Old Blind Dogs
Tractor Free
By Lahri Bond

For an established band, major line-up changes can be rough, though some groups seem to thrive on it, such as Fairport Convention and the Battlefield Band. For its first seven years Old Blind Dogs (OBD) remained relatively stable (for a Celtic band) with only one addition: Piper/horn player Fraser Fifield was added to the longtime lineup of Jonny Hardie on fiddle, Buzzby McMillan on bass and cittern, Davy Cattenach on percussion, and Ian Benzie on lead vocals. Changes began in 1997 when ex-Wolfstone drummer Graham 'Mop' Youngson replaced Cattenach.

But that was nothing compared to last year, when Benzie retired and both Fifield and Youngson departed. Other groups might have called it a day then and there, but instead OBD recruited a hot new percussionist in the form of Paul Jennings, drafted Deaf Shepherd small pipes and whistle player Rory Campbell into the fold, and did the impossible by finding the only singer in Scotland who could follow up Benzie's formidable presence: Jim Malcolm.

Last year they released their strongest album to date, The World's Room [Green Linnet], and the followup tour of dates in the States, U.K., and Europe has delighted old fans and won many new ones. Earlier this year, the band finally came off the stage of Massachusetts' renowned Iron Horse Music Hall after two encores. Sweat-soaked, they were heartened to have captured yet another circle of fans with a blistering double set that revitalized old favorites and introduced most of the tunes on the new CD.

"We were really worried about coming back after a long absence," explained McMillan. "There were also a lot of people who had been very faithful to the old lineup, but, as you can see, they have really embraced the new lineup, as we have. We really tried to maintain the old sound and move on from there."

Longtime fiddle and mandolin player Jonny Hardie added: "It's particularly great to get the kind of acceptance and response from an American audience who have been both loyal fans and friends to the Dogs for years."

One wondered why a singer as widely revered and respected as Benzie might not only quit a highly successful band as OBD, but also retire altogether. "People hate change, but it was kind of inevitable when you have a band that's been around 10 years," McMillan said. "Ian, I don't think [he] enjoyed touring as much as he used to. He got his own place, and he was happy at home. Then he bought a tractor, and we thought, 'Oh well, it won't be long now...' "

New percussionist Paul Jennings went on to explain OBD's tendency to lose drummers: "Well, Mop was only temporary and wanted to move on to other things. Davie quit because his hands were hurting from such longtime abuse of hitting hard things very hard. I do play the drums quite hard, but you have to develop a technique where you don't have to hit them as hard and still get the sounds."

This is an excerpt from issue #90.