An Annotated Alastair Mucklethunk Discography

by Moira "Lugnuts" Ni Amaden

Skyewaulker (With the Red-Hot Haggis Hackers, 1992)

A naive rendering of "session tunes," this early attempt by Mucklethunk nonetheless points the way to the epistemological concerns of his later work. This is particularly the case in his poignant, original composition Waltzing with Bears at Whitsun which focuses on the seemingly absurd yet profoundly meaningful actions of the author's Aunt Agnes,

Tune: Dancing at Whitsun

Tis sixty long springtimes since Old Walter died

But still you can see her, down by the woodside.

With a gaggle of ursines, she waltzes all day

Aunt Agnes goes waltzing with ursines.

Chorus:

She goes wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-waltzing with bears

Raggy bears, shaggy bears, baggy bears too,

And there's nothing on earth our Aunt Agnes won't do

So she can get waltzing with ursines.

Mucklethunk follows up this soulful meditation on memory and mortality with the rousing Rites of Spam. Though this is not Mucklethunk at his finest, it is still an impressive debut.

1. Speed the Cow/Bolt the Guiness
2. O'Carolan's Stoned Soul Picnic/O'Carolan's Receipt for the Drycleaning
3. Glasgow A-Go-Go
4. The Deflowered of Edinburgh
5. Waltzing with Bears at Whitsun
6. The Rites of Spam
7. Lady Margaret's Last Stand (The Paradigm Shift)
8. The Humours of Spandex/The Polyester Polka

Mist and Miasma: A Celtic Songcycle for the Solstice (with the Cool 'Uns, 1994)

Mucklethunk's foray into New Age Music left many of his fans with a feeling of betrayal. His deft reinterpretation of Celtic Mythology, however, gained him international recognition.

1) The Birth of Finn

2) The Prophecy of the White Cow

3) Narada's Revenge (The wily Narada steals the White Cow thereby insuring that Finn will have no knowledge of his great destiny)

4) Finn's Quest

5) Interlude/Reprise, Finn's Quest

6) Finn & Fiona: a love Duet

7) Fiona's Banquet

8) Finn's Enlightenment/Finn's Lament on a Pot Roast

9) Fiona/Narada's Triumph

Moira "Lugnuts" Ni Amaden covers Celtic Music for the web 'zine Earshot.  She is currently writing a book on the  Heavy Metal-Polka-Punk band "Accordion Crimes."  She lives in Takoma Park, MD with her cat, Zappa.