Customer Reviews

Banger for Breakfast

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been fortunate enough to see the Tinkers live on several occasions while I lived in San Diego, and they are amazing performers. I have several of their other albums, but this was the first live one that I bought.

This CD is AMAZING! It will have you bouncing in your seat, tapping your toes and or doing a jig in your living room. I'm a drum freak, and this was a very satisfying album from that standpoint. The entire group, however, is ridiculously talented, and they all bring a wonderful sound to the group.

The didgeridoo was a fantastic addition, and I really liked the mouth harp as well. Overall this is a highly recommended album. I would suggest buying this first because as was mentioned before, they really are best live. And if you have the chance to catch them performing in the West coast area (highland games mostly) you will be in for a rollicking treat.

To appreciate this group, you need to have a taste for the exotic and for raw rhythm. I suppose that would be the musical equivalent of a super-spicey banger (sausage) for breakfast, squealing a tune and banging the table while recovering (why they call 'em bangers). If that is your taste, proceed at your own risk. This is a "best of" album performed live with supportive audiences. The lead instrument is parade bagpipes. The drums range from traditional Scottish parade drums to Irish Drum (bodhran). The largest (7 ft.?)Aborigne Didgeridoo I have ever seen is used in most tracks to harmonize with the drone of the bagpipes. A band member also loves to balance this straight up on his face. Did I mention they are wild? The Mouth Harp is used occasionally, not to mention a blacksmith anvil. At a recent Celtic Festival, I heard this music and saw a dust cloud rising from one area. I investigated and found dozens of people dancing Scottish style to the fast music. The young people I saw earliar that day dressed in kilts and wicked horns were a big part of the mix and obvious followers of what the band calls "tribal celtic music." The live appearances are a real experience. What can I say? I had my drums and joined the craziness. It was great fun. Sir William Wallace could tatoo these people blue, give them weapons and charge out to battle and scare the enemy off of the field. My rating is 5 stars for high energy, excellent pipes, 'doo and drums, although I would like to see the band develop a wider range in the future (add djembes, doumbeks, Low D whistle, bones, etc...). Enjoy!

In 2001 my mom sent me the cassette of "Hammered" after seeing Wicked Tinkers at the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games. At the time I was living in Vegas and missed out on the games for a few years. I didn't get around to listening to it until last summer when I bought a new car that came with a CD player and tape player. Loved it.
I didn't listen to the radio the entire rest of the summer. So, when the opportunity arose to go to the games up here this summer (I moved back to the Evergreen State in December) and to see the Tinkers I was stoked. And now I'm so hooked you wouldn't believe it. I picked up Banger for Breakfast at the games on Saturday, bought it from Aaron Shaw in fact, how bloody cool is that? All the guys signed it, Aaron's idea, and then they played an hour-long set, including some closing tunes with Golden Bough, which was brilliant. Since purchasing the CD a few days ago I've spinned it six times and I can't get enough. Belly Dance is downright awesome...who knew a bagpipe could sound like that? And I love pipes! Wallop the Cat is funny, the in-between tunes banter cracks me up ... "nothin like playing bagpipes after a big hot dog with lots of onions....it's Piper's Lung what can you do?" And of course a personal favorite, being a member of Clan MacKenzie, is Cabar Feidh, the charge song for us violent MacKenzies! This is a must-have for anyone who has seen the Tinkers live. And it'll feel like drinking a tall cool glass of water in the desert after all the trash that's been on mainstream radio and MTV the past few years. Get your thump on with this pounding, primal treat and imagine yerself in a kilt on the Scottish Highlands centuries ago eating just-charred meat (who cares what it is?) and dancing the night away.

This is another great live CD, recorded in many sessions and locations, and brought together in a "best-of" format. Track 3 has an excellent drum feature, and track 5 (Danny Boy) is well done, as is the Amazing Grace Plus in track 15. One item to note is the brief explanation of the roots of the bagpipes in track 6, which leads into an unusual Middle Eastern special song in track 7. This CD, like their Whisky Supper album, contains several moments of conversations with the crowd and among the bandmates of Wicked Tinkers. This lends it a cozier listen than just a "dry" album, or a concert arena sound. With the combination of tracks available on other CDs, plus new ones makes this a great starter CD, especially for fans of Celtic music, bagpipes in particular. The addition of their "trademark" didgeridoo (explained in and featured on track 22) makes this a must-have, unusual collection of traditional songs with new takes, and uniquely varied material. You can't miss with this one!

I don't think there's another band like the Wicked Tinkers in existence. Super-high-energy, with a huge bagpipe/drums/sometimes didgeridoo sound, they reinfuse life into a subgenre of traditional folk music that sometimes lacks energy and innovation. It's impossible to sit still while listening to this. I saw a clip of the band at a Scottish Faire in Northern California on TV and was immediately hooked (well done of one of the band members to have a T-shirt on with the band's name, otherwise I would never have known who they were).

I've loved all of the Tinkers' albums and this one is no exception.

I bought this CD when I went to the Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering in Enumclaw Washington today after seeing them perform live there. They are fantastic and very funny to see live. I had them autograph my CD cover, and I loved them so much I bought a second CD for a friend!! I was also lucky enough to see them perform with the Golden Boughs. I hope everyone that loves Scottish music has a chance to see them preform live because you will get an extra treat watching them perform commando in their kilts, they each take turns twirling around so you can get a glimpse of their bums!! My favorite song is "Belly Dance", it combines the wonderful sounds of the Scottish bagpipes along with the exotic sound of the Australian didgeridoo. This song will make everyone want to Belly Dance!! This CD is second best to seeing them live, and unless you are fortunate enough to see them, then you should add this CD to your collection of world music. Just as the jacket says, you'll find your body moving without your consent!!

My family saw this band play live at the Pleasanton Highland Games, where they were incredibly energetic and fun to watch. Something like a bagpipe jazz combo. This CD does a good job of capturing some of that energy (though you should try to catch them in the flesh if they ever play in your neighborhood!). My kids are simply hooked on this music. They can't stop twirling and stomping to it, and my older one has declared that she wants to learn the bagpipes! Beware - this music needs to be played LOUD. You may scare the neighbors. Just fab.

I read an online review about this cd,and took a chance.Gosh I was in heaven today listening to this awesome group.
Much better than other groups who play this kind of music!

I love this CD to a ridiculous degree. Wicked Tinkers are at their best live, and this is them - and their audience - having a ton of fun together. It's got a big, enthusiastic sound that sweeps you right along with it. The only trouble is that I'm listening to it at the office, and sometimes it's hard to keep from bouncing in my office chair!

I'll be buying a second copy of this as a Christmas present for a friend.

Love this cd!!!
I blew out a speaker in my truck!!!
If you want foot tapping, blood pumping music
that lifts the heart and gladdens the soul...
this is it!!!
Thank you Amazon,
Karen Robertson