When Simon Emmerson began to piece together the Afro Celt Sound System in 1992 he had no idea where the journey would take him. But Emmerson’s fascination with the link between Irish and African traditions introduced him to three like-minded souls – co-producer and multi-instrumentalist James McNally; vocalist and lyricist Iarla Ó Lionáird; co-producer, engineer and programmer Martin Russell. The bonding of these four members turned the Afro Celts from a project into a band - a band like no other. The proof is to be found on their third album ‘Further In Time’.
On ‘Further In Time’ the Afro Celts’ Creative Core has created a musical world that brings alive the talents of an additional six members and over twenty guests, including vocalists Robert Plant and Peter Gabriel. The world created on ‘Further In Time’ is truly immense, containing multitudes. It is where voices from African, Irish and Welsh traditions blaze into a future informed by pop craft, rock power and dance euphoria; where the thunderous rhythms of the Punjabi region engage in dialogue with the African talking drum; where the sounds of Morocco and Eastern Europe are woven through cutting edge psychedelic club soundscapes and disarmingly sharp, disciplined songwriting.
"Ever since we started, that has been key to what the Afro Celts were about - drawing on the past but looking for the future," says James McNally, whose writing provides the framework for the songs on ‘Further In Time’. "I come from a London Irish background, but every tune I’ve written for Afro Celts has been my own. The power of the band is the way we connect and relate to each other; we all want to go into new areas - areas we can only get to by going there together."
This creative parity is the key to how the band work. "When we did the first record, I don’t think any of us thought there’d be another album," explains Iarla Ó Lionáird.
"The big change came when we took the first album onto a live arena. We had to become a band; before that we were just a concept," adds McNally. Then, just as the group were preparing to record their second album, keyboard player Jo Bruce died suddenly from an asthma attack in November 1997.
Protection - we do a lot of it these days. Sun cream for our skin, sunglasses for our eyes, condoms for you know where - but do you remember to protect your hearing?
Click to find all the information you need to look after your hearing now so you can enjoy music for years to come
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