Enter the Haggis
Encyclopedia
Enter the Haggis is a Canadian Indie/Celtic/Folk Rock world-fusion band based in Toronto, Canada. Commonly called ETH, the band has been playing and recording since 1996. Their latest studio album, "Whitelake" is the band's ninth album.
The name is a reference to the diverse nature of the band's sound. Like Haggis
(the food) the sound of ETH is a mixture of diverse and unusual elements, brought together to create something new.
Since its birth in 1996, ETH has kept a rigorous concert schedule, playing in wide ranging venues in Canada
, Europe
, and the United States
. They have made appearances at such events as the Folk im Schlosshof in Bonfeld, Germany, the Vancouver Island MusicFest in Courtenay, BC, Irish2000 in Albany, New York
, The Philadelphia Folk Fest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, the Ann Arbor Folk Fest in Ann Arbor, Michigan
, Cayamo (2011, 2012), MusikFest in Bethlehem, PA, the world famous Irish Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, The Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, NY, and the Dublin Irish Festival
in Dublin, OH.
to the Enter the Haggis mailing list and a public note on Facebook
that he would be retiring from professional music and from Enter the Haggis. Campbell cited his desire to work in air traffic control
and the lack of time he would have to be trained in the coming years as he grew older as the primary reasons for his retirement. Following his final performance on September 18, 2010, long-time friend Bruce McCarthy has since assumed the position as the band's percussionist. On McCarthy, Campbell says:
"I will be leaving you in the more than capable hands of my old friend Bruce McCarthy. Bruce, Mark and I all went to Humber College in Toronto together, and he's no stranger to music in any and all of its forms. Bruce's experience is far more diverse than my own, and he has proven himself to be an invaluable asset to more bands in the last few years than I've played with in my entire life. His presence in the band will be one of the things that will make me feel a little better about retiring, as I know you will all be left in the best of possible hands."
and "One Last Drink" from Soapbox Heroes
.
, and "Minstrel Boy" a distinctive rendition of a familiar Irish tune. The latter song appears on their album Casualties of Retail
. The band was probably selected to appear because their Celtic sound fit well with the approaching St. Patrick's Day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV47_yDLlY4
The name is a reference to the diverse nature of the band's sound. Like Haggis
Haggis
Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' , minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach.Haggis is a kind...
(the food) the sound of ETH is a mixture of diverse and unusual elements, brought together to create something new.
Since its birth in 1996, ETH has kept a rigorous concert schedule, playing in wide ranging venues in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They have made appearances at such events as the Folk im Schlosshof in Bonfeld, Germany, the Vancouver Island MusicFest in Courtenay, BC, Irish2000 in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, The Philadelphia Folk Fest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, the Ann Arbor Folk Fest in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, Cayamo (2011, 2012), MusikFest in Bethlehem, PA, the world famous Irish Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, The Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, NY, and the Dublin Irish Festival
Dublin Irish Festival
The Dublin Irish Festival is an annual music and cultural festival held in Dublin, Ohio. It takes place during the first weekend of August, and it attracts an over 93,000 visitors to eight entertainment stages on in and beyond Coffman Park...
in Dublin, OH.
Brian Buchanan
- Instruments: Vocals, fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist.... - Gear: Violin by Wojicek Topa (2008), bow by G. Werner, Thomastic Dominant strings, Nord Electro 3 73, Fishman V300 Pickup, Alvarez acoustic guitar, Indie hollowbody electric guitar.
- Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario
Craig Downie
- Instruments: Vocals, Highland bagpipes, Deger pipes, Harmonica, Guitar, Keyboard, Tin Whistle, Trumpet, Saxophone, Tambourine
- Gear: Henderson drones, MacLellan chanter, Boss and Ibanez pedals, Shure "Bullet" mic, Ampeg amp.
- Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
- Influences: The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Early GenesisGenesis (band)Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, Martyn BennettMartyn BennettMartyn Bennett was a Scottish musician who was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
Trevor Lewington
- Instruments: Vocals, guitar, octave mandolinOctave mandolinThe octave mandolin is a fretted string instrument with four pairs of strings tuned in 5ths, G, D, A, E , an octave below a mandolin. It has a 20 to 23 inch scale length and its construction is similar to other instruments in the mandolin family...
- Gear: Fender TelecasterFender TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
, Gibson Les PaulGibson Les PaulThe Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
, Fender StratocasterFender StratocasterThe Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
, Larivee Acoustic Guitars, FenderFenderFender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
Deluxe amplifier, Elixir Nanoweb strings (light gauge) - Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
- Influences: Jag Tanna, The EdgeThe EdgeDavid Howell Evans , more widely known by his stage name The Edge , is a musician best known as the guitarist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist of the Irish rock band U2. A member of the group since its inception, he has recorded 12 studio albums with the band and has released one solo record...
, David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
Mark Abraham
- Instruments: Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Vocals - Gear: Lakland Joe Osborne Skyline 5 string, Euphonic Audio IAmp 600, Aguilar 4x10 Cabinet
- Birthplace: Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
- Influences: Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
, Leland SklarLeland SklarLeland "Lee" Bruce Sklar is an American musician, singer-songwriter and film score composer. A prominent bass guitarist, Sklar has contributed to thousands of albums as a session musician...
