Black 47
Encyclopedia
Black 47 are a New York City based celtic rock
band with Irish Republican
sympathies, whose music also shows influence from reggae
, hip hop
, folk
and jazz
. The band was formed in 1989 by Larry Kirwan
and Chris Byrne
, and derives its name from a traditional term for the summer of 1847, the worst year of the Great Irish Famine.
aged 19, and played in a succession of bands before teaming with Byrne, a Brooklyn policeman, in 1989. The combination of Kirwan's electric guitar and Byrne's use of traditional Irish instruments initially received a poor reception, but a year later, with the addition of new members Geoff Blyth (founding member of Dexy's Midnight Runners), Fred Parcells and Thomas Hamlin, they were playing regularly at Paddy Reilly's bar on Manhattan's East Side
. The band began to play three to five nights a week, and garnered praise for both the socio-political lyrics and "off-the-wall" live shows, quickly drawing a fan base from both the political left and right. Kirwan stated in an interview that the band was "formed to be political", with the socialist lyrics attracting one half of the political spectrum, and the songs of the day-to-day life in America attracting traditionally right-leaning "cops, firemen and construction workers."
, who signed them to his newly launched label. They went on to open for The Pogues at Brixton Academy in December of the same year, and following the collapse of Murray's label the band released an eponymous independent album in 1991, which bought them to the attention of EMI
. They went in to the studio with Ric Ocasek
of The Cars
, where they re-recorded parts of their self-titled album for the 1992 release of Fire of Freedom, which was described as "the most fun you can squeeze out of a five-inch disc." and drew comparisons with Kevin Rowland
and Bruce Springsteen
. Black 47 gained access to a significantly wider audience when Funky Céilí
(Birdie's Song), a track from Fire of Freedom gained extended air-play on music channel MTV
, becoming the bands breakout single. The song was praised for the use of a traditional jig, riotous conclusion and as "a knockout example of how Irish music can rock." A second song from the album, Black 47, caused a stir amongst older fans of Irish music who had maintained close emotional ties to their ancestors who lived during the famine, traditionally a subject rarely addressed in song. The band followed up with Home of the Brave in 1994 with Jerry Harrison
serving as producer, and a move from EMI to Mercury Records
in 1996 followed with the release of Green Suede Shoes.
Throughout the late 1990s the band continued to perform around 150 nights a year both on tour and at Reilly's, but was plagued by a series of tragedies behind the scenes, and their political stance on affairs in the North of Ireland resulted in UK record companies being unwilling to support or promote the band, restricting a potentially lucrative market. At the 1996 St. Patrick's Day gig a 22-year-old off-duty police officer, Christopher Gargan, used his department issue 9mm pistol to commit suicide, injuring two women including June Anderson, Kirwan's wife. In 1997 one of the band's sound engineers, Johnny Byrne (immortalised in the band's single Johnny Byrne's Jig), died from injuries suffered after falling from his apartment window in New York City not long after recording an album of children's songs with Kirwan. The late 90's also saw band member Thomas Hamlin's apartment burn down, Kevin Jenkins retire after a car crash whilst on tour and John Murphy, a close friend of the band, die after falling in to a coma after a motorcycle accident. These events are reflected upon in Those Saints, a song on the Trouble in the Land album, released in 2000. 2000 also saw the release of the bands first compilation album to mark their tenth anniversary, Ten Bloody Years, and the departure of Byrne who amicably left the band to concentrate on his solo project, Seanchai and the Unity Squad.
chaplain Mychal Judge, honoured in the song Mychal, were casualties. Post-9/11 Black 47 had started to play regularly at Connolly's Pub in midtown Manhattan, playing shows Kirwan described as intense in order to allow fans who had lost loved ones an outlet for their emotions, and this was channelled into making the album. New York Town was a critical success, drawing parallels to Joyce's
Dubliners
due to it being a series of short, unrelated stories centered around New York City, and Kirwan was praised for painting a picture of the everyday life of New Yorkers, although the appearance of guest singers such as David Johansen
of the New York Dolls
and Christine Ohlman
was noted for highlighting the weakness in Kirwan's own voice.
Following the release of Elvis Murphys Green Suede Shoes, a companion to Kirwan's memoir, Green Suede Shoes - An Irish-American Odyssey in 2005, the band released a second greatest hits album, Bittersweet Sixteen in 2006 to celebrate sixteen years. Elvis Murphy was generally well received, as despite the lyrics at times having literary 'problems' it was considered challenging yet enjoyable and for making "real emotional sense" and touching both the heart and soul. Bittersweet Sixteen was praised for being both a great introduction to the band and a treasure for seasoned fans, containing rare tracks such as the original version of Funky Céilí.
