MIKE'S EVENING AT THE W.B. YEATS SUMMER SCHOOL
1st Mar 2010
Mike will give a talk, including some music, at this year’s WB Yeats Summer School in Sligo, Ireland. The evening will be held at The Hawk’s Well Theatre on July 28th, and is titled YEATS TO MUSIC / POETRY TO SONG. Tickets are available to the public for €25 from www.hawkswell.com and to School participants for €15. Mike will talk about his work setting Yeats' words to music, the development of The Waterboys' new show An Appointment With Mr. Yeats, and the history of Yeats treatments in pop, rock and folk music. A guitar and piano will be on hand and a guest appearance from Sligo resident Steve Wickham is promised. For further information about the Summer School, which runs from July 24 till August 6, click here
"THE PASSING OF THE SHEE" ON GALWAY BENEFIT ALBUM
4th Feb 2010
The Waterboys recording of The Passing Of The Shee is included on a new benefit CD, AWAKE, proceeds from which go to the Galway Rape Crisis Centre. Other artists, all Galway-based, include Sharon Shannon, Stacey Nolan, Larry Beau, Identity Parade and The Saw Doctors. Info/buy here.
NEWLY-RELEASED TICKETS FOR "MR YEATS" AT THE ABBEY THEATRE
27th Jan 2010
Fifteen extra tickets are being made available for each of the first three performances of AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Ireland on March 15th, 16th and 18th. They are priced €49.50 each and go on sale 10.30am, Wednesday 27th January from the Abbey box office, telephone 00353 1 887 2209 or online here.
MORE MUSICIANS CONFIRMED FOR THE "MR YEATS" WATERBOYS BAND
27th Jan 2010
Latest additions to the Waterboys line-up for An Appointment With Mr Yeats are Ash Soan (drums), Marc Arciero (bass) and Ruby Ashley (oboe). They will join Mike Scott, Steve Wickham, Joe Chester (guitar), Katie Kim (vocals), Simon Wallace (keyboards), Sarah Allen (flute) and Blaise Margail (trombone).
AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS – AT GRAND CANAL THEATRE NOV 2010
23rd Dec 2009
The five March performances of An Appointment With Mr Yeats show at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin are now sold out and an additional concert, on SUNDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2010, has been added at Dublin’s soon-to-open GRAND CANAL THEATRE. The Waterboys are one of the first bands to be confirmed at this new theatre, a 2,100 seat venue operated by Live Nation and owned by Dublin entrepreneur and Waterboys’ friend Harry Crosbie.
Tickets go on sale THIS WEDNESDAY, DEC 23 price €44.50 incl booking fee by phone from Ticketmaster at 00 353 818 719 377 or online here.
Group Bookings can be made at: 00 353 1 677 7770
Further information about The Grand Canal Theatre can be found here.
There is no news yet on performances of An Appointment With Mr Yeats outside of Ireland. As soon as there is we'll let you know.
MEMORIAL CONCERT FOR MARK SMITH, LONDON, JANUARY 10
23rd Dec 2009
To celebrate Mark Smith’s life a number of his London-based musical friends are staging a special tribute show on Sunday January 10th at the 606 Club in Chelsea, running from 5pm to 1am. Though The Waterboys are unable to play, any Waterboys fans who wish to go along are guaranteed an evening of excellent music in tribute to Mark, with performances (in running order) by The Leo Green Experience, The Adam Phillips Band, Tony O’Malley, and finally The Paul Stacey Band featuring ex-Waterboys drummer Jeremy Stacey and his brother Paul, formerly with Oasis. To end the evening there will be a special jam session. For further information click here.
SAINTS AND ANGELS DOWNLOAD IS NOW AVAILABLE
11th Dec 2009
The Waterboys/Sharon Shannon single SAINTS AND ANGELS, remixed by Mike Scott from the version on Sharon’s current album Saint And Scoundrels, is now available from iTunes Ireland. The single was due to be released Dec 4th but was mysteriously delayed by iTunes. We apologise to all of you who tried to download it over the past week. Meanwhile, those abroad will soon be able to purchase SAINTS AND ANGELS at the Waterboys own website store.
APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS SHOWS ALMOST SOLD OUT
11th Dec 2009
The Friday and Saturday nights of AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS, the new Waterboys show running at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre from March 15-20, are sold out. The other 3 nights are following fast with only a few tickets remaining. If you want to see the world premiere of this very special show but haven’t already got tickets, book them online now from The Abbey Theatre.
AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS features an extended Waterboys line-up which we understand will be between nine and thirteen musicians strong. Confirmed members in addition to Mike Scott and Steve Wickham include Irish singer Katie Kim; flute player Sarah Allen (who replaces Mike McGoldrick); pianoman Simon Wallace; Irish singer/guitarist Joe Chester; and Catalan trombonist Blaise Margail.
SAINTS AND ANGELS SINGLE RELEASE & PLAYLISTED IN IRELAND
19th Nov 2009
Saints And Angels, the Waterboys’ collaboration with former member Sharon Shannon on her new album Saints & Scoundrels, will be released as a download single in Ireland by Daisy Discs on 4 December, available from iTunes and other sites. The song has been remixed by Mike Scott from the version on the album and is available for listening at our myspace page here. The single is already playlisted at Ireland’s national 2FM and a large number of regional radio stations.
MARK SMITH – FACEBOOK MEMORIAL PAGE
19th Nov 2009
A memorial page for Waterboys bass player Mark Smith has been set up on Facebook, where people can read and leave messages about Mark. Several of Mark’s Waterboys colleagues have posted memories. To visit, click here
ARTICLE ON MIKE SCOTT'S MUSIC ROOM
19th Nov 2009
Mike has written a short piece for an Irish website about the room where he writes and works. To read, click here
MIKE’S NADSAT LEXICON
19th Nov 2009
Followers of Mike Scott’s Twitter page will know he spent much of Summer 2009 tweeting in Nadsat, the futuristic language invented by Anthony Burgess for his great novel A Clockwork Orange. Mike also invented many of his own Nadsat words and has compiled an illustrated Nadsat-English dictionary, more complete than the lexicon found in some editions of the book, and it is available online here.
MIKE’S INTRO TO R. OGILVIE CROMBIE’S BOOK
19th Nov 2009
Mike has written the introduction to The Gentleman And The Faun, a collection of vintage lectures and articles by the late Scottish mystic R. Ogilvie Crombie, published this month by Findhorn Press. For further information and to purchase the book, click here.
MARK SMITH 1960-2009
3rd Nov 2009
We're very sorry to inform you all that our friend and colleague, Waterboys bass player Mark Smith, has died unexpectedly at his home in London. We don't yet know the cause of death, but are told Mark was found dead on his sofa and as far as we know, he died peacefully. No foul play is suspected. Mark played on stage with Mike Scott only a few weeks ago at the Groucho Club in London and had been active since then, playing with various bands, musicians and friends around London. We will all miss Mark very much, not just for his fabulous bass playing but for his friendship and his wonderful, dry humour.
