HAMMERED!
The second CD from Wicked Tinkers, showcases the talents of the original three band members playing the music of Scotland, Ireland, and the many nations on which the Gael have left their mark. We all heard the Great Highland Bagpipes as kids and were hooked! The pipes brought us together and keep us coming back for more. We simply play what we hear. So lower your standards and join us on a wild ride!
Most of the tunes on this CD are from the Highlands of Scotland, where the music we love was born. A few of the tunes are Irish (Warren's heritage), who we feel are brothers to the Scots. Some tunes are Canadian (where our own John MacAdams hails from), a very Scottish place. A wee bit from Australia rounds out the lot.
We're proud of the heritage that produces such powerfully beautiful music. We owe a great debt of gratitude to our ancestors and their sacrifices - there were times when the pipes were nearly wiped out. Today more Scottish bagpipes are played around the world than ever before.
Highland pipes are in an ancient key that speaks more to the gut than to logic. The pipes somehow bridge the gap between where we've been and where we are going. They are a piece of the past that is very much alive, and we are working to propel them into the future.
This is our second CD. We are thankful to all our fans for their support of this unusual music. It is they who help us continue.
It's been said that the beautiful, high tones of Scottish bagpipes can be heard by the gods. Let's hope we aren't keeping them up at night.
WICKED TINKERS, HAMMERED! features:
Aaron Shaw
Scottish Highland Bagpipes: 1910-1913 Henderson drones, Sinclair and Naill chanters
Scottish small pipes: in 'A' made by Ray Sloan, Northumberland
'F' tin whistle
John MacAdams
Marching snare: 14" Remo field snare with Remo heads
Tenor snare: 1930s 14" Ludwig, with goat heads and gut snare, rebuilt by Warren Casey
Snare#1: 1974 Slingerland 6" with Remo heads
Snare#2: 1920s Ludwig 7" with Remo heads
Tenor tapan: 20" Bulgarian tapan, with Remo and calf heads
Congas: Toca
Tom-tom: Ludwig 1967 'Mod Orange' 18" floor tom
Guitar (Farewell to Nova Scotia): Taylor 6-string acoustic - thanks John Kevany
Guitar (Hornpipes/Mazurka): Louden 6-string acoustic - thanks Jerry Strull
Assorted percussion
Warren Casey
Bass tapan: 22" with goatskin heads, built by Warren Casey
Bodhran: 18" goatskin head, built 1983 by Charlie Bryne, Thurles, Ireland
Darabukka: Egyptian ceramic with fishskin head - thanks Wendy!
SPECIAL GUESTS
Michel Olson
(of "The Village Blacksmith")
Hammer and anvil
Contact: (209) 785-6465 or blksmith@mlode.com
Wayne Belger
Two big-ass Australian didjeridus
Thanks Barry Martin at LA Outback for the didj
Dave Soyars
Fender Precision electric bass guitar
Credits:
Produced by: Wicked Tinkers
Recorded by: Scott Fraser, assistant engineer Dave Pepin
Mixed by: Scott Fraser, assistant engineer Barry Paul
Recorded and Mixed at: Barry Paul Recording, North Hollywood, CA.
Mastered by: Brian Gardner, Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA.
Art Direction: Warren Casey
Design & Production: James Suelflow
Photography: Evan Hurd & Warren Casey
Copy Editor: Jim Hull
Thanks to:
Wendy Weisenberg (for her hard work and putting up with Warren); Nancy Johnston (for standing by her John - er, man); Cameron MacAdams (for his hard work and putting up with his dad); Lesa MacEwan (for making Aaron an honest man); Max and Sue Groszmann (our Northern California parents); Wendy Brickman (P.R. extraordinaire); Robert MacTavish and his burgeoning clan (for their generosity); Bill Doebler and Brian Gardner; P/M Harry McNulty and Major Gavin Stoddart (for the great times and beautiful tunes); Seumas MacNeill (for early inspiration and terrifying tutelage ... sorry about the C-naturals!); and finally, two greats who left us this past year: Duncan Johnstone (an influential player and composer who is missed), and P/M Angus MacDonald (who can never be replaced as a player, composer, storyteller, teacher or friend).
TRACKS:
1) RADAR LOVE
P/M George Allan.....Donald MacLeod (Dec'd MCPS)
Crossing the Minch......Donald MacLeod (Dec'd MCPS)
We refer to this as the 'Radar Love' set because John clearly ripped off the opening drum riff. John thinks of it as a tribute to our past; Warren thinks it's a tune about radar. Radar, by the way, is the stuff that helps Warren get around in the fog, so we would like to dedicate this set to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard for the heroic service they perform. The tunes are a pair of popular Donald MacLeod pieces with a bit of foolishness tacked on at the end.
(Highland pipes, snare, bass tapan)
2) HAMMER ON THE ANVIL
The Hammer on the Anvil......Donald MacLeod (Dec'd MCPS)
We've played with our blacksmithing friends - Michel Olson, et al. from "The Village Blacksmith" - on many occasions, and have always wanted to record this tune with them. Here is the result.
