Album Notes

Celtic Elvis uses folk 'n roll arrangements, tight four-part harmonies, hilarious theatrical antics, and meanly accurate satire to skewer modern life. Its a musical bbq out in the 'burbs, but instead of your father's hamburger, Celtic Elvis runs the stick through the thin skin of contemporary facades and relationships. Setting satire to harmony with a beat, their songs become warped Americana mini-operas. Known for songs with titles such as High on Stress, The Road to Gridlock and Love As Real Estate- You're My Fixer Upper, Celtic Elvis is: "The ultimate party band for people who think too much...as much fun as folk music gets."

Celtic Elvis is a folk theater group started in Contra Costa County, CA in 1988 when Jim Ocean hatched the idea of using theatrics and laughter to ease people through explorations of the significant issues of our times. Jim, the band's primary songwriter, explained that band's appeal: " People want to be entertained, but they are tired of trite love songs. They want something that is funny, but not just mindless fun- something that makes them think, too. And we do our best to push our concepts right to the edge. "

The origins of the band's name are obscured by unreliable memories. It is suggested that Celtic Elvis, among other things, sprang out of the "Big Bang Elvis." The name does imply a sense of humor and hints at music that is undeniably original. Warning: They're not Elvis; they're not Celtic; and they don't play basketball.

What Celtic Elvis does is " some of the best satirical songs you're likely to hear ." ( Dirty Linen )

The group has toured nationally and internationally, performing their skewed sense of humor and original songs at such venues as the Bottom Line, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Kerrville Folk Festival. They released their first CD, The Rise and Fall of Practically Everything , in 1990. The band's second CD is entitled Hard To Be Real and was recently released on Wildplum .

" Great songwriting, comedy, vaudeville; their stage show is one of the best in the business ." That's how Rod Kennedy, founder of the acclaimed Kerrville Folk Festival, described Celtic Elvis's stage presence. Now, after a three-year break from performing, Celtic Elvis is once again touring the USA. With a revamped, funnier than ever stage show, Celtic Elvis continues to inspire audiences to tap their feet, laugh out loud, and question both authority and the status quo.

" A truly fresh force of acoustic music on the west coast ." - Christine Lavin