well it's one of those things...the band started out about five years
ago comprised of four friends...as they grew in popularity some members
grew in different directions and left to pursue their dreams...
Mackeel went through several series of replacements, including adding
three new members this past summer, but it didn't really have the drive
of the original combo - or the friendship background...
They never made it to the top tier of the local proto-celtic bands -
coming in the second, or really third wave of the decade...they're not
in the same class as The Rankin Family, Ashley MacIsaac, The Barra
MacNeils, or Rawlins Cross...and even less than the Irish Descendants,
Great Big Sea, Natalie MacMaster or the others of the second wave...they
were always more of a pub, than a recording band...
and really - night after night after long dreary night of playing the
same songs over and over and over in a new town each night that you
don't even see in the daylight can wear a little thin...especially when
you can sit by the ocean and stare out the window all day and make about
the same money...
I figure they tried to kill each other once too often on their last
U.S. tour...
but their recordings survive...as you noted...
cheers,
rob
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