(Highland pipes, anvil, snare, tom-tom, bass tapan)
3) THE DUNCAN JOHNSTONE SET
Farewell to Nigg.....Duncan Johnstone - cop. con.
Dr. Jimmy Campbell's Welcome Home.....Duncan Johnstone - cop. con.
Two tunes in Aaron's favorite key by Duncan Johnstone. Who unfortunately died before he could hear our strange harmonies and odd drumbeats.
(Highland pipes, tenor snare, tenor tapan, bass tapan)
4) THE FARMER
The Farmer....trad.
Feel free to sing along with this wee song, but don't blame us for any lyrics you may come up with on your own!
(John's voice)
5) AARON & LESA
Aaron and Lesa - Bridal Waltz.....P/M Harry S. McNulty, used by kind permission
Aaron and Lesa - Harmony.....Major Gavin Stoddart MBE, BEM, used by kind permission
This tune was written for Aaron and his wife, Lesa MacEwan, by Harry McNulty and Gavin Stoddart and first played by them at the Seumas MacNeill Summer School.
(Scottish small pipes)
6) DREAM SET
Dr. MacInnes' Fancy.....Donald MacLeod (Dec'd MCPS)
Duncan Johnstone......Donald MacLeod (Dec'd MCPS)
More from Aaron's favorite composer.
(Highland pipes, snares, didjeridu, shakers, bass tapan)
7) THE WEIRD SET
The Hag at the Churn.....trad.
Slieve Russel......trad.
The B-52......Eric Rigler - Bad Haggis Music BMI
The first two are unusual jigs not often heard on the Highland pipes. The first was nicked from the playing of Gordon Duncan on the great CD A Grand Concert of Piping. "The B-52" was written by Eric Rigler and refers neither to the aircraft nor the hairdo but rather to the beverage.
(Highland pipes, snare, shakers, bass tapan)
8) FAREWELL TO NOVA SCOTIA
Farewell to Nova Scotia....trad.
The Wicked Ones sing! A little ditty about John's Canadian homeland (though Vancouver is a bit removed from "New Scotland") and the leaving thereof.
(Guitar, voices, bass, whistle, bodhran)
9) THE DRUMMERS JIGS
Skyeman's Jig.....trad.
Cutting Bracken.....trad.
John and Warren get to show off their hand-drumming on the Congas and Bodhran, respectively.
(Scottish small pipes, congas, bodhran)
10) TERROR TIME
Terror Time....Ewan MacColl
This is Aaron's interpretation of a great song which tells of the difficulties faced by the Traveling People, sometimes referred to as Tinkers, when the weather turns grim in the north of Scotland.
(Highland pipes)
11) HARRY'S HORNPIPES
Jake Warren......P/M Harry S. McNulty - used by kind permission
With Drummers in Mind......P/M Harry S. McNulty - used by kind permission
More tunes by our friend Harry McNulty that seemed particularly appropriate for the Tinks.
(Highland pipes, snare, bass tapan)
12) HORNPIPES/MAZURKA
Maggie's Pancakes.....Stuart Morison
The Bulgarian Bandit.....Murray Blair - ISA Music
Tommy Hunt's Jig......trad.
A set of tunes slightly reworked, once played by the L.A Police Pipe Band.
(Scottish small pipes, guitar, darabukka)
13) JUST SOME JIGS
Cailleach an Dudain.....trad.
City of Glasgow Police Pipers.....Donald MacLeod (Dec'd MCPS)
The Banjo Breakdown trad.
These are some tunes we often play in our live sets. Nothing fancy, just some jigs.
(Highland pipes, snare, bass tapan)
14)THE MOST-REQUESTED
Amazing Grace.....trad.
Scotland the Brave.....trad.
These are two of the three most-requested tunes in the piper's repertoire. Unfortunately, the third - "Greensleeves" - is not a very good match with the pipes.
(Highland pipes, marching snare, bass tapan)
15) THOSE MARCHING O'NEILLS
The March of the O'Neills.....trad.
With this tune the Marching O'Neills must have gotten where they were going in a hurry!
(Highland pipes, marching snare, didjeridu, bass tapan, plus 300 marching & clapping O'Neills)
All arrangements by Wicked Tinkers except: "Aaron and Lesa" and "Terror Time" arranged by Aaron Shaw; "The Farmer" and "Farewell to Nova Scotia" arranged by John MacAdams.
SPECIAL GUEST ARTISTS:
Tim Martin
Bones: Wood, made by Tom Mooney
Scott Fraser
Darabukka (T): Turkish
THISTLE PRICKS PRODUCTIONS
P.O. Box 1521, Glendale, California 91209-1521, USA
© 2000 Wicked Tinkers and Thistle Pricks Productions. All Rights Reserved. Warning: unauthorized reproduction of this recording is prohibited by federal law.
Manufactured 100% in the U.S.A.
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