Artist description Celtic Elvis CDs are available at: www.wildplum.org/celticelvis CELTIC ELVIS is a crazed, cutting edge folk quintet; a practicing heavy mental band. They are also a traveling musical comedy troop bursting with angst, lust, and social commentary. They are entirely original. Celtic Elvis uses folk 'n roll arrangements, tight four-part harmonies, hilarious theatrical antics, and meanly accurate satire to skewer modern life. Its a musical bbq out in the burb's, but instead of your father's hamburger, Celtic Elvis runs the stick through the thin skin of contemporary facades and relationships. Setting satire to harmony with a beat, their songs become warped Americana mini-operas. "The ultimate party band for people who think too much...as much fun as folk music gets." (Contra Costa Times)Hard To Be Real, the band's latest album, is the result of Celtic Elvis's recent signing with Oakland CA indie label Wildplum Recordings. The new album features irreverent pokes at the funny bone and songs written by each of the four songwriters in the band. The addition of a fifth player, a violinist, has allowed Celtic Elvis to explore new musical directions, while maintaining their vision of musical excitement, harmony, and twisted contemporary satire. "Great songwriting, comedy, vaudeville; their stage show is one of the best in the business." That's how Rod Kennedy, founder of the acclaimed Kerrville Folk Festival, described Celtic Elvis's stage presence. Now, after a three-year break from performing, and with the label providing promotional support, Celtic Elvis is once again touring the US. With a revamped, funnier than ever stage show, Celtic Elvis continues to inspire audiences to tap their feet, laugh out loud, and question both authority and the status quo.What Celtic Elvis does is "some of the best satirical songs you're likely to hear." (Dirty Linen) Hard To Be Real is packed with demented, insightful, no-holds-barred commentary, folk-with-a-beat musical arrangements, and, of course, the band's trademark four-part power harmonies. Recorded live at Strings, the East Bay underground acoustic music showcase, Hard To Be Real is a unique recording which captures the excitement of a live Celtic Elvis performance while maintaining all the clarity and depth of a studio production. Musical instrumentation includes two acoustic guitars, bass, violin, accordion, and a pizza box (medium pepperoni).In the rocking America, the jaundice eye of Celtic Elvis turns on the funding assumption of American society. Its true, you know, America "is only as good as your next door neighbor." The lilting I'm in Heaven is an ode to self loving. The title cut, Hard To Be Real, is a critical look at the mechanics of beauty. "Jessica's body is like chiffon, she smoothes it one fold at a time." Little Head explores the driving force that built the Trojan Horse, got Bathseba's husband killed, and made Cyrano write all that bad poetry. It also explains Bill Clinton. In She Likes Girls, a mid-tempo ballad, bassets and biker Rich Wescott meets his perfect mate. He's just one small operation away from being perfect for her. Sadie is a romp, a simple love song dedicated to a woman who didn't care. The acappella Help Me, Help Me is about a couple becoming twins. Male Pattern Numbness- "They say that men are slime, slippery as their desires..." Celia is a dance tune which features Rich on accordion and Barb subbing on bass. Acid Rain tells of three true stories involving trading health for status: a genuine folk song. C'est La Vie is a lovely ballad from the lovely Barb. The Celtic Elvis stage show is without peer in today's folk domain, using comedy and various elements of theater (dance, costumes, props, etc.) to drive home poignant observation on... well, just about everything. For example, for Ritual Worrying (the worst is yet to come), Celtic Elvis creates a small, smoky cafe, on the cusp of French existentialism. Randy then engages the audience in a dialog before he and Barb perform an Apache dance. For Love is Real-estate (you're my fixer-upper), Celtic Elvis stages a mini-opera, complete with costumes and power tools (yep, the handyman kind).

Music Style a practicing heavy mental band & travelling musical comedy troop

Musical Influences Imagine, if you will, that Peter, Paul and Mary are real pissed off and they want you to know about it.

Similar Artists Celtic Elvis is what Broadway musicals would sound like if Tom Wolfe were President.

