Haborlite Music: Local Musicians
Inverclyde has always had many talented musicians. Here are some of the current acts,
Graham Deatcher / ARTOS / The Alison McNeill Ceilidh Band / Joe McMahon / Iain Morrison
The Coy Dogs / Davy Nicol / The Wherries / The Lazarenkos
Graham Deatcher
Singer songwriter Graham has supported many artists including Nanci Griffith, Rodney Crowell and Gretchen Peters. He describes his music as, “negotiations and love songs” with very much the Americana story telling influence.
His two critically acclaimed albums Country Moon and After The Rain paved the way for him to play at the world famous Bluebird Café in Nashville Tennessee. He has been to Nashville twice and hopes to return later on this year with new material.
He can count as fans Graham Lyle who described his music as, ”quality“ and also James Taylor’s piano player Clifford Carter who described his music as” enjoyable”. One local journalist Lorraine Tinney described Graham’s music as, ”a breath of fresh air”.
Graham is also a sought after acoustic guitar player and he can include Radio Clyde, Your Radio and Scot FM as well as work for singer songwriters Carly Somerville, James Stanley and Pat Cane on his credentials. He can also be found composing music for weddings and other events.
Recently he has been asked to compose material for an Asian/Celtic event which is happening in Glasgow in July
He describes his influences as James Taylor, Christopher Cross and also Dan Fogelberg who he describes as” such a tragic loss at only 56 however the legacy of Dan Fogelberg will go on forever".
Graham thanks producer /engineer Dave Currie for all his hard work over the last eight years and may it all continue “in the cold light of the next morning “.
ARTOS
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New, up and coming band ARTOS are rising quickly in the music scene receiving great reviews from venues they have played including Gourock Yacht Club and the Buskers' Fayre Greenock.
Lead singer Fiona McNeill from Gourock, plays guitar and mandolin and has had solo gigs in Hillhead Library and the Mitchell Theatre Glasgow and was supporting act to The Wherries' recent gig in Gourock. Fiona also appeared on Asian television with her sister Alison McNeill in a multi cultural event held in Glasgow. |
The Alison McNeill Ceilidh Band
The Alison McNeill Ceilidh Band has played in venues up and down the country and incorporates
Recent appearances by the Band include the opening of The Myths and Legends Festival Finale in Greenock and The Lewis and Harris Gathering in Glasgow. |
Alison McNeill - Fiddle, Carolyn Fowler - Piano, Fiona McNeill - guitar and mandolin, Scott McLean - drums |
Joe McMahon
Joe returned to his native Scotland (after a few months working in Germany) in July 2006. He is currently in Aberdeen during the week and returning to Gourock at the weekends. You will most likely catch him playing at The Office (7 Crown Street, Aberdeen), where he sometimes hosts the Tuesday night Open Mic session. He will also be playing at a few other Aberdeen venues in the near future.
"A Day To Remember" is his debut album, although he has contributed various tracks to a number of compilation CD's over the years.
He was co-founder of The Inverclyde Songwriters (with John McCloskey) and was also involved with The Glasgow Songwriters for a long spell, many moons passed.
Iain Morrison
Hebridean born singer / songwriter / piper Iain Morrison has a refreshing, idiosyncratic approach to music. With an ear for melody and a heart for pushing the boundaries Iain takes his traditional island upbringing and makes it his own, culminating in the release of his acclaimed debut album 'Empty Beer Bottles & Peatfire Smoke'.
'His softly - sung narratives have a deceptive potency and his ability to spin songs and tunes together added to an atmosphere captured perfectly by his album title, empty beer bottles and peatfire smoke - turning the venue into an Island Bothy. While names such as Nick Drake have been used to describe the hushed singing style on Empty Beer Bottles, there's also something of the canntaireachd in Morrisons delivery'..... 'the Herald'
'It's all thoughtful, enjoyable and oddly affecting'....'froots magazine’ |
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The Coy Dogs
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An amazing 4 piece band who have been together for 10 years playing twice a week all over Scotland. With their excellent 50's rock'n'roll / rockabilly they take their influences from the likes of Brian Setzer, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Stray Cats, The Nashvillians ,Carl Perkins, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Gene Vincent, Chuck Berry, The Jets, Shakin Pyramids, Lonnie Donegan, Bo Diddley, Eddie Cochrane and many more. Check out the What's On guide to find out where you can hear some great Rock N Roll. |
Davy Nicol
Davy is currently busy working on a new CD.
Performing mainly Acoustic Gigs Davy plays Guitar, Mandolin and Harmonica and is also a member of The Lazarenkos. Over the years he has performed all over the UK, US, and Germany.
As well as performing his own material, he has on occasion throw some choice covers into the mix. Davy has a wide range of musical tastes and takes inspiration from, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Richard Thompson, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Nanci Griffith, Iris Dement etc |
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The Wherries
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The Wherries play traditional Scottish folk music in an informal and off-beat style that appeals to audiences of all ages, and have performed regularly throughout Scotland, mainland Europe and the USA. The Wherries unique blend of popular Scottish and Irish 'sing along' traditional Celtic folk music, Clydeside humour and abundant audience participation has won them friends and fans wherever they have performed. From venues as diverse as The Usher Hall in Edinburgh to a Scout hut in Kemnay, and from Singapore to Texas, the warmth |
and intimacy of a 'Wherries' concert will raise your spirits to a new level and leave you with fond memories for years to come. An evening with The Wherries is something not to be missed.The band name is a reflection of the flat-bottomed gaff-rigged river boats known as 'Wherries' that plied the River Clyde between the 16th and 18th centuries before the current deep-water channel to Glasgow was dredged. As an alternative to the stagecoach, these vessels journeyed between Greenock and Glasgow and carried a mixed compliment of passengers, cargo and livestock. The captain and his two mates would entertain the company by singing songs, telling tall tales and occasionally leaping off the boat as it ran aground on one of the numerous sandbanks on the river. Often, passengers would be required to assist in pushing the boat off the sandbanks. It is recorded that a great assistance in undertaking such a journey was to have a drop or two of whisky. After much merriment, some even managed to finish the journey.
The Lazarenkos
The Lazarenkos have been part of the Scottish pop/rock scene for some time always attracting a regular following wherever they perform, converting new fans with their energetic and melodic sound. Its members have played under various guises and with other bands in the past.
The band had originally been called Powderfinger, but due to an Australian rock band adopting the same name they decided on changing the name to The Lazarenkos.
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Recent performances include appearances alongside Robbie McIntosh, chart-topping star Gordon Haskell, Americana band Nadine, Thea Gilmore and American singer/songwriter Tom Russell. The Lazarenkos helped to persuade Gordon Haskell and Robbie McIntosh to perform a one-off gig in Greenock.
The band have also provided the musical entertainment on comedy nights featuring T.V. comedians such as Phil Jupitus and Fred MacAuley, where they were noted in the Glasgow Herald as providing music in an "authentic country-rockaboogie vein".
The bands original songs are influenced by artists such as Woody Guthrie, Neil Young, Steve Earle and 60's band The Byrds.
If you fall for strong lyrics, sweet vocal harmonies and energetic toe-tapping tunes you will not be disappointed with The Lazarenkos