NewsHorslips / More Than You Can Chew 35-disc box set
‘The founding fathers of Celtic Rock’
SIGNED by all five band members • 33CD+2DVD box set • 200-page book • Limited to 1750 units • Over 250 previously unreleased tracks • Pre-order via the SDE shop
Irish band Horslips, regarded as the ‘founding fathers of Celtic Rock’, see their 50th anniversary celebrated with More Than You Can Chew, a 35 disc box set that encapsulates their entire career.
The box set has been curated by Bert Jansch/John McLaughlin biographer (and SDE reader!) Colin Harper in close collaboration with the band members. More Than You Can Chew features 33 CDs and two DVDs and includes all the band’s studio albums from the original era (1972-1980), previously unreleased live tracks and rehearsals, reunion-era albums, RTE Sessions, selected post-Horslips adventures (solo albums etc.) and more!
The audio, including most of the film audio, has been restored and (re)mastered by IFTA award-winning engineer Cormac O’Kane. Horslips biographer Mark Cunningham has written the two books, with fresh input from the band, and, wearing his day-job designer hat, has lovingly designed the set under the oversight of Horslips’ de facto art director Charles O’Connor. The main hardcover book is almost 200 pages. SDE has an exclusive video preview of More Than You Can Chew which you can watch below.
More Than You Can Chew also includes two albums new to any digital medium: Tryal (1983) by the Host (a post-Horslips band featuring Eamon, Johnny and Charles) and Breaking Star Codes (1983) by Barry Devlin. Below is a bullet-point summary of the audio and video content:
• 13 CDs – all the original 1972–80 albums in mini-LP slipcases, in their original form and newly mastered
• 1 CD – Tracks from the Vaults Vol.2 – all of the single mixes and non-album tracks not included on the original TFTV (1977) compilation plus previously unreleased outtakes
• 8 CDs – previously unreleased live and rehearsal recordings 1973–80, including The Last Time – the final concert at the Ulster Hall 8/10/80 in full
• 3 CDs – reunion-era albums
• 3 CD – RTÉ Sessions 1971–12 – almost all previously unreleased
• 5 CDs – selected post-Horslips adventures: 1. Barry Devlin Breaking Star Codes (1983) – unreleased on CD; 2. The Host Tryal (1983) and non-album single sides (1983–85) – unreleased on CD; 3. Johnny Fean & Eamon Carr Live & Studio 1984–86 – a new self-curated anthology of previously unreleased solo, duo and Host recordings from the period; 4. Jim Lockhart Picking Up The Pieces – a new self-curated anthology of his TV/radio soundtrack music (1980s-00s) – almost all previously unreleased; 5. Charles O’Connor’s Resolution Suite Angel on the Mantelpiece (1995).
• DVD1 – The RTÉ Vault 1973-79 – c.160 minutes (50% previously unreleased material)
• DVD2 – The Reunion Era 2004-2019 – c.160 mins (95% previously unreleased material)
This was originally scheduled for late last year but will now be released, very appropriately, on 17 March 2023 which is of course St. Patrick’s Day.
Pre-order your copy of More Than You Can Chew from the SDE shop using this link or the buy button (‘add to cart’) below. If you are in EU please be aware of the shipping notes below.
EU SHIPPING NOTES: If you are ordering from the EU please be aware that that goods may be subject to import VAT when they arrive from the UK. The prices the SDE shop charge you do not include VAT
Tracklisting
DISC 1
Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part
1 Happy to Meet 00:49
2 Hall of Mirrors 05:31
3 The Clergy’s Lamentation 04:40
4 An Bratach Bán 02:03
5 The Shamrock Shore 04:36
6 Flower Amang them All 02:05
7 Bím Istigh Ag Ól 03:42
8 Furniture 05:12
9 Ace and Deuce 03:36
10 Dance to Yer Daddy 04:35
11 Scalloway Ripoff 01:55
12 The Musical Priest 04:34
13 Sorry to Part 01:33
DISC 2
The Táin
1 Setanta 01:53
2 Maeve’s Court 01:40
3 Charolais 04:03
4 The March 01:33
5 You Can’t Fool the Beast 03:40
6 Dearg Doom 03:05
7 Ferdia’s Song 02:44
8 Gae Bolga 01:12
9 Cu Chulainn’s Lament 03:01
10 Faster Than the Hound 05:37
11 Silver Spear 02:01
12 More Than You Can Chew 03:15
13 The Morrigan’s Dream 03:25
14 Time to Kill! 05:02
DISC 3
Dancehall Sweethearts
1 Nighttown Boy 05:05
2 The Blind Can’t Lead the Blind 05:19
3 Stars 05:02