Prior to the invasion of Iraq
in 2003, the band became outspoken critics of the potential war, speaking out regularly at gigs When the invasion was announced they were playing live, and due to the political mix the band attracted some fans begun to scuffle and walk out in response to the left-leaning lyrics of the anti-war songs. They released a collection of such songs in 2008 on an album simply titled Iraq, and the band were considered to be one of the few bands with a pedigree in political music to undertake such a task. Inspiration for the lyrics came from Kirwan's communication with fans serving on the front line, as a significant demographic of the fanbase is young men who enlist to fund their futures. Kirwan called the album a response to the war being forgotten about, as stories moved away from the front pages, drawing similarities in the way violence in the North of Ireland became 'acceptable'.
The band returned to drawing from a wider ranger of subjects with their 2010 album Bankers and Gangsters. It was noted that this album, unsurprisingly, was less political than it's predecessor, and was also criticised for returning to the safe haven and not bringing anything new to the bands discography. However the album was generally well received, with praise going to the high standard of Kirwan's storytelling ability so far in to the band's lifetime as well as the "rollicking spirit" of the bands. Kirwan relates his noted ability and passion in biographical songs such as Bobby Sands to his time spent as a playwright, likening his performance singing them to method acting. The album has also been considered one of the band's best, referencing the "sharp social commentary and genre-bending sounds."
article on Irish rock in America said it was "the proletariat passion of Black 47's songs that make the group stand out."
In 2000 Byrne sued the BBC
after they used one of his songs, Fenians without his permission as a soundtrack to alleged gun running by members of the IRA
in a documentary. Byrne stated that the British military machine was controlling Northern Ireland, and was insulted that his music was being used as pro-British propaganda.
Kirwan argued that had there been a Churchill-esq
leader then America would have taken the opportunity to rid themselves of dependence on foreign oil, and change the way America communicated with the rest of the world. He also criticised Bush for using the memory of the victims of 9/11 to justify war as the biggest tragedy that came out of the event.
and Flogging Molly
have been able to flourish.
Early members
Celtic rock
Celtic rock is a genre of folk rock and a form of Celtic fusion which incorporates Celtic music, instrumentation and themes into a rock music context...
band with Irish Republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
sympathies, whose music also shows influence from reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. The band was formed in 1989 by Larry Kirwan
Larry Kirwan
Larry Kirwan is an expatriate Irish writer and musician, most noted as the lead singer for the New York based Irish rock band, Black 47....
and Chris Byrne
Chris Byrne
Chris Byrne co-founded the band Black 47 with Larry Kirwan in 1989. Before and for some years after forming the band, Byrne was a New York City Police officer. While still with the band, he created a side project - the "celtic hip-hop" band Seanchai & the Unity Squad. "Seanchai" is Byrne's hip-hop...
, and derives its name from a traditional term for the summer of 1847, the worst year of the Great Irish Famine.
Beginnings
Kirwan originally arrived in New York City from WexfordCounty Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
aged 19, and played in a succession of bands before teaming with Byrne, a Brooklyn policeman, in 1989. The combination of Kirwan's electric guitar and Byrne's use of traditional Irish instruments initially received a poor reception, but a year later, with the addition of new members Geoff Blyth (founding member of Dexy's Midnight Runners), Fred Parcells and Thomas Hamlin, they were playing regularly at Paddy Reilly's bar on Manhattan's East Side
East Side (Manhattan)
The East Side of Manhattan refers to the side of Manhattan Island which abuts the East River and faces Brooklyn and Queens. Fifth Avenue, Central Park, and lower Broadway separate it from the West Side....
. The band began to play three to five nights a week, and garnered praise for both the socio-political lyrics and "off-the-wall" live shows, quickly drawing a fan base from both the political left and right. Kirwan stated in an interview that the band was "formed to be political", with the socialist lyrics attracting one half of the political spectrum, and the songs of the day-to-day life in America attracting traditionally right-leaning "cops, firemen and construction workers."
