The Real McKenzies

Last updated

The Real McKenzies
The Real McKenzies-1.jpg
The Real McKenzies playing at Hedon in Zwolle (Netherlands)
Background information
Origin Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Genres Celtic punk
Years active1992–present
Labels Fat Wreck Chords, Sudden Death, Honest Don's
Members
  • Paul McKenzie
  • Aspy Luison
  • Kenny Lush
  • Paul Patko (Paco)
  • Barry Higginson
  • Mario Nieva
Past members See below
Website www.realmckenzies.com

The Real McKenzies is a Canadian Celtic punk band founded in 1992 and based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are one of the founders of the Celtic punk movement, albeit 10 years after The Pogues. [1]

Contents

In addition to writing and performing original music, Real McKenzies perform traditional Scottish songs, giving them a new punk-influenced sound. They have shared stages with many other bands including Rancid, Shane MacGowan, [2] NOFX, Flogging Molly, The Misfits, Metallica, and Voodoo Glow Skulls. In 2012, they delved into covering songs from popular Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers with their version of "Barrett's Privateers" appearing on their album "Westwinds". Their 2017 album "Two Devils WIll Talk" features a cover of "Northwest Passage".

It's rare that a band continues to write and perform for over three decades. Even rarer when you focus in on just Canada. However, The Real McKenzies have done just that - putting them amongst the celebrated ranks of D.O.A and Ripcordz in the Canadian punk scene and alongside The Stampeders and The Irish Rovers in the Canadian music scene overall.

Lead singer, Paul McKenzie and The Irish Rovers manager Jennifer Fahrni are cousins.

History

Founding member Paul McKenzie has been the only consistent member of the band since its inception. The band released its first album, Clash of the Tartans, in 1998. [3] McKenzie claims as many as 100 different musicians have performed as members of the band, [4] including piper Alan "Raven" MacLeod, of the pioneering Scottish folk band The Tannahill Weavers and "Bourne and MacLeod".

McKenzie said in 2014 that he "fired all the Americans" in the band and returned to full Canadian lineup. [5] Despite that claim, Aspy Luison is from Cambre, Galicia, Spain.

In September 2014 the band announced they would be recording their next album for Fat Wreck Chords at Motor Studio in San Francisco. [6] Michael "Fat Mike" Burkett will be producing the album.

On April 7, 2015, Fat Wreck Chords released The Real McKenzies' 11th album, Rats in the Burlap .

Their previous album, Westwinds , was released on March 27, 2012, with Fat Wreck Chords.

A biography of the band, written by Chris Walter and titled Under the Kilt: The Real McKenzies Exposed, was released in early 2015. [7]

On March 10, 2022, it was announced on the band's Instagram and TikTok that former War Baby drummer Kirby J. Fisher would become the band's new drummer. [8]

Music in commercials

In the 1990s, the Real McKenzies music was used by InBev to promote Kokanee beer. [9]

In 2021 The Real McKenzie's song “Chip” was used by Ford in Australia to advertise their new Ford Ranger pickup truck.

Their song "Tae the Battle" appeared in the 2008 British-Canadian film Stone of Destiny . [10] Their song "Wild Cattieyote" appeared in the 2004 straight-to-video release of Vampires vs. Zombies (also called Carmilla the Lesbian Vampire). [11] Their cover of the Turbonegro song "Sailor Man" appeared in the 2003 video game Tony Hawk's Underground [12] and the first volume of the Elementality skateboarding videos. Each year, The Real McKenzies version of "Auld Lang Syne" is used as the countdown music on the New Year's Eve edition of Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman's live podcast Hollywood Babble-On. [13] Their song "Chip" was used in the TV series Billions in 2018. Also, in 2018, Paul McKenzie contributed vocals to the song 'Foreman O'Rourke' by Sydney, Australia's The Rumjacks

Band members

Timeline
The Real McKenzies

Discography

Filmography

Compilations

Music videos

Images

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NOFX</span> American punk rock band