4 We Bring the Summer with Us 02:32
5 Sunburst 04:38
6 Mad Pat 06:13
7 Blindman 03:31
8 King of the Fairies 03:29
9 Lonely Hearts 05:30
10 The Best Years of My Life 01:48
DISC 4
The Unfortunate Cup of Tea
1 (If That’s What You Want) That’s What You’ll Get 07:11
2 Ring-A-Rosey 04:36
3 Flirting in the Shadows 05:41
4 Self Defence 06:12
5 High Volume Love 05:33
6 The Unfortunate Cup of Tea 01:17
7 Turn Your Face to the Wall 06:28
8 The Snakes’ Farewell to the Emerald Isle 05:30
9 Everything Will Be Alright 05:20
DISC 5
Drive the Cold Winter Away
1 Rug Muire Mac Do Dhia (Mary Bore a Son to God) 01:53
2 Sir Festus Burke/ Carolan’s Frolic 03:41
3 The Snow That Melts the Soonest 04:28
4 The Piper in the Meadow Straying 02:36
5 Drive the Cold Winter Away 02:32
6 Thompson’s/ Cottage in the Grove 02:42
7 Ny Kirree Fo Naghtey (The Sheep ‘Neath the Snow) 02:22
8 Crabs in the Skillet 02:19
9 Denis O’Connor 02:49
10 Do’n Oiche Ud I Mbeithil (That Night in Bethlehem) 03:33
11 Lullaby 02:26
12 The Snow and the Frost Are All Over/Paddy Fahey’s 02:50
13 When a Man’s in Love 04:14
DISC 6
Horslips Live Disc One
1 Mad Pat 06:48
2 Blindman 03:14
3 Silver Spear 02:25
4 High Reel 02:55
5 Stars 04:34
6 Hall of Mirrors 06:44
7 If That’s What You Want 05:30
8 Self Defence 05:49
9 Everything Will Be Alright 03:30
10 Rakish Paddy 00:38
DISC 7
Horslips Live Disc Two
11 Rakish Paddy (Continued) 02:26
12 King of the Fairies 04:18
13 Furniture 15:15
14 You Can’t Fool the Beast 04:22
15 More Than You Can Chew 03:03
16 Dearg Doom 05:11
17 Comb Your Hair and Curl It 05:00
18 Johnny’s Wedding 05:11
DISC 8
The Book of Invasions: A Celtic Symphony
1 Daybreak 02:30
2 March Into Trouble 00:51
3 Trouble (With a Capital T) 03:24
4 The Power and the Glory 03:56
5 The Rocks Remain 02:48
6 Dusk 00:38
7 Sword of Light 04:55
8 Dark 01:37
9 Warm Sweet Breath of Love 03:27
10 Fantasia (My Lagan Love) 02:54
11 King of Morning, Queen of Day 04:34
12 Sideways to the Sun 04:46
13 Drive the Cold Winter Away 00:35
14 Ride to Hell 04:14
DISC 9
Aliens
1 Before the Storm 00:45
2 The Wrath of the Rain 02:53
3 Speed the Plough 03:31
4 Sure the Boy Was Green 04:39
5 Come Summer 03:24
6 Stowaway 03:34
7 New York Wakes 04:04
8 Exiles 03:12
9 Second Avenue 04:00
10 Ghosts 03:32
11 A Lifetime to Pay 04:06
DISC 10
The Man Who Built America
1 Loneliness 04:24
2 Tonight (You’re with Me) 03:23
3 I’ll Be Waiting 06:29
4 If It Takes All Night 03:35
5 Green Star Liner 03:26
6 The Man Who Built America 03:42
7 Homesick 04:02
8 Long Weekend 03:41
9 Letters from Home 04:19
10 Long Time Ago 03:35
DISC 11
Short Stories / Tall Tales
1 Guests of the Nation 03:31
2 Law on the Run 02:49
3 Unapproved Road 03:39
4 Ricochet Man 03:21
5 Back in My Arms 04:12
6 Summer’s Most Wanted Girl 03:29
7 Amazing Offer 03:13
8 Rescue Me 03:20
9 The Life You Save 03:58
10 Soap Opera 03:23
DISC 12
The Belfast Gigs
1 Trouble with a Capital “T” 03:49
2 The Man Who Built America 03:36
3 The Warm Sweet Breath of Love 03:44
4 The Power and the Glory 03:36
5 Blindman 03:26
6 Shakin’ All Over 05:25
7 King of the Fairies 04:06
8 Guests of the Nation 03:18
9 Dearg Doom 07:10
DISC 13
Tracks from the Vaults
1 Motorway Madness 03:15
2 Johnny’s Wedding 03:30
3 Flower Amang them All 02:29
4 Green Gravel 03:21
5 The Fairy King 03:55
6 Dearg Doom (Fritz Fryer Mix) 03:18
7 The High Reel 02:44
8 King of the Fairies 03:21
9 Phil the Fluter’s Rag 02:29
10 Come Back Beatles (Lipstick) 03:27
11 The Fab Four-Four (Lipstick) 02:49
12 Daybreak 03:20
13 Oisin’s Tune 02:30
DISC 14
Tracks from the Vaults Vol.2
1 Ace & Deuce 03:06
2 More than you Can Chew (45 remix) 03:10
3 Nighttown Boy (45 Edit) 03:11
4 (If That’s What You Want) That’s What You Get (45 Edit) 04:56
5 The Power and the Glory (45 remix) 04:01
6 Sir Festus Burke 02:17
7 Horslips Presents Horslips (an advance look into The Man Who Built America) 13:13
8 Bridge from Heart to Heart 02:50
9 Red River Rock (live) 01:48
10 Welcome to Ceili House 07:52
11 When Night Comes 03:01
12 Back in My Arms (Alternate Mix) 04:32
13 Unapproved Road (Alternate Mix) 03:43
14 Guests of the Nation (Alternate Mix) 03:21
15 Sword of Light (live) 05:49
16 Sure the Boy Was Green (live) 04:44
17 Sandymount Strand / Shilly Shaddle 02:31
18 One Final Ace & Deuce 02:40
DISC 15
Horslips Live 1973–75
1 Happy to Meet 01:46