Breakout
The band got their first big break when their debut release, Home of the Brave, launched as a cassette at a St. Patrick's day gig at Reilly's in 1990, was heard by Frank Murray, manager of the The PoguesThe Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
, who signed them to his newly launched label. They went on to open for The Pogues at Brixton Academy in December of the same year, and following the collapse of Murray's label the band released an eponymous independent album in 1991, which bought them to the attention of EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. They went in to the studio with Ric Ocasek
Ric Ocasek
Ric Ocasek is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars....
of The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
, where they re-recorded parts of their self-titled album for the 1992 release of Fire of Freedom, which was described as "the most fun you can squeeze out of a five-inch disc." and drew comparisons with Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland
Kevin Rowland is an English singer-songwriter and former frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners, which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".-Career:...
and Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
. Black 47 gained access to a significantly wider audience when Funky Céilí
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
(Birdie's Song), a track from Fire of Freedom gained extended air-play on music channel MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, becoming the bands breakout single. The song was praised for the use of a traditional jig, riotous conclusion and as "a knockout example of how Irish music can rock." A second song from the album, Black 47, caused a stir amongst older fans of Irish music who had maintained close emotional ties to their ancestors who lived during the famine, traditionally a subject rarely addressed in song. The band followed up with Home of the Brave in 1994 with Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison
Jerry Harrison is an American songwriter, musician and producer...
serving as producer, and a move from EMI to Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
in 1996 followed with the release of Green Suede Shoes.
Throughout the late 1990s the band continued to perform around 150 nights a year both on tour and at Reilly's, but was plagued by a series of tragedies behind the scenes, and their political stance on affairs in the North of Ireland resulted in UK record companies being unwilling to support or promote the band, restricting a potentially lucrative market. At the 1996 St. Patrick's Day gig a 22-year-old off-duty police officer, Christopher Gargan, used his department issue 9mm pistol to commit suicide, injuring two women including June Anderson, Kirwan's wife. In 1997 one of the band's sound engineers, Johnny Byrne (immortalised in the band's single Johnny Byrne's Jig), died from injuries suffered after falling from his apartment window in New York City not long after recording an album of children's songs with Kirwan. The late 90's also saw band member Thomas Hamlin's apartment burn down, Kevin Jenkins retire after a car crash whilst on tour and John Murphy, a close friend of the band, die after falling in to a coma after a motorcycle accident. These events are reflected upon in Those Saints, a song on the Trouble in the Land album, released in 2000. 2000 also saw the release of the bands first compilation album to mark their tenth anniversary, Ten Bloody Years, and the departure of Byrne who amicably left the band to concentrate on his solo project, Seanchai and the Unity Squad.
Post Byrne
Black 47 went on an unofficial recording hiatus, although they maintained their live performances, influenced as much by the events of 9/11 as the departure of Byrne. The release of New York Town in 2004 reflected the city before and after the attacks, where a number of Black 47 fans, such as FDNYNew York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...
chaplain Mychal Judge, honoured in the song Mychal, were casualties. Post-9/11 Black 47 had started to play regularly at Connolly's Pub in midtown Manhattan, playing shows Kirwan described as intense in order to allow fans who had lost loved ones an outlet for their emotions, and this was channelled into making the album. New York Town was a critical success, drawing parallels to Joyce's
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
Dubliners
Dubliners
Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They were meant to be a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century....
due to it being a series of short, unrelated stories centered around New York City, and Kirwan was praised for painting a picture of the everyday life of New Yorkers, although the appearance of guest singers such as David Johansen
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
of the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
and Christine Ohlman
Christine Ohlman
Christine Ohlman is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, recording artist, music scholar. Her nickname "The Beehive Queen" refers to her distinctive platinum beehive...
was noted for highlighting the weakness in Kirwan's own voice.
Following the release of Elvis Murphys Green Suede Shoes, a companion to Kirwan's memoir, Green Suede Shoes - An Irish-American Odyssey in 2005, the band released a second greatest hits album, Bittersweet Sixteen in 2006 to celebrate sixteen years. Elvis Murphy was generally well received, as despite the lyrics at times having literary 'problems' it was considered challenging yet enjoyable and for making "real emotional sense" and touching both the heart and soul. Bittersweet Sixteen was praised for being both a great introduction to the band and a treasure for seasoned fans, containing rare tracks such as the original version of Funky Céilí.
Prior to the invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
in 2003, the band became outspoken critics of the potential war, speaking out regularly at gigs When the invasion was announced they were playing live, and due to the political mix the band attracted some fans begun to scuffle and walk out in response to the left-leaning lyrics of the anti-war songs. They released a collection of such songs in 2008 on an album simply titled Iraq, and the band were considered to be one of the few bands with a pedigree in political music to undertake such a task. Inspiration for the lyrics came from Kirwan's communication with fans serving on the front line, as a significant demographic of the fanbase is young men who enlist to fund their futures. Kirwan called the album a response to the war being forgotten about, as stories moved away from the front pages, drawing similarities in the way violence in the North of Ireland became 'acceptable'.