MIKE, STEVE, ANTO AND SHARON ON IRELAND'S LATE LATE SHOW, FRIDAY
1st Oct 2009
The trio of Mike Scott, Steve Wickham and Anto Thistlethwaite will be reunited when they perform with Sharon Shannon on this week’s edition of Ireland’s Friday night TV programme, The Late Late Show. The ensemble, also including members of Sharon’s band, will perform a live version of the Waterboys’ song Saints And Angels, which is featured on Sharon’s new album of collaborations Saints And Scoundrels. Sharon will also be performing on the show with Galway band The Cartoon Thieves. Transmission time is 9.30pm and people outside Ireland can watch the show after broadcast here.
MIKE SCOTT TO PLAY SOLO SET AT SCOTLAND'S HOMECOMING FINALE
1st Oct 2009
Mike will play a unique 30 minute set at the finale of Scotland’s Homecoming year of concerts, on 28th November at Clyde Auditorium, part of Scotland’s SECC complex in Glasgow. Mike will be backed by Steve Wickham and the musicians of Eddi Reader’s band, and other featured artists playing sets on the night will be Eddi Reader, Evelyn Glennie and Dougie MacLean, composer of the famous Scottish song Caledonia. Tickets cost £35, £30 & £27.50 from here or by phone from See Tickets (44) 871 2200260. Mike will play a Scottish themed set, including at least one interpretation of a poem by national bard Robert Burns. The Homecoming events are a celebration of the 250th anniversary of Burns’ birth. For more information click here.
WATERBOYS PLAY 'SAINTS AND ANGELS' ON NEW SHARON SHANNON ALBUM
16th Sep 2009
A new version of the classic but never officially released Waterboys song Saints And Angels is featured on Sharon Shannon’s new album of collaborations, Saint And Scoundrels, issued on Sept 25 (Ireland) and Sept 28 (UK) by Daisy Discs. The reunited trio of Mike Scott, Steve Wickham and Anthony Thistlethwaite are joined by Sharon for the track which was recorded last summer in Co. Galway. Other guests on the album include Imelda May, Shane MacGowan, Jerry Fish, Carol Keogh and The Cartoon Thieves. The album will be available from all usual outlets and from iTunes.
MIKE’S ONLINE INTERVIEW WITH CULCH.IE
16th Sep 2009
Mike was interviewed recently at Dublin’s Odessa Club by Darragh Doyle of culch.ie. They discussed the upcoming Waterboys show An Appointment With Mr Yeats and much more. Click here to view.
MIKE READS ONE OF HIS POEMS ON VIDEO
16th Sep 2009
A rare film of Mike reading on of his poems, My Love For Her Is Fire, is up on youtube. Click here to view.
AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS – TICKETS ON SALE NOW
15th Jul 2009
Tickets for the Waterboys show AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS are now on sale, pric e €49.50 each. The show runs for five nights at the famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, March 15, 16, 18, 19 & 20, 2010 and can be purchased here.
The Abbey is a small, theatre and these will be very special intimate shows. Early booking is advised.
Mike Scott has created 20 new songs for the show, all of which use as lyrics the words of Ireland’s greatest poet, WB Yeats. AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS has been several years in development and will feature a special extended line-up of The Waterboys including the current five-piece band plus additional musicians including the great Michael McGoldrick on flute, Catalan trombonist Blaise Margall and backing vocals by exquisite new Irish rock singer Katie Kim. Mike describes the music as "psychedelic, intense, kaleidescopic, a mix of rock, folk and faery music." Among the lyrics featured are The Hosting Of The Shee, An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, September 1913, Song Of Wandering Aengus, and The Four Ages Of Man, some of which were premiered recently at Mike’s poetry event in the National Library of Ireland. Let The Earth Bear Witness, recently heard on the Waterboys video of Iranian ‘Sea of Green’ protesters is also included.
FESTIVALS ADDED IN PORTUGAL AND SPAIN
15th Jul 2009
Friday 7 August: The Waterboys will perform at RockOne, Portiomao, Algarve, Por tugal. Tickets are available from here.
Thursday 20 Aug: The Waterboys will perform at Botica Vieja, Zorrozaurre, Bilbao, Spain. This is a free festival, no tickets required.
"WILD HOLY BAND" – MIKE’S NEW SONG ON BELIEVER MAGAZINE CD
9th Jul 2009
The home demo recording of Mike Scott’s new song A Wild Holy Band, a ten minute-plus epic narrative starring a handsome taxi driver, two sad lovers, a crumbling druid college and a roll-call of gods, sailors, literary characters and at least one briefly-glimpsed Waterboy, will get its unexpected world premiere on a music CD accompanying the July edition of the American arts magazine Believer. The recording is a rare opportunity to hear Mike’s work behind the scenes, to experience a song in the raw before it has been taken to the band, and it features only a drum machine and Mike’s own vocal, guitar and piano. The CD comes with Believer’s annual music issue, and among the 13 other artists included are Stuart Moxham, Lisa Germano, Lloyd Cole, David Sylvian, Mary Margaret O’Hara and Stephen Duffy. The magazine comes out is available now from here.
LET THE EARTH BEAR WITNESS – NOW WITH FARSI SUBTITLES
9th Jul 2009
LET THE EARTH BEAR WITNESS, The Waterboys’ video/song tribute to the Iranian protesters is now uploaded to youtube with the song’s lyric, written by W.B. Yeats, in Farsi (Persian) subtitles. View it here.
AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS - SHOW DATES
7th Jul 2009
The Waterboys will present a brand new concert show titled AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS for five nights at the famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, on March 15, 16, 18, 19 & 20, 2010.
Mike Scott has created 20 new songs for the show, all of which use as lyrics the words of Ireland’s greatest poet, WB Yeats. The Waterboys have “collaborated” with Yeats before, notably on their classic version of The Stolen Child from 1988’s album Fisherman’s Blues. Says Mike, “It’s been a dream of mine ever since to create a whole show based around Yeats’ words, and specifically to present it at the Abbey, Ireland’s national theatre, which was founded by Yeats himself in 1904.”
AN APPOINTMENT WITH MR YEATS has been several years in development and will feature a special extended line-up of The Waterboys including the current five-piece band – Mike, Steve Wickham, Mark Smith, Carlos Hercules and John McCullough - plus additional musicians including the great Michael McGoldrick on flute, Catalan trombonist Blaise Margall and backing vocals by exquisite new Irish rock singer Katie Kim, and other specially invited players. Instrumental arrangements have been manuscripted by Mike Scott and Steve Wickham. Mike describes the music as “psychedelic, intense, kaleidescopic, a mix of rock, folk and faery music.” Among the Yeats poems featured are The Hosting Of The Shee, An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, September 1913, Song Of Wandering Aengus, News For The Delphic Oracle and The Four Ages Of Man, some of which were premiered last week at Mike’s poetry event in the National Library of Ireland. Let The Earth Bear Witness, recently heard on the Waterboys video of Iranian ‘Sea of Green’ protesters is also included.
The Abbey is a small, magical theatre and these will be very special intimate shows. Early booking is advised. Tickets cost €49.50 each and are available from Wednesday July 15th online here or by phone 00353 1 8787222 from the Abbey Theatre box office.
