Since forming in Scotland in 1992, ‘The Dogs’ have stood on the cutting edge of the Scots roots revival. The band has developed its own trademark style with an energetic mix of songs and tunes. Dynamic percussion, polished vocals, soaring fiddle and stirring pipes fuel the delicately phrased melodies and traditional songs.
"The Old Blind Dogs play with a compelling energy and intoxicating rhythm," says The Scotsman, “…as players and audience seem to share a wild ecstasy of emotion."
Twenty-five years is a long time in the life of any band and most who reach that milestone are content to rest on the tried and tested formulas that have worked in the past. Not so for Scotland's Old Blind Dogs whose newly released ‘Room With A View’ takes them bravely in many new directions.
The Dogs, one of Scotland's most highly touted traditional folk bands, are not known for shying away from change. A strong, shared musical vision has allowed the group to ride out inevitable line-up changes to the extent that the only original member still with the band is Jonny Hardie (fiddle, guitar and vocals).
The Dogs popularity has never dimmed though and the current foursome of Hardie, Aaron Jones (bouzouki, guitar, vocals), Ali Hutton (Border pipes, whistles, vocals) and Donald Hay (drums, percussion) have proven more than capable of carrying on the tradition of the band that the Montreal Gazette called “…a Scots neo-traditional supergroup with a bracingly modern musical attack.”
The Dogs have released thirteen studio albums and have won numerous awards including the prestigious title of ‘Folk Band of the Year’ at the 2004 and 2007 Scots Trad Music Awards. Their album 'Four On The Floor' picked up the IAP 'Best Celtic CD' Award and their last CD, 'Wherever Yet May Be' was nominated for the same award.
"A Scots neo-traditional super group, with a bracingly modern musical attack." (Montreal Gazette)
"The skill, talent and verve with which they played, belied their laddishness and the crowd responded with thunderous applause. Folk is the new rock and roll." (Evening News)
“The Old Blind Dogs play with a compelling energy and intoxicating rhythm, players and audience seem to share a wild ecstasy of emotion.” (The Scotsman)
"Old Blind Dogs have mastered the tricky art of innovating within a musical tradition while faithfully revealing its essence." (Acoustic Guitar)
"Old Blind Dogs bring freshness and colour to acoustic music steeped in centuries of Scottish folklore and history." (The Los Angeles Times)