I really want to play tin whistle in the same style as spider stacy from the pogues. I love everything about the pogues, especially spiders whistle playing which has enspired me to want to learn how to play tin whistle. What Im basically wondering, is which kind of whistle he played and all the details about it. I want to purchase the same kind or a replica of that which he played. so if anybody knows, or has some helpful suggestions for a beginner (im leaning towards a feadog or a clare, also, is there a major difference in the brass and nickel?) I would greatly appreciate any help. thanks a lot. my email is stchode@hotmail.com
For my tuppence worth, if you are a comp. beginer I’d go for a clarkes sweetone in D, not the best sound but very easy to play, it alays seams to have good definition between the high and low octaves, but it always has a rattlyness (!?) which I don’t like.
A Pogues fan?- you DEFINATELY NEED HELP!!(lol!).No, seriously P.M.,i’ve just spent an enjoyable 45 minutes or so checking footage of Spider playing on the ‘Poguevision’ video that I’ve had for years.I saw that he played an aluminium whistle on a couple of tracks,but couldn’t see it close enough to make out if it was a ‘Chieftain’ or Overton’ model.I did positively identify Spider playing a nickel ‘Generation’ whistle with a blue plastic mouthpiece though.Generations are widely available,cheap and played by many traditional Irish musicians.I would suggest that the ‘Gen.’ also has more 'PUNK CREDIBILITY’than the other whistles that I’ve mentioned!! ‘Generation whistle = Punk credibility’? now that’s a new one(R.O.F.L.!!!)
re: the difference between brass and nickel, I have lots of whistles of both types, and I still don’t hear any difference in the sound. But there’s supposed to be one.
Brass tends to stay grippier under sweating fingers - but it also tarnishes. So your brass whistle is going to look older quicker. Personally I like a whistle to look used, so that’s fine.
With Generations particularly, you have to loosen the head and move it out about 1cm to get it in tune. On brass bodies, this tends to leave a mark behind, but again, this is purely a cosmetic detail.
I have a Clare whistel I love, but the cross fingered C note is a bit out. It can be softblown into tune though, so it’s not a major problem. Feadogs are fine too, the brass bodies will tarnish up really quickly as they’re not treated or varnished like Generations.
thanks a lot. im probably going to get both a tony dixon soprano d and a feadog. also, will it be hard for me to pick it up, or will i learn really quickly. I also play guitar and trumpet, and I picked both up relatively easily. anybody know how difficult pogues and flogging molly songs would rank at? it doesn’t look too complicated, but then again what do I know.
You should be able to pick whistle up very easily,esp. as you have played trumpet and guitar previously.Songs by The Pogues are pretty straightforward,as are most 'Irish ballad’type songs-I think it’s because they have such simple,memorable and strong melodic lines.The Pogues/Shane McGowan have also used existing traditional tunes;for example ‘White city’ is set to ‘The colours of Kerry’(prev. recorded by Planxty),‘The song with no name’ on Shane’s ‘The snake’ uses ‘The Homes of Donegal’.I’m sure there are others.I’m sure that you’ll enjoy your whistling!
Here’s a photo of Spider playing an aluminum whistle… not sure if it’s an Overton or a Chieftan though.
http://www.jerspoguespub.com/pics/mis_ecr1.jpg
I’ve seen video of him playing nickel Generations too.
Here’s an ABC of Spider’s “Fairytale of New York” whistle solo that I transcribed as best I could… that should give you something to practice on.
X:1
T:Fairytale of New York
M:3/4
L:1/8
K:D
%%MIDI program 73
|d>ef|edd/2e/2|fed|B3|a>ba|fdd/2e/2|fga|e3|
a>ba|fdd/2e/2|fed|B3|Adf|afd|efe|d3|
a>ba|fdd/2e/2|fed|ede|fed|BGG|ABc|d2f|
a>ba|fdd/2e/2|fed|B3|Adf|afd|efe|d3||
I’m a huge Pogues fan myself, and Spider was the first person I ever saw playing a whistle… so I guess can blame him for my addiction! 
Bainne na mbó 's na ngamhna, and the juice of the barley for me. </MARQUEE](http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/guin.gif></MARQUEE)>
[Stupid photo won’t work inline, but clicking the URL brings it up.]
[ This Message was edited by: raindog1970 on 2003-01-13 17:56 ]
so, does brass or nickel matter for a beginner? or an aluminum whistle? or do they all basically sound the same and I should wait until i’m somewhat good before I get nitpicky about details…
On 2003-01-13 23:23, Pogue_Mahone wrote:
so, does brass or nickel matter for a beginner? or an aluminum whistle? or do they all basically sound the same and I should wait until i’m somewhat good before I get nitpicky about details…
Brass and nickel tubes sound almost identical to my ears.
Brass tarnishes quickly, and nickel is slippery… that’s really the only differences worth mentioning.
Waltons makes a couple of aluminum tube whistles, but they are EXTREMELY fragile… you don’t want to play an aluminum Waltons unless you’re going for the Andrea Corr look.
There are several good quality aluminum whistles available that aren’t nearly as fragile as a cheap Waltons… but they are all fairly expensive.
I belong to the school of thought that a beginner who is serious about learning to play should get a fairly high-end whistle right from the start.
Nothing will discourage a new player faster than a poor quality whistle… even most experienced players can’t get a decent sounding tune out of many of the cheapies.
One other thing worthy of mentioning - Spider isn’t a great whistle player.
I like his style, and I like him (as long as he’s not singing), but his level of whistle expertise is very easy to reach.
Like me, you picked a good role model early on… since aspiring to play like Spider is a much more realistic goal than aspiring to play like Mary Bergin. 
With regular practice, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be playing BETTER than Spider in less than a year.
has anyone else seen the pogues on saturday night live, when they played white city and body of an american? I have it on tape and I watch it like 50 times every day. lol, but anyways, does anybody know which whistle spider is playing there?
On 2003-01-13 17:53, raindog1970 wrote:
Here’s a photo of Spider playing an aluminum whistle… not sure if it’s an Overton or a Chieftan though.
The mouthpiece end of that whistle looks square-ish, so I’d guess overton over chieftain (which are not squarish at the mouthpiece).