2 Hall of Mirrors 08:25
3 Scalloway Ripoff 03:30
4 Dance to Your Daddy 04:34
5 Musical Priest 06:18
6 The Sweets of May 00:49
7 Sunburst 00:55
8 Mad Pat 02:41
9 The Blind Can’t Lead the Blind 00:34
10 Nothing to Say (A Lifetime to Pay) 02:12
11 More Than You Can Chew 03:49
12 Dearg Doom 03:51
13 Lonely Hearts 06:03
14 Furniture 10:40
15 The High Reel 02:38
16 Everything Will Be Alright / Rakish Paddy 03:45
17 You Can’t Fool the Beast 04:34
18 More Than You Can Chew 02:54
19 Dearg Doom 03:09
Disc 16
Horslips Live 1976
1 Hall of Mirrors 04:56
2 Daybreak 02:54
3 Drive the Cold Winter Away 01:05
4 Ride to Hell 03:50
5 Sideways to the Sun 04:43
6 Sword of Light 06:19
7 The Rights of Man 03:53
8 Dark 02:28
9 Furniture 12:43
10 Charolais 03:52
11 More Than You Can Chew 03:12
12 Silver Spear 02:42
13 King of the Fairies 04:16
14 Dearg Doom 04:52
15 The High Reel 02:48
16 Rakish Paddy / Johnny’s Wedding 05:22
DISC 17
Horslips Live 1977
1 New York Wakes 04:01
2 The Wrath of the Rain 02:58
3 Sideways to the Sun 04:09
4 Dearg Doom 07:04
5 Bim Istigh Ag’ol 05:57
6 New York Wakes 03:59
7 The Power and the Glory 03:38
8 The Rocks Remain 03:06
9 Mad Pat 06:38
10 Blindman 03:18
11 Daybreak 03:44
12 Drive the Cold Winter Away 01:48
13 Ride to Hell 03:08
14 Sideways to the Sun 03:46
15 Sword of Light 06:12
16 Dark 00:53
17 Sure the Boy was Green 04:32
18 Warm Sweet Breath of Love 04:00
19 Trouble (with a Capital T) 03:23
DISC 18
Book of Invasions & Aliens Rehearsals 1976–77
1 Aililú na Gamhna 01:54
2 Trouble (alt lyrics/melody) 03:11
3 Kilfenora (King of Morning) 03:58
4 Fantasia (My Lagan Love) 02:40
5 Trouble (acapella) 01:08
6 Mother of Pearl (The Rocks Remain) 02:46
7 Johnny’s Riff (The Power and the Glory) 01:09
8 Trouble 03:13
9 The Power and the Glory 01:47
10 Warm Sweet Breath of Love 03:07
11 The Power and the Glory 02:48
12 Tiocfaidh an Samhradh (Come Summer) 01:26
13 Seán Ó Dí 01:27
14 Mother of Pearl (The Rocks Remain) 01:37
15 Aililú na Gamhna 04:00
16 Come Summer 01:36
17 Crossroads 01:48
18 Highway 03:25
19 Crossroads / Fead an Iolair 01:48
20 Little Man 00:39
21 Come Summer 01:43
22 Second Avenue (harmonies) 00:36
23 Second Avenue 03:48
24 Come Summer (harmonies) 00:37
25 Sure the Boy Was Green (harmonies) 01:50
26 A Lifetime to Pay 03:49
27 Stowaway 03:04
28 Mailman 01:34
29 Páistín Fionn (Fair-haired Child) 01:28
30 Come Summer 02:13
31 Ghosts 02:11
32 Wrath of the Rain 02:47
33 Aililú na Gamhna / Highway 03:17
Disc 19
Horslips Live 1978
1 The Power and the Glory 04:30
2 Blindman 03:21
3 The Man Who Built America 04:22
4 Homesick 04:39
5 Tonight 03:50
6 Blitzkreig Bop 02:55
7 Second Avenue 03:45
8 New York Wakes 03:58
9 Speed the Plough 03:20
10 Loneliness 04:11
11 King of the Fairies 04:57
12 Dearg Doom 06:30
13 The Man Who Built America 02:02
14 Jam 00:28
15 If It Takes All Night 01:47
16 Law on the Run 01:20
17 It’ll Be Alright 02:35
18 Long Weekend (instrumental) 01:08
19 Letters from Home 03:00
20 I’ll Be Waiting 05:56
21 Long Time Ago (harmonies) 03:15
22 Long Time Ago 03:53
23 Long Weekend (instrumental) 03:25
Disc 20
Horslips Live 1979
1 The Man Who Built America 04:36
2 New York Wakes 03:45
3 Homesick 03:56
4 Culture Clash (When Irish Eyes are Smiling) 01:26
5 Wrath of the Rain 02:49
6 Daybreak 04:06
7 Drive the Cold Winter Away 01:28
8 Ride to Hell 03:15
9 Sideways to the Sun 03:54
10 Sword of Light 05:37
11 Dark 01:42
12 Speed the Plough 03:16
13 Sure the Boy was Green 04:40
14 Silver Spear 02:29
15 If it Takes All Night 03:27
16 Loneliness 04:13
17 Tonight 03:33
18 The High Reel 02:50
19 King of the Fairies 04:18
20 Shakin’ All Over 04:18
21 I Saw Her Standing There 02:01
22 The Hucklebuck 02:25
Disc 21
The Last Gig: Ulster Hall, 8/10/80
1 Guests of the Nation 03:38
2 Unapproved Road 03:08
3 Warm Sweet Breath of Love 03:46
4 Speed the Plough 03:04
5 Sure the Boy was Green 04:58
6 Summer’s Most Wanted Girl 03:49
7 Soap Opera 03:41
8 Trouble 03:36
9 Loneliness 04:20
10 King of the Fairies 04:57
11 The Power and the Glory 03:37
12 Blindman 03:31
12 The Man Who Built America 04:02
13 Amazing Offer 03:12
14 Ricochet 03:34
15 Shakin’ All Over 05:45
16 Dearg Doom 06:39
DISC 22
The Last Gig (encores) / Live 1980, 2004, 2011
1 Sword of Light 08:24
2 The Last Time 03:33
3 When Night Comes 03:10
