New Age, Alternative,
Metaphysical Publication
Aquarius-Atlanta.com

Emerald Rose: Magickal Celtic Musicians

By Kathryn Sargent 

One of the highlights of the Aquarius Birthday Bash on September 2, 2002, will be the rowdy Celtic band, Emerald Rose. Internationally acclaimed for their CD Bending Tradition, and known for their exciting live performances, Emerald Rose will have the crowd rocking at this open-air concert.            

Emerald Rose has a powerful sound, combining original songs based on Celtic mythology with innovative interpretations of traditional Celtic tunes. Bending Tradition was the successor to their original CD, the self-titled Emerald Rose. Aquarius interviewed the band members, Arthur Hinds, Clyde Gilbert, Larry Morris, and Brian “Logan” Sullivan. 

Aquarius: Brian, you use a lot of mythological references in your writing. Did your studies in archaeology and anthropology influence your music? 

Brian: Yes, my college studies exposed me to modern studies of myths and their importance to our culture. The real influence of my education lies in a different direction than might be obvious. As an anthropologist, I am interested in music as a vehicle for culture change. The most relevant contemporary example is the lesson taught by the music of the 1960's. Musical artists with social awareness had a tremendous effect on the cultural events of the time. I believe that artists in our culture have more power to effect change than they recognize. Bono and the social work of U2 are a great example of how that magick works. 

Aquarius: How did you meet the other band members? 

Brian: Larry was a patient at my wife's chiropractic clinic. I knew him as a drummer, and it wasn't until we were in our third rehearsal that he confessed to being a whistler. I met Arthur and Clyde through friends. I was very impressed when I heard Arthur sing at a festival. Clyde has been a close friend since the early 90's. We all knew each other from our shared experiences in the spiritual community, and after being friends for a while, we all moved up to the North Georgia mountains. We worked the land together and raised our children together long before we played as a band. 

Aquarius: Larry, as the percussionist, which instruments do you play? 

Larry: Well, these days I'm almost more of a penny-whistler than a drummer, but I've collected a fair variety of drums, shakers, bells and obscure things to beat. In concert, we use a Roland Handsonic electronic percussion kit. It's not quite as “organic” as wood and skin, but it's incredibly versatile, especially since we're moving between so many musical styles. Also, all our percussion is “live” on-stage; we never use loops, samples, or digital pre-constructed music.