This set of tunes by The Bothy Band makes me want to drive at 150mph. And they don’t call Paddy Keenan “the Jimi Hendrix of the pipes” for nothing. Pure brilliance. Full title(s): Leitrim Fancy / Round The World For The Sport / Rip The Calico / Martin Wynne's / The Enchanted Lady / The Holy Land

Bonus, because no one can eat just one. Great live version of a great drinking song called “Un P’tit Coup, Mesdames.”

Un coup madame

YouTube video by La Bottine Souriante - Topic

Hard to pick just one by these guys. They started out as pure traditional Québecois folk music (which I jokingly called “Irish, Scottish & Cajun music fused at the molecular-genetic level”)… then they they added a jazz horn section from Montréal. My old roommate called it “instant happy music.”

La chanson du quéteux

YouTube video by La Bottine Souriante - Topic

Joy. I miss Leigh. ❤️💔 I made sure to put this on my New Orleans box set (below) in 2004; AFAIK it was the first time it was remastered and made available in years.

Lil Queenie And The Percolators

YouTube video by Jared Lorio

Mic and Glen Hansard were best friends and busked together since they were kids. His sole, posthumously-released album is so brilliant. It crushes me that we lost him so young.

I've Got Your Back

YouTube video by Mic Christopher - Topic

Grew up with this one in New Orleans. Never fails to bring me joy.

The Meters - They All Ask'd For You

YouTube video by themetersfunk

This song changed my life. Age 19, I had heard a snippet of a set of tunes by this band on the Irish music show on WWOZ, wrote down the name (grievously misspelling it), found the album at Leisure Landing on Magazine, put the needle down at home. Hair stood on end & I was in tears within 60 seconds.

The Good Ship Kangaroo (Remastered 2020)

YouTube video by Planxty - Topic

Peter Blegvad is mostly known for “avant pop” and avant garde rock, but as a singer-songwriter he produced this utter gem of a folk-rock album that’s one of my 10 desert island discs. This song is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard.

Peter Blegvad - Gold

YouTube video by wldchngrten

OK, I should be writing a talk but fuck it, I'm tired, let's do this instead. I am profoundly sorry to people who feel blindsided by the substack post that I have not and will not read, but the interview dropped back in June and it is not in any way subtle.

Oh, all right, I’m in.