Enter The Haggis
Over the past three albums and five years, Toronto’s Celtic rock band Enter… Read Full Bio ↴Over the past three albums and five years, Toronto’s Celtic rock band Enter The Haggis has found itself at the center of a grassroots success story ever teetering on the brink of mainstream success. From playing Celtic festivals to headlining them, and from the festival circuit to selling out multiple nights in rock venues, ETH has blazed a path with heavy and almost constant touring up and down the East Coast, to Canada, the West Coast and back again, winning over success one fan, one town, one region at a time.
The band has made waves in the genre, landing high Billboard and iTunes World Music chart positions as well as major television appearances on shows like Live With Regis And Kelly, A&E Breakfast With the Arts and PBS’ popular program Out of Ireland, with its multi-influence style of Celtic rock. It’s the kind of overall sound and devotion package that has created not only die-hard fans, but “Haggis Heads” that follow the band from gig to gig.
The band has been together in its current incarnation since members met in the early 2000s in Toronto, where more than half the band was studying its craft in the city’s colleges and universities. With that kind of classically trained background Enter The Haggis is constantly honing and evolving its sound – blending elements of rock and pop with traditional Celtic fare, an art school eclecticism and a keen sense of arrangement. Past records have seen the band dabble in roots, funk, even adding prog rock elements to the mix, but ETH always manages to bring it home. Alternating between upbeat rock numbers with sing-along choruses and slower, more introspective alt pop songs, the band plays progressive and lyrically driven music that’s strongly rooted in Celtic tradition – from the storytelling to the bagpipes.
“We like to experiment musically, pushing the boundaries of what people think of as Celtic music,” said vocalist and guitarist Trevor Lewington. “Some of our grooves, melodies and lyrics are quite different from other bands that we play with.”
For instance, “Suburban Plains,” one of the songs on the band’s new album Gutter Anthems, mixes an African-inspired drumbeat in 5/4 time with tin whistle melodies and lyrics in English and French. "The Death of Johnny Mooring" combines a fiddle melody with Rage Against the Machine-inspired riff-rock. There’s a fiddle solo in the song in which fiddle player Brian Buchanan uses distortion, wah pedal and whammy pedal on the instrument. Béla Fleck’s done that with a banjo, but fiddle might be a first.
It’s been a long time coming though, and Enter The Haggis has definitely been reworking its music and building success over the past several years. 2004’s release Casualties of Retail (United For Opportunity), not only stretched the limits of Celtic rock musically, but topically as well with straight-shooting socio-political tracks such as “Gasoline” and “Congress.” 2006’s Soapbox Heroes, produced by four-time Grammy award winner Neil Dorfsman (Sting, Dire Straits, Paul McCartney), hit number two during its July release on the iTunes World Music chart and later marked the band’s Billboard debut when it landed at number eight on the World Chart there. 2007’s Northampton (Live) was recorded over four sold-out shows in one weekend at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA, and was a testament to the band’s focus on touring, fan participation, and its regional stronghold in the Northeast U.S.
Now, the band’s seventh album, Gutter Anthems, is Enter The Haggis’ most cohesive record to date, yet one that makes the band’s eclecticism shine. Recorded in Fall 2008 at The Hive in Toronto and Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, the record will be released this March on new model indie label United For Opportunity. Expect a combination of rousing drinking songs with well-arranged rock and pop tunes.
Songs like opening track “The Litter And The Leaves” with its upbeat tempo and rousing anthemic chorus see the band embracing a jig-punk direction a la The Dropkick Murphys, while tracks like “Real Life” embrace the more traditional feel of tin whistle and fiddle throughout. “Noseworthy and Piercy” and “The Death of Johnny Mooring” find the band embracing its Canadian roots in true tales from the homeland. There’s also a marked “little guy vs. the world” theme, derived from the trials of being an indie band trying to make it in the current music industry climate.
