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We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.
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electrocelte
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electrocelte Based on a true story… 🚔 🐷
prooffreader
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prooffreader An emotional backstory serves as a unifying theme and is, as it should be, served by the music rather than led by it. McCarthy put his heart and soul and attention to craftsmanship into this, and it absolutely shows. Favorite track: No Apologies.
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    Buy the entire album: you get a lovely bonus CD booklet WITH lyrics, liner notes, photos and so on. It is simply gorgeous. AND currently, you don't get the booklet with an iTunes purchase... so that is food for thought. Thank you for your support!
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1.
Sgian Dubh 06:07
2.
3.
Pas Coupable 04:57
4.
5.
Five for One 04:13
6.
Aichmophobia 06:12
7.
Métropolice 05:54
8.
9.
221 Reasons 05:11
10.
Never 05:31
11.
12.
13.
14.
Defy 05:06
15.
No Apologies 05:18
16.

about

How good it feels to get this twelfth album off of my chest.

Where to start?

On 2 November 2016, I got stopped and ticketed in downtown Montreal for wearing a small knife called a Sgian Dubh (pronounced "skee-inn doo") in my kilt hose, as part of what is my Highland Dress, which I have worn for almost as long as I have been a piper, 28 years and counting.

I was playing for a University Convocation downtown and I was on a break. I was heading back to the Artist's Entrance of the venue when I was stopped by 3 female Montreal police officers (SPVM), who were shortly after joined by 2 male security officers from the Societe de Transport de Montreal (STM).

I received a ticket for $221 and my custom Sgian Dubh, made in Loch Ness, was confiscated for contravening a city by-law which says "a person cannot appear in public with a knife a sword or a machete, without valid excuse". I was advised that upon paying my fine I could come and claim my rightful property back. I tried to explain that this was a traditional knife that we wear, the historical context of it, and that they are generally meant to be more decorative than functional. I stated that I was a citizen in good standing and had never been stopped for this kind of thing before. All of my explanations were to no avail and in the end I was even taunted by one of the STM officers. I am quite convinced that he was attempting to provoke me to try and physically attack him, which I did not.

This encounter left me feeling somewhat vulnerable, frustrated and disappointed. I had decided almost instantly that there was no way I was going to pay this fine, and very little chance that I would be walking into any station of the SPVM to reclaim my blade. I wrote a statement of what happened and sent it to some of the "who's who" in Montreal's Scottish community, and it was decided almost immediately that this fine needed to be revisited in municipal court. I filed to contest this ticket, and the story went to the media and the it went nationwide in no time. By the following Monday it was being talked about in the UK, mainly in Scotland (of course!)

After 18 months the case was about to see its day in court when in early May 2018 I was advised that I was not required in court for the date that was set... and the following week they cancelled the ticket altogether. On 18 June 2018, contrary to my original plans, I walked into the station and reclaimed my property.

They see a weapon. I see an inoffensive accoutrement to a traditional costume which is based in history and culture, which dates back many generations. It certainly predates the early 1990s Montreal by-law by many many years... decades... generations even! I was out on the streets playing pipes for events well before this by-law ever came into effect.

This album is what I would like to call a scathing social commentary on our society, what happened that day, and what happens almost every day in this major metropolitan centre that I call home. This collection of rants, satirical revelations, sarcastic remarks and other personal (and sometimes humorous) observations will "peel back the carpet" on aspects of our society; and let me say, what's under the rug isn't particularly pretty, nor is it pleasant.

It is also intended to boost The Scottish Community of Montreal, which does not deserve to be trodden upon simply for wearing their traditional garb. EVER... a firm and everlasting reminder of The Scots' positive contributions to this fair city, the province and the nation, despite attempts by some to brush them aside...

Respect our culture and say NAY to Montreal's money grubbing Scottish Tax!!!

This album was created mostly through 2017... most of my inspirations for this album came very early on. The second to last track, "No Apologies" was created in 2018, after the ticket was cancelled. It now sits as Track 15, because "Sgian Dubh Outro" is really intended to be an Outro to the album, and there it shall remain.

I will admit there were very long delays because I was concerned as to what impact this album might have on the municipal court decision. Most of the album was done by the end of summer 2017... but sometimes you have to play the long game.

~SLAINTE

JM
November 2018

credits

released November 2, 2018

What Inspired This Album:

Bagpipes
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Violent Femmes
They Might Be Giants
The Doors
Rare Air
Station 50 SPVM, also known as "Fitty"
Chief of the SPVM, who imposed monthly ticket quotas on his officers, quite publicly
Societe de Transport de Montreal "Rent-A-Cops"
The Greedy Greedy City of Montreal
Punk Rock
N.W.A.

Injustice

Intolerance
Incredulity
Ignorance
Sticking it to The Man
Sea Shanties
The Pogues

60s Garage Rock
70s Punk Rock
90s Grunge Rock
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Thrasymachus
Molieres
Highlander (The Movie)
The Underground City
R.E.M.
Sir Harry Lauder
Cultural Insensitivity
AC/DC
Montreal 375
Link Wray
When "Fashion Police" are ACTUAL police
Parking meters and the Green Onions that serve them.

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about

Supersonic Tartan Death Machine Montréal, Québec

CUMHA NA THA SIBH. You can call it "électrocelte", electronic-celtic-alternative indierock fusion. I use iPad & a wide variety of great iOS apps to make my music. I wear a kilt daily, play highland pipes, border pipes, Irish Whistles, & am a prolific composer/writer & singer of new tunes & songs. My inspirations include Martyn Bennett, Rare Air & Gordon Duncan.

GET DOWN WITH THE DEATH MACHINE!
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