, Brian Minato (Sarah McLachlanSarah McLachlanSarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
), Scott Ambush (Spyro Gyra)
Bruce McCarthy
- Instruments: Drums
- Gear: YamahaYamahaYamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
drums, Vic FirthVic FirthVic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...
drumsticks - Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
- Influences: Keith CarlockKeith CarlockKeith Carlock is an American drummer originally from Clinton, Mississippi. He currently resides in New York City, NY. He has recorded and/or toured with musicians that include Sting, John Mayer, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Diana Ross, Faith Hill, The Blues Brothers Band,...
(Steely DanSteely DanSteely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
), Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
(The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
), Buddy RichBuddy RichBernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
, John BonhamJohn BonhamJohn Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove...
(Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
), Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
(TotoToto (band)Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
)
James Campbell's retirement
On August 10, 2010, the band's drummer of eleven years announced via e-mailE-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
to the Enter the Haggis mailing list and a public note on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
that he would be retiring from professional music and from Enter the Haggis. Campbell cited his desire to work in air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
and the lack of time he would have to be trained in the coming years as he grew older as the primary reasons for his retirement. Following his final performance on September 18, 2010, long-time friend Bruce McCarthy has since assumed the position as the band's percussionist. On McCarthy, Campbell says:
"I will be leaving you in the more than capable hands of my old friend Bruce McCarthy. Bruce, Mark and I all went to Humber College in Toronto together, and he's no stranger to music in any and all of its forms. Bruce's experience is far more diverse than my own, and he has proven himself to be an invaluable asset to more bands in the last few years than I've played with in my entire life. His presence in the band will be one of the things that will make me feel a little better about retiring, as I know you will all be left in the best of possible hands."
The PBS Special
In July 2003 the band played a show to about 20,000 people at the annual Mayor's Cup festival in Plattsburgh New York. At the show, the band was approached by two gentlemen in the TV industry who proposed the idea of filming a live show and releasing as a DVD special to PBS (a network with whom they had many connections). In December that year, the band returned to Plattsburgh and recorded 2 nights of shows at Plattsburgh State University's "Hartman Theater" to throngs of ETH fans. The special was released months later to PBS and aired on many stations across the US. The DVD is available for purchase from the band's website.A&E Breakfast With the Arts
In 2006 the band performed two songs on the show: "Gasoline" from Casualties of RetailCasualties of Retail
Casualties of Retail is an album by Enter the Haggis, released on the United for Opportunity label on October 25, 2005 . The title comes from a line in the song "Gasoline" .-Track listing:#"Music Box"#"Another Round"...
and "One Last Drink" from Soapbox Heroes
Soapbox Heroes
Soapbox Heroes is Enter the Haggis's 5th album. It was released on July 18, 2006. Soapbox Heroes is the second album on their current label, UFO Music , and was produced by Neil Dorfsman...
.
Live with Regis and Kelly
On March 16, 2007 the band performed on the Live with Regis and Kelly program before a live studio audience. The songs chosen were "One Last Drink" a song written by Lewington with a Celtic flavor from their album Soapbox HeroesSoapbox Heroes
Soapbox Heroes is Enter the Haggis's 5th album. It was released on July 18, 2006. Soapbox Heroes is the second album on their current label, UFO Music , and was produced by Neil Dorfsman...
, and "Minstrel Boy" a distinctive rendition of a familiar Irish tune. The latter song appears on their album Casualties of Retail
Casualties of Retail
Casualties of Retail is an album by Enter the Haggis, released on the United for Opportunity label on October 25, 2005 . The title comes from a line in the song "Gasoline" .-Track listing:#"Music Box"#"Another Round"...
. The band was probably selected to appear because their Celtic sound fit well with the approaching St. Patrick's Day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV47_yDLlY4
Discography
- Let the Wind Blow High, 1998
- Aerials, 2001
- Live!, 2002
- Live at Lanigan's Ball DVD, December 2003
- Casualties of RetailCasualties of RetailCasualties of Retail is an album by Enter the Haggis, released on the United for Opportunity label on October 25, 2005 . The title comes from a line in the song "Gasoline" .-Track listing:#"Music Box"#"Another Round"...
, October 2005 - Soapbox HeroesSoapbox HeroesSoapbox Heroes is Enter the Haggis's 5th album. It was released on July 18, 2006. Soapbox Heroes is the second album on their current label, UFO Music , and was produced by Neil Dorfsman...
, July 2006 - NorthamptonNorthampton (Live)Northampton is the 6th album and 2nd official live album for Enter the Haggis. It became available May 4th, 2006. It is the third album on their current label, , and was produced by the band and Zach McNees....
, May 2007 - Gutter AnthemsGutter AnthemsGutter Anthems is the 7th studio album for Enter the Haggis. It is the fourth album on their current label, , and was produced by the band and Tim Abraham.The album was recorded in Toronto at Metalworks & The Hive studios....
, March 2009 - Live At The Real Room, DVD, December 2009
- Whitelake, October 2011