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Feast or Famine – Brecon Beacon (limited CD quantities available)This 1981 recording was remastered by Chuck Eller (one of the original engineers) in 2007 and a limited number of these were re-issued on CD for a reunion concert. There are still a few available by mail (send a check for $15 + $3 shipping to Richard Ruane, Feast or Famine, PO Box 185, Ripton, VT 05766). Starting life as an acoustic ensemble playing a mixture of traditional (predominantly Irish and English ballads and tunes) and original music, Feast or Famine played throughout the Northeast and Midwest. The personnel was Richard Ruane on vocals, mandolin, mandola and guitar, Michael Chorney on vocals, guitar, acoustic bass and tin whistle, Michael Corn on guitar, mandolin, mandola and dulcimer, and Ron Rost on acoustic bass, dulcimer, recorder and piano. The first recording featured a portion of their traditional repertoire, as well as two of Ruane’s songs, and a song and an instrumental by Chorney. Brecon Beacon (Ruane) Polly on the Shore (traditional/D. Pegg) Winter Waters/Morning Star (Chorney/traditional) Maid of Coolmore (traditional) Matty
Groves/Kitchen Girls (traditional) Return to Fingal/Lord Franklin (traditional) Icarus (R. Towner) Eileen (Ruane) Improvisation/Jericho (Feast or Famine/Chorney)
Here's an mp3 of Return to Fingal/Lord Franklin. Here's a 2006 article about this album from Dirty Linen
Feast
or Famine – Tomorrow the Birds Will Sing (self released)
The second Feast or Famine recording, it showed the band’s evolution. The first side of the recording consisted of seven compositions. The second side was an extended piece, partly improvised, showing a freer, jazz influenced style. In addition to the previous instrumentation, this recording featured Chorney on sax and bouzouki, all of the band on various percussion instruments, and guest spots by Peter Reit on French Horn and the fifteen voices of the Local Vocals Jammin’ with Famine Singers. Unfortunately, shortly after the recording was completed Feast or Famine disbanded (never good news for album sales). Colored Glass (Chorney) Vermont Driller (Ruane) October (Ruane) Behind the Houses (Ruane) For the Baker (Feast or Famine) Bus Ride (Ruane) With This Thing (Feast or Famine) La Cantata Sfumata (Feast or Famine)
Sundog – You Needn’t Act So Wild (self released)The only recording by this eclectic world-beat band. At the time of this recording they were made up of Richard on vocals and electric mandolin, Michael Chorney on vocals and electric guitar, Steve Rosenfeld on lead guitar, Rick Wilson on bass and vocals, Cameron O’Brian on percussion and vocals, and Jay Catalano on drums (among the previous members had been Ron Rost from Feast or Famine). Their slogan was “Think globally, dance locally.” The recording featured nine songs, four each by Ruane and Chorney and one by Rosenfeld. This group toured throughout New England, New York and New Jersey. Bartender Blues (Ruane) Conical Night Pasture (Chorney) One Root (Ruane) Sixty-Five People (Chorney) Neon Baby (Rosenfeld/traditional) Buddha’s in the Kitchen (Ruane) The Locals (Chorney) The Boy Wants to Be (Ruane) Don’t Go Back to Sleep (Chorney)
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