Elder Statesmen Know Their Stuff

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Irish Voice Entertainment

Elder Statesmen Know Their Stuff

September 13, 2007

By Mike Farragher

IT’S green in the heartland, in more ways than one. The Elders routinely bring Emerald Isle vibes in this country’s midsection, and they have just released the tempting Racing the Tide. Since forming in 1998, the Elders have brought their musical mix of roots rock, powerful vocals, blazing instrumentals and top-notch songwriting to festivals, pubs and theaters across the U.S. and Ireland. The group is fronted by Co. Wicklow native Ian Byrne, Steve Phillips (the Rainmakers), bassist Norm Dahlor (Tommy Shaw Band), violinist Brent Hoad, drummer Tommy Sutherland, and keyboardist Joe Miquelon (Asleep at the Wheel).

“Norm was living in LA, and was a very successful side musician,” explains Byrne. “He would go to see Flogging Molly’s weekly gig at Molly Malone’s out there and he said to himself, ‘We should bring this kind of music to the heartland.’ And that’s how the Elders came about.”

All are well-known veteran musicians, having played in numerous recording and touring bands before forming the Elders, and it shows in the musicianship that makes Racing the Tide such an engaging listen.

Mandolins flirt deliciously with the flutes over a slow burn polka beat on “Saint Brendan Had a Boat,” one of a number of spiritual ditties on the disc. “Dear God” is a touching conversation with the Almighty, while “Send a Prayer” goes: Send a prayer out there into the universe/And wait for an answer my friend/Maybe you will hear from me an echo in the wind/And a song that has no end.”

The Elders might address spiritual subjects on the disc every now and then, but they never forget that they are an Irish party band first and foremost.

“He grew up in a field by a mountain and a rock/Don’t care about the world he couldn’t see/In trouble he was in drinking whiskey beer and gin/Talking s***e around a hightop with McGee,” sings Byrne on “Bad Irish Boy,” a song that deserves its place in finer pub jukeboxes. The disc is peppered with an alternative rock energy that envelopes the traditional sensibilities.

Byrne migrated to Kansas City out of love; his wife is a native. He set up a highly successful woodworking business that still thrives today and didn’t join the band until 2003, when a chance encounter with a soccer mom changed his life.

“I had seen the Elders at some of the festivals out here and was really impressed with them,” he says. “Then my wife was in the stands talking with Brent’s wife during one of the games, and talk went to the topic of what the husbands did. One thing led to another and I joined the band.”

The Elders have produced four studio albums and two live albums that have been recorded from one of the many headlining gigs at major music festivals in cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee and Denver.

“We work really hard on these arrangements and our vocals,” says Byrne when asked to explain the differences between the Elders and the other bands on the circuit.

“We don’t just take old trad and put a fast beat to it; we have too much respect for the music to do that. We write our songs and then put traditional elements into the mix. I think what makes this band great is how well we all work off one another.”

I’ll drink to that! See that great interplay for yourself on Racing the Tide.

For more information on the band or to hear samples of their catalog, log onto www.elders music.com.

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