Comyn's Bardic Closet - Beltaine, MMVI

On New Years Eve, 2005 I heard that my old friend Tim Cole had started writing songs and was performing them at medieval events. I soon arranged to get together with him to record some of his stuff. We started jamming sometime after Imbolc (early February) of the following year and worked up a few songs to perform at the Beltaine (early May) feis. The tunes were all either medieval or Irish-inspired folk. I was lucky enough to get my brother Ned (of Trespassengers fame) to play fiddle on some of the tunes.

Since we were mostly playing at my house I recorded a lot of the stuff we did so I could give Tim a copy to practice at home or just to review with a critical ear. I soon got the idea to make a CD from the recordings which I would pass out for free at the event. I looked at all the possible CD burning solutions and decided on using a lightscribe drive - the discs just looked so cool with a greyscale image burned into them, and I wouldn't have to do any other artwork - I could just stick them into a clear case.

The artwork (not mine) depicts cattle being driven through the twin fires of Beltaine, an ancient Celtic tradition for the purification of the herd.

We didn't really have a name for the band, so I just came up with something off the cuff which nobody else really liked either. I passed out a bunch of copies of the CDs and they were really well received and I got a lot of "word-fame" in medieval circles from it. Most of the recordings were second or third takes made with a partially working Fostex four track tape machine, in short they sucked - but I'm glad I have these copies of Tim doing his originals just the same. Also I was able to give a copy to his mom which she really appreciated.

01  Jack Stewart (I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day)
02  Maryanne
03  Whiskey Down (by Tim Cole about Pennsic)
04  Fhear-a-Bhata
05  All for Me Grog
06  What Will I Think of (by Tim Cole)
07  Ned Berrys Reel
08  Fair Game (by Tim Cole)
09  Dick Darby
10  Lowlands of Holland
11  Shule Agra
12  The Blacksmith
13  FarmersLament (by Tim Cole)
14  Foggy Dew
15  A Bunch of Thyme
16  Reel & Jig
  • YouTube and Twitch

    Music videos I've posted on social media
    2019

  • Thus Sang the Bard at Beltaine

    tunes I wanted to bring to Bardic Circle but never got good recordings for with the group
    2013

  • Bardic Circle - Samhain, MMXI

    Sport and Cate Moran help me carry on without Tim
    2011

  • TdB Bardic Circle Podcast

    All that is left of the podcast which I used to run in iTunes where I posted spippets of practice sessions or other funny stuff
    2010

  • Bardic Circle - Samhain, MMVIII

    more musicians and more merry music making in the medieval inspired genre
    2008

  • Momus and the Fomorians - Samhain MMVI

    More originals by Tim rounded out with lots more Irish and English folk
    2006

  • Comyn's Bardic Closet - Beltaine, MMVI

    Irish and medieval inspired folk tunes with several originals by Tim
    2006

  • NRN - Mostly Covers

    Mostly inspired by Rob, we worked up a lot of actual recognizable covers for a couple summers
    2000

  • Looking For Me

    I'm done screaming
    1998

  • Uruk Hai - Angel of Mercy

    An eclectic miscellany
    1993

  • LVC Sessions

    an EP of sorts produced by Todd of a few songs Ned and I had worked up
    1993

  • PREY

    an EP recorded by John in his basement
    1991

  • The Flying Mollusks

    some more original trip-metal meat puppets inspired material
    1991

  • In the daze of Ralph

    Ned, Todd, and I collaborate. Todd was a large influence here as he had been writing longer.
    1991

  • Identity Crisis

    more attempts at writing songs but perhaps a little angrier
    1991

  • Introspection

    My first attempts at writing songs
    1990

  • Chipmunks on Acid

    A very silly set of songs inspired mainly by my friend John
    1989

  • Me, Him, and the Other Ones

    Merry antics and deep lyrics by Morgan, great guitar work by Erik
    1984