NOFX is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Bassist/lead vocalist Fat Mike, rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every release by the band, although Sandin departed briefly in 1985, only to rejoin the following year. El Hefe joined the band in 1991 to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the best-known iteration of the line-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me First and the Gimme Gimmes</span> American punk rock band

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. Chris Shiflett is a former member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Wreck Chords</span> American independent record label

Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett, and his wife at the time, Erin Burkett in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strung Out</span> Punk rock band from California

Strung Out is an American punk rock band from Simi Valley, California, formed in 1989. They are known mainly for their musical style, which fuses aspects of melodic punk rock, progressive rock and heavy metal to form their primary sound. They have released nine studio albums on Fat Wreck Chords as well as one Live album, 2 B-sides collections, a best-of, a box set and appeared on numerous compilations and skate/surf/dirt bike/offroading videos. They have played on the Warped Tour and continue to tour internationally. The band currently have an ongoing collaboration beer with Lucky Luke Brewing Company called “Astrolux Golden Ale”. Their albums have charted on the Billboard 200.

<i>Revolutions per Minute</i> (Rise Against album) 2003 studio album by Rise Against

Revolutions per Minute is the second studio album by American punk rock band Rise Against, released on April 8, 2003, by Fat Wreck Chords. After establishing a fanbase with their 2001 debut, The Unraveling, the band members wanted to record an album that distinguished them from other Fat Wreck Chords bands of the time. They chose Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore to produce the album, with whom they developed a strong rapport. Recording took place from November to December 2002 at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Sly</span> American singer-songwriter

Anthony James Sly was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the front man of the punk rock band No Use for a Name. In his later years he also gained attention for his acoustic solo work, with two acoustic split albums he released with Lagwagon front man Joey Cape and two solo albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Riddance (band)</span> American punk rock band

Good Riddance is an American punk rock band from Santa Cruz, California. They released seven full-length studio albums on Fat Wreck Chords, then disbanded after releasing a live recording of their farewell concert in 2007. They reformed in 2012 and released an eighth studio album, Peace in Our Time, in 2015. The band released Thoughts and Prayers, their ninth full length album, on July 19, 2019. Led by vocalist Russ Rankin, the band's longtime lineup includes guitarist Luke Pabich, bassist Chuck Platt, and drummer Sean "SC" Sellers. Their sound is influenced by the hardcore punk scene and the band was known for their combination of fast punk with catchy melodies. Lyrical themes vary from political protests and critical analyses of American society to personal struggles and alienation.

"Barrett's Privateers" is a modern folk song in the style of a sea shanty, written and performed by Canadian musician Stan Rogers, having been inspired after a song session with the Friends of Fiddler's Green at the Northern Lights Festival Boréal in Sudbury, Ontario. The song describes a 1778 summer privateering journey to the Caribbean on a decrepit sloop, the Antelope, captained by Elcid Barrett; when it engages in a failed raid on a larger American ship, the Antelope sinks and all the crew is killed except the singer, who returns six years later "a broken man." Although Barrett, the Antelope and other specific instances mentioned in the song are fictional, "Barrett's Privateers" is full of many authentic details of privateering in the late 18th century.

Fabulous Disaster was an American punk rock all-female band founded in 1998 in San Francisco, California.

Honest Don's Records was a subsidiary label based in San Francisco, California, set up along with Pink & Black Records by Fat Wreck Chords to release material by bands that didn't fit within the roster at Fat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fat Mike</span> American musician, producer, lead vocalist, and bassist

Michael John Burkett, known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the cofounder and bassist of the punk rock supergroup cover band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Burkett started out with his first band False Alarm in 1982. He credits Joe Escalante of the Vandals for introducing him to punk rock when he was 13 at a summer camp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Scare Industries</span> American punk rock record label

Red Scare Industries is a punk rock record label. The label was started in San Francisco by former Fat Wreck Chords employee Toby Jeg.

