Peatbog Faeries
Encyclopedia
The Peatbog Faeries are a largely instrumental
Celtic fusion
band. Formed in 1991, they are based in Dunvegan
on the Isle of Skye, Scotland
.
Their music embodies many styles and influences, including folk, electronica, rock and jazz, - but their main influence is traditional celtic music. The band's unique sound is created through a mix of programmed effects and traditional celtic arrangements, played on bagpipes, fiddles, and whistles.
in 1996 on Greentrax Recordings
. Two years later they signed to a New York label and recorded their second album, Faerie Stories
. Due to problems at the record company the CD was not released for a further two years. The album featured a more experimental blend of club/dance music and funk combined with celtic music, receiving positive reviews from those who noticed it.
For their third album the band set up their own label, Peatbog Records. On the label, they released Welcome to Dun Vegas
in 2003. The album introduced a small amount of vocals. In 2005, they released Croftwork
, which saw the first appearance of brass instruments on an album. These have been a regular feature of the band's albums and live performances ever since.
The band toured in 2008, recording a serious of gigs and subsequently released their first live album, Live
, made up of two of these performances.
The band's seventh studio album, Dust, was announced on the band's website in Spring 2011.
, and like the genre, the band are often seen as very experimental musicians. Their debut album, Mellowosity
, is often seen as a quieter, more alternative rock
album with the usual celtic vibes. It is believed that Pink Floyd
were a cited influence. By much surprise, the band's 2001 Faerie Stories
offered a completely different style of celtic fusion. Trance music
became the main theme of the album, as well as electronic dance music
and even reggae
at times.
The band's third album, Welcome to Dun Vegas
, was a lot less celtic at times, with bagpipes absent in a few of the songs, and the overall genre was alternative rock
, returning to that of Mellowosity. The opening track ("Wacko King Hako"), however, seems to be a mix of both alternative rock and dance music, both of whom the band previously used. The band used a brand new type of celtic fusion for Croftwork
. The new vibe matched reggae, electronic dance music, alternative rock, but most importantly brass roots, with saxophone
s appearing in many of its songs. What Men Deserve to Lose
appeared to be quite similar to Croftwork, with the brass roots returning, but with more alternative rock
audible towards the end of the album.
Previews of Dust have hinted that it is more ambient than previous work, but with the original roots returning.
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
Celtic fusion
Celtic Fusion
Celtic fusion is an umbrella term for modern music which incorporates influences considered "Celtic," or Celtic music which incorporates modern music. It is a syncretic musical tradition which borrows freely from the perceived "Celtic" musical traditions of all the Celtic nations, as well as from...
band. Formed in 1991, they are based in Dunvegan
Dunvegan
Dunvegan is a town on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is famous for Dunvegan Castle, seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod...
on the Isle of Skye, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Their music embodies many styles and influences, including folk, electronica, rock and jazz, - but their main influence is traditional celtic music. The band's unique sound is created through a mix of programmed effects and traditional celtic arrangements, played on bagpipes, fiddles, and whistles.
History
The Peatbog Faeries formed in 1991. They recorded and released their debut album MellowosityMellowosity
Mellowosity is the debut recording by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, released in 1996 on Greentrax Recordings.-Background and release:This was the Peatbog Faeries' debut album, and was released in December 1996 on Greentrax Recordings....
in 1996 on Greentrax Recordings
Greentrax Recordings
Greentrax Recordings are a Scottish record label for Celtic and celtic fusion bands.- History :Greentrax Recordings is an Edinburgh-based record label specialising in Scottish traditional music. They were founded in 1986 by former police inspector Ian Green. In 2001 he acquired the license to...
. Two years later they signed to a New York label and recorded their second album, Faerie Stories
Faerie Stories
Faerie Stories is the second album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, released in 2001 on Greentrax Recordings. The album was reissued in 2008 as a digipack.-Background:...
. Due to problems at the record company the CD was not released for a further two years. The album featured a more experimental blend of club/dance music and funk combined with celtic music, receiving positive reviews from those who noticed it.
For their third album the band set up their own label, Peatbog Records. On the label, they released Welcome to Dun Vegas
Welcome to Dun Vegas
Welcome To Dun Vegas is the third album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in a cottage on the banks of Pool Roag, near Dunvegan, on the Isle of Skye, and released in 2003 on the band's own Peatbog Records label...
in 2003. The album introduced a small amount of vocals. In 2005, they released Croftwork
Croftwork
Croftwork is the fourth album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in Roag on the Isle of Skye, and released in 2005 on the band's own Peatbog Records label....
