
The ROGUES continue to show their support of members of the military in need. They have raised thousands of dollars for individual veterans, the Air Force Aid Society, and Operation Ward 57, the amputee ward at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre. To this end the ROGUES started their ongoing series of fundraisers called DEAKSTOCK in 2007.
Note: Depending on budget, availability, and the type of show you require the ROGUES can appear with 4 to 8 musicians and tailor a show to meet your needs.
Instrumentation:
NELSON STEWART -- Lead Vocals, Piano, Electric/Acoustic Guitars, Accordion, Mandolin, Bass Guitar, Bodhran, Tenor Drum, Doumbek, Djembe
RANDY WOTHKE -- Scottish Snare Drum, Drum Kit, Bodhran, Djembe, Doumbek, Vocals, Piano
COREY WALDEN -- Electric/Acoustic Fiddle, Vocals, Bass Guitar
LYRIC TODKILL -- Highland Bagpipes, Vocals, Guitars, Piano, Whistles
DOUG MacRAE -- Highland Bagpipes
EWAN BROWN -- Highland Bagpipes, Vocals, Whistles, Guitars, Drums
JIMMY MITCHELL -- Highland Bagpipes
TYSON KIPFER -- Bass Guitar
Discography:
The Scottish Rogues (1995)
Hollerin For Haggis (1996)
Live in Canada, Eh? (1997)
Off Kilter (1999)
V.O. (2001)
Made in Texas CD (2003)
Made in Texas DVD (2003)
Roguetrip (2005)
US Air Force Constitution Hall DVD (2007)
American Highlander (2008)
3 LBS. of RAGE (2010)
The ROGUES can be purchased on iTunes, eMusic, and CD Baby. Also, many of their songs are streamed on their website (www.therogues.com)
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RAVE REVIEW - CELTFEST CHICAGO
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Despite the frigid weather here in Chicago last weekend, Millennium Park and the Pritzker Pavilion w...Despite the frigid weather here in Chicago last weekend, Millennium Park and the Pritzker Pavilion were set afire and energized by The ROGUES, a combination CeltRock, folk, classical band performing a mishmash of high energy, soulful wail, classic and rousing traditional music, switching between each without missing a beat. They took to the stage enthused. Kilted, booted and marching to the pounding of drums and wail of bagpipes, their unique sound filling the venue and surrounding audience with anticipation of the performance to come. They did not disappoint.
They drummed, they piped, they fiddled, they strummed and for a few fun numbers even hauled out the old accordion. You know you’re in for a good time when the bands lead singer wears a kilt and totes an accordion. And, I don’t mean one of those wee squeeze boxes. This was a full fledged, mother of pearl, straps across the back, 50’s instrument. Gotta make you smile!! For the entire time they were on stage there was a sense of excitement and humor in everything they did and said. There were times I could swear I saw Nelson Stewart channeling Elvis; lip quiver, hip swivel and all. Nelson mugged and grinned for a lovely smiling woman at the corner of the stage taking pictures who he later introduced as his wife. Said she was an American and he stole her away and took her back to Canada as payback for NAFTA. Somehow it all works.
Experiencing this group live is something not to be missed if they tour in your area. The individuals make this band what it is both with their exceptional musical abilities and their charming anything for a laugh persona. For me personally the highlight of the evening occurred when the entire band took to the aisles, marching up and down between the audience playing Scotland The Brave to cheers and applause loud enough to compete with the bagpipes and drums. I loved this moment! I loved this show!
Look for The ROGUES version of the traditional tune Bonny Portmore, on their album Roguetrip, to be featured in the movie “The Irishman” being released Summer, 2010. The film, starring Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer and Vinnie Jones is the true story of Danny Greene, an Irishman who fought the Italian mafia in the 1970’s.
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ROGUES New CD -- American Highlander
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The Rogues new CD – American Highlander
Cd review written by Becky Trotter
Southwest Celtic Music ...The Rogues new CD – American Highlander
Cd review written by Becky Trotter
Southwest Celtic Music Association (2009)
This is the eighth album for this band from Houston, Texas and Ontario, Canada who this year marks their 15th anniversary. It also marks the return of Jimmy Mitchell to the fold after a short absence to do some solo work.
All the cuts are clean, scrupulously produced works with care taken to modify the high range of the bagpipes. The pipe unisons are completely in tune, and the drone is pulled to the background so that the melody is most present. There is also an appreciation for the bass quality of the drum work without becoming “boomy,” even at oh-my-god-I-love-that decibel levels. This clarity could make the album a little cold and feel distant, but fans of The Rogues will recognize the energy that characterizes all their live shows.