4 Law on the Run 02:49
5 Wrath of the Rain 02:52
6 I’ll Be Waiting 08:00
7 Motorway Madness 03:35
8 RTÉ, 2012: Horslips recall the final gig 07:08
9 Flower Amang Them All 03:15
10 Furniture / The Musical Priest / The High Reel 07:49
11 Mad Pat 05:49
12 Trouble (with a Capital T) 05:04
13 Sword of Light 06:16
14 Mad Pat 06:56
DISC 23
Roll Back
1 Trouble (with a Capital T) 03:52
2 The Man Who Built America 04:13
3 Guests of the Nation 03:39
4 Faster Than the Hound 04:09
5 Huish the Cat 02:29
6 Mad Pat 04:10
7 The Wrath of the Rain 02:49
8 Flirting in the Shadows 03:43
9 Cúchulainn’s Lament 03:48
10 Ace and Deuce 02:05
11 Blindman 02:43
12 Furniture 03:21
13 The Power and the Glory 03:11
14 Long Weekend 04:07
15 My Love is in America 03:00
Disc 24
Live at the O2 Part One
1 King of the Fairies 05:04
2 The Power and the Glory 03:57
3 Mad Pat 05:45
4 Blindman 03:29
5 Wrath of the Rain 03:07
6 Furniture 11:06
7 The High Reel 03:50
8 Faster Than the Hound 04:01
9 The Piper in the Meadow Straying 02:08
10 Long Weekend 03:56
11 Rescue Me 03:33
12 Maeve’s Court 01:38
13 Charolais 04:39
14 Daybreak 02:30
15 Drive the Cold Winter Away 01:43
16 Ride to Hell 02:55
17 Sideways to the Sun 03:48
18 Sword of Light 06:10
Disc 25
Live at the 02 Part Two
1 Flirting in the Shadows 04:19
2 Ghosts 03:36
3 Speed the Plough 03:06
4 Sure the Boy Was Green 05:02
5 I’ll Be Waiting 08:19
6 The Man Who Built America 03:40
7 Trouble (with a Capital T) 04:00
8 Dearg Doom 05:17
9 Loneliness 04:21
10 Warm Sweet Breath of Love 03:37
11 Shakin’ All Over 06:23
Disc 26
In Session at RTÉ (1971)
1 Flower Amang Them All 02:27
2 Bonny at Morn 02:12
3 Ace and Deuce 04:21
4 Carolan’s Frolic 01:44
5 Passing Through 05:49
6 An Bratach Ban 01:54
7 Lay the Bent to the Bonny Brook 05:18
8 Buttered Peas (take 1) 01:27
9 The Snow it Melts the Soonest (take 1) 01:01
10 Traps 01:59
11 The Tern and the Swallow 03:24
12 Buttered Peas (take 2) 01:32
13 The Snow it Melts the Soonest (take 2) 03:41
14 Courtesan 04:40
15 Johnny’s Wedding 03:26
16 Clergy’s Lamentation 05:07
DISC 27
In Session at RTÉ 1972
1 Green Gravel 01:13
2 Charles interview 04:22
3 Knockeen-Free (Maeve’s Court) 01:58
4 Jim interview 04:33
5 Fairy King / Blody’r Drain 03:54
6 Eamon interview 05:42
7 Clergy’s Lamentation 05:23
8 Barry interview 03:05
9 An Bratach Bán 02:58
10 Barry interview 03:16
11 Scalloway Ripoff 03:27
12 Comb Your Hair and Curl It 04:52
13 Passing Through 05:38
14 Furniture 08:12
15 An Bratach Bán 02:59
16 Johnny’s Gone to France 02:58
17 Scalloway Ripoff 03:26
DISC 28
In Session at RTÉ 2004–12
1 The Man Who Built America 03:37
2 Furniture 03:14
3 Huish the Cat 01:57
4 Mad Pat 03:36
5 Trouble (with a Capital T) 03:41
6 Dearg Doom 02:18
7 Flower Amang Them All 02:06
8 Dearg Doom 03:49
9 Trouble (with a Capital T) 03:51
10 Furniture 06:17
11 Green Star Liner 02:15
12 Trouble (with a Capital T) 02:06
13 The Snow it Melts the Soonest 02:57
14 Sword of Light 03:22
15 The Man Who Built America 03:28
16 Furniture 02:59
17 Dearg Doom 02:22
18 Trouble (with a Capital T) 03:28
19 Horslips story mini-doc with Eamon, Jim, Barry 15:54
DISC 29
The Host – Tryal (1984) + singles
1 Witness Stand
2 First Kiss
3 Vows and Breezes
4 Safe World
5 Declaring War
6 Walk on Love
7 Unearthly Hours
8 Shadowy Figures
9 I Wanted You
10 Strange Disease
11 Dark Light and Air (Break a Spell)
12 The Long Walk
13 Excerpt from Love’s Dark Light (a Novel)
DISC 30
The Host: Live & Rare
1 Maud Gonne 03:07
2 Turn Back, My Love 04:07
3 At The Hawk’s Well 03:05
4 Overture 00:47
5 A Flame Forever Burning 03:58
6 The Hellhound Was My Name 04:29
7 Home Sweet Broken Home 02:57
8 Coconut Grove 02:45
9 Still I’m Sad 02:51
10 Chasing Dragons 03:02
11 William and the Lady 04:42
12 Kitty’s Rambles 02:23
13 The Hidden Curriculum 02:24
14 Dolly’s (The Hidden Curriculum Outtake) 02:05
15 The Hellhound Was My Name 03:25
16 The Trip, The King & The Creel 03:01
17 Circular Riff Jam 05:50
18 The Road To Lisdoonvarna 01:51
19 Don’t Give Up On Yourself 04:42
20 Pipeline / Johnny’s Tune 04:30
21 Maud Gonne 03:16
DISC 31
Barry Devlin – Breaking Star Codes
1 Twins (Gemini) 03:38
2 Who Can Tame the Lion? (Leo) 03:30
3 It’s the Cruellest Sign (Virgo) 03:23
4 Remember You’re a Winner (Aries) 03:53
5 When Two Stars Collide (Sagittarius) 04:15
