Great Big Sea CD

So, I got the new CD, and I was reading the booklet and the first person GBS thanks is Gwen Stefani...

Anyone have a theory? I haven't made it al the way through the CD, but I somehow doubt there is a duet on the disk...

-Mark

I'm so glad fruheads think alike. I read that in the CD liner and thought "I need to start a thread about that" and here it is...

I think it's an injoke of some kind. I read an interview where Alan Doyle said that they had a poster of her in the studio when they were recording.

That's what I heard at the show last Friday night. Forget who said it though.

anyone else think this thread should have been titled:

Great Big Seadee?

That was my first thought when i saw it!

um, yeah.

Go Back to the Part About the Chicken... Who is this group? What style do they play? Where do they play? Please tell me. I need some group to listen to that is actually touring in my area. It's so hard trying to convince people you're cool when all the groups you like have already split up and gone before they REALLY became famous. Except Aerosmith. They're still here. Good Aerosmith. Everone likes them though.

See, I think the problem is that most of us around here gave up trying to convince anyone that we're cool ;-)

Great Big Sea would most eaisly be described as having Celtic influence (although it's actually traditional Newfoundland influence). They tend to do a mix of traditional and their own songs both on album and live. They've been becoming a bit less of a trad. band over the years (studio-wise at least) and while I haven't heard it myself, their newer stuff has been mostly compared to Barenaked Ladies.

So wait, they're like a Celtic BNL?� Their new stuff at least?� Sounds cool to me.� Do they sell their stuff on the West Coast?� Are they folk or pop?� I am intrigued now...

When I bought it, I found it at Borders in the World/Celtic music section... the whole way to the cashier I was like.. "this belongs in pop/rock... " The new album continues the trend away from the traditional and more towards the mainstream

The Borders in Bloomington also had it in World music (which I didn't argue with, although I probably should have)... but the artist card said 'Great Big Sea - Ireland.'� I didn't stop laughing for about an hour.

Can't believe I missed this thread....

In a recent article, GBS was described as a "shamrocking Barenaked Ladies." I think it's because their latest album was produced by Michael Phillip Wojewoda, who produced 2 of BNL's albums. GBS is a band worth checking out(Me, biased?��).� Some critics rag on them for being so upbeat all them time, but they don't understand optimism in the face of hard times is part of Newfoundland culture. GBS member Bob Hallett said in a Vancouver Sun article: �The only proper reaction to disaster is a lighthearted remark. �Oh my house burned down. I�m sick of it anyway.� Weeping and wailing, not on the program.�

They kinda bridge the gap between folk and pop. They do a lot of traditional Newfoundland music, as well as original stuff. Their newest album is more rock than they've ever done before, but it's because they have an actual rhythm section now. If you go to their website at http://www.greatbigsea.com you can hear song clips. If you decide to by one of their albums, I recommend getting "Road Rage" first. It's their live album and it gives you a pretty good idea of what their shows are like.

--Craic Baby, GBS Pimp Extraordinaire���

see, I consider GBS a tradnewfie/rock band.

there is an irish/scottish/english influence to trad Newfie music, but there's also some french influence in the culture (but don't tell any newfie I said that, they call Bay d'Espoire "Bay-d' spear" and are happy, shhh.)

but I find it a different sound than other "celtic" influence music from canada, such as what comes from cape breton.

Yeah, Newfoundland music is�a lot different from Cape Breton music. For one thing, Cape Breton has a mainly Scottish influence, while�Newfoundland's is mainly Irish. Add to that, Newfoundland's other influences from the French, English and indigenous cultures. Then there's the fact that Newfoundland was isolated from the rest of the country for centuries. Newfoundland has its own unique culture and that's what makes it special.

Oh and one thing...it's a little squick of mine. Could you please not use the word, "Newfie?" I know some people don't have a problem with it, but a lot of people do, especially GBS. Here's a quote from a recent article:(http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusic/mar16_greatbigsea-can.html)

"Our point is to reject the cliches, not to embrace them," states McCann, who hates the word "Newfie" and the jokes that use the term. "That's a derogatory term... like 'nigger.' The image is lazy and drunk and we're not."

So, yeah. Please use "Newfoundlander" instead��� Thanks���

CraicBaby, did you know you were responding to a "newfie" by telling the "newfie" not to use "newfie?"

Just thought you would like to know.

Now for the article:

Yeah gotta love this quote:

Who gives a f**k about the critics? The people who actually buy the records and buy the concert tickets have voted for this band."

I love paying $30+ to see them in concert. [/sarcasm] NOT! Sure they want the fans instead of the critics. We pay their salaries!

"We have long-term relationships, but we don't have any children,"

I thought one member left because he had a wife and child?

Despite their success, Great Big Sea receives scant radio play throughout much of Canada.

They get a lot of airplay on Mix 99.9 every time I'm listening to the station on my way to work, school or whatever. Even Alan was in the studio one afternoon to do an acoustic set.

And also 105.1 the River in Niagara Falls ontario plays them a lot. What about the rest of Canada? CAn anyone confirm they've heard them on the radio?

