Band Biographies

These guys are really quiet about their personal lives and statistics, so I've done a bit of sifting through past interviews and Newsletters to find some permissible facts and figures.

The photos are totally illicit screengrabs from a webcast earlier this year. You can download the whole thing from the archives at:KTCA Newsnight Minnesota - RealPlayer format. Just scroll down to Wednesday April 28 1999.

ALAN DOYLE Alan is definitely the extrovert of the band, as well as being the one who carries the most lead vocals. He plays guitar and bouzouki, is entirely self-taught and is worth watching closely for his wierd and wonderful range of facial expressions on stage. He was born in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, one day in May, sometime in the late '60s, used to be a cod-tongue cutter for a living (sounds disgusting) and always wears a Celtic Knot pendant, known as the Carrick Bend or the Sailor's Knot. Alan once announced that "Ich bin ein Neufundlander" on stage in Germany. Unfortunately this means "I am a dog". This year, he turned up on stage there wearing a t-shirt, presumably made by a fan, with a dog, and the now in-famous phrase on it. He is well known for his 'doyling' skills - elaborating, overstating, or just plain telling fibs!

BOB HALLETT Bob is the multi-instrumentalist of the band, playing fiddle, accordion, mandolin, whistle and - allegedly - lowland pipes (not very well, says the modest man). According to Darrell, the band decided one day that they were going to get paid by the instrument..... He learned fiddle and tin whistle by ear, and accordion by watching his grandmother. No, he's not left-handed, but she is. Bob also has a great voice, which doesn't get enough of an airing. He can only be heard clearly at the start of 'Greenspond' (Play) and on the second verse of 'The Scolding Wife' (Sea Of No Cares). He got a bit of a shock on the Much More Music Intimate & Interactive, when the audience went wild after Alan mentioned that their fans keep suggesting that Bob should sing more often (this clip is available for download from Mike's Great Big Download Site). Bob was born in St John's, again sometime one May in the late 60's. He has had several slightly off-kilter jobs: ice-cream seller, Able Seaman, editor of a newspaper, and public relations man for an insurance company (now, who'd want to admit to that!). There seem to be no embarassing stories about Bob, he's far too dignified. He is, however, terrified of bees....... but don't tell him that I told you ;o)

DARRELL POWER Darrell was born in Outer Cove, guess when? He met up with Séan and Bob when he was doing some illicit underage gigging. Not for pay - just for free drinks. That's alright, then. He learned to sing at church choir and learned guitar by ear. Now he plays bass and bones, and still has a great voice, though presumably a bit lower than when he sung in choir. He can be heard taking the lead on 'Excursion Around The Bay' and live on 'Jolly Beggarman'. He also sings that wicked bass line on 'General Taylor'. Good vibrations, man! He has a liking for coffee, which he acquired along with the rest of the band at Memorial University in St John's. He worked for a while as a gas jockey (presumably what we here in the UK know as a petrol-pump attendant. Either that, or he was into baked beans). And he knows what Bob's ass looks like.

SÉAN MCCANN Séan plays bodhrán and whistle, and sings quite a few of Great Big Sea's repertoire, his finest moment apparently being around 2am, when he manages a superb rendition of 'General Taylor'. Or are we being 'doyled' again? From the last gig at The Swan, I can tell you he does a pretty good Ella Fitzgerald impression. Séan is also entirely self-taught. He was born in Carbonear..... this bit is getting boring. He grew up to be, briefly, a gold-mine administrator. A straight one, obviously, otherwise he'd be a lot richer than he seems. He once flew all the way from St John's to Halifax, NS with fresh fish and chips, to woo his lady friend there. Romantic or what? He is apparently a very witty individual - "the Celts once used the bodhrán to frighten away their enemies. Now Great Big Sea uses this drum to frighten away its audiences....", and has recently been referred to by Alan as "the sexiest man in Carbonear." No argument there, eh?

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