The band returned to drawing from a wider ranger of subjects with their 2010 album Bankers and Gangsters. It was noted that this album, unsurprisingly, was less political than it's predecessor, and was also criticised for returning to the safe haven and not bringing anything new to the bands discography. However the album was generally well received, with praise going to the high standard of Kirwan's storytelling ability so far in to the band's lifetime as well as the "rollicking spirit" of the bands. Kirwan relates his noted ability and passion in biographical songs such as Bobby Sands to his time spent as a playwright, likening his performance singing them to method acting. The album has also been considered one of the band's best, referencing the "sharp social commentary and genre-bending sounds."
Politics
A 1993 Time magazineTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
article on Irish rock in America said it was "the proletariat passion of Black 47's songs that make the group stand out."
Irish Republicanism
In an early interview Kirwan spoke of the British "attempt at racial cleansing" and exploitation in Ireland, and many of the band's songs directly relate to Irish republicanism, such as James Connolly, Bobby Sands and Vinegar Hill. The presence of this content has at times bought criticism on the band from listeners who are politically neutral to the situation, as well as restricting their promotion in the UK. Speaking of the period that inspired the band name, Kirwan said, "I'm not one of those people who believe the British did [the famine] on purpose... But what they did do was they allowed millions of people to starve and leave the land because they didn't want to change the particular economic system they had at the time."In 2000 Byrne sued the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
after they used one of his songs, Fenians without his permission as a soundtrack to alleged gun running by members of the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
in a documentary. Byrne stated that the British military machine was controlling Northern Ireland, and was insulted that his music was being used as pro-British propaganda.
Iraq War
On top of the Iraq album, Kirwan noted that the war was one which "the working class is fighting". He also stated that politicians wasted an opportunity to change the world for the better, placing most blame on the shoulders of then-president BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Kirwan argued that had there been a Churchill-esq
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
leader then America would have taken the opportunity to rid themselves of dependence on foreign oil, and change the way America communicated with the rest of the world. He also criticised Bush for using the memory of the victims of 9/11 to justify war as the biggest tragedy that came out of the event.
Piracy
Kirwan actively encourages the videotaping, recording and photography of Black 47's live shows, citing the fact that no two shows are the same and it's good to have a record of it. The band's official website has also encouraged soldiers posted in the Middle East to pass around bootlegged copies of albums.Influence
Although the band has been criticised due to the fact most members only have a tenuous link to Ireland, Black 47 are recognised as "the premier Irish-American rock group" who created an environment where bands such as Dropkick MurphysDropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
and Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
have been able to flourish.
Discography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Home of the Brave/Live in London | |
| 1991 | Black 47 | |
| 1992 | Black 47 | EP |
| 1993 | Fire of Freedom | |
| 1994 | Home of the Brave | |
| 1996 | Green Suede Shoes | |
| 1999 | Live in New York City | |
| 2000 | Ten Bloody Years of Black 47 | |
| 2000 | Trouble in the Land | A 2010 poll by IrishCentral.com voted this the best Irish American album of the previous decade, from a shortlist of five. |
| 2001 | On Fire | Live |
| 2004 | New York Town | |
| 2005 | Elvis Murphys' Green Suede Shoes | |
| 2006 | Bittersweet Sixteen | Popular songs & rarities collection |
| 2008 | Iraq | |
| 2010 | Bankers and Gangsters | |
| 2011 | A Funky Ceili |
Band members
- Geoffrey Blythe : tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in...
, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed... - Joe Burcaw : bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Thomas Hamlin : drums, percussion
- Larry KirwanLarry KirwanLarry Kirwan is an expatriate Irish writer and musician, most noted as the lead singer for the New York based Irish rock band, Black 47....
: lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Joseph Mulvanerty : uilleann pipesUilleann pipesThe uilleann pipes or //; ) are the characteristic national bagpipe of Ireland, their current name, earlier known in English as "union pipes", is a part translation of the Irish-language term píobaí uilleann , from their method of inflation.The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, bodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side... - Fred Parcells : tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, tin whistleTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
Early members
- Chris ByrneChris ByrneChris Byrne co-founded the band Black 47 with Larry Kirwan in 1989. Before and for some years after forming the band, Byrne was a New York City Police officer. While still with the band, he created a side project - the "celtic hip-hop" band Seanchai & the Unity Squad. "Seanchai" is Byrne's hip-hop...
: uilleann pipes, tin whistle, bodhrán and vocals (1989–2000) - David Conrad : bass (1991–1993)
- Kevin Jenkins : bass (1993–1995)
- Andrew Goodsight: bass (1995–2006)