6 Just Another Line (Pisces) 03:02
7 Let the Scales Decide (Libra) 03:38
8 December 21 (Capricorn) 03:21
9 The Stars Said (Taurus) 03:37
10 Remember a Star (Cancer) 02:55
11 Aquarian Girls (Aquarius) 03:37
12 Love with a Sting in its Tail (Scorpio) 02:46
13 When Summer Comes Around 02:19
DISC 32
Jim Lockhart: Uncollected Works
1 Cré na Cille (Graveyard Clay) 08:49
2 Errors & Omissions – End Credits 03:09
3 Errors & Omissions – Pastoral 01:53
4 Glenroe 03:02
5 Gods and Gallants 01:52
6 Great Book of Ireland – Immanence 01:36
7 Great Book of Ireland – Main Theme 02:28
8 Great Book of Ireland – The Dancing Pen 01:09
9 Interlude – Achill’s Hill 00:59
10 Interlude – Fife for Fifty 00:25
11 Interlude – Saltee Air 00:43
12 Interlude – Shaskin Way 00:41
13 Interlude – The Coolin 00:42
14 Intro – Clooncunny 00:45
15 Love Stories from Ireland 02:04
16 Lovers of the Lake – Main Theme 01:07
17 Lovers of the Lake – Penance Past 01:26
18 She Moved Through the Fair (Portastudio Demo) 03:49
19 Spring Cleaning 02:10
20 Sunday Sport 00:58
21 The Rime of the Ancient Mariner 01:05
22 Thuas ag Gort a’ Charnáin (Above at Gortnacarnaun) 02:55
DISC 33
Charles O’Connor’s Resolution Suite
1 Ocean of Storms 0.16
2 Seachange 0.09
3 Comes a Calm 0.13
4 Bottom Buttons 0.16
5 In Your Own Time 0.14
6 Skinner’s Treat 0.12
7 Circles Round the Moon 0.11
8 Angel on the Mantelpiece 0.20
9 Basket of Bones 02:38
10 Chocolate Cats 03:35
11 The Grand Tour 03:05
12 When the Long Trek’s Over 02:15
13 Fiddlehead 01:52
14 Ocean of Storms 01:34
DISC 34
Dvd – THE RTE VAULT 1973-1979 01:59:26
THE MUSIC MAKERS: Horslips at The Stadium 28/5/73 29:13:00
1 Furniture
2 Johnny’s Wedding
3 It’s Never Too Late
4 Bi´m Istigh Ag O´l
On Stage at The Stadium, Part One, 13/12/75 28:00:00
1 Everything Will Be Alright
2 Rakish Paddy
3 King of The Fairies
4 Ny Kirree Fo Naghtey
5 The Piper in the Meadow Straying
6 Silver Spear
7 You Can’t Fool the Beast
8 More Than You Can Chew
9 Dearg Doom
On Stage at The Stadium, Part Two, 21/6/76 32:19:00
1 Mad Pat
2 Blindman
3 Furniture
4 Bi´m Istigh Ag O´l
5 Johnny’s Wedding
John Molloy’s Dublin, 16/7/76
1 The Snakes’ Farewell to the Emerald Isle
2 King of The Fairies
3 The Unfortunate Cup of Tea
Live at Cork Opera House, 8/11/79 43:52:00
1 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
2 Amazing Offer
3 Ricochet Man
4 Summer’s Most Wanted Girl
5 The Man Who Built America
6 Guest of the Nation
7 Loneliness
8 Shakin’ All Over
P.M. Documentary, 9/11/78 17:02
1 Song clips and talk (in Irish) filmed during The Man Who Built America’s sessions at Advision Studios, London *
DISC 35
THE REUNION ERA: 2004-2019
Music from an Exhibition, 20/3/04 12:51
1 Flower Amang Them All
2 Furniture
3 The Musical Priest / The High Reel
4 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
Late Late Show, 21/1/05 03:45
1 The Man Who Built America
Other Voices, 15/2/06 27:03:00
1 The Man Who Built America
2 Furniture
3 Rescue Me
4 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
5 Dearg Doom
6 Shakin’ All Over
Ardán, 25/3/06 40:30:00
1 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
2 Mad Pat
3 Ghosts
4 Furniture
5 Interview / I’ll Be Waiting
6 Flower Amang Them All
7 Dearg Doom
8 Shakin’ All Over
Miriam Meets…15/8/09 16:01
1 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
2 Furniture
3 Dearg Doom
4 Flower Amang Them All
Live at Cropredy Festival, 13/8/11 03:40
1 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
Tall Tales Book Launch Party, 29/10/13 04:28
1 The Snakes’ Farewell to the Emerald Isle
Fleadh TV, 17/8/19 23:35
1 Speed the Plough
2 Sword of Light
3 Dearg Doom
4 Sideways to the Sun
5 Trouble (With a Capital ‘T’)
1980 Belfast Gigs outtake: 2022 Montage Promo 04:43
1 Sure the Boy was Green
2004 Roll Back outtake: 2022 Promo Film 03:42
1 One Final Ace & Deuce (2004 Roll Back outtake)
Spin Documentary, 24/4/11: 2022 Promo Film 25:43:00
1 A ‘Classic Albums’ documentary on Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part
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53 thoughts on “Horslips / More Than You Can Chew 35-disc box set”
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It looks like it doesn’t, but I just ordered this, and I really, really, REALLY hope that somewhere in there it has the DJM mix of Book of Invasions.