The Fat Club is a series of twelve 7-inch singles released monthly by Fat Wreck Chords from March 2001 to February 2002. 1,300 of each single were pressed; They were not available for sale individually, but were distributed by postal service to those who purchased a subscription to the series.

<i>Westwinds</i> 2012 studio album by The Real McKenzies

Westwinds is the seventh studio album by Canadian punk rock band The Real McKenzies. It was released on Fat Wreck Chords in 2012.

None More Black was a New Jersey-based punk rock band on Fat Wreck Chords, formed by lead singer/guitarist Jason Shevchuk after the demise of his previous band, Philadelphia's Kid Dynamite. Shevchuk left Kid Dynamite so that he could finish film school, and "to sort some things out." While at school, Shevchuk had written some songs and would play them with his roommate Dan Gross, who had a Drum Machine. By 2000, they had a second guitarist and a real drummer. That lineup soon fell apart, but by 2001 Shevchuk and Gross had recruited Shevchuk's brother Jeff Shevchuk, along with a new drummer. After recording a 7" for Sub Division Records, that lineup fell apart as well, this time leaving only the two Shevchuks. In 2002 a solid lineup was established, featuring Paul from Kill Your Idols on bass. A demo was recorded, circulated, and the band went on to release their first full length on Fat Wreck Chords.

<i>The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll</i> 2014 studio album by the Dwarves

The Dwarves Invented Rock & Roll is an album by the American punk rock band Dwarves, released in 2014. It is the band's ninth full-length original album. The album was released on cassette and CD by Burger Records and vinyl by Recess Records.

<i>Rats in the Burlap</i> 2015 studio album by The Real McKenzies

Rats in the Burlap is the ninth studio album by Canadian punk rock band The Real McKenzies. It was released on Fat Wreck Chords in 2015.

Randall "Randy" Steffes is a Canadian musician and manager. As a musician, he has played with Bif Naked's early band Gorilla Gorilla and the skate punk band SNFU. He has also worked as manager, tour manager, guitar technician, sound engineer, and additional musician for Green Day, Good Riddance, and The Real McKenzies.

<i>Two Devils Will Talk</i> 2017 studio album by The Real McKenzies

Two Devils Will Talk is the ninth studio album by Canadian Celtic punk band The Real McKenzies. The album was released on 3 March 2017 by Fat Wreck Chords in the United States and by Stomp Records in Canada. Two Devils Will Talk was made available for streaming online a week before the physical release of the album.

<i>Beer and Loathing</i> 2020 studio album by The Real McKenzies

Beer and Loathing is the tenth studio album by Canadian celtic punk band The Real McKenzies. It was released on July 3, 2020 under Fat Wreck Chords in the United States and Stomp Records in Canada.

References

  1. "Canadian stories fuel Real McKenzies' songs". The Georgia Straight. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  2. "Interview: Paul McKenzie of The Real McKenzines". April 6, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  3. "Real McKenzies Slag Sh*thead" [usurped] . Chart Attack, November 07, 2001
  4. "The Real McKenzies". Vue Weekly. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  5. "The Real McKenzies to bring new all Canadian line up back to Lethbridge" . Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  6. "Tonight is our last show of the tour.... - The Real McKenzies - Facebook". Facebook . Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  7. "Punkbooks.com" . Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  8. "The Real McKenzies on Instagram: "How to become a Real Mckenzie with ex @warbabyband drummer @kirbysplayhousegram ……Scottish Leprechaun's are real……don't look it up. #therealmckenzies #leprechauntok #sillygoosetime #celticpunk"".
  9. "Interview: Paul McKenzie of The Real McKenzines". April 6, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  10. "Stone of Destiny (2008)". IMDb. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  11. "Carmilla, the Lesbian Vampire (Video 2004)". IMDb. April 13, 2004. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  12. "The Real McKenzies". IMDb. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  13. "Hollywood Babble-On". SModcast. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  14. "Beer and Loathing - Fat Wreck Chords" . Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  15. "Beer and Loathing - Fat Wreck Chords" . Retrieved November 19, 2022.