Rising Stars: Meet Damon Pipitone of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Damon Pipitone.

Hi Damon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’d been playing with an Irish band, and the sounds made by Irish-Celtic instruments are so wonderfully appealing that I wanted to see if it could work with other genres besides traditional Irish pub songs. So in 2017 we launched a musical project called “Flogging Seagulls” (a combination of the Flogging Molly and Flock of Seagulls), using fiddle, accordion, banjo, mandolin to perform ’80s New Wave synthesizer hits (longtime local L.A. residents will recognize it as the “classic KROQ” sound).

Once we started having some success with the ’80s band, I thought it would be fun to try the same musical experiment with another genre, and it was a no-brainer to go with the Beatles. Their music seems to appeal to every age, culture, and genre, and a new generation of Beatles fans comes along every year.

And just like that, Celter Skelter was born.

(Any Beatles fan will understand where the name comes from, but in case you’re wondering, there’s a pretty well-known Beatles song called “Helter Skelter,” and we just added the “Celtic” twist.)

In addition to the hybrid Irish-meets-Beatles music, Celter Skelter also adds storytelling and humor and fun biographical facts about the Beatles and ’60s music into the show, so it’s a whole “experience.”

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I describe the Celter Skelter concept (“a hybrid of Irish-Celtic and Beatles music”), most people nod politely and think it’s an interesting idea. But selling a new concept to folks is always an uphill battle. From venues to booking agents to other musicians, you need to prove that it makes sense. That’s why I’m grateful for the musicians in Celter Skelter, who’ve embraced the idea of combining two beloved styles into a whole new genre—as far as I can tell, we’re the only band on Planet Earth performing this type of musical hybrid!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The music of Celter Skelter takes a fresh look at Beatles songs by playing them with traditional folk instruments (fiddle, mandolin, accordion, Irish bouzouki) and rearranging them into an Irish-Celtic setting. If you’re having a hard time imagining “Come Together” combined with “Drunken Sailor” or “Let It Be” combined with “Loch Lomond,” don’t worry—we already did the imagining for you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.celterskelter.band
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celterskelter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celterskelter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@celterskelterband
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-uPzsQsCKE