essay 4 outline Celtic punk rock

Casey Clark
Prof. Stein
English 4
5/1/11
Outline essay #4
Intro
Hook-
Thesis- Celtic punk rock is used to tie to Celtic (typically Irish) identity and heritage through aural and visual conotated aspects of the Celtic archetype. Because of this people use it to express their heritage as Celtic people and all the things that the Celt represents. These ideals happen to be similar to punk ideals, so the genres go together well.
History
A. Geography- Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man, and north east France.
B. Roman occupation of Britain 55BC
C. Anglo-Saxon invasion post roman era
D. Norman invasion 1066 Hastings.
E. The English (Anglos/Normans) invade Ireland 17th century
a. Irish are subjected, but never fully integrate in the English system of government
as the Scots and Welsh
b. Music was a continual mode of expression and freedom
c. Made it very important to the culture of the Celts
d. Later revolts establish a republic separate from England, yet the north is still in English control
F. Many Celts emigrate from the British Isles to America in the 18th and 19th centuries
a. Why America? Gives the little guy a new beginning
G. Long history of being conquered and oppressed
a. The idea of fighting against authority made Celtic music highly compatible with punk
Celtic Punk
A. Birth of punk 1977
a. Ideas of punk (against authority, disorder)
b. “Deliberately bad”
B. Celtic punk started in London
a. Punk bands in Ireland didn’t sound Irish they tried sounding just punk (examples- radiators from space, stiff little fingers)
b. Not started in a Celtic area, but the area punk began in the land of the oppressors
c. The Pogues- first to incorporated traditional Celtic music with Punk rock
d. CA. classified as punk rather than new wave (examples pending)
e. Members were second generation Irish or Irish and English
f. Wanted to be recognized as Celtic
Symbols
A. Stereotypical denotative images
a. Shamrocks, green, Irish flags (mostly Irish)
b. Because, most famous of the Irish people through media and the fact that they still retain complete independence, for the most part, from England.
c. Use images from punk- Mohawks, drunken disorderliness (matches with Irish stereotype), anti authority.
B. Sounds
a. Used of traditional instruments- fiddle, tin whistle, banjo
b. Same instruments as American folk, brought over through emigration.
c. Has a double appeal- people who like punk and folk(both have similar messages)
d. Bagpipes- strictly a Celtic instrument, instantly recognizable
C. Used many trad. Ballads and songs
a. Many already had themes of anti authority, drunkenness, and oppression
b. Recongnizable by older audiences- connection with heritage and lore passed down through stories.
c. Not necessarily coverbands- came up with original stuff with similar themes (Shane MacGowan)
Globalization
A. Globalization of Celtic music through emigration, in which oppression and invasion were the reasons
a. The famine, wars with England, and economic difficulties in the Celtic homelands
B. Celtic punk not started in Ireland
Context
A. The Pogues- formed in post ’77 era London-so what?
a. During the Troubles- a time of extreme Irish nationalism and hardship
b. Not people that were in Ireland that came up with the idea of Celtic Punk
B. Newer bands in America that made it popular
a. Able to gain popularity from the people with Celtic heritage
b. It represented something unique to their heritage
c. It reminded them of what it is to be Celtic to stand against the authority, independently
Comparison
A. The Pogues- original Celtic punk band
a. First to combine the 2 genres together creating the new sound
b. Not a lot of commercial success in England, Ireland, or USA, but lots of recognition.
B. The Dropkick Murphys- most popular in the US, probably world, today
C. Defined as a punk band (examples pending)
a. No members from Ireland or Britain, only heritage
b. “Started out as a joke” didn’t seek popularity, yet gained it rapidly
c. many people in the US also have Celtic heritage and celebrate it
d. wanted to be recognized as Celtic for the things it represents (fight against oppression, overcoming adversity, toughness)
D. overall The Pogues best represent the genre
a. they were the first
b. closer to the source- the dropkick murphys put more of an American spin on their songs, The Pogues are more about the history
c. songs of the The Pogues have more authentic themes and fewer American ones
d. Shane Macgowan, lead singer, considered one of the best songwriters of the time.
e. Fairytale of New York and others- very critically acclaimed
Conclusion
A. Celtic punk reflects the heritage of Celtic people and the fight against oppression
B. Used to represent the history of what it is to be Celtic and what it is to overcome hardships
C. Represents were a person comes from