That DJM mix was the UK release, and the intro/Daybreak was much bolder in sound quality, whereas the MOO releases were thinner. I have the DJM on vinyl, but I’d love it on CD/digital.
If anyone has a spare half hour and there’s nothing on the telly, here’s an unboxing / chat vid involving myself (curator of the set) and Cormac O’Kane (restoration/mastering engineer on the set), filmed at one of the rooms at his studio a couple of days ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rNlvdXt67k
I watched it on youtube this sunday. Right now, I am listening to the first cd in the box – Happy to meet – sorry to part. This set will follow me for the next days and weeks. Thank you for an excellent set and I will pick up the Horslips “BBC set” whenever it arrives. Best regards , Hans
Our man in the Mahavishnu Orchestra t-shirt!
Can someone please explain the significance of the awful cover artwork to this box set?. I love Horslips and been a fan since the release of Book Of Invasions but I’m struggling to remember coming across that image as being associated with them. Surely some strong Celtic artwork would have been more apt. I’m probably missing something here and would love to know what!
You only have to get 90 seconds into the video to see the answer to this question about the artwork…
Cheers Paul…looks like I’ll have to buy the box set to find out then!. Although a big fan I’ve not gathered the funds to purchase it yet so the answer will remain a mystery unless someone is good enough to enlighten me
It’s original artwork from a 1972 poster which I show very clearly in the video, so not sure why you think it will ‘remain a mystery’!
Yes, ok, remember that now (I thought your original reply was referencing a video contained in the box set itself!). It’s still a mystery to me why that image was used for the box instead of something more Celtic though…also of all the gig posters they could have put in the box, an odd choice in my opinion
Ok, my final comment on this!. Just seen Barry and Jim from Horslips unboxing the set and they explain the cover image “clown icon”, from the concert poster, was originally found by Charles as a picture of two clowns which he turned into five clowns. To this day they have no idea who created the original image and believe it might be from a Berlin cabaret but it remains unknown…
I started listening to Horslips after the band had split but before there was an internet to pick up much about them, and therefore I originally listened to the albums in a haphazard order and without much knowledge of the back story. Therefore I love the later albums, which the fans who grew up with the band didn’t like – to me they are solid rock albums with great melody and lyrics. And nothing wrong with the earlier, folkier, albums either.
Since getting this box set, I am hearing the post-Horslips albums for the first time, and also think they were worth getting.
So, all in all, an excellent purchase, and very little in it feels like padding.
The discs in the box ARE in order… you start from top left and go clockwise, then down to the next layer etc etc etc
Fair dues! Never spotted that and thought they were random.
Played all the CDs by this evening, all 33 and it was great listening to them all especially the live albums, oh and the sessions. So it’s the DVDs tomorrow.
33 cd’s in one evening? Doesn’t it take one day? I think i have listened about 12 cd’s in one run and it felt that was too much!
I didn’t know the band, but this looks amazing. I’d go for this except for my unfamiliarity with Horslip (not sure how to pronounce that either) and they don’t quite seem to be my musical taste from what I’ve heard on YouTube over the past day.
Yikes, I’m a pretty big music enthusiast (okay, “music nerd”) and I’ve never even heard of this group. Granted, I live in America and this group sounds like national heroes to Ireland, but still you’d think I’d have heard of them. They clearly have an impressive discography, and the existence of this thing means they must have a lot of prestige.
Obviously this is way too much for a newbie, but I think I’ll check them out based on it. I can’t be the only one who’s discovered/revisited some awesome music from this forum.
Hello,, totally agree. I live in Sweden and had never heard about Horslips until the box set was presented. I have it ordered , it has yet to be delivered from jpc.de. However, I have records by Christy Moore (from Planxty) and consider Liege and liefe by Fairport Convention to be in my top 10 of all times. The combination of strong folk melodies and rock i something I have enjoyed since discovering Fairport in the mid 80-s along with Steeleye Span and later Pentangle as well as Runrig. So, I am looking forward to receiving the box set and discover more artists in the future. Best regards Hans
I ordered this box set about a year ago from jpc.de – no sign of it yet. For an entire generation of Irish teenagers, Horslips were the first live rock act that they saw. They played every club and dancehall on the island – north and south and were tremendously popular. They started off as a prog rock band with a irish traditional twist – later, like most prog bands who adapted (Genesis, Yes), they shortened the songs and emphasized the rock and riff component.