This year the band plans to focus more than ever on its homeland, and is looking forward to spending a great deal of time in Canadian territory. Gutter Anthems will be released on United for Opportunity on March 24, 2009 amid a March East Coast tour, including a blowout celebration on St. Patrick’s Day at The Mod Club in the band’s native Toronto. “We’ve started feeling nostalgia for our homeland,” said fiddler, keyboardist and vocalist Brian Buchanan. “And this album feels more distinctly and unapologetically Canadian than our previous albums.” This year Canada. Next year the world.
The band has made waves in the genre, landing high Billboard and iTunes World Music chart positions as well as major television appearances on shows like Live With Regis And Kelly, A&E Breakfast With the Arts and PBS’ popular program Out of Ireland, with its multi-influence style of Celtic rock. It’s the kind of overall sound and devotion package that has created not only die-hard fans, but “Haggis Heads” that follow the band from gig to gig.
The band has been together in its current incarnation since members met in the early 2000s in Toronto, where more than half the band was studying its craft in the city’s colleges and universities. With that kind of classically trained background Enter The Haggis is constantly honing and evolving its sound – blending elements of rock and pop with traditional Celtic fare, an art school eclecticism and a keen sense of arrangement. Past records have seen the band dabble in roots, funk, even adding prog rock elements to the mix, but ETH always manages to bring it home. Alternating between upbeat rock numbers with sing-along choruses and slower, more introspective alt pop songs, the band plays progressive and lyrically driven music that’s strongly rooted in Celtic tradition – from the storytelling to the bagpipes.
“We like to experiment musically, pushing the boundaries of what people think of as Celtic music,” said vocalist and guitarist Trevor Lewington. “Some of our grooves, melodies and lyrics are quite different from other bands that we play with.”
For instance, “Suburban Plains,” one of the songs on the band’s new album Gutter Anthems, mixes an African-inspired drumbeat in 5/4 time with tin whistle melodies and lyrics in English and French. "The Death of Johnny Mooring" combines a fiddle melody with Rage Against the Machine-inspired riff-rock. There’s a fiddle solo in the song in which fiddle player Brian Buchanan uses distortion, wah pedal and whammy pedal on the instrument. Béla Fleck’s done that with a banjo, but fiddle might be a first.
It’s been a long time coming though, and Enter The Haggis has definitely been reworking its music and building success over the past several years. 2004’s release Casualties of Retail (United For Opportunity), not only stretched the limits of Celtic rock musically, but topically as well with straight-shooting socio-political tracks such as “Gasoline” and “Congress.” 2006’s Soapbox Heroes, produced by four-time Grammy award winner Neil Dorfsman (Sting, Dire Straits, Paul McCartney), hit number two during its July release on the iTunes World Music chart and later marked the band’s Billboard debut when it landed at number eight on the World Chart there. 2007’s Northampton (Live) was recorded over four sold-out shows in one weekend at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA, and was a testament to the band’s focus on touring, fan participation, and its regional stronghold in the Northeast U.S.
Now, the band’s seventh album, Gutter Anthems, is Enter The Haggis’ most cohesive record to date, yet one that makes the band’s eclecticism shine. Recorded in Fall 2008 at The Hive in Toronto and Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, the record will be released this March on new model indie label United For Opportunity. Expect a combination of rousing drinking songs with well-arranged rock and pop tunes.
Songs like opening track “The Litter And The Leaves” with its upbeat tempo and rousing anthemic chorus see the band embracing a jig-punk direction a la The Dropkick Murphys, while tracks like “Real Life” embrace the more traditional feel of tin whistle and fiddle throughout. “Noseworthy and Piercy” and “The Death of Johnny Mooring” find the band embracing its Canadian roots in true tales from the homeland. There’s also a marked “little guy vs. the world” theme, derived from the trials of being an indie band trying to make it in the current music industry climate.
This year the band plans to focus more than ever on its homeland, and is looking forward to spending a great deal of time in Canadian territory. Gutter Anthems will be released on United for Opportunity on March 24, 2009 amid a March East Coast tour, including a blowout celebration on St. Patrick’s Day at The Mod Club in the band’s native Toronto. “We’ve started feeling nostalgia for our homeland,” said fiddler, keyboardist and vocalist Brian Buchanan. “And this album feels more distinctly and unapologetically Canadian than our previous albums.” This year Canada. Next year the world.
