Kieran White

In 1986 I spent a day with Kieran at his home in Portland, Oregon (where he had moved from the UK some years earlier) and he loaned me his treasure trove of demo tapes for songs he wrote a decade earlier while recording for the Gull label, which had released his “Open Door” album. I had everything digitalized and had hoped to find a label to release everything on CD. Alas nobody wanted to know, so I just continue to play my CD-R for my own pleasure. One exception: the Numero label took one song, Hummingbird, for a compilation album they released - you can hear that song on YouTube. I still hope to find a label to press up a few hundred CDs of Kieran’s demos, but am not holding my breath. I did send a copy to Martin Pugh, who co-led Steamhammer with Kieran for 3 albums. Martin also moved to the States in the early 1980s - I spent a day with him as well during the late ‘80s and have a blues CD that he cut with singer/harmonica player Stan Ruffo. A very nice straight-ahead blues album, now rare as hens’ teeth!(By the way, Kieran’s demo tapes include a version of ‘Cold City Night’ that surpasses the version on the ‘Open Door’ album.)

Kieran White is an unsung hero. I love Steamhammer, but they fell apart without him. This album, on the other hand is filled with really soulful and mellow tunes. Kind of melancholy, groovy, and uplifting at the same time. Dark Star and Cold city night in particular really give me chills. Also check out the song Hummingbird, which is an old demo by Kieran released on the album "wayfaring strangers lonesome heroes".