, which saw the first appearance of brass instruments on an album. These have been a regular feature of the band's albums and live performances ever since.
The band toured in 2008, recording a serious of gigs and subsequently released their first live album, Live
Live (Peatbog Faeries album)
Live is the first live album by Scottish celtic fusion band Peatbog Faeries, released in 2009 by Peatbog Records. It is a compilation album of live tracks from two of the band's concerts in their 2008 tour, and is the band's first album to have been released in a digipak.-Track listing:#"The...
, made up of two of these performances.
The band's seventh studio album, Dust, was announced on the band's website in Spring 2011.
Music
The band's genre is celtic fusionCeltic Fusion
Celtic fusion is an umbrella term for modern music which incorporates influences considered "Celtic," or Celtic music which incorporates modern music. It is a syncretic musical tradition which borrows freely from the perceived "Celtic" musical traditions of all the Celtic nations, as well as from...
, and like the genre, the band are often seen as very experimental musicians. Their debut album, Mellowosity
Mellowosity
Mellowosity is the debut recording by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, released in 1996 on Greentrax Recordings.-Background and release:This was the Peatbog Faeries' debut album, and was released in December 1996 on Greentrax Recordings....
, is often seen as a quieter, more alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
album with the usual celtic vibes. It is believed that Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
were a cited influence. By much surprise, the band's 2001 Faerie Stories
Faerie Stories
Faerie Stories is the second album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, released in 2001 on Greentrax Recordings. The album was reissued in 2008 as a digipack.-Background:...
offered a completely different style of celtic fusion. Trance music
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
became the main theme of the album, as well as electronic dance music
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
and even 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...
at times.
The band's third album, Welcome to Dun Vegas
Welcome to Dun Vegas
Welcome To Dun Vegas is the third album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in a cottage on the banks of Pool Roag, near Dunvegan, on the Isle of Skye, and released in 2003 on the band's own Peatbog Records label...
, was a lot less celtic at times, with bagpipes absent in a few of the songs, and the overall genre was alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, returning to that of Mellowosity. The opening track ("Wacko King Hako"), however, seems to be a mix of both alternative rock and dance music, both of whom the band previously used. The band used a brand new type of celtic fusion for Croftwork
Croftwork
Croftwork is the fourth album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in Roag on the Isle of Skye, and released in 2005 on the band's own Peatbog Records label....
. The new vibe matched reggae, electronic dance music, alternative rock, but most importantly brass roots, with saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s appearing in many of its songs. What Men Deserve to Lose
What Men Deserve to Lose
What Men Deserve To Lose is the fifth album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in Roag on the Isle of Skye, and was released on 16 July 2007, though the album had been sold at festivals, and from the band's website, since 22 June....
appeared to be quite similar to Croftwork, with the brass roots returning, but with more alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
audible towards the end of the album.
Previews of Dust have hinted that it is more ambient than previous work, but with the original roots returning.
Current line-up
- Peter Morrison – pipes; whistles
- Peter Tickell – fiddles
- Tom Salter – guitars
- Graeme Stafford – keyboards
- Innes Hutton – bass; percussion
- Stu Haikney – drums
- The Wayward Boys – brass
Studio albums
- MellowosityMellowosityMellowosity is the debut recording by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, released in 1996 on Greentrax Recordings.-Background and release:This was the Peatbog Faeries' debut album, and was released in December 1996 on Greentrax Recordings....
(1996) - Faerie StoriesFaerie StoriesFaerie Stories is the second album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, released in 2001 on Greentrax Recordings. The album was reissued in 2008 as a digipack.-Background:...
(2000) - Welcome to Dun VegasWelcome to Dun VegasWelcome To Dun Vegas is the third album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in a cottage on the banks of Pool Roag, near Dunvegan, on the Isle of Skye, and released in 2003 on the band's own Peatbog Records label...
(2003) - CroftworkCroftworkCroftwork is the fourth album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in Roag on the Isle of Skye, and released in 2005 on the band's own Peatbog Records label....
(2005) - What Men Deserve to LoseWhat Men Deserve to LoseWhat Men Deserve To Lose is the fifth album by Scottish Celtic fusion group Peatbog Faeries, recorded in Roag on the Isle of Skye, and was released on 16 July 2007, though the album had been sold at festivals, and from the band's website, since 22 June....
(2007) - DustDust (Peatbog Faeries album)Dust is the sixth studio album by the Scottish celtic fusion band Peatbog Faeries, released on August 8, 2011 on Peatbog Records. Pre-release copies were released July 20, 2011 on the band's online shop.-History:...
(2011)