If you haven’t listened to the band before – “The Book of Invasions” is just tremendous, followed by “The Tain” – for those who want the whole Celtic thing then “Happy to Meet You Sorry to Part” is a fan favorite. I started with “The Belfast Gigs” and worked backwards.
My only disappointment with this set is the whole, inevitable, DVD versus Blu-Ray thing – why oh why?
Not an immediate purchase as I’ve not heard of them before but, wow, that’s an impressive and thoughtful boxset. Great video too Paul!
Beautiful ,but are Horslips really big enough to warrant this
They were always a cult act ,on the fringe of success but after Dancehall sweethearts it sort of dried up
Same thing goes for Caravan first three or four lps ok .Land of the grey and pink broke through , but 35 cd boxset !
Really ? You wonder if there is a market for this stuff and I see Caravan now selling at £100 off . So maybe not.
Just a thought on these incredibly large boxsets that seem to be the norm all of a sudden amongst niche bands .
Well, first of all, to a fan like me – they were the first live band I ever saw – then yes, they are big enough to warrant it. I’ve ordered mine.
Their biggest selling album was actually Book of Invasions, and that was two years after Dancehall Sweethearts. Until that point, they didn’t follow any sort of plan – Sweethearts, The Unfortunate Cup of Tea, and Drive the Cold Winter all came out over about a year, and each had a drastically different overall style.
Their ‘weakest’ album was the final one (IMO) – Short Stories, Tall Tales – but even that had some good stuff on it. Arguably, the move away from a single album theme to another disparate collection of songs was its weakness, but that’s just my opinion, too. Concept albums are derided these days, but they were big back in the day.
You’ve also got to realise (and accept) that the raw traditional Irish music (Drive the Cold Winter Away, and some songs on earlier albums) was never going to make it big outside Ireland, especially as much of it was sung in Gaelic. I liked it big time, but it was not going to chart, and any band needs to do that to succeed – they wouldn’t be in the business if they weren’t aiming for it.
The Book of Invasions, Aliens, and The Man Who Built America (plus The Tain before them) were a contiguous theme, and it worked. But that was when whatever caused the split happened.
Worth menioning that for anyone interested in the band, Mark Cunningham publised the official “Biography” around 2014 or so. I often see it remaindered in Irish bookshops now but it was a lovely production and would accompany the book in the box well.
The albums ‘Book Of Invasions’ and ‘Aliens’ were regularly on the turntable in our house in the 70s. I also liked ‘The Man Who Built America’ as well (especially the title track) but even so I think this is definitely more than I can personally chew… having said that it does look outstanding, lovingly compiled and well-made so hats off to those involved. I’d be interested in the hardback book if it went solo!
Apparently a BBC set with 4 CDs and a DVD, with no overlap to the big box is due soon!
Well, not soon – but later this year!
Last year Man issued a fine box set of all their surviving BBC recordings both audio and visual (Life On The Road – On Air 1972-1983). I’m hopeing that that is the precursor for a complete Man anthology box set from Madfish. They and their fans certainly deserve one.
Never heard of Horslips before in my life, so I pulled up my Spotify to sample them a bit, and now I’m trying to figure out if I can scrape together the money to get this box. I love SDE, but I will be living under a bridge some day because of it. LOL
CJ, I am very wary of getting big boxed sets of artists I don’t know or know well. Apart from it being overwhelming to familiarize oneself with so much material at once, one might not like much of what one hasn’t heard yet. I feel I have learned that lesson with a couple of career retrospective sets, both with over 20 CDs that don’t get played other than when tracks come up on random shuffle. Like you, I’d not heard of Horslips, but what I’ve sampled doesn’t float my boat, so I am definitely going to pass on this and wait for something I know I will like.
I’m not a fan of Horslips, but take heed Pink Floyd! 35 discs for £250….yes 35! Makes the Dark Side 50th anniversary box look even more pathetic for the price!
I keep saying this about the DSOTM box anywhere it’s mentioned.
Unfortunately there’s always one who scoffs, assuming we’re all poor, and goes on to tell us to shut up and he’s buying two. Unless I’m mistaken there’s such in these parts.
But I digress. I’m quite fond of Horslips, Book of Invasions is brilliant, but I’m unsure about 35 discs worth.
I’ve never heard of this band before. When you say “celtic rock”, what do you mean ? Like The Pogues or something more trippy like Fairport Convention ?
They were a rock band who took inspiration from traditional Irish airs, jigs and reels, so while they wrote original material, a lot of the early albums would interpolate those motifs into some of the songs.
While primarily an electric band, Jim Lockhart and Charles O’Connor were skilled in a variety of instruments that brought more traditional and acoustic elements (flute, tin whistle, uileann pipes, fiddle, mandolin, concertina).
As the seventies progressed, the inclusion of traditional Irish themes and instrumentation diminished, as they evolved with changing trends and wrote material that owed less to previously composed work.
There is much to enjoy from their entire discography.
Very good reply by CC Baxter to your question. To add a few listening recommendations – I’d check out Youtube for tracks like “Hall of Mirrors” and “Furniture”, for the slightly rockier sound, or “Trouble with a Capital T” and “Dearg Doom” for the folkier sound.
