The Wolfe Tones are an Irish rebel music band deeply rooted in Irish traditional music. They are named after the Irish rebel and patriot Theobald Wolfe Tone, one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, with the double entendre that a wolf tone is a spurious sound that can affect instruments of the violin family.
Formation and early years
The Wolfe Tones, "Across the Broad Atlantic"
The origins of the group date back to 1963, where three neighbouring children from the Dublin suburb of Inchicore, brothers Brian and Derek Warfield and Noel Nagle, began to play together for their own amusement. This subsequently led to the three friends playing at the fleadhs and music festivals around Ireland.
Brian Warfield recalls on the 2004 DVD that they have spent more than 14 years of their lives in America, when adding up weeks and months of tour dates over their career.
"The Split"
Sometime around 1989, a contract was signed by Derek Warfield, signing rights to an American distributor. The contents of this contract were apparently misrepresented to the other members of the band, resulting in a clause that prevented them from recording. Unable to reverse this agreement, they continued to tour albeit without any new material.
In 1995, Derek Warfield released a studio album entitled "Legacy" as he was still eligible to record under his own name. With Derek on vocals and mandolin, the music on this album was performed by a new band, although he was still in fact touring with The Wolfe Tones. Derek's solo releases continued on bi-annually.
Then in 2001, after a gig played in Limerick, Derek departed the band under circumstances that remain unknown to this day. Brian, Noel and Tommy would later go on to release "You'll Never Beat the Irish", which received critical acclaim as well as going triple platinum within 6 months of release.
Today
The Wolfe Tones continue to tour but as a 3-piece band comprising Brian Warfield, Noel Nagle & Tommy Byrne their official site.
The Wolfe Tones will celebrate their 45th Anniversary with a special event at the prestigious Waterfront Hall, Belfast, on Sunday 26th October, 2008.
Notable works
The well known song, "Celtic Symphony" was written by Brian Warfield back in 1987 for the 100th anniversary of Celtic Football Club. It has been covered by countless bands around the world. Other famous songs written by the group include Joe McDonnell, a song about the life and death of the IRA member who was the fifth person to die on the 1981 Hunger Strike, which is also said to be their most popular stage song.
Their rendition of "A Nation Once Again" by Thomas Osborne Davis was voted the number one song of all time in a BBC World Service vote, beating other songs by well known artists such as Elvis, U2 and The Beatles.
Discography
- 2005 Profile
- 2005 You'll Never Beat the Irish
- 2005 We Must Carry On
- 1993 Sing Out For Ireland
- 1993 Irish to the Core
- 1993 Across the Broad Atlantic
- 1993 Belt of the Celts
- 1991 Profile
- 1991 Rifles of the I.R.A. (from a former LP)
- 1987 A Sense of Freedom
- 1986 Live Alive-Oh
- 1964 Spirit of the Nation
- 1963 Let the People Sing
Box Set/Compilation
- 2000 The Wolfe Tones Greatest Hits
- 1963 25th Anniversary
References
External links
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