Artist History Celtic Elvis is a folk theater group started in Contra Costa County, CA in 1988 when Jim Ocean hatched the idea of using theatrics and laughter to ease people through explorations of the significant issues of our times. The group has toured nationally and internationally, performing their skewed sense of humor and original songs at such venues as the Bottom Line, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Kerrville Folk Festival. They released their first CD, The Rise and Fall of Practically Everything, in 1990. The band's second CD is entitled Hard To Be Real and was recently released on the Wildplum label. The origins of the band's name are obscured by unreliable memories. It is suggested that Celtic Elvis, among other things, sprang out of the "Big Bang Elvis." The name does imply a sense of humor and hints at music that is undeniably original. Warning: They're not Elvis; they're not Celtic; and they don't play basketball.What Celtic Elvis does is "some of the best satirical songs you're likely to hear." (Dirty Linen) The group's new album, Hard To Be Real, is packed with demented, insightful, no-holds-barred commentary, folk-with-a-beat musical arrangements, and, of course, the band's trademark four-part power harmonies. Recorded live at Strings, the East Bay underground acoustic music showcase, Hard To Be Real is a unique recording which captures the excitement of a live Celtic Elvis performance while maintaining all the clarity and depth of a studio production. Musical instrumentation includes two acoustic guitars, bass, violin, accordion, and a pizza box (medium pepperoni).For the CD's opening track, the rocking America, the jaundice eye of Celtic Elvis turns on the funding assumption of American society. Its true, you know, America "is only as good as your next door neighbor." The lilting I'm in Heaven is an ode to self loving. The title cut, Hard To Be Real, is a critical look at the mechanics of beauty. "Jessica's body is like chiffon, she smooths it one fold at a time." Little Head explores the driving force that built the Trojan Horse, got Bathseba's husband killed, and made Cyrano write all that bad poetry. It also explains Bill Clinton. She Likes Girls, a mid-tempo ballad, finds bassist and biker Rich Wescott meeting his perfect mate. He's just one small operation away from being perfect for her. Sadie is a romp, a simple love song dedicated to a woman who didn't care. The acappella Help Me, Help Me is about a couple becoming clones of one another.Male Pattern Numbness- "They say that men are slime, slippery as their desires..." Celia is a dance tune which features Rich on accordion and Barb subbing on bass. Acid Rain tells of three true stories involving people trading their health for status: a genuine folk song.The album closes with C'est La Vie, a lovely ballad from the lovely Barb.

Group Members For the CD's opening track, the rocking America, the jaundice eye of Celtic Elvis turns on the funding assumption of American society. Its true, you know, America "is only as good as your next door neighbor." The lilting I'm in Heaven is an ode to self loving. The title cut, Hard To Be Real, is a critical look at the mechanics of beauty. "Jessica's body is like chiffon, she smooths it one fold at a time." Little Head explores the driving force that built the Trojan Horse, got Bathseba's husband killed, and made Cyrano write all that bad poetry. It also explains Bill Clinton. She Likes Girls, a mid-tempo ballad, finds bassist and biker Rich Wescott meeting his perfect mate. He's just one small operation away from being perfect for her. Sadie is a romp, a simple love song dedicated to a woman who didn't care. The acappella Help Me, Help Me is about a couple becoming clones of one another.Male Pattern Numbness- "They say that men are slime, slippery as their desires..." Celia is a dance tune which features Rich on accordion and Barb subbing on bass. Acid Rain tells of three true stories involving people trading their health for status: a genuine folk song.The album closes with C'est La Vie, a lovely ballad from the lovely Barb.

Instruments Vocals, Guitars, Boss, Violin, Mandolin, Accordian, pizza box

Albums Hard To Be Real

Press Reviews Celtic Elvis is what Broadway musicals would sound like if Tom Wolfe were president.One of a handful of groups in the mid- to late-'80s that married thedoo-wop tradition of close vocal harmony with cuttingnext-door neighbor," the refrain goes. That is, neighbors withdysfunctional marriages who own obnoxious dogs, deal drugs and burglarizeyour home.The dissing continues in the title song. Ocean balances a sweet, poppymelody with this shot of vinegar: "Jessica's body is like chiffon;/shesmooths it one fold at a time/But the surgical steel and the silicon/havehad an effect on her mind./ When she's posing, she's looking sohot./But it's hard to be real when you're not."The group returns to its a cappella roots for the 1950's-flavored "HelpMe! Help Me! (I Think I'm Turning Into My Wife)" and finds a sort ofSimon and Garfunkel groove for Westcott's "Celia." Martinez residents cantake a weird sort of pride in "Singing in the Acid Rain," which includesa backhanded homage to Ocean's hometown.So if you didn't buy a tape 10 years ago, if you find yourself thinking,"Gee, the Reagan years weren't half bad," get "Hard to Be Real" and get areality check.-- Mary Mazzocco, Contra Costa Times A truly fresh force of acoustic music on the west coast.- Christine LavinI like everything about Celtic Elvis, their song concepts, theirharmomies, humor and energy are great! They're as fun as shootingout a television set after eating a gross of jelly doughnuts!- Justin Mitchell, Rocky Mt. News, DenverCeltic Elvis...just the names catches the wonderfully skewedsensibility of this San Francisco area (quintet). Four partharmonies and songs that consistently skewer modern life in theUSA. The songs are smart, as well as clever, but avoid thenovelty stance of going for cheap laughs: instead, they get underthe skin of contemporary facades and relationships. Music for ourtimes.- Garth Johnson, Victory Music Review, SeattleAs their name suggests, they mix old world folk roots with aboomer generation's rock sense. A hot folk-harmony quintet.- Oakland TribuneAn interesting band to watch.- Todd RungrenWhat they do is some of the best satirical songs you're likely tohear. Their songs have folk rock arrangements, very well played.For a truly weird and wonderful group that's bound to make you feelweird about being normal, check out Celtic Elvis.- Dirty Linen Celtic Elvis is entirely original. Politics, social commentary,traffic reports, angst, lust...there's something for everyone!- Westward Magazine, BoulderGreat songwriting, comedy, vaudeville, their stage show is one ofthe best in the business.- Rod Kennedy, Kerrville Folk FestivslA cutting edge act.

Location Orinda, CA - USA

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