LET THE EARTH BEAR WITNESS - MIKE’S VIDEO FOR IRANIAN PROTESTERS
25th Jun 2009
Mike Scott, his wife Janette and Waterboys’ webmaster Ian Barratt have created a 3-minute video titled LET THE EARTH BEAR WITNESS in tribute to the Iranian protesters. The film shows fantastic images of the uprising in Iran to a soundtrack of a split-new Waterboys with a lyric by the great Irish poet WB Yeats. Says Mike: "Let The Earth Bear Witness is inspired by the amazing scenes of hundreds of thousands of Iranian people standing up for their rights and freedom. I took the words from two old Yeats poems, in which he was writing about Irish freedom fighters. But his words apply to any freedom fighters, anytime, anywhere in the world."
The film is live on youtube now and can be viewed here.
We’re working on a version with subtitles in Farsi and this will also be posted shortly. If you find the film inspiring please pass on or tweet the link to everyone you know.
LET THE EARTH BEAR WITNESS words by W.B. Yeats
They shall be remembered for ever
They shall be alive for ever
They shall be speaking for ever
The people shall hear them for ever
Let the sea bear witness
Let the wind bear witness
Let the earth bear witness
Let the stars bear witness!
TWO MORE IRISH FESTIVALS - GALWAY & KILDARE
21st Jun 2009
The Waterboys will play full band shows at the following Irish festivals:
Fri 31 July: The Dome, Galway (by Clayton Hotel)
Tickets price €39.90 available from 0818 719 300 and online here.
Sun 2 Aug: Lughnasa festival, Tannery Park, Rathangan, Co. Kildare
Tickets €43.50 from 086 8945357 and online here.
Both shows are on sale now. The band also play Cork x Southwest in Skibbereen, West Cork on 1st August.
NATIONAL LIBRARY POETRY READING, JUNE 30 - ALL TICKETS GONE
11th Jun 2009
All tickets for Mike's reading of WB Yeats' poetry at the National Library of Ireland in Dublin on June 30th are gone, and the waiting list is full, so please don't try and get tickets - you won't be able to. Thanks to everyone who has made this event such a success already.
MIKE, STEVE AND W.B. YEATS AT NATIONAL LIBRARY, DUBLIN
10th Jun 2009
Mike Scott will give a reading from the poetry of WB Yeats at the National Library of Ireland, Kildare St, Dublin, on Tuesday 30th June at 7.30pm as part of the Summer’s Wreath festival celebrating the 70th anniversary of Yeats’ death. Steve Wickham will be on hand to play fiddle and the two will also give a preview of some of the musicial arrangements of Yeats’ poems they are busy concocting for a special project that will be announced soon. Tickets are free but limited and must be pre-booked (available now) from: 00353 1 603 0277 or by email from yeats@nli.ie. Other events in the festival include readings by Bob Geldof (June 19th) and Edna O’Brien (June 23rd). Further information is available here.
MIKE’S ONLINE COLLECTION OF Æ’S PAINTINGS
10th Jun 2009
If you haven’t yet checked out Mike’s online collection of paintings by the Irish mystic and author Æ(George Russell, 1867-1935), then visit here. The 40 paintings were assembled with the help of a small group of online Waterboys fans, and is full of beautiful images. For best results view them full size (click icon on the right just above each picture).
FESTIVAL DATES ADDED – IRELAND & NORWAY
3rd Jun 2009
The Waterboys will play full-band shows at the following festivals:
Sat August 1: Cork x Southwest, The Showgrounds, Skibbereen, Co Cork Ireland. Tickets available now from +353 (0)86 0610045 or www.tickets.ie Other acts include Lisa Hannigan, John Spillane, Guggenheim Grotto. Further info from www.corkxsw.com
Sat August 22: Drammen Elvefestival, Drammen, Norway. Tickets available now from +47 815 33 133 or www.billettservice.no
One day pas 595 NOK, two day pas 900 NOK. Other acts include Travis, The Hives. Further info from www.drammen-elvefestival.no
THE WORLD IN SIX SONGS by DANIEL LEVITIN – BRING ‘EM ALL IN
2nd Jun 2009
Mike Scott’s song Bring ‘Em All In is featured in Daniel Levitin’s new book about the psychology of music, The World In Six Songs. Bring ‘Em All In has been picked by Levitin to represent love and is the title of the final chapter of the book as well as being the final song detailed and quoted. For further info visit here or buy the book here.
Meanwhile....
The band played two shows in May, their first since the festivals of summer '08. On May 9th, Mike, Steve and new keyboard player John McCullough performed at the Glor Theatre in Ennis, Ireland, with a set comprising lots of new songs plus material from the WB Yeats project Mike is working on (news to be announced on this very soon). The show was a great success with a standing ovation and an old friend of the band, Eoin O'Neill, guested on bouzouki for the encore of Fisherman's Blues. Mike and Steve guested on Eoin's radio show at Clare FM the morning after, and a podcast is available here. On May 31st, joined by Carlos Hercules (drums) and Mark Smith (bass), veterans of the 2003-6 and 2007-8 tours respectively, the band played the Blues And Soul Festival in Alta, Norway, when the set again featured several new songs. Both the Ennis and Alta shows opened with the twelve-minute long A Wild Holy Band.
PODCAST OF CLARE FM RADIO SHOW
18th May 2009
Irish radio station Clare FM have uploaded a podcast of Mike Scott and Steve Wickham's hour-long appearance on the Eoin O'Neill show last Sunday, including chat, some live tunes and songs and a selection of Mike and Steve's favourite records. To listen click here.
MIKE AND STEVE TO GUEST ON EOIN O'NEILL'S RADIO SHOW
9th May 2009
Mike and Steve will guest on the radio show of Irish musician and Waterboys friend Eoin O'Neill on Sunday morning May 10th, between 9 and 10am. The show is broadcast on Clare FM, available live at www.clare.fm (show is not archived for later listening).
PASSING OF THE SHEE - mix update
27th Mar 2009
Mike Scott has done an updated mix of the new download single The Passing Of The Shee. “Coul;dn’t help myself,” he said, “I got the track finished - so I thought - in time for Synge’s centenary on Tuesday the 24th, then woke up on the 25th with a great idea for backwards drum fills. Spent that morning adding them to the track, and the helpful fellows at the online store uploaded it.” People who have already purchased the song from our online store can download it again free to get the new mix. Click here.
STACEY NOLAN TO OPEN FOR WATERBOYS IN ENNIS
27th Mar 2009
Galway singer Stacey Nolan will open for The Waterboys when they play at the Glor in Ennis on 9th May. Mike Scott is a fan of Stacey's music and invited her to do the show. To hear Stacey click here.
NORWEGIAN FESTIVAL SHOW ADDED
27th Mar 2009
The Waterboys will play at the Alta Soul & Blues Festival, Lapland, Norway on Saturday 30th May. This will be a full band show, and we understand tha a few more festivals will be added over the summer. Tickets for Alta are available from www.billetservice.no For further information visit: www.altasoulogblues.no
THE PASSING OF THE SHEE / VIGILANTE – download single
24th Mar 2009
Two brand new Waterboys tracks are available NOW to download at our website store here. The Passing Of The Shee and Vigilante form a double ‘a’ side download single available only on our website, price £1.49. The Passing Of The Shee has lyrics by Irish author J.M. Synge and was set to music and recorded by Mike Scott to mark the centenary of Synge’s death a hundred years ago today. Vigilante is a brand new Waterboys song, featuring Mike on most instruments and Steve Wickham on fuzz fiddle.