Some notes as I listen the umpteenth time: Steam Train slowly gains momentum from the first notes to the in-your-face bagpipes and a driving mixture of drums that make The Rogues a fan favorite at Renaissance Fairs, folk music festivals and pubs all across the US and Canada.
Aidan’s Hornpipe, Celtic Goulash and the title tune American Highlander are memorable because of the set dance feel of these cuts. Dirty Linen Magazine has called this album “Outstanding” and frankly I’m running out of superlatives to add to it.
Cut Four 153 (The Simpleton’s Lament) highlights band member Nelson Stewart’s singer/songwriter talents, and is quite a departure from the tone and scope of the rest of the album. While describing himself “as deep as a puddle,” the simpleton declares his love: “She is the best thing about today, I can’t turn my back and walk away
She might be wrong, but she’s usually right/I just want to hold her through the night.” Lovely fun that takes Rogues fans where they seem more than willing to go.
The Waterfall is one of the four original tunes from percussionist and founding member Randy Wothke on the album. All this piece needs is a movie set to grace. It is paired with a fun David McInerny piece, the Glayva Kid.
Don’t Look Down, continues the original tunes from Wothke with a nice bit of syncopation in the pipes and some very good bodhran work. Throughout this album, Wothke’s rudimentary snare drumming shows finesse and great control and is every bit as good as you would expect from this accomplished musician and teacher.
Expect cut seven to be fun. It is the traditional The Rights of Man, and takes the tune from an 80 beat a minute hornpipe to a 138 (or so) reel in four verses. We hear Irish fiddle, whistle, accordion and other instruments done in a pub style with a live audience. Great crowd reactions and amazing (what else would you expect on this album?) musicians.
Jimmy’s Reel Set. Wow. No, really. Wow. It has bodhran in it. More wow.
Cut Ten is J. Geil’s Band Centerfold. With the pipes doing the intro na-NA-na-na-na-na thing.
As I listened to this CD, I became aware that even those folks who don’t care for bagpipes will probably enjoy this one, simply because it is so well done.
For more information on The Rogues, their tour dates and how to purchase albums, go to www.therogues.com. They will be at the North Texas Irish Festival in early March. Go to a set and enjoy the energy and craftsmanship of one of our best.
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The ROGUES -- American Highlander
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The ROGUES -- American Highlander [self-released (2008)] The bagpipe and drum traditions of Scotlan...The ROGUES -- American Highlander [self-released (2008)] The bagpipe and drum traditions of Scotland have been imported to the Lone Star State by Houston-based band the Rogues. An offshoot of the 1980s Celtic band Clandestine, the group -- originally known as the Scottish Rogues -- continues to bring excitement and energy to that tradition with its eighth album, American Highlander. Jimmy Mitchell and Lyric Todkill (Highland and uilleann pipes) propel the playing of founding member Randy Wothke (percussionist /composer), and muliti-instrumentalist/lead singer Nelson Stewart (former member of the Toronto-based FictionMakers, who joined the Rogues in 2001) into overdrive. Corey Walden (fiddle) and Neil Anderson (low D whistle) add textural depth. Most tunes are embedded in the reels and hornpipe tradition, but a few surprises are offered. The Stewart-penned “153 (The Simpleton’s Lament)” is a Celtic pop tune, while “The Rights of Man”, recorded live, is a fast-paced rendition of Stewart’s arrangement that was a staple of the FictionMakers’ repertoire. The album closes with a Scottish-ized version of the J. Geils Band’s 1980s’ hit “Centerfold”. (CH)
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The ROGUES -- Glad to be Plaid
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February - March 2003 (#104)
The Rogues, one of the biggest names on the Renaissance Festival cir...February - March 2003 (#104)
The Rogues, one of the biggest names on the Renaissance Festival circuit, want you to know that it's not all about cantilevered bosoms and steak-on-sticks. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
Houston, Texas self-proclaimed "bad boys of Celtic music" are best known for the powerful live sets that showcase their bagpipe-based Celtic/world-beat sound, performances which have made them the best-loved RenFaire act that doesn't involve sharp objects or fractured Elizabethan pentameter. At such venues as the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, their shows pack the small taverns and stages to overflowing. They always seem to gather longtime fans, including beautiful, lively women known as "Roguettes," who move to the sinuous percussive beats of Randy Wothke and Nelson Stewart.
