Background information on non-Principal Players

also known as Stepan M. Pechkin (now he's thinking of taking another AKA, something like Liamh Clancy - it sounds, doesn't it?) Born in 1971 in Northern Capital of Russia, he received the basics of musical education, studying piano at the age of 7-8. Next time he opened a piano at the age of 17, when he entered into the band called "R*ozhdestvo" (Ch*ristmas band). In 1990-1991 he studied at the jazz college. The rest was practice: since 1988 he was chief composer, vocalist and keyboard player for Ch*ristmas band. The band played mostly rock-n-roll, but never was alien to folk; Irish folk music especially. Later the style of the band was characterized as North-Western psychedelic folk-rhythm-n-blues. The influences of the Dubliners, Planxty, Clannad, Alen Stivell and the Pogues never at all have been lost on him and his music.

In the years of Paddy Music Upraising in St.Petersburg (1993-1999) Ch*ristmas band and "Ptitsa Si" ("Bird Si"), where he also played keyboards were evolved in the same circles as presently more famous folk ensembles of St.Petersburg musical scene, such as "Ad Libitum", "Zelenye Rukava" ("Green Sleeves"), "Old Horned Sheep", "Bashnya Rowan" ("Rowan Tower") and others; often they played communal performances and had many cross-references in their art activities.

Having travelled in 1997 to Israel, mostly in search of adventures, Pechkin constantly sought for some field to exercise his talents, until on 17 of March, 1998, he met the Shamrock Ceili Band, where he took to play 12- and 6-string guitars (the last guitarist of the Ch*ristmas band had a lots of fun to know it), participating also in arrangements and other activities of the band.

In April, 2000 Pechkin and Alex finally realized a project of his own which would fulfil all notions that were beyond the field of Shamrock Ceili Band.

Presently Pechkin entoils himself as a programmer in Jerusalem city, which takes a hell of a time that could be otherwise devoted to learning harp, writing songs and composing music.

called also Shuric, equally was born in St.Petersburg, where he spent an impressive amount of years of his life. Approximately a year ago somebody from Jerusalem bohemians advised him to try flute. He tried, and it worked. Then Pechkin asked Alex to help him with SCB, and this was granted. After leaving SCB to its own devices, Alex joined the new project, and that tale is still before us.

lots of others, of whom I will certainly drop several lines when only they will stay in the band long enough for me to compose them.