Shooglenifty - Celtic Connections 2012

It's quite hard for me to write, or indeed watch shooglenifty these days. Let me explain...Shooglenifty were a massive part of my adolescence, I was highly influenced by their music and being in the maelstrom of 'Acid Croft' attending their gigs was monumental. It seemed that up in the Highlands we finally had a scene on the go that we could properly get into and call our own. Acid Croft was a big deal to me and my peers it's one of the reasons I ended up becoming a musician. The band were completely original, the sound was fresh, edgy and f•cking great to dance to. Not only did the band posses two of the greatest tune writers / players going in Angus R Grant and Iain McLeod, they also had one of the most innovative rhythm sections to ever come out of Scotland. James Macintosh with his crazy hybrid percussion / drum styles was a revelation. No one had played drums like he did back then - and after a period of other people emulating him - no one has since. Conrad Ivitsky on bass posed a unique sound, that fat musicman stingray on which he played these crazy unison octave chords, mighty, not to mention that beat up stick bass he rocked. It's also fair to say I borrowed quite heavily from his hip swinging technique in my own attempt at stage craft. Malcolm Crosbie on guitar had some great tricks, drumsticks, effects and slide all mainly on the acoustic with a single coil jammed in the sound hole. And then the cherry on top Gary Finlayson, I have no hesitation in saying that this man started my obsession with effects and sound processing. Some of the sounds that he created with that Banjax - an electric banjo which was totally steam punk - were simply mind bending and when the band was cooking by diesel the pads and leads he produced lifted the whole thing into this crazed, frenetic, techno diddle. Totally obscure, original and rocking. The gigs I went to were always massive craic regardless of crowd numbers, we had a total riot and danced like total belters, the groove was hot, the tunes roaring and the stage presence up there with the greatest of rock stars. The band had charisma in spades and a f•ck you we'll do what we f•cking want, punk attitude that elevated the whole thing to legendary status. There is nothing that compares to a rural village hall in Highlands totally thumping to 'She's in the Attic' or 'Waiting for Conrad'.So if I love this band so much why do I find it difficult to go and see them now? Well it's just not same as it was back then, it's childish to think that it would be. The band is still great and put on a magic show but the memories I have of back in the day are pretty hard to trump. Angus still makes me shout out loud, his stage craft is simply brilliant. He always makes me think of Captain Beefheart and his confidence, bravado and skill will always be a pleasure to witness. Crosbie still has that punk brooding in the background thing going on and Finlayson still creates amazing sounds, although his banjax is a little more conventional looking than the one I remember. As for James MacIntosh he still pins it down with impecable technique and attitude. However all this conjecture is pointless, I'm not doing this band down they still write amazing tunes, pump out great albums and push the whole folk fusion thing forward. It's a bit like the Red hot chilli Peppers - John Frusciante - thing, or the Led Zepplin - John Bonham thing. The band had a chemistry back than that just clicked, that magic mix of personalities that makes a band legendary is impossible to fake, replicate or sustain. This is a truth of making music and although bands can become great, it's one of life's great mysteries as to why greatness is almost never sustainable.Go listen to shoogles and support them they are a lynchpin of Scottish music, still making folk dance and an all time great.http://www.shoogle.com