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Enter The Haggis Lyrics
02 Another Round Train moves on another town Whisky's gone another round Whis…
Andromeda Andromeda These hands are reaching out for you I saw their…
Another Round Train moves on another town Whisky's gone another round Whis…
Arthur McBride Me and me cousin, one Arthur McBride, He and I took…
Bagpipes On Mars I read about a man who'd been Around the world and…
Barfly I met an old man one night in a bar He…
Broken Line Restless is dawn as it wanders the farm house A new…
Bury My Demons I'm gonna bury my demons In the cold cold ground Leave the…
cameos Everything's so still I think the wind is watching from it's…
Cynical Depleted uranium is used on the ends of bullets And on…
December Ends Sorry, did I startle you? My face was to the mirror Broken…
Devil's Son Caviar, guillotine, high above a SoHo street Down, down, …
DNA There's kids with sticks And they're chasing birds, a summe…
Donald Where's Yer Troosers Well, I'd just come down from the Isle of Sky And…
Down With the Ship Like ships in a squall we rise and we fall We're…
Echo of a Whisper I can close my eyes and see you Beautiful Caroline And you…
Gasoline Outside around the side Form a circle forwar I'm an Outsider…
Half a Hero Voices rise carried by wind On the open plain Speak to me…
Haven I'm running out of life Open down and taken by Sixty one…
Headlights I & II And after all we're back again To navigate the pavement…
Home When I came to this town I was not yet a…
Icarus My hand stopped her cold from its place in the…
Lanigan's Ball In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lanigan Battered away 'til…
Life for Love No man No man is an island Way out on the water All…
Lights and Cars I scan the index time to time Slide my finger down,…
Long Way Home I feel I've wandered For most of my years Taken some wrong…
Marti Marti was a fightin' man Whose story should be told He was…
Minstrel Boy The minstrel boy to the war has gone In the ranks…
Moved Through the Fair My young love said to me, My mother won't mind And my…
New Monthly Flavour Jerry's keeping up with the neighbours Good for the man on…
No More Stones Thought we had a grudge against Our friends who live beyond…
Noseworthy and Piercy Noseworthy and Piercy were two fine fisherman Off the Grand …
One Last Drink Old John from his deathbed cried: "Think I will wait 'til…
Perfect Song Many years I've lived alone A life of solitude Since my love…
Pseumoustophy Hey man, you're killing me, I've got some mouths to…
Real Life/Alibis Saturday morning a while before daylight I'm Lying here hop…
Ride My Monster Across the loch On the mountain side there lives a lovely …
Scotland the Brave / Hava Nagila Hava Nagila, Hava Nagila, Hava Nagila La, la la la la la…
Sea of Crutches When I wake up I'm not sure if I know…
Skyswimmer I met a man with eyes like glass Whose useful days…
Star Near Bantridge town in the County Down One morning last Jul…
Suburban Plains Whenever the time is right I will think of you Whatever I…
The Apothecary Under the curtains the exit sign glows Go now and no…
The Barfly I met an old man one night in a bar He…
The Basket or the Blade Enter The Haggis - The Basket Or The Blade Lyrics Artist:…
The Death of Johnny Mooring On a day like any other day Pavement turning red Johnny la…
The Flood By 2 PM the rain is gone Clear and cold above Water…
The Ghosts of Calico On my twenty-first day I came to Calico They told me…
The Litter and the Leaves Another link in the chain getting rusty breaking Down in th…
The Mexican Scotsman Jose, get your bagpipes And head down to the square Serana…
Where Will You Go Where will you go my faithful fair one? What will you…
Whistleblower I have been away for way too long Twice as tall,…
Widow's Walk On a cold winter's day their card was drawn The storm…
Wild Mountain Thyme Oh the Summer time is coming And the flowers are sweetly…