But the Rogues can also rock out or go transcendentally mellow. During their Crownsville residency in the fall of 2002, they headlined a benefit concert that raised over $6,000 for a widowed friend. Their set featured newest member Stewart, whose band mates jokingly call him "Nelvis," wailing away on electric guitar and bass. In contrast, the highlight of their fifth CD, appropriately titled Rogues V.0, is Wothke's tribute to his wife, "The Rose of Sharon," featuring Brian Thomas of the Houston Symphony playing a haunting melody on French horn. When Thomas guested at the Crownsville festival, with Wothke on keyboards, Stewart on bodhran, and Lars Sloan and Jimmy Mitchell on pipes, "Sharon" 's blend of traditional Celtic and modern electric sounds stopped festival-goers' mead cups halfway to their lips.
Wothke and Sloan are two of the band's founding members. When asked "How long have you been a Rogue?" Wothke replied, "You'd have to ask my wife." A sly joke? No. Sharon Wothke is the group's institutional memory. "If you want facts, come tell me, because they don't even know this stuff," she laughed.
The Rogues have had more names than Spinal Tap. (Also, possibly, more drummers, though the departures of Rogues drummers don't generally involve spontaneous combustion.) In 1987, Sloan, Randy Wothke, E.J. Jones, and J.W. McCormick founded a band called Clandestine. Then career and educational changes drew Jones, Sloan, and McCormick out of the band. Sloan, who left to work in the film industry, took the Clandestine name with him. Sharon Wothke christened the 1994 incarnation--Wothke, Jones (who left and then came back), Thomas Campbell, and Paul Rendon--the Scottish Rogues. A year later, when Jones and Rendon left to form a new Clandestine with Sloan, the Scottish Rogues picked up Bryan Blaylock and Jimmy Mitchell and recorded their first album to sell at the Texas Renaissance Festival. Its overwhelming sales led the group to record more albums and tour more extensively, even as the personnel shifted yet again with the departure of Mitchell in 1996. Sloan came back, and the group recorded Hollerin' for Haggis that fall. In 1997, Campbell left, Mitchell rejoined, and the band shortened its name to The Rogues. A show in Ontario was released as Live in Canada, eh?
Off Kilter, released in 1999, and and V.0 picked up six preliminary Grammy nominations in new-artist and folk categories. "We made it to the second level," said Randy Wothke. Thrust into a pool of diverse musicians, many with more national exposure, the Rogues material failed to make the final batch of nominees in its categories. "Until we get a [Celtic] category, it's going to be next to impossible" to reach the final five, Wothke said.
While still undeniably Celtic, V.0 gains strength from its eclecticism. Besides the usual dyed-in-the-wool instrumental compositions by Mitchell, Sloan, and Wothke, it contains a Gypsy dance based on "John MacKenzie's Fancy" (featuring the flamenco tapping of dancer Leandra La Greca), as well as Sloan's song "Cullen Anderson," with lyrics by his father and guest turns from vocalist Emily Vacek and electric-bouzouki player Wolf Loescher. Marc Gunn at CelticMP3s.com called V.0 "not just another bagpipe album. . . the crossover album that will make fans of those who never before liked the bagpipes." Well, that might be a bit of a stretch--there's no escaping the bold, often rousing, often mournful sound of the pipes at a Rogues show. Jimmy Mitchell plays shuttle pipes and Highland pipes, and Lars Sloan plays, he said, "the great Highland war pipe -- the loud obnoxious one."
When asked what Texas and Scotland had in common, Randy Wothke quickly answered, "Bagpipes. There's a school down in our home town--" St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston--"where they teach bagpiping instead of wind band."
"There's a strong Celtic community in Texas," added wife Sharon. "People don't realize. There's a lot of people who immigrated from Scotland and then just went down to the South. There's a lot of people who ended up in Texas with Scottish or Irish links. And when you go to Houston, you think it's all cows and oil wells, but it's actually a very strong Celtic community there." Sloan, in fact, founded the Hamilton School of Piping in Houston nearly 20 years ago, and Mitchell attended St. Thomas Episcopal School.
Besides percussion and pipes, there's another element to the Rogues' success. Call it charisma. Or maybe call it sex appeal. The boyish Stewart, who shamelessly mugs for the crowd, seems to be especially well loved by the ladies. He's been enjoying his Roguish experience since joining in January 2002, after the departure of Blaylock and just in time for V.0. "I love it. It's awesome."
