1 Funky Céilí (Bridie's Song) (Kirwan) - 4:01
2 James Connolly (Kirwan) - 6:04
3 Maria's Wedding (Kirwan) - 4:11
4 Our Lady Of The Bronx (Kirwan) - 5:41
5 Black 47 (Kirwan) - 7:29

Ric Ocasek - Producer
Geoffrey Blythe - Sax (Baritone), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Chris Byrne - Uillean Pipes, Tin Whistle, Vocals, Bodhrán
Dave Conrad - Bass
Thomas Hamlin - Percussion, Drums
Larry Kirwan - Guitar, Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer
Fred Parcells - Trombone, Tin Whistle, Vocals
George Robertson - Illustrations
Henry Marquez - Art Direction
Kurt Mundahl - Photography
Marc Cozza - Art Direction, Design
David Conrad - Bass

Our first major mistake was made - one, I might add, that made sense to me, at the time. EMI decided that, since we were such a unique and not easily pigeon-holed band, an EP of 4 or 5 songs should be released to introduce the American public and, more importantly, radio stations to our sound. Now, since we had a surfeit of recorded tracks, the original idea was that Funky Céilí should be the lead track, supported by others that would not be used on Fire of Freedom. But, as time went on, various people in the company insisted that their favorite tracks be included. So, eventually, Maria's Wedding (my choice for a first or second single), James Connolly, Black 47 and Our Lady of the Bronx were added. The latter was the only one that would not appear on Fire of Freedom - in retrospect there should have been more. But then, EMI was being run by a number of very headstrong people - some of them with years of experience in the business; Murad and Judy were beginners in the world of management, Elliot was in LA looking after Neil Young and I, for once, stepped to one side to let the record company do its job. Then again, we were playing 4 or 5 nights a week, doing hundreds of interviews, getting our pictures taken for all the big magazines and so on and so forth and so fifth! And is there ever any point in crying over spilt milk?

The EP was released in November 1992 and immediately, to everyone's amazement including mine, Funky Ceili became the most requested song on the then booming alternative radio format. EMI couldn't keep the EP in stores. Fire of Freedom, because of fights over the content of the cover, would not be ready for release until March 1993. And so for those four months, while people tried to find the EP, Funky Ceili and Maria's Wedding were played off the air.

At this point, we felt like we were at the center of a cyclone. But due to management and record company not being prepared, much of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was wasted. Of course, it's easy see all this in hindsight. I definitely had no idea what was happening at the time. Suffice it to say, we were hotter than the hob of hell with no product in the store to boast of. Oh, we did sell the 50,000 of the EP that EMI managed to print up but we would have sold 10 times that amount of a full cd. I mean, who the hell buys EPs? I certainly don't!

But we were having a ball. People were clawing their way into Reilly's and any other venue where we showed our heads. We had no idea that the 3 month window of opportunity was slowly closing in front of us. The reviews were stunning. We were the Second Coming! "Finally. Music that means something again!" Time Magazine trumpeted and many concurred. Most of the media was enchanted that we continued to play a hole in the wall on Second Avenue. And we were getting better. There is no question that success improves you immeasurably. Confidence is hard earned but we were playing like demons now. People who had given us the finger a year before were now trying to bribe their way into the gigs.

An then it was March and Fire of Freedom was released. The reviews were magnificent and I assumed that the radio play would soon follow for Maria's Wedding, our second single. But no, radio said they had already played the hell out of that from the EP, they wanted something different. The Brains Trust at EMI went into overdrive. Every song on the cd was considered and then Rockin' The Bronx was settled on.

These were minor details with us. We were burning up stages, receiving awards, playing Farm Aid before 80,000 people. We were being hugged by Kris Kristofferson and shaking hands with Neil Young and Johnny Cash. The world was our stage. We were on a bus hitting the country. About 6 months late, I now realise. Ah, but what the hell! We were the toast of Letterman, Leno and O'Brien. Life was a blast! And then I get a call from Pete Ganbarg. What had I got in the song department? EMI had decided to shelve the single of Rockin' The Bronx (even though it had already been printed) and Black 47 were to get their asses into the studio as quickly as possible and make a new cd.

BLACK 47: Black 47
Maybe Paulina was off on a photo shoot in the Azores, leaving Ric Ocasek alone when he wandered into the packed house at Paddy Reilly's in NYC to hear Black 47-the band he would ultimately produce. Black 47 (named for the great Irish potato famine of 1847) is a New York-via-Emerald Isle band with a mission, a rollicking good pub band with its heart and eyes focused on the little people stomped by the headlines. Gutsy, well-informed and as passionate about its causes as any politically-minded band in these times, Black 47's message rings with an air of "been there, seen that" authenticity, from the legend of an Irish activist ("James Connelly") to the culture clashes of life in the Bronx ("Maria's Wedding"). Never heavy-handed on the lyrical end, vocalist Larry Kirwan delivers these songs with a gritty wail, as if he were trying to ignite the recording with his voice. Watch for this band to cause a stir wherever it appears.
- Steve Ciabattoni: CMJ New Music Report