Samples of both tracks can be heard on the store, and the full-length Passing Of The Shee is available to listen to (but not download) on our myspace player here.
THE PASSING OF THE SHEE
24th Mar 2009
To mark the centenary of the death of the great Irish writer J.M. Synge on March 24 1909, Mike has set The Passing Of The Shee, one of Synge’s poems, to music and made a wild record of it. You can hear it now on our myspace player here. The song, plus another brand new track called Vigilante, will be available for download later today on our website store.
MIKE'S MASH-UPS
24th Mar 2009
Two Waterboys tracks recently mashed-up by Mike Scott are available on our myspace player. They are a 9 minute-plus version of She Tried To Hold Me from the 2007 album Book Of Lightning; and a revisiting of the outro of Crown, from 2000's A Rock In The Weary Land with additional Thighpaulsandra keyboards and a voiceover from beyond the grave by the late Sir George Trevelyan. To hear click here.
THE SERPENT’S HEAD - NEW TUNE ON MYSPACE
3rd Mar 2009
We’ve just uploaded a brand new Waterboys tune to myspace. The Serpent’s Head is a deliciously slithery Steve Wickham jig, eloquently played on fiddle, treated and mixed by Mike Scott with backwards tapes. To listen click here.
WATERBOYS UPDATES ON TWITTER
3rd Mar 2009
You can now get Waterboys news updates on Twitter, direct to your phone or blackberry. Click here.
MIKE SCOTT ON TWITTER
3rd Mar 2009
Mike Scott has his own Twitter page under the alias MickPuck. Click here.
ACOUSTIC SHOW IN ENNIS, IRELAND
25th Feb 2009
The Waterboys will play an acoustic show in Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland on Saturday 9th May at The Glor Theatre. Mike and Steve will be joined by Belfast keyboard player John McCullough who recently performed with them at a benefit show in Dublin. Tickets go on sale this Thursday (26 Feb) price €37.50 from the Glor box office: Tel: 00353 65 6843103 / www.glor.ie
RICHARD NAIFF LEAVES WATERBOYS
25th Feb 2009
After nearly ten years of music Richard Naiff is leaving The Waterboys, though it is understood he may be involved in future projects from time to time. Richard is currently spending time with his family after the birth of his son Sam last summer, and as soon as we hear about Richard's next musical projects we'll keep you posted. Mike Scott said: "Richard has been a wonderful colleague and friend, a musical wizard, and a great Waterboy. We wish him all the very best in the future and will be staying in touch with him."
WATERBOYS versus HEADSTRONG - TRUMPETS remix
2nd Feb 2009
MIKE AND STEVE PLAY GAZA CHILDRENS BENEFIT IN DUBLIN FEB 6
27th Jan 2009
Mike Scott and Steve Wickham will play a short set at Dublin’s Vicar Street venue on February 6th as part of a multi-artist show to raise funds for Tuesday’s Child, an Irish aid group sending help to children in Gaza. Other artists include Paul Brady, Neil Hannon, Lisa Hannigan, Eleanor McEvoy and One Day International. A second show on the 7th, not featuring The Waterboys, includes Kila, Liam O’Maonlai, Mary Black & Frances Black. Further details and tickets are available here.
DAGGERS COVER OF THE WHOLE OF THE MOON
27th Jan 2009
Terrific new Manchester band Daggers have recorded a cover version of The Whole Of The Moon. To hear it on their myspace page, click here.
SETLISTS AND TOUR HISTORIES UPDATED
27th Jan 2009
We’ve just updated the Tour History section of the Waterboys website, with concert histories and setlists for 2003-8 being added. To check ‘em out click here.
PICKERING FESTIVAL REFUNDS UPDATE
27th Jan 2009
Many people have contacted us to say they still haven’t received ticket refunds for the cancelled Pickering Festival of last August. We’re very sorry to hear this but not surprised, because The Waterboys haven’t been paid either despite the show being cancelled only the day before and the band having already incurred costs in advance. Anyone still waiting for refunds is advised to report the matter to The Trading Standards and Consumer Advice Office, 9 St Leonard's Place, York YO1 7ET. Or you could try chasing the promoter: Simon Boak, The Events Office, PO Box 1, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7YG. Telephone; 01751 473780. Good luck!
SAVAGE EARTH HEART FOR MIKE'S 50TH
13th Dec 2008
STEVE WICKHAM FEATURED ON NEW CALI SOUNDTRACK ALBUM
9th Dec 2008
Steve plays fiddle and mandolin on the new soundtrack album by Waterboys friend, top French singer Cali. Album and film are both titled ‘Magique’, and the CD of the soundtrack is released by EMI, available now from: here. The film is currently showing in French cinemas.
MIKE SCOTT QUOTED IN NEW BOOK ABOUT ROCK AND DEATH
9th Dec 2008
Mike Scott was recently interviewed for Graeme Thomson’s new book I Shot A Man In Reno, an exploration on how rock music deals with the subject of death. For info about the book, visit: here. To read the full text of the interview with Mike, visit: here.
STEVE WICKHAM ON NEW ALBUM BY RAMSHACKLE DAY PARADE
9th Dec 2008
Steve has contributed to three tracks on the new collaboration album by Ramshackle Day Parade, brainchild on Waterbioys friend Two-Take Tim Bryant from Texas. The album is released by Porridge Records and is available here: here or from CDBaby.com. Steve composed one track, Caoineadh, and plays on that and two others. Among the other guests on the album are Joe Kingman of We Free Kings and Strong Buffalo, Native American founder of Norwegian group One People, with whom Mike Scott guested in 2007.
MIKE SCOTT INTERVIEW IN FOLKER MAGAZINE (GERMANY)
9th Dec 2008
An interview with Mike appears in the September 2008 edition of Folker, the German folk and world music magazine. For more info, visit: here.
NEW BLOG FROM MIKE ON MYSPACE
9th Dec 2008
Mike has posted his first new blog for a while, this one about the great Dublin singer Luke Kelly. To read visit: here.
WATERBOYS MENTIONED IN NEW WEST END PLAY 'THE DREAMERS OF INISHDARA'
29th Oct 2008
The Waterboys are mentioned in a new romantic comedy called which runs from 24 November to 13 December at the Jermyn Street Theatre, central London. The play, set in Connemara, Ireland, and dealing with intrigues between the Faery world and the material world, was written by Peter Dunne, a friend of Mike Scott's. For further info visit here. Tickets, priced £20 or £15 if purchased before 20 Nov, are available from the box office, phone 0044 207 287 2875.
FISHERMAN’S BLUES - 1986 REHEARSAL TAKE ON MYSPACE
29th Oct 2008
Last week was the twentieth anniversary of the classic Waterboys’ album Fisherman’s Blues, and to mark the occasion we’ve uploaded to our myspace page a previously unheard rehearsal take of the title track, recorded twenty minutes before the master version, complete with Mike Scott playing piano and calling out the chords to the band. Hear it at Myspace
MIKE CO-WRITES TRACK ON NEW ALBUM BY NOVASTAR
29th Oct 2008
Mike has co-written the song Miles on Almost Bangor, the new album by top Belgian band Novastar. Lead singer Joost Zweegers and Mike collaborated on the lyrics for Miles. Almost Bangor was released in late September by EMI Belgium and is available on iTunes. For more info visit here.