At some point, the Rogues began to notice a group of dancers who showed up at Texas shows. The phenomenon has spread, and the guys--and Sharon Wothke, who's sometimes called "the fifth Rogue" and who can be spotted in the audience, undulating in bare-midriffed peasant wear and flogging Rogues swag, when weather permits--have encouraged it. "Sharon came up with the idea of having Roguette shirts," Randy Wothke explained. "We just started selling those last year."
It's all in good fun. "We've got family all over the place," said Sharon Wothke, and she wasn't speaking of relatives. "That's the neat thing about the Rogues--wherever we go, we're more than just a group that entertains. People really take us into their hearts and homes. People give us food and presents. I think the music really opens people's hearts up. They don't think of us as stars. They think of us as family."
They hope that the family will grow with the release of their next album, planned for later this year. "We're doing a live album, Nov. 23, at the Mucky Duck, a club down in Houston," Mitchell informed.
"We're gonna have a little driving sound," added Sloan, "with the keyboards, some bass guitar. We're gonna have a lot of guest musicians from local bands, friends of ours down in the Houston area." Those friends will include Clandestine's E.J. Jones--you can't keep an old Rogue down.
But they aren't giving up the sound of the old country. When asked whether the Rogues were going to change too much, Sloan patted his bag: "With the bagpipes in it, you're always gonna have that little bit of Scottish."
by Pamela Murray Winters
Dirty Linen Magazine and Dirty Linen Online are © 2002 Dirty Linen Ltd. Dirty Linen Magazine is available on newsstands or by subscription throughout the world.
Dirty Linen
P.O. Box 66600
Baltimore MD 21239-6600
USA
email: info@dirtylinen.com
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The Reel World Roguetrip Review
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December 2005 - January 2006 (#121)
by Tom Nelligan
"...To finish up with one more instrumenta...December 2005 - January 2006 (#121)
by Tom Nelligan
"...To finish up with one more instrumental group, from the Texas bagpipe tradition (yes, there is one, as regular readers of this column should know) come The Rogues, a pipe-and-percussion quartet that makes an impressive racket.
"The mostly instrumental Roguetrip [self-released 2005] features Highland and Breton bagpipes played individually and in splendidly cacophonous duets by pipers E.J. Jones (long mainstay of the Houston band Clandestine) and Jeremy Freeman, who between them also wrote much of the material here. Arrangements are often pipes with just percussion and/or guitar, but keyboards, flute, and a full band show up on a couple of tracks. There are Scottish-style marches, jigs, and slow aires, a couple of sets of Breton dance tunes, an oddly metered visit to Bulgaria, and a bagpipe blues jam. All you kilted cowboys pull on your boots and stomp along!"
Roguetrip review in Dirty LinenDirty Linen Magazine and Dirty Linen Online are © 2005 Dirty Linen Ltd. Dirty Linen Magazine is available on newsstands or by subscription throughout the world.
Dirty Linen
P.O. Box 66600
Baltimore MD 21239-6600
USA
email: info@dirtylinen.com
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ROGUES Rock the bagpipes
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By EILEEN MCCLELLAND
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Bagpipes and drums in the wrong hands coul...By EILEEN MCCLELLAND
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Bagpipes and drums in the wrong hands could be deafening.
But under the influence of the kilt-clad Rogues, the effect is smoothly mesmerizing.
Fans follow the Houston-based band around the country, from Renaissance fairs and Highland games to McGonigel's Mucky Duck tonight.
What's the attraction?
"It gives them chills," says E.J. Jones, formerly of Clandestine, who plays the pipes. "It's the kind of music that raises the hackles on the back of their necks."
When it has recovered from that initial reaction, the audience is often incited to dance to the Celtic sounds sometimes set to a rock beat. Others say they lull their children to sleep with Rogues music, and some proudly report the music makes them feel like fighting.
"The bagpipe is very much a rock instrument because the bagpipe is very uncompromising," Jones says. "It has a wildness to it. It never has been tamed by an orchestra."
Beyond Nine Notes
The Rogues make the Scottish instruments sound even wilder by layering in drums and stretching the bagpipes beyond their traditional nine notes, particularly on their original material. Such an approach is forbidden in formal competition and in most schools, including Houston's St. Thomas Episcopal School, where Jones and fellow piper Jeremy Freeman learned to play.
