An Interview with the Brisbane Based Irish band Hot Toddy .

Recently in Australia I was speaking to Teddy Rooney originally from The Falls in West Belfast about his band Hot Toddy who are based in Queensland Australia . I’d like to share with you some of the things we spoke of .

I begab by asking Teddy what the band has been doing lately .

“ Well as you know we’ve just got the new CD out , Celtic Fire .
The next thing is we’re putting out an independent album ,
Santa Christmas Ceili , it should be finished within the week ”

“ Teddy are you pleased with the Celtic Fire Album ?”

“ I honestly think this is a good selection of Irish traditional
music played in Hot Toddys own style . There is two of the bands own tunes Ciaras Tunes , and Xanthorrhoea , on the album .
If you listen to the first two independent cds “Beyond The Pale” and “The Waking Edge” this is a variation to those .
Hot Toddy want to get it across that this band is not just a Celtic Rock band , they can do traditional music as well .”

“ Will the band begin a tour to boost sales for Celtic Fire ?”

“Yes ,we’ve had offers from P.J. O’Briens in Melbourne , who have bought 40 cds of the Celtic Fire to give to their patrons .
So we looking at a tour of Victoria in June . We have been asked to play in Cairns in January , and we are booked to play at the City Hall in Brisbane during St Patrick’s day ”



“ It must be hectic time putting a tour schedule together , especially when most of the band members are kept busy in their other professions . When do you come up for air ?”

“ It is very hectic . For the simple reason that Hot Toddy is semi-professional . In the sense that all the band are teachers and work for the government in well paid jobs . They do this for the love of it , and that’s the beauty of this band . When they go out and play for people they enjoy doing it and it shows in their live performances . I mean its not for the love of money .”

“ I know that Hot Toddy have been getting around the place .
Touring can be a bit of a gamble at times . Theres always
the chance of anything happening anywhere , anytime .
Sometimes when the cards are falling well its best to let it all ride . Have you found any combination useful for the band ?”

“ Well after the Sydney tour we went to Europe , then we got
involved with the Titanic thing . It kind of snowballed . We did
everything ourselves . We did it for very little money . Within
that , there where Managers of Irish pubs around the place who wanted us back . This band is worth every penny they get paid . We do it for the fun of it .”

“ I’ve found there are two kinds of musicians . Those who make music and those who make money . Teddy I think Hot Toddy are a band who make music.”

“ They play from the heart . They love the music and believe in
what they’re doing ”

“ It must be in the blood “

“Its got to be"

“Teddy it was nice talking to you ”

“ Same here , all the best , Slante ”

“Slante”


At the end of 1999 here in Australia Hot Toddy from Brisbane propelled themselves onto the music charts with one of the country’s best selling albums, which was entitled
“Songs Inspired by The Titanic “ . With over 150,000 albums sold and a Platinum disc to their credit Hot Toddy have just released the follow up album entitled Celtic Fire .

Currently Irish music is on fire in Australia and Hot Toddy have hit a welcome note with their music on this new album Celtic Fire . The energy of the band have electrifed a lively cut of Irish Trad tunes that are really popular with Australian audiences
The album is without doubt the bands best to date .

I'm looking forward to the follow up album .

By Paul McCann


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