NEW ARCHIVE VIDEOS AND WEBSITE VIDEOS PAGE
12th Sep 2008
We’ve added a new Videos page to the main Waterboys website, which includes all the videos that have been posted on the band’s myspace page over the past couple of years, including two newly uploaded ones: the legendary and much-requested film of the band playing FISHERMAN’S BLUES on British TV’s The Tube in 1986, and KILLING MY HEART, a rare clip of Mike, Anto and Trevor reunited in a performance on Irish TV in 1998. To access click here
SUNDAY TIMES ROOM TO ROAM REVIEW
12th Sep 2008
We just read a great review of the new ROOM TO ROAM remaster in British newspaper The Sunday Times, calling the 1990 Waterboys album a “phenomenal work”. To view click here
UNIVERSAL HALL ON MYSPACE PLAYER
12th Sep 2008
We’ve added a beautiful unreleased live recording of the band performing UNIVERSAL HALL to our myspace player. The version is from the Midsummer’s Eve Stramash at Universal Hall in Findhorn, 2006. To access click here.
BELFAST MUSICIANS PLAY "FISHERMAN’S BLUES REVISITED" GIG - SEPT 28
12th Sep 2008
To mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the Waterboys classic album Fisherman’s Blues, a special multi-artist concert is being held at the Oh Yeah music centre, Gordon Street, Belfast on September 28th, at 8pm. The concert is part of the Open House Festival and is part-organised by journalist Stuart Bailie an old friend of the band’s. When told about the concert Mike Scott said: “I’m thrilled the musicians of Belfast are doing this. I hope someone sends me a bootleg!”. Tickets price £10 are available from 0044 289024 6609 or online here
For further info about the festival, locations etc click here
Stuart Bailie will introduce the show and talk about each song. The performers are:
Fisherman's Blues - Ken Haddock/Matt McGinn
We Will Not Be Lovers - Robyn G Sheils
Strange Boat - John Gribben
World Party - The Skin We're In
Sweet Thing - Ken Haddock/Matt McGinn
Jimmy Hickey's Waltz - Ruby Colley
And A Bang On The Ear - Gareth Dunlop
Has Anybody Here Seen Hank? - Ben Glover
When Will We Be Married? - John McGurgan
When Ye Go Away - Anthony Toner
Dunford's Fancy - Donal O'Connor
The Stolen Child – Scream Blue Murmur
This Land Is Your Land - Ben Glover, Matt Mcginn, Gareth Dunlop
THE NEW TROUDABOURS - ALBUM EDITED BY MIKE SCOTT
12th Sep 2008
Mike has recently compiled and edited a compilation album of the 1970s Findhorn Community band THE NEW TROUBADOURS. For further information, purchase details and to hear some tracks, visit the Troubadours’ myspace page here. The page also includes a blog by Mike explaining how he got involved in the project.
STEVE WICKHAM & NO CROWS - RADIO CONCERT
12th Sep 2008
Steve Wickham’s Sligo band NO CROWS will be playing a concert at the RTE Studios, Donnybrook, Dublin on Friday 19th Sept, for the radio show Roots Freeway. The band will play a 40-50 minute set and share the bill with the Carter Brothers. Audience numbers are limited to 200 and free tickets, limited to 4 per application, are available in advance by applying by email to: rootsfreeway@rte.ie.
The No Crows portion of the concert will be broadcast on Roots Freeway, RTE Radio 1, on Monday 29 Sept (and Carter Brothers on Tues 23 sept).
For further info click here
STEVE WICKHAM - NOVEMBER SOLO SHOWS IN IRELAND
12th Sep 2008
Steve Wickham will play 3 solo shows in Ireland backed by fellow Waterboy Richard Naiff on piano. Dates are
13 Nov: O'Keeffes Music Club, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. 8.30pm.
Tickets price €12 from 00353 52 21611. Further info here
14th Nov: The Thatch, Rahan, Tullamore, Co Offaly. 8pm
Tickets price €16 from 00353 57 9355 910. Further info here
15th Nov: The Stables, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. 9.30pm
Tickets price €15 from 00353 87 7733 565. Further info here
Tickets for all three shows are also available from: here
CELTIC ROOTS FESTIVAL CANCELLED
9th Sep 2008
We’ve been advised that the Celtic Roots festival on Sept 14th at Catton Hall, South Derbyshire has been cancelled. According to the festival website this is due to the continuous bad weather conditions of the past few weeks and the prospect of further heavy rainfall leading up to the show date. Further details including ticket refund information are available from: www.celticroots.tv
BODO SHOW TONIGHT - LIVE VIDEO STREAM ON INTERNET
23rd Aug 2008
The Waterboys hour-long set tonight at Parken Festival in Bodo, Norway, will be video-streamed live on the festival website. The set runs from 6pm-7pm Norwegian time, which is 5-6pm UK, 12-1pm EST and 9-10am Pacific time. To view, visit: www.parkenfestivalen.no
OUR NEW HOMEPAGE
16th Aug 2008
We’ve redesigned our homepage with a selection of new and vintage images of Mike Scott and The Waterboys which appear at random every time you log on (you can also use the arrows under the band’s name to view them all at your leisure). Take a look [here]
ROOM TO ROAM WEB PAGES
16th Aug 2008
ROOM TO ROAM was reissued on August 11th as a 2CD set with fabulous new remastered sound and 17 previously unavailable tracks. You can purchase the album [here] and check out our new Room To Roam web pages, including Mike Scott’s sleevenotes on how the record was made and the full lyrics to both CD1 and CD2 [here]. Meanwhile, we’ve spotted a printing error in the album’s booklet. On pages 22 and 23 is a photo of the entire cast - band and crew - that worked on the record at Spiddal House, with an accompanying key picture of numbered silhouettes to identify them all. Only thing is, the silhouettes aren’t numbered. To see the correct image, click [here]
TWO WATERBOYS ALBUMS FEATURED IN WORD MAGAZINE ‘ALBUM COVER ATLAS’
16th Aug 2008
See if you can find ‘em....here
PICKERING FESTIVAL CANCELLED
7th Aug 2008
ROOM TO ROAM OUT IN SIX DAYS, SONG ON MYSPACE NOW
5th Aug 2008
The 2CD remastered edition of Room To Roam will be released by EMI this coming Monday, August 11th, containing the original album in improved sound plus seventeen fascinating bonus tracks selected and edited by Mike Scott and featuring the magical 1989-1990 line-up of The Waterboys, with Steve Wickham, Anthony Thistlethwaite, Sharon Shannon and others. You can listen to one of the previously unreleased songs, Sunny Sailor Boy, on our myspace page [here], and pre-order the album from our online store [here]
ENGLISH ‘CELTIC ROOTS’ FESTIVAL ADDED - 14TH SEPT
29th Jul 2008
The Waterboys will play the Celtic Roots Festival at Catton Hall, Walton On Trent, South Derbyshire on Sunday September 14th. This looks like being the only full-band Waterboys show in England this year. Support acts are Hothouse Flowers and Biblecode Sundays. Saturday’s bill features Van Morrison, Amy MacDonald and Seth Lakeman. Tickets priced £35.00 (one day) or £70 (both days) are available [here]. Please note ticket prices will increase in mid August.