After a period of mourning, Great Big Sea replaced Power with an entire rhythm section in ex-Moxy Fruvous bassist Murray Foster and drummer Kris MacFarlane. The additions changed how the band recorded "Something Beautiful."

Ex-Moxy Fruvous bassist huh? I guess that confirms it.

On good days, I used to be able to get an Ontario station (not out of Windsor, not sure where out of) on my way to/from where I was working a few years ago now. I used to hear GBS on it every once in a while. I was always really volume-crankingly happy about it.

I don't know if they still get play on that station, though. I haven't been able to get it in for two cars now.

Ex-Moxy Fruvous bassist huh? I guess that confirms it.

only as much as other assumptions confirm that Jian is the lead singer of Moxy Fruvous, or other such mistakes we always hear from critics and reporters.

Jian "thinks" he's the lead singer of Moxy Fruvous. ;)

Well, I remember him being introduced at... was it Falcon Ridge?... as the lead singer of Moxy Fruvous, and he came out and said "I never said I was the lead singer."

yeah, the frff program in 2001 listed him as "the lead singer/songwriter of moxy fruvous."

o/~ I'll never understand....
Why they call him 'leader of the band'

when he talks...
when he talks... o/~

I love paying $30+ to see them in concert. [/sarcasm] NOT! Sure they want the fans instead of the critics. We pay their salaries!

The band doesn't control ticket prices. They only see a fraction of the $30. Most of it goes to the promoter and venue. Then there's the Ticketbastard surcharges :P�

�"We have long-term relationships, but we don't have any children,"

I thought one member left because he had a wife and child?

I think he was referring to just the remaining members. Bob is married and Alan and Sean each have a long-term girlfriend. Darrell left because he had an 18-month-old son and he'd missed 16 of those months(Murray filled in for Darrell during one of GBS's European tours because Darrell had to go home to be with his wife when his son was born).

Ex-Moxy Fruvous bassist huh? I guess that confirms it

There have been quite a few articles that describe Murray as either "ex-Moxy Fruvous bassist" or "former Moxy Fruvous bassist." I dunno if they just assumed that Fruvous is broken up just because they haven't played in a few years, or what. It's great having Murray with GBS in the meantime, though. I think he's getting more and more acclimated to the band because he's starting to banter back and forth with Alan and Sean now.� Alan's been doing this thing at every show where he asks him, "Murray, have you ever been kissed in (insert city name here)?" Murray's given some great responses so far. "No, I'm saving myself." ;)

Hey now! Who is the resident non-Rock living expert on da Newfs here? Back off bucco. ;o)

I know you're a fan of GBS and all, but you really can't speak for the entire population of Newfoundland like that. I, however, can speak for my run ins with many, many Newfs every time I go up there to visit the boy. (That's the boy. Not the b'y. You only shorten it in SOME occasions, apparently. Andrew's trying to teach me.)

Anyway, Andrew thinks the whole Newfie being a derogatory term is something people really shouldn't take too much offense to. (Although he said it with less and more harsh words.) I mean, obviously, you shouldn't use it around people unless you KNOW whether or not they like it, but unless it's being ASSOCIATED with the stereotype, I'm pretty sure that it's okay to use in general. Andrew's my Newfie, and he's proud to be a Newfie. Being an outsider (ESPECIALLY being an American), it's not WRONG for me to call him a Newfie. In fact, I think it's cute.

I wouldn't ever approach a complete stranger on NL and say, "Yo, ya Newfie!" That's just rude. But out of the many Newfs I've spoken to, I've never encountered one who cared enough.

Like ya said earlier, the Newfoundlanders are an optimistic folk. They usually don't give a damn about much.

....Which is another reason why I'm probably moving there after college. ;o)

The first and only time I used the word "Newfie," I got ripped a new one and I was called a "stupid CFA." (Back then, I didn't even know "CFA" could have negative conntations depending on the context) So, I decided I probably shouldn't use that word anymore, especially when I found out how much the GBS b'ys hate it. I've also been told by several other Newfoundlanders(and Nova Scotians, too) that it's�akin to a racial slur and shouldn't be used unless I want to get my ass kicked. But I've also been told by other Newfoundlanders that they don't find it offensive so it really doesn't matter. (Then the debate ended up with two Newfoundlanders squaring off against each other on opposite sides of the issue, at which point I decided it was best to quietly slip away.)� So, I dunno, maybe it's one of those terms that's only offensive when coming from the mouth of a CFA?����

What's a CFA?

"Comes From Away" -- it's a term for a mainlander, and can sometimes be negative, as I discovered.

Then there's the fact that Newfoundland was isolated from the rest of the country for centuries

Ummm...I have to mention that Newfoundland didn't become a part of Canada until 1949. (Aside from the fact that Canada isn't "centuries" old anyway since we've only been an independant county since 1867 - but I digress). Sorry but that just called out for me to point out. :)

Yeah, sorry, I meant "continent," not "country." (When I posted, it was late and I'd just�come off a 9 hr shift at work, dealing epople who shouldn't be allowed to breathe, let alone be out in public :P) I know Canadian history(well, for the most part).

For one thing, Cape Breton has a mainly Scottish influence

And don't forget the Jews! The Jews of Cape Breton! We rock!