Posted on 07/31/2016 10:50:19 AM PDT by SamAdams76
Celtic Crush is the only Celtic rock and traditional radio show broadcast throughout all of North America. It can be heard every Saturday morning and Tuesday night on Sirius XM Satellite Radi
“It really makes a difference,” says its host, Larry Kirwan, leader of Black 47, “when you know you can be heard from Arizona up to the Canadian Arctic Circle or from Florida to Alaska. Even on the big New York AM channels you can rarely be heard fifty miles from the city.”
But then Celtic Crush is a unique show no matter what way you look at it. A mixture of music and talk that sometimes harkens back to the glory days of FM radio but presented in a fast-paced and modern manner.
“Back in Ireland I grew up listening to John Peel on BBC Radio but I also loved the energy and excitement of the DJs on pirate radio. Then when I came to New York everyone listened to WNEW-FM and I came under the influence of people like Vin Scelsa, Alison Steele, Jonathan Schwartz and Meg Griffin. Yet by the time I came to do my own show I knew that the world had changed, if you want to mix different types of music and do so in an informed manner, then you better really grab and hold the attention of your audience. Howard Stern is down the corridor ready to pick up anyone you’re putting to sleep.”
Celtic Crush pushes the envelope and delivers a vast array of music in the course of a three-hour show. As Kirwan promises at the beginning of each show you will hear “a selection of the old, the very old, the new and the very new in music from the 8 Celtic nations and their related cultures.”'
“Celtic music is now so broad based that it’s almost dizzying. It has infiltrated the whole rock genre, while traditional musicians are now collaborating with musicians of many other cultures. The trick is – how to combine all of these explorations in an organic manner. I’ve found that you need two elements, great songs and a style of delivery that, while informative, always tells a story.”
“I begin work on Saturday’s show early in the week, plotting out thirteen or fourteen sets of three songs each, taking care to repeat no more than one or two songs from the previous week’s show, and with special emphasis on the first set. The monologue that precedes that first set will set a theme for the show that must capture the attention of the listeners. I rarely use notes, in that way there’s always an element of danger, indeed some of the best pieces come when improvising. There’s nothing quite like the fear of falling on your face in front of a large audience to keep you focused.”
How does he choose the songs? On a recent show I heard music ranging from the great Sean O’Riada to new Dublin songwriter, The Mighty Stef; from The Furey Brothers to Afro-Celt Sound System; from Shaz Oye, a Nigerian-Irish chanteuse to The Pogues and Flogging Molly.
“I choose them by the song – not the singer. People who subscribe to SiriusXM are radio heads and they have a vast array of choices – over 150 channels of every type of music and talk – so you have to be able to hold your audience. Your show is only as strong as your weakest song and each one has to be a stand out. I don’t care if it’s old or new, in fashion or out of fashion, a great song always shines through. And when you’re playing 40 of them in the course of a show then you had better make sure that they’re all top shelf.
A Celtic Crush listener may have their favorite genre, say the Celtic Punk of the Dropkick Murphys, or a more jazzy lyrical Van Morrison style, or a Paddy Reilly ballad, or modern trad Irish like Lunasa. I have to make sure that the song I choose will be the best in its class so that someone who doesn’t care for that genre will know they’re sampling the cream of the crop while waiting for their own favorites.”
How does he get the Dubliners from the 60’s to mix with a very modern band like Swell Season?
"That’s simple,” Kirwan laughs. “Both Luke Kelly and Glen Hansard have red hair! But seriously, both are telling stories, and being a musician I can hear the songs in my head and chose ones that will mix either tonally or lyrically. The rest is done through the magic of the segue, perhaps a long cross-fade. And if you can get a couple of seconds of beautiful dissonance before the new song succeeds the old one, then all the better.”
Where does he come up with the various facts and information that spice his voice breaks? “Well, I’ve been around. Through Black 47 I personally know many of the bands I feature or else have seen them perform. I occasionally check a website to corroborate information but for the most part, once I plan out the sequence of songs early in the week, I’m thinking of them on some level. Then when I’m in front of the microphone I can improvise and verbally jam with some of those ideas.”
I always enjoy Kirwan’s interviews. They seem very relaxed but get to the core of the artist even when dealing with difficult subjects like Sinead O’Connor.
“Well, I’ve given so many interviews myself with Black 47. I know the last thing some stressed out singer on tour needs is another series of banal and generic questions. You’ve got to make it interesting for the artist. I keep the focus on the music. That’s the most important element for any serious artist. It’s a relief for them to deal with someone who knows what they’ve gone through. And they love to talk about their songs, and their craft and, frankly, that’s what my very informed audience wants to hear about.”
Who are his favorite interviewees?
“Friends like Dave King and Bridget Reagan of Flogging Molly or Rosanne Cash are always great as we just let our hair down and have a chat that can go really deep at times, dealing with fears and failures along with joys and triumphs. Richard Thompson was my first interview and, after he relaxed, he spoke very movingly about the late Sandy Denny, one of my favorite artists. But perhaps, Ray Davies of the Kinks was the standout.”
What makes The Kinks Celtic?
“Well, Davies is a Welsh name but Ray considers himself very Celtic. He lives part of the year in Cork. And besides he’s one of the great storytellers in rock – a real seanchai. He was utterly charming but in a sincere manner, had total recall of his experiences. He’s also one of my songwriting heroes. He talked at length about the Kinks’ classic, Waterloo Sunset. He remembered every detail of its writing and recording and was thrilled to talk about it – that may have been the first time that he’d ever really expounded on the matter. It was like listening to an un-mined nugget of rock history. The response from the listeners bore that out.”
Does Kirwan respond to every email? He did within hours to mine when requesting this interview. “It’s an important part of the show – that interaction between host and audience. I give out my email address a couple of times during each show – blk47@aol.com. People love to make suggestions and even send CDs and mp3s of their favorite songs. I listen to them all and occasionally play one. It’s great to find a powerful song from an unknown band or artist and give them an outlet.”
So what’s next for Celtic Crush?
“Well, I have interviews scheduled with Horslips and Paul Brady. I see The Frames are coming to town, so may get Glen Hansard back up the studios. But it’s Monday morning and I have Saturday’s show to prepare. I always try to introduce a couple of great new songs every week and then mix them in with selections from a database of around 1000 songs. Then find some interesting and, hopefully, thoughtful subjects to weave in amongst the music. I often look at it the way the old bards must have – you’re going into the noble’s house to entertain with a mixture of song and story. You’re singing for your supper – you better get it right.”
It's a bit of an acquired taste but the music on this show is absolutely phenomenal. Very much worth checking out.
I do not necessarily subscribe to the political views of Larry Kirwan and his band Black 47 but fortunately he does not push politics on his show. Just great music. Celtic influence music, with lots of bagpipes!
Nothing but love for Celtic Crush... :^)
Celtic Crush is a radio show that airs each Sunday from 9am-noon. Hosted by Black 47’s Larry Kirwan. Sirius XM Channel 30 - The Loft
Bkmk
Same here. I’ve built a playlist of about 300 songs culled directly from Celtic Crush. Just phenomenal selection of music from the “8 Celtic Nations.”
Great show. I also like WFUV the Fordham University station available on line. On Sunday mornings they play two Celtic shows “The Thistle and Shamrock” from Scotland and “A Thousand Welcomes”.
I’ve listened to this on Saturday mornings sometimes. My 19-year-old son really likes it.
would love to see that list
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.