AUSTRIAN SHOW WITH NEIL YOUNG, 17th AUGUST
17th Jul 2008
The Waterboys have been added to the bill for Neil Young’s show at the Lovely Days Festival, Festivalgelanda, Wiesen, Burgenland, Austria on August 17 (Sunday). It’s the Waterboys’ first Austrian show in eight years, and second gig with Neil this summer. Tickets are available from 0043 196096 or online from: here Tickets €52 for the day. Other bands playing include Adam Green and Wishbone Ash. Further info: here
ROOM TO ROAM VIDEO UP ON MYSPACE PAGE
17th Jul 2008
Jacques Coetzer’s film of Mike and musicians and singers from the town of Huntly, Scotland performing Room To Roam has just been posted on our myspace page. To view the video, click here. We’ve also posted the soundtrack of the song on our myspace MP3 player.
NEW PHOTOS ON MYSPACE
17th Jul 2008
We’ve uploaded a motherlode of new photos at our myspace page and to make viewing them easier, we’ve divided them into seven different albums. Alongside live photos, artwork, vintage and miscellaneous photos, you can now view a set of twenty pictures from the recent Huntly Room To Roam project, and an extended selection of cartoons drawn by various Waterboys over the years. To view the photo albums you must be logged into myspace.
MIKE APPEARING WITH CALI AT FRANCOFOLIES FESTIVAL, 21st JULY
17th Jul 2008
Mike will guest with his friend the French star Cali at the chanson festival Francofolies, in Spa, Ardennes, Belgium on Monday 21st July. Mike (and Steve Wickham) previously guested with Cali at shows in Paris this spring and Mike collaborated on two songs on Cali’s recent number one album L’Espoire. For further festival info click here
ROOM TO ROAM - REMASTER IS OUT 11TH AUGUST
1st Jul 2008
The remastered 2CD version of Room To Roam will be released by EMI on 11th August. The beautiful package includes new sleevenotes by Mike Scott, extended track-by-track musician credits and previously unseen photographs as well as 17 bonus songs. CD1 is the original album featuring the Celtic line-up of the band: Mike Scott, Steve Wickham, Anto Thistlethwaite, Sharon Shannon, Trevor Hutchinson, Colin Blakey and Noel Bridgeman. CD2 contains 17 bonus tracks from 1989-91, including Sunny Sailor Boy, made popular by Luka Bloom, and storming live versions of The Raggle Taggle Gypsy and Twa Recruitin’ Sergeants. The full tracklist is:
CD1
1. In Search Of A Rose
2. Song From The End Of The World
3. A Man Is In Love
4. Bigger Picture
5. Natural Bridge Blues
6. Something That Is Gone
7. The Star And The Sea
8. A Life Of Sundays
9. Islandman
10. The Raggle Taggle Gypsy
11. How Long Will I Love You?
12. Upon The Wind And Waves
13. Spring Comes To Spiddal
14. The Trip To Broadford
15. Further Up, Further In
16. Room To Roam
17. The Kings Of Kerry
CD1
1. In Search Of A Rose (full band version)
2. My Morag (The Exile's Dream)
3. A Man Is In Love (alternate version)
4. The Wyndy Wyndy Road
5. Three Ships
6. Sunny Sailor Boy
7. Pedal Pusher's Blues (demo version)
8. The Wayward Wind
9. Danny Murphy / Florence
10. The Raggle Taggle Gypsy (live)
11. Custer's Blues (live)
12. Twa Recruitin’ Sergeants (live)
13. A Reel And A Stomp In The Kitchen
14. Down By The Sally Gardens (with Tomas Mac Eoin)
15. A Strathspey In The Rain At Dawn
16. A Song For The Life
17. The Kings Of Kerry (outdoor version)
MIKE'S HUNTLY 'ROOM TO ROAM' VENTURE LATEST
1st Jul 2008
Mike has now completed the recent 'Room To Roam' project with the people of Huntly in Scotland and South African artist Jacques Coetzer. The song, performed by an ensemble of 29 singers and musicians led by Mike has been filmed and we will soon post the video on the Waterboys myspace page. Meanwhile you can hear the soundtrack recording and read about the project here
MIKE, STEVE & ANTO REUNITED ON SHARON SHANNON RECORDING
1st Jul 2008
MAGPIE - NEW ALBUM FROM STEVE’S ‘OTHER’ BAND, NO CROWS
1st Jul 2008
No Crows, the Sligo four-piece band that features Steve Wickham on fiddle, have a new album called Magpie, recorded in the west of Ireland earlier this year. It will be available online through www.cdbaby.com from July 8th, and from late July from iTunes and UK & Irish record shops. Magpie is on Crow records, distributed via Whirling Discs. The band will play a launch show at Factory Performance Space, Sligo, Ireland on July 8th at 9pm. Tickets priced €15 are available from: www.ticketsonline.ie/cairde or tel. 00 353 71 9170431. See also: www.myspace.com/nocrows
NORWEGIAN FESTIVAL BONANZA!
4th Jun 2008
The Waterboys have been confirmed for three more Norwegian festivals, and the date of their show at the Parkenfestivalen in Bodo has been changed. Here are the details:
Sat 5 July: Skiippagura Festival, TANA, Lapland, Norway. Tickets: www.skiippagurra.no
Sat 2 Aug: Lost Weekend Festival, BERGEN, Norway. Tickets: (tel) +47 815 33133 or: www.billetservice.no Further info from: www.lost-weekend.net
Fri 22 Aug: Dampskibsbrygga, FREDRIKSTAD, Norway. Tickets: (tel) +47 815 33 133, or: www.billetservice.no
Sat 23 Aug (CHANGE OF DATE): Parkenfestivalen, BODO, Norway. Tickets: (tel) +47 75549010: www.parkenfestivalen.no
The Waterboys also play at Canalstreet Festival, ARENDAL on July 24 and Union Scene, DRAMMEN on Aug 21.
ROOM TO ROAM - REMASTER UPDATE
3rd Jun 2008
Mike has completed the remastering of the Waterboys 1990 album Room To Roam and it will be released by EMI this Autumn, date to be confirmed. It is being reissued as an EMI Collectors’ Edition with a bonus CD containing a whopping 17 extra tracks including The Wyndy Wyndy Road, Sunny Sailor Boy, Twa Recruitin’ Sergeants and A Song For The Life. As soon as we get fuller details we’ll let you know.
HUNTLY - WHAT HAPPENED
3rd Jun 2008
On Sunday 1st June Mike performed Room To Roam in the town square, Huntly, Scotland with an ensemble of over two dozen singers and musicians, including trombones, five fiddlers, drums, bass, sax, mandolin and accordion. Steve Wickham turned up unexpectedly to join the fiddle section. The performance was part of the annual Entertainment On The Square festival. Lyric sheets were handed round the crowd so people could sing along with the lyric, written by Huntly’s most famous son, George MacDonald, and the song was performed twice. Scotland’s first minister Alex Salmond was in attendance. Mike and the ensemble also filmed a special performance of the song in a Huntly hotel ballroom on May 29th and as soon as we receive a copy we’ll be posting it on the band’s myspace page.
