CONTRABAND (TRANSATLANTIC 1974) Japan mastering cardboard sleeve

Contraband featured Mae McKenna, George and Billy Jackson, John Martin, Peter Cairney and Alec Baird. Their music was an exciting mixture of Irish and Scots traditional tunes, dramatic folk-rock arr/ments of classical ballads and other songs. They attacked their music with youthful vigour and energy. ''We loved playing together'' Mae recalls, ''We always used to play and sing on the way to gigs and coming back from them. Looking back I couldn't have wanted a better band to begin touring with''. Life on the road was an adventure and Contraband toured all over Scotland and England.
Contraband signed with Transatlantic records in 1973. They recorded their debut album ''Contraband'' in Chipping Norton studios in Oxfordshire. Released in May 1974 ''Contraband'' caught the young band in the cusp of their youthful musical prowess and joie de vivre. Mae sang and played violin, viola and piano and joined with George and Billy's multi instrumental talents, Peter's country tinged guitars, John's expert traditional fiddling and Alec's solid drumming to create a fresh new Celtic Rock sound. Contraband disbanded in 1975.
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This formative Scots electric folk group, comprising Mae McKenna (b. Coatbridge, Scotland; vocals, violin), multi-instrumentalists George and Billy Jackson, John Martin (b. 1 April 1953, Bellshill, Scotland; fiddle), Peter Cairney (guitar) and Alec Baird (drums), released an acclaimed album for Transatlantic Records in 1974. Sadly this was the band's sole release. The Jacksons and Martin later joined Ossian, and the latter joined the Tannahill Weavers in 1990. McKenna launched a solo career and established herself as an in-demand session singer.
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