The Real McKenzies

Founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1992 by lead singer and songwriter Paul McKenzie (the sole constant member of the group), the Real McKenzies do for Scottish folk music what the Pogues did for the traditional music of Ireland. They rev it up to a speed and power that approximate punk rock, but still maintain the melodic sense of the original sound, and sometimes use bagpipes and acoustic guitars to give it a taste of folkie authenticity, while the lyrics deal with the joys and tragedies of Scottish history, as well as the group's well-documented love of booze. ~ Mark Deming