MIKE SCOTT COLLABORATION ON NEW SHARON SHANNON COMPILATION
3rd Jun 2008
Mike and former Waterboy Sharon Shannon are reunited on the track A Song Of The Rosy Cross on Sharon’s new compilation The Galway Girl, just released in Ireland and currently number one on the Irish album chart. The track, originally on the multi-artist 1997 album Now And In Time To Be, features as its lyric a poem by W.B. Yeats.
All of us at mikescottwaterboys.com send our condolences and thoughts to Sharon on the death last month of her long-term partner Leo Healy.
WATERBOYS PLAY SHOW WITH NEIL YOUNG IN HOLLAND
19th May 2008
The Waterboys have been invited to join Neil Young’s bill at BosPop in the Netherlands on Friday 11th July. The band will play for an hour on the main stage at 20.45 - 21.45, immediately before Neil. The last time The Waterboys played with Neil was at the Fleadh in London, 2001. “It was an honour then and it’s an honour now,” commented Mike Scott, “Neil brings with him a sense of meaning, a cocktail of ethical authority and natural wildness, that overlights every event he plays. It’s a privilege to share a stage with him.” Tickets are available from: www.ticketmaster.nl from €74. Festival website: www.bospop.nl
PORTUGUESE FESTIVAL IN AUGUST
19th May 2008
The Waterboys will play a show at the Allgarve Festival in Faro, Portugal, on Monday 11th August. Venue is Campo de Raguebi, Vilamoura. Tickets are available from: www.ticketline.pt price: €30. Festival website: www.allgarve.pt
MIKE COLLABORATES WITH THE TOWN OF HUNTLY
5th May 2008
Mike Scott is involved in a project for the Scottish town of Huntly, birthplace of Scottish novelist George MacDonald. Twenty years ago Mike set MacDonald’s poem Room To Roam to music and used it as the title of the 1990 Waterboys’ album. A few months ago Huntly artist-in-residence Jacques Coetzer asked Mike to help turn Room To Roam into the town’s anthem. Mike has been working with local musicians and singers on a communal version of the song to be performed at Huntly Community Council’s Entertainment On The Square event on Sunday 1st June. The ten-minute performance will be part of the day-long community festival and will feature Mike. We asked Mike how it sounds and he replied: “Room To Roam is amazing with a choir and a big band, like a mad carousel of music, and it’s great fun doing it with MacDonald’s own townspeople”. The project is being run in connection with Deveron Arts and Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership Huntly.
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITY BY STEVE
5th May 2008
Steve Wickham will join Sligo writer Dermot Healy in a recitation and performance in Teach Ban Nua Art Gallery, by Drumcliffe Church, Sligo, on Saturday May 10th at 2.30pm, as part of the Bealtaine Festival.
KISS THE WIND TRACKS NOW AVAILABLE INDIVIDUALLY
5th May 2008
As of this morning, Monday 5th May, all the tracks on the exclusive Waterboys download album KISS THE WIND are available for individual download. You can link to the album here
KISS THE WIND RELEASED TODAY & ONLINE STORE NOW OPEN
28th Apr 2008
Our new website store is live NOW, set up and run in collaboration with top online retailer Townsend Records. The new download-only album, KISS THE WIND, exclusive to our store, is released today and can be purchased here. Plus, all Waterboys CDs from the first album through to 2007’s Book Of Lightning are available from our store.
KISS THE WIND features 16 rare or previously unreleased tracks selected by Mike Scott. Highlights include many never before heard songs plus Mike's demo of On My Way To The Big Light, an alternative Let It Happen, live versions of The Stolen Child and Jagger/Richards' Wild Horses and many many more. For the first week only Kiss The Wind is available bundled with extra track-by-track notes by Mike. From next Monday, May 5th, it will be available by individual track or bundled, but without the extra notes. The album costs £7.99. Individual tracks will retail for 79p. Samples of three tracks can be heard now on our myspace page. Kiss The Wind will not be available on physical CD and can not be purchased from any other digital or high street retailer. For full tracklisting see below the cover artwork.
1.
Kiss The Wind
2.
On My Way To The Big Light
3.
Follow The Fellow Who Fiddles
4.
Your Baby Ain't A Baby Anymore
5.
Wintermind
6.
Let It Happen (1999)
7.
I’ve Been In The Storm For You
8.
Anatomy Of A Love Affair
9.
Independence Day
10.
John Coogan Is Going
11.
Wild Horses (live)
12.
Big Day Boogie / Always / Broken Ring
13.
Martin Decent
14.
Send Him Down To Waco
15.
The Stolen Child (live)
16.
This Old Boat
Click here for the store front page
We have opened a blog thread on our myspace page where you can give feedback about the album. Check it out here.
TWO NORWEGIAN SHOWS IN AUGUST
23rd Apr 2008
The Waterboys have added two shows in Norway in August. These are full band performances like all the shows this Summer except Pickering Folk Festival.
21 Aug: Union Scene, DRAMMEN. Tickets from Union Scene Café and www.unionscene.no Price: NOK 375 + box office fee NOK 10
22 Aug: Parkenfestivalen, BODø. This is a headline and tickets are available from www.parkenfestivalen.no or +47 75549010 (Bodø Kulturhus). One day passes cost NOK 650.
MIKE HAS AN ARTICLE IN NEW ISSUE OF KINDRED SPIRIT MAGAZINE
23rd Apr 2008
Mike has contributed an article to the May/June edition of UK holistic magazine, Kindred Spirit. The piece is titled Early Morning Meditation, and the issue goes on sale Thursday 24th April.
CALI - WHAT HAPPENED
23rd Apr 2008
Mike and Steve guested with their friend, top French singer Cali, at Zenith, Paris, 15 & 16 April. For a full account check out Mike’s blog here
STRANGE BOAT IN THE IRISH CHARTS
23rd Apr 2008
The new version of Strange Boat, recorded by Mike Scott, singer Eleanor Shanley and various friends peaked in the Irish singles charts at number 16. Meanwhile former Waterboy Sharon Shannon, as well as playing on Strange Boat, is number one in Ireland for the second week with Galway Girl, her collaboration with Mundy. Congratulations Sharon!
STRANGE BOAT SINGLE - NOW ON ITUNES
7th Apr 2008
The new version of Strange Boat, sung by Eleanor Shanley with backing by Mike Scott, Sharon Shannon and others, was released in Ireland on Friday 4th April. The version of the Waterboys classic features Mike on guitar, keyboards and sound effects. The single is available from Irish record shops and also from iTunes - click ‘power search’ and enter ‘Strange Boat’ in the title box and ‘Shanley’ in the artist box and the single will appear, available for immediate download. The single is also available here
WATERBOYS CONFIRMED FOR ELECTRIC PICNIC, IRELAND
7th Apr 2008
The Waterboys have been added to the bill of the Electric Picnic, Stradbally, Co Laois, Ireland, and will perform at 7.30pm on Friday 29th August. Tickets are available here
PICKERING FESTIVAL TICKETS
7th Apr 2008
Tickets for the Pickering Festival, at which Mike, Steve and Richard will give an acoustic performance on Friday 8th August, are available now from here
UK AUGUST FESTIVALS: PICKERING AND TARTAN HEART
2nd Apr 2008
The Waterboys have been confirmed for two UK festivals in August:
Fri 8 Aug: Pickering Folk Festival, Pickering Showground, Yorkshire. This is an acoustic 3-man show, featuring Mike Scott, Steve Wickham & Richard Naiff. Tickets not on sale yet. As soon as we receive details of how to purchase, we’ll let you know.