But the Rogues feel qualified to take a few liberties when they're having fun, the flip side of serious competition.
New member Freeman, a piping instructor at St. Thomas with a master of arts from Yale University, won a silver medal in piping at the prestigious Northern Meeting at Inverness, Scotland.
The tradition of competition, Jones says, kept the bagpipe alive through centuries of "unpopularity" and even the persecution of the Scottish people who used them as a powerful voice against the British.
"That's the competitive side," Freeman says. "This is the other side, playing to connect with real-life folks rather than some old judge."
Freeman says the percussion half of the band adds texture. "The bagpipe has no vibrato and very little nuance to it. There's no soft and loud, and there are only nine notes. It's easier to play (the bagpipe) with drums for me, and way more fun."
The Irish bodhran is among percussion instruments the band uses. It's a shallow, hand-held drum played by striking the single drumhead with alternate knobbed ends of a beater.
Percussionist and composer Randy Wothke is a founding member of the band, originally formed as the Scottish Rogues in 1994. Percussionist Nelson Stewart, an instrumental-music teacher in Hamilton, Ontario, commutes.
The band's sixth album, Made in Texas, was recorded at McGonigel's Mucky Duck in 2003. On fifth album The Rogues 5.0 the Rogues were joined by Brian Thomas of the Houston Symphony playing the French horn on Bonny Portmore.
Much of the Rogues' material is original. "We want to advance the tradition by contributing to it," Jones says.
Fans who fall under the Rogues' Celtic spell tonight can catch them again at the Mucky Duck on St. Patrick's Day. Also on March 17 — at noon — Jones will play the pipes on top of the pub's roof, an annual tradition.
"People who are really into Celtic music take the day off work," Jones says.
eileen.mcclelland@chron.com
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ROGUES Take First Place in the 2007 Renaissance Festival Awards
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The Renaissance Festival Podcast, Song Henge, and the Brobdingnagian Bards are pleased to announce t...The Renaissance Festival Podcast, Song Henge, and the Brobdingnagian Bards are pleased to announce the winners of the 3rd Annual Renaissance Festival Awards for 2007. These performers were voted on by you, the Renaissance festival fan.
Best Music Group of 2007 -- The Rogues
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Randy Wothke honored by ASCAP
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Randy Wothke, percussionist and founding member of the Celtic band, The Rogues, was recently recogni...Randy Wothke, percussionist and founding member of the Celtic band, The Rogues, was recently recognized with an ASCAPLUS Award by ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) for his original compositions. Mr. Wothke submitted three tunes in the Popular Music division: "Holy Moly" (Off Kilter, 1999), "The Rose of Sharon" (The Rogues 5.0, 2001) and "Groovy Scooby" (The Rogues 5.0, 2001) . The winners were selected by a four-judge panel from entries submitted by ASCAP members all around the country. Mr. Wothke said that he "considers this quite an honor because I've always thought of myself more as an instrumentalist than a composer."
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"The Circle: Renaissance Festival compilation CD benefiting Hurricane Katrina Relief" by Renaissance Festival Podcast and Modern Bard
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Year produced: 2006
Hurricane Katrina devastated this country, and Bob Brinkman (Modern Bard) and...Year produced: 2006
Hurricane Katrina devastated this country, and Bob Brinkman (Modern Bard) and Marc Gunn (Renaissance Festival Podcast/Celtic MP3s Music Magazine) joined forces with a variety of top Renaissance festival musicians to raise money for the Red Cross for those affected by the storm. The result is a terrific CD with variety that is uplifting and packed with songs-22 to be exact.
...The CD is breathtaking, with some tracks that are so intense (The Rogues-Pressed For Time) that it honestly brings a tear to your eye. Others will bring a laugh (Marc Gunn & The Dubliners' Tabby Cats-Furagone's Wake) or make you want to get up and dance wildly (E Muzeki-Unknown Gypsy Dance), but every one of these songs is spectacular-those are just some highlights. Compilation discs are usually good, but if you are a fan of this style of music, you just can't miss this one-and the fact that it is all for a good cause makes it that much better.
You can't really pick a favorite, since there are so many bands and styles, it is really like getting a goodie bag. The best thing is that no matter what type of Celtic music you like, it is here. I liked them all . . .
If you are interested - go to RenaissanceFestivalMusic.com to check it out. If you like what you hear, you can order it right there.
supersonic
THE GAEL
