Hail the chiefs
Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains talks exclusively to SHELLEY MARSDEN about the band's thrilling new cross-cultural musical project… - 15/12/09
Legendary Irish group The Chieftains have been ambitious ambassadors for Irish music for the last four decades. With a host of albums under their communal belt including six Grammy winners, nobody has done more for bringing Celtic music – at its most adventurous and all-embracing – to a worldwide audience.
This groundbreaking spirit continues apace with the album San Patricios, due for release in March of next year; a musical celebration that links the music of Ireland with Mexico and the southern United States, exploring a lesser-known and oft misunderstood period of American-Mexican history.
Before then, The Chieftains with some special guests will be performing songs from the album at a one-off gig in January at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival. The album welcomes back a friend of old, guitarist Ry Cooder, who confesses a lifelong curiosity and passion for Mexican history and music.
He played with The Chieftains on 1986’s Santiago, and has continued to work with Paddy Moloney, 71, on projects such as classic album Bop Till You Drop and film soundtracks like Paris, Texas. Also appearing on the album are Mexican five-piece Los Cenzontles and other contributors, including Liam Neeson and Linda Ronstadt.
During the Mexican-American War of 1846-48, Captain John Reilly and a small battalion of mostly Irish soldiers (who had fled a famine-ridden Ireland) abandoned their posts in the US and followed their conscience and hearts to fight side-by-side with the Mexican army; for some, it would cost them their lives. These men were known as the San Patricios.
These lost trails of history, with their searing episodes of oppression, courage and great solidarity, as well as the musical language that developed between two nationalities when they were away from the battlefields, had always fascinated Paddy Moloney. San Patricio took a year and a half to complete but, considering it first fired the band leader’s imagination three decades ago, it has been a true labour of love…
Are you looking forward to Celtic Connections?
Yes, we’ve been persuaded to come! Celtic Connections is one of the biggest festivals in Europe now, and our gig sold out within a couple of days. Ry Cooder, ourselves and one of the groups I worked with in the making of the album Los Cenzontles will be playing. They’re a family group, with beautiful girls who sing with these exciting voices, and dance in lovely Spanish dresses. We had them in San Francisco with us, about two months ago at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, and they got on stage with us and danced with our dancers, all to the same tune. It was so unique, so brilliant.
When did you first get the idea for San Patricio?
I started thinking about this about 25, 30 years ago. I was going to do something about the Civil War, then I heard about this and I said to myself, this is much more interesting. I pursued it, but it’s taken me a long time to get round to it. I got lots of boots and nudges, ‘Get on with it!’ from the Mexican Ambassador here in Ireland about 15 years ago; he gave me tapes and bits and pieces.
I’d been building up to it, when Ry Cooder turned to me and said, ‘Look if you don’t do it, I’ll do it!’ He came into the whole thing quite late, but when he heard the work that had gone into it – I had 90% of it done –he came on board, sat down and wrote a great song, ‘The Sands Of Mexico’. It’s a lovely ballad, telling the story across the Rio Grand.
I asked Brendan Graham, who wrote ‘You Lift Me Up’ to write me one song, and he got so excited he ended up writing me five! He put in the words that I put in over the ‘March to Battle’, which was narrated by Mr Liam Neeson, of course.
There are other elements; the collection to Galicia in the northwest of Spain, so I have Carlos Nunez on here, who started his musical career with the band. I brought him on tour when he was 17 and he’s a big star now. I almost got Willie Nelson on the album, but he wasn’t available and we just couldn’t wait any longer. But he loved the idea!
For the full interview, buy this week's irish World at your local newsagents, or pick up a copy HERE from only 50p!
The Chieftains with special guest Ry Cooder and featuring Los Cenzontles play Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections on Tues 26th
January 2010. For more on this great festival, visit www.celticconnections.com
or call 0141 353 8000.
The album ‘San Patricio’ (Fantasy) is released on March 8 2010.
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