A Treat for Fans of Both Cats and Celtic Music

My lady left me for five whole days last summer. She went to this big gathering called Dragon*Con for humans who love fantasy and science fiction. I was happy to stay home but missed my family. They returned with amazing tales of people who dress up as everything imaginable, from stormtroopers to elves. My lady got into the fun herself, dressing as Caitenda, Priestess of the Winged Cats. To my dismay, she didn't bring me any cat toys or treats. Apparently, those are difficult to find at Dragon*Con. She did, however, find something that freaked me out at first, but which I later learned to love. It was the CD Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers by Marc Gunn.

Marc Gunn, a cat lover and performer of Celtic music, is a member of the Brobdingnagian Bards, an act based in Austin, Texas that plays filk music with a unique flair: all of their songs are based on, or inspired by, Celtic music. If you don't know what filk music is, check out Wikipedia to learn more about this unique form of musical performance. Marc had wanted to record a CD of Irish drinking songs with a cat theme for a long time, and his dream became a reality in 2005. Ever since its release, Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers has pounced into popularity, especially among existing Bards fans (who are known as Nagians), Celtic music lovers and, of course, folks who are crazy about cats.

On the CD you'll find songs like "When Kitty Eyes Are Smiling," played to the tune of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," except the lyrics are about cats. Here's an excerpt:

When kitty eyes are smiling
All the world it is their play
With a leap a cat is soaring
Now your shoe lace is his prey
When kitty hearts are happy
Against your leg, you'll feel them rub
And when kitty eyes are smiling
Sure, you can't help falling in love.

Extremely talented and hilarious to watch or listen to, The Bards are well known for writing songs about their favorite fandoms, such as The Lord of the Rings. True to form, Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers contains a song about Harry Potter, "Harry Potter: Rising of the Moon," set to music of the traditional tune, "By the Rising of the Moon." This song tells the story of what the cats were doing at the time young Harry Potter vanquished Lord Voldemort, er, I mean You Know Who!

If you happen to be in the Austin area soon, be sure to check out the Bards as they go Goth. Yes, I said go Goth! They will be performing with Gothic artist, musician and satirist Voltaire at Elysium, Austin's premiere Goth club and industrial haven. On the website, Marc urges Bards fans to "don your black kilt and eyeliner, grab a copy of Voltaire's book What Is Goth to find your Goth name, and join us at Austin's Goth Club, Elysium, for a new you won't soon forget!" This is but one example of the fun-loving attitude and versatility of The Bards. Now, where can I get a spiked kitty-sized collar, black claw polish and airline‑approved pet carrier with a ticket to Austin?

Marc hopes to release another Celtic cat songs CD in the future and so do we. If you'd like to learn more about Marc, The Bards, and Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers, visit the following websites: Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers, The Brobdingnagian Bards and Marc Gunn's MySpace.