Release Date: 04 July 2025
Label: Madfish
Packaging Type: Custom Packaging
No of Units: 5
Barcode: 636551829656
Release Date: 04 July 2025
Label: Madfish
Packaging Type: Custom Packaging
No of Units: 5
Barcode: 636551829656
Description
EXPERIENCE THE ENDURING LEGACY OF HORSLIPS WITH MADFISH'S NEW 5 DISC SET HORSLIPS - 'AT THE BBC' - 4CD + DVD SET COMPRISING LIVE PERFORMANCES, BBC TV FOOTAGE & RARE ARCHIVAL MATERIAL.
Few bands have left as distinct a mark on the musical landscape as Horslips. Emerging in the early 1970s, they more or less created 'Celtic Rock', drawing from Irish traditional music & British/American rock, crafting a sound that was both timeless & radical.
The BBC captured the band in the 1970's & again during their unexpected Indian summer return in the 2010s. 'At The BBC' gathers these vital recordings - spanning nearly 50 years - into one definitive collection.
Disc 1 begins the journey in 1973-74, landmark years in which Horslips took their fusion of mythology & musicianship to the airwaves & concert halls of Britain. Included are performances from Radio 1's In Concert, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Radio 1's Sounds of the 70's, 2nd House (BBC 2) & Radio 1's John Peel Show, showcasing the group in full flight, brimming with invention & zeal.
By 1979, fresh from the inevitable hard slog of trying to conquer America, Horslips returned to Radio 1's In Concert with a set that captured their ability to fit in with the times & the power of their live performances. Disc 2 continues with an unplugged 'comeback' session from 2010 & a BBC NI performance in 2019 of 'Sideways To The Sun' - written about magical Irish beings disappearing from mortal sight - which would, perhaps fittingly, prove to be their last official recording.
Disc 3 presents Horslips' unique 2011 performance with the Ulster Orchestra at Belfast's Waterfront Hall, in its previously unreleased BBC Radio Ulster broadcast mix. Including epic suites from classic albums 'The Tain' & 'The Book Of Invasions' & fan favourites like the eight-minute 'I'll Be Waiting', a showcase for late guitarist Johnny Fean (d. 2023), many - including band members - view this concert as Horslips' finest hour (and a quarter).
Disc 4 is a bonus disc, comprising recently discovered 1979 'working mixes' of the album 'Short Stories, Tall Tales', recorded at Dublin's Windmill Lane. They offer an intimate glimpse into a band in transition, shifting from the US FM rock that had influenced recent albums towards the spikier, sharper British New Wave sound.
'At The BBC' is completed by a DVD bringing together clips from The Old Grey Whistle Test, 1974 documentary material & magical fan footage of two songs from the 2011 Waterfront Hall concert, synced to sparkling BBC audio.
Presented in a deluxe hardback book package with rare photographs & extensive liner notes by band biographer Mark Cunningham, legendary BBC producer Jeff Griffin & curator Colin Harper, 'At The BBC' is a celebration of a band whose influence still echoes through the decades. The mastering is shared by Eroc in Germany & band associate Cormac O'Kane who mastered 'More Than You Can Chew'.
Description
EXPERIENCE THE ENDURING LEGACY OF HORSLIPS WITH MADFISH'S NEW 2LP SET 'HORSLIPS - AT THE BBC' - GATEFOLD 2LP BLACK VINYL SET COMPRISING LIVE PERFORMANCES & RARE ARCHIVAL MATERIAL FROM THE CELTIC ROCK PIONEERS.
Few bands have left as distinct a mark on the musical landscape as Horslips. Emerging in the early 1970's, they more or less created 'Celtic Rock', drawing from Irish traditional music & British/American rock, crafting a sound that was both timeless & radical.
This 2LP collection gathers a carefully curated selection of performances captured by the BBC during the band's groundbreaking 1970's heyday & their powerful return to the stage decades later.
LP1 showcases Horslips in full flight during a 1974 BBC Radio 1 In Concert broadcast, capturing the mythic energy of their classic albums 'The Tain' & 'The Book Of Invasions'. Tracks like "Dearg Doom," "Charolais," &"You Can't Fool The Beast" bristle with invention & intent. The disc also includes sessions from Sounds of the 70's & The John Peel Show, preserving the raw brilliance of one of Ireland's most visionary bands at the peak of their creative powers.
LP2 moves forward to 1979, with a triumphant return to Radio 1's In Concert, where tracks such as "The Power & The Glory" & "Sword Of Light" demonstrate the band's ability to evolve while staying true to their roots. The album closes with rare recordings from BBC Radio Ulster (2011) & BBC NI (2019) - a poignant reminder of Horslips' long shadow & final flourish, including the elegiac "Sideways To The Sun."
Presented on double black vinyl in a beautifully designed gatefold sleeve, 'At The BBC' is a celebration of a band whose influence still echoes through the decades. The mastering is shared by Eroc in Germany & band associate Cormac O'Kane who mastered the acclaimed 2023 Horslips box set 'More Than You Can Chew'.
Tracklisting
Tracklisting
Rick Wakeman
Fairport Convention
Vivian Stanshall
Vivian Stanshall
Rick Wakeman
Caravan
Bob Marley & The Wailers
The Pretty Things
Horslips