Mill A H-Uile Rud - Views and Lyrical Topics

Views and Lyrical Topics

Mill a h-Uile Rud broke new ground in Gaelic music, but they now admit that when they started they didn't fully understand the Gaelic music scene. In an interview aired on BBC Alba, Tim explained, "In the beginning we were so naive," and that it wasn't until later that they appreciated the novelty of what they were doing. Song topics frequently deal with sex which is unusual for contemporary Gaelic music. However the band and others contend that this is in keeping with Gaelic bardic tradition and traditional poets from past centuries such as Iain Lom and Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair. As a band, Mill a h-Uile Rud are highly critical of much Celtic Punk that, in their opinion, sells a cheesy, beer-soaked stereotype of Gaelic culture. They are also noted for their hard-core stance on Gaelic use in and around the band. In a Gaelic music scene where the language is often exploited as a showcase without much actual practical use outside of the songs themselves, Mill a h-Uile Rud stand out for not only singing in Gaelic, but using it in packaging, on their websites, on the stage and with each other. Mill a h-Uile Rud have also never allowed any official translations of their songs.

They have also translated the Ramones' "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" into Gaelic and play it in their live set.