Sat 9 August: Belladrum Festival, Tartan Heart 2008, by Beauly, Inverness-shire. This, like all the other previously announced 2008 Waterboys shows, is a full-band performance. Tickets: £80.00 (weekend), £50.00 (Saturday) from: www.ticketmaster.co.uk or www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk
MIKE ON IRISH TV THIS FRIDAY EVENING
2nd Apr 2008
Mike will appear on The Late Late Show, RTE Ireland, broadcast Friday evening April 4th at 9.30pm, playing guitar with vocalist Eleanor Shanley plus Sharon Shannon and Alec Finn. The ensemble will perform the Waterboys’ classic Strange Boat in aid of the Organ Donation project of the same name. The show will be archived here
RETURN TO PEACE AND LOVE FESTIVAL, SWEDEN
11th Mar 2008
The Waterboys will play again this year at the Peace And Love Festival in Borlange, Sweden, on the evening of June 27th, after their successful appearance last year. Other artists performing include The Sex Pistols, Humanzi and Hanoi Rocks. Tickets cost 1195 SEK (no camping) for the whole 3 day event or 1295 SEK (with camping). For more info on the festival and how to get tickets, click here.
FISHERMAN’S BLUES IN SCOTTISH TOURIST ADVERT
11th Mar 2008
Fisherman’s Blues features in a new advert for the Scottish Tourist Board, currently being shown at cinemas in England. It’s very unusual for a Waterboys song to be approved for use in an advert and Mike Scott said yes to this one because the advert is for Scotland. Watch it here.
MULTI-ARTIST VERSION OF STRANGE BOAT FOR IRISH CHARITY SINGLE
11th Mar 2008
SHE TRIED TO HOLD ME (ACOUSTIC) AVAILABLE ON NEW WXPN ALBUM
11th Mar 2008
TICKET INFO FOR CANALSTREET FESTIVAL, NORWAY, JULY 24
11th Mar 2008
WATERBOYS PLAY FESTIVAL IN SOUTH-EAST SPAIN
22nd Feb 2008
The Waterboys will headline at The Mediatic Festival in LA NUCIA, Alicante, Spain on 17 May 2008. Tickets, price €30 (one day) or €50 (two days) are available from www.mediaticfestival.com
DATE FOR CANALSTREET FESTIVAL, NORWAY
22nd Feb 2008
NEW BLOGS CONTAINING UNPUBLISHED WRITINGS
22nd Feb 2008
Mike has been uploading some of his unpublished writings from the 1980s and 90s in his blog on myspace. These include previously unseen poems and unused lyrics to some of the Waterboys’ greatest songs. Click here to check ‘em out
CALI’S ‘L’ESPOIRE IS NUMBER ONE IN FRANCE
22nd Feb 2008
Cali’s new album L’Espoire, including collaborations with Mike Scott, is number one in the French albums chart. We congratulate Cali on his success! One of the Cali and Mike collaborative tracks, List Of Lies, available only on the special edition version of L’Espoire, is currently rocking on The Waterboys myspace player. To hear it click here
WATERBOYS RETURN TO SWEDEN’S PEACE AND LOVE FESTIVAL
22nd Feb 2008
NEW DATES IN PORTUGAL AND GERMANY
4th Feb 2008
The Waterboys are confirmed for the following full band shows:
Fri 14 March: Gaia Pavillion, OPORTO, Portugal. Tickets price €10.00 on sale now from: www.ticketline.pt and www.portoeventos.com
Sat 19 July: BURG HERZBERG Festival, Germany
Tickets price €55 for four days (no single day tickets) from: www.burgherzberg-festival.de and www.reservix.de
More 2008 Waterboys dates are currently being added and will be announced soon.
CALI ALBUM 'L'ESPOIR' RELEASED TODAY
4th Feb 2008
Waterboys' friend Bruno 'Cali' Caliciuri releases his new album, 'L'Espoir' today, on Virgin France. Mike Scott features on two songs: 'Pas Le Guerre' and - on the first edition of the CD only - 'A List Of Lies', both co-written by Cali and Mike. For further info on Cali and the album visit here
MIKE SCOTT CONTRIBUTES TO NEW ALBUM BY FRENCH SINGER CALI
21st Jan 2008
Mike has contributed vocals to two tracks on L’Espoir, the new album by top French singer Cali, released by EMI/Virgin France on 4th February. Both Mike and Steve Wickham have been friends with Cali for several years, and Steve played fiddle on his last album, Menteur. On L’Espoir Mike contributes a spoken word section (in English) to the song Pas De Guerre, and sings co-lead vocals on the bonus track A List Of Lies, available only with the first pressing of the album. Both songs were written by Cali and Mike. Says Mike: “Cali is a true rock and roller, a troubadour, a chansonnier. It’s a thrill to contribute to his album.” For further info visit: here
ROOM TO ROAM - REMASTERED VERSION IS COMING
21st Jan 2008
The fifth Waterboys’ album, 1990’s Room To Roam, is being prepared for remastering and reissue by EMI during 2008. Like the recent remasters of This Is The Sea and Fisherman’s Blues, it will be issued as a 2CD set, the second CD comprising previously unissued material recorded during the same era as the original album. Mike Scott is currently selecting tracks for inclusion. As soon as we have more details and a release date we’ll let you know.
CELTIC CONNECTIONS - WHAT HAPPENED
21st Jan 2008
Mike appeared at the gala opening of the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow on 16th January, sharing the stage with Julie Fowlis, Sharon Shannon, Luka Bloom, Karine Polwart, Kate Rusby, John McCusker, Karan Casey, Damien Dempsey and many other artists. The sold out concert, titled Common Ground and held at the Royal Concert Hall, included Mike’s performance of two unreleased songs, The Wedding and The Wyndy Wyndy Road (a new lyric to a tune by Scottish musician Phil Cunningham). For the encore the whole ensemble performed Sunny Sailor Boy, with lead vocals by Luka Bloom and Mike, and Mike’s rearrangement of the Scottish classic Will Ye No’ Come Back Again?, set to the air of the great Irish song Mo Gile Mear. To read reviews click here and here.
STEVE WICKHAM GUESTS ON NEW THEA GILMORE ALBUM
21st Jan 2008
Steve plays fiddle on The Lower Road, the closing track on Thea Gilmore’s new album Liejacker, released March 31st on Fulfill Records. Thea is an old friend of The Waterboys; she supported on the band’s 2006 UK tour and two songs on her last album, Harpo’s Ghost, were co-written with Mike Scott. As well as featuring Steve, The Lower Road has guest vocals by Joan Baez. For further info visit: here