Thank you all ! I will not start with this boxset that is too comprehensive for a newbie. But maybe one day…
Terrific unboxing, Paul. Thanks for the support! Mark Cunningham has done an extraordinary job on the design (let alone his authorship of the book, with the involvement of all five band members, and definitive pinning down of the lyrics – all triple checked with those in the band who wrote them). I actually haven’t had time to properly ‘unbox’ my own copy of the set yet though I took one disc off the top with me on a road trip last Friday – ‘Dancehall Sweethearts’. Although I was involved at the centre of the project and had seen all the designs from Mark along the way, I was struck by the simple loveliness of that album’s new gatefold – ‘holding the music in your hand’, as you would say! There’s no substitute. Apart from their first album, ‘Happy to Meet…’, which had a wildly elaborate original sleeve design/packaging (a concertina shaped sleeve with holes cut in it plus a full colour concertina-shaped booklet – insanely ambitious for a debut), none of the original Horslips albums had more than basic packaging back in the day. So Mark’s creation of stylish, era-appropriate inner gatefolds and back covers for each of the 1972-80 albums is a delightful thing in itself. :-)
Colin, I wish the covers had been left intact, as they were originally designed.
Well, the design aspect wasn’t up to me but Mark Cunningham’s designs were approved first by Charles O’Connor (the band’s ‘in house designer’ from day one) and then the whole band – over many emails over many months! Mark’s design ethic was for all the existing front covers to be retained and for each disc to be in gatefold form. This ethic was carried across to the wholly new live and session discs, with artwork for these reflecting the era covered by each – often drawing from the artwork palette of the canonical album of that era. All the original text from the canonical LP sleeves is reproduced in the album by album pages of the main book in the set. Another point to bear in mind is that when the first tranche of official CD reissues appeared in 2000/2001, Charles / the band had refreshed the sleeves, taking an element/colour palette from each to be the new cover – so Horslips have ‘form’ for refreshing their album presentation, it’s not something new in this box set. The second tranche of reissues (the albums plus a couple of bonus tracks each), which appeared c.2010, reverted – from memory – back to the original artwork in full, including a valiant attempt at recreating the octagonal sleeve of ‘Happy to Meet…’ So fans have had 13 years to buy all the original albums in CD form with original artwork. The discs in the box set refresh both the artwork and the sound, with the first new mastering since 2000. All 100% signed off on by band members, who were seeing all the designs and hearing all the audio in regular communications over many months!
Paul, thanks for this, stunning box set of a band that I followed as a young Anglo/Irish lad.
what a live band they were… some of the best rock gigs of their time.
At £250 this seems great value but nonetheless that’s a lot of money to justify when I have all the albums already. I just wish I could afford it, there’s plenty like me desiring without hope.
If you ever do find spare cash, be assured that you aren’t simply getting ‘redundant’ copies of the core albums: the remastering in this set, by Cormac O’Kane, of the original albums is superb – the first time they’ve been approached afresh since the Peter Mew mastering in 2000 (which has been used on all releases up to this point). Cormac’s mastering on ‘The Belfast Gigs’ is a particular revelation. The master source was close to being maxed out in terms of volume plus was very much accentuating treble (as per original mixing choices). By going back, in this one instance, to a mint original vinyl copy, and applying all sorts of techniques, Cormac was able to effectively ‘unlock’ a load of hitherto hidden frequencies – the bass end is now much richer, the whole album has more depth. Just one highlight. :-)
Great set, highly recommended. Got it earlier this month. Up to Live 1978-1979. Tracks From The Vault Volume 2 is a blast as are the 1977 gigs. Fantastic book too.
Box title says it all. This is really more than i can chew. Strange that i don’t know any of their recordings. My only faint memory of them is that i read a review of one lp around 1974. After that absolutely nothing. Maybe i should check them from spotify!
Got mine via Burning Shed and, like all Madfish product, it is a thing of beauty. Worth every penny.
I didn’t watch your unboxing Paul because I’ve done my own. This is a beautiful set from an extraordinary one off band, highly recommend. I’m playing mind while writing this and when I’ve played all the discs I’m gonna play ‘em all again.
Glad that it’s finally released, there seems to have been a mix up with dates. 17th of February rather than of March.
Disappointed that they didn’t reproduce the concertina artwork for Happy to Meet which they did for the last reissue.
I’m currently on holiday and will open mine when I’m back home.
Horslips sound absolutely nothing like Runrig.
Runrig! Who compared Horslips to Runrig? Nowt like them and nowt wrong with Runrig either. Both bands are essential components of Celtic Rock.
SimonF some comments earlier made the comparison.
I did not say that Horslips sounded like Runrig, just that they reminded me of them. There’s a lot of difference. Great unboxing video btw.
They remind me more of Hawkwind, only not as good.
Paul….a fantastic unboxing of a much underrated band. Saw them at Lancaster University (1973 I think?) when they were supporting Steeleye Span….how about that for an eclectic mix of music. Nearly as good at Queen supporting Mott The Hoople, also at Lancaster Uni. P.S Queen really were average….little did I know!
That was a great unboxing video. I’ve got the set and it’s well worth it. For the price, it puts a lot of other artists to shame for releasing one album sets that are well over the £100 mark.
Here we have a whole career in one box with unreleased video footage, tons of unreleased tracks and a big quality book that will take a while to go through. Chew on that.
I got this at the start of the month. It’s an exceptional box set.
Fantasticly packaged set as always from those good people at Mad Fish, but not one for me. Although I’ve been aware of Horslips for many many years I don’t think I had ever heard anything by them until recently when curiosity (bought on by the announcement of this set) led me to pick out a couple of tracks by them on You Tube. It immediatly reminded me of 90’s Scottish Celt band Runrig, and that was enough to put me off for good!