Rock - what are you listening to?

[cybot]

Johnny Fean used to play in my local about once a month until about six
months ago with local musicians from Shannon.They would play mainly old blues numbers
with sets going on for three to four hours.Great nights they were and Johnny can sure play guitar.
This was all for free!!

Lucky sod :) I'm not surprised Johnny can play guitar. I always loved his tone. In fact, his guitar playing on the abysmal sounding live album, saves the day for me every time! His guitar, thankfully, gets a prominent mix. Wonder why :)

[fergus]

That's a neat idea! How low did you have to go? Don't worry, for once it's not a joke!

Do you mean how long did it take me to learn the pieces? It is so long ago now that I honestly could not tell you exactly but it never took long at all.

[fergus]

Johnny Fean used to play in my local about once a month until about six
months ago with local musicians from Shannon.They would play mainly old blues numbers
with sets going on for three to four hours.Great nights they were and Johnny can sure play guitar.
This was all for free!!

I was a great admirer of Johnny Fean as a guitarist; not only for his sound but his technique was excellent as well. What I liked about him as well was the fact that he just stood there and belted it out with none of the drama or stage dancing that was common around then.

[Jared]

Nice one Jared :) Was it yourself who did the review? I loved the review because it was exactly something I'd say myself! The only reason I found it hilarious was because of the extreme left field nature of the music. If anyone here, just to take an example, bought the album on the strength of the review, they would be aghast at the totally unmusical aspects of the album :)

It wasn't Dermot... back in the day, I used to Collab for the Heavy Prog, Crossover and Neo Prog Teams... RIO (Rock In Opposition)/ Avant Garde was never quite my bag, but I hoped you'd find the link interesting. Their debut, Legend (Pronounced 'Leg End' .. sock ... get it?) tended to be their most critically acclaimed. Anyway, if you like that kind of thing, this magnificent site (by far and away the best of it's type on the web) will take you to a whole raft of similarly obscure music to explore... :-)

[Gerry D]

Dug this out last night Double vinyl album. Super couple of hours.

[Jared]

LOL I bet he can spell better than you too duh ;))

Well, over the next week, we plan to have a look at a few of the pictures together, so you'll be most welcome.. :-)

[jadarin]

Johnny Fean and the house shakas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZH4i4EbHlo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ax0bGzkA2o

Guitar Legend plays Monday Blues at Shannon Knights

I heard on the grapevine that Horslips guitar legend Johnny Fean has a regular gig in Shannon and and although Monday night in Clare might not seem the most likely time and place for a lively blues gig, we enjoyed a terrific night at the Rineanna Bar at ShannonKnights with a six piece! band no less. Fronted by Stoney Walls on vocals and sax and featuring ex Horslips guitarist Fean .
The engine of the band are bass player Mike Quinn and drummer, Darragh O Connor who sustain the driving rhythms throughout the course of the set. Johnny is supported by Limerick based guitarist Dave Keary already mentioned on these pages and a youthful Cathal Jones adds keyboard skills and occasional vocals to the mix.

  The Rineanna Bar has a pleasant clubby sort of decor with dark wood panelling ands leather seats. The flocked wallpaper lends a retro tone which chimes nicely with the music vibe The lighting is restfully subdued and there is a sense of many old friends meeting and greeting after some time. The audience are mostly mid forties to fifties and there for the gig which I believe has been running with this line up for six months or so on first Monday of the month at this venue.

The set, mixing old blues standards with Van Morrison and sixties rock hits incorporates each instrumentalist in generous solo interludes . There is an homage to the late Gary Moore and I am struck by what a good decade the 70s were for Irish guitar players. What makes the gig so enjoyable is the obvious pleasure each band member takes in the the music making, Fean himself seems to be transported during his solo turns and there is an easy rapport with the audience, several of whom are greeted from the stage

Although it is early in the year yet, I suspect that this evening will be a strong contender for my Musical Highlights of 2011.


You can see Johnny and the House Shakers Blues Band on the first Monday of the month at Shannon Knights .

[jadarin]

[cybot]

That's a neat idea! How low did you have to go? Don't worry, for once it's not a joke!

Do you mean how long did it take me to learn the pieces? It is so long ago now that I honestly could not tell you exactly but it never took long at all.

Sorry Fergus I meant is there much of a difference between the two pitches/keys?

[cybot]

Nice one Jared :) Was it yourself who did the review? I loved the review because it was exactly something I'd say myself! The only reason I found it hilarious was because of the extreme left field nature of the music. If anyone here, just to take an example, bought the album on the strength of the review, they would be aghast at the totally unmusical aspects of the album :)

It wasn't Dermot... back in the day, I used to Collab for the Heavy Prog, Crossover and Neo Prog Teams... RIO (Rock In Opposition)/ Avant Garde was never quite my bag, but I hoped you'd find the link interesting. Their debut, Legend (Pronounced 'Leg End' .. sock ... get it?) tended to be their most critically acclaimed. Anyway, if you like that kind of thing, this magnificent site (by far and away the best of it's type on the web) will take you to a whole raft of similarly obscure music to explore... :-)

It's a mad site alright Jared :) The review of In Praise Of Learning actually came from there! My wife was aghast when she heard the Lp. She pronounced it the worst she'd ever heard ;) Leg End is supposed to be their most accessable. I shy away from any hint of commercialism but I still love most kinds of music, commercial or otherwise....