YEAR END SUMMARY AND NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

2014 is over. However, I’d like to write some lines about what has happened in 2014.

a)    Celtic Folk Punk and More: Facts and Figures

This is  E&OE the Celtic Folk Punk and More posts breakdown:

-    Samplers: 4 posts

-    ROIOS : 7 posts

-    Songs on streaming:  (34 posts +  12 posts) 34: songs from Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Reverbnation, YouTube, 12: Bands of the Month (Reverbnation)

-    Reviews:  67 posts

-    Videos:  107 posts

-    Free downloads:  61 posts (full albums, full EPs or one track only)

Total of posts (including news): 352 posts

Average: almost 1 post per day

b)    Bands

In 2014 no Dropkick Muphys album, Flogging Molly album, The Real McKenzies album or The Tossers album. Only The Mahones have released a new studio album, but the Celtic punk/rock scene has been quite active and a lot of interesting albums have been released.

2014 has been the Year of the Italian Bands. The albums released by four Italian bands made our list: Uncle Bard and The Dirty Bastards “Get The Folk Out”, Mosche di Vellutto Grigio "In te ho sognato,  in te spero morir”, The Clan “The Clan” and Kitchen Implosion “Pretty Work Brave Boys!”

Other scenes that are alive and kicking are the Indonesian one and the Russian/Ukranian one. Bands from both of them have released kick-ass albums or EPs and two amazing compilations have been issued.

Which have been the Newcomers of the Year? The Clan (Italy) and Lugh (Brazil) are the new bands that have given a new lease of life to the scene.

c)    E-zines

2013 was a sad year, as two e-zines called it quits: the amazing Rocking the Craic (USA) and the young and fresh e-zine from Argentina Celtico.

2014 has not been better.  During the first months of the year, the likes of FolkPunk (Germany) and The Celtic Crier (USA) were quite busy, but suddenly, they stopped without notice. Irish Punk was very dynamic in 2013, but their activity fell down in 2014. DJ John retired from PaddyRock and passed it down to Grinning Beggar. Some changes took place but I guess  that 2014 was a transition year for them and new things will come.

Fortunately e-zines like London Celtic Punks have been able to post a lot of interesting stuff and to do it with their own stamp.

Does the scene need new approaches? Sure. Things are going very fast and the scene in 2015 is different from that of 2005. The bands’ backgrounds and influences are different, but the fan base is changing too. We (the people writing about this music) have to think over that and offer fresh and attractive contents to the readers.

d) New Year’s Resolutions

2014 has been a busy year and this has been tiring at times. I feel that Celtic Folk Punk and More  has been the most dynamic e-zine in 2014. Maybe Celtic Rock from Germany posted as much stuff as I did. But they are several people and I’m almost alone.

This being said, I will try to write less review in 2015. Around 60 write-ups/year is too much for me and I enjoy other things apart from Celtic punk/rock. Then, I need more spare time to spend on those things. 

Will I be able to do it? Who knows.