Between us, our musical influences include Maddy Prior, Sandy Denny, Dave Swarbrick, Peter Knight, Ralph Blizard, Shirley Collins, John Tams, The Dransfields, Steeleye Span, The Albion (Dance) Band, Muckram Wakes, The Seekers, Lindisfarne, Jack the Lad, Abbie Lathe (especially for her vocal coaching expertise!), Fairport Convention, June Tabor, Georgia Brown, Richard Thompson... the list is endless!
We enjoy listening to a wide range of music, both traditional and contemporary, and both folk and non-folk. We really love English traditional music, but we also have a very soft spot for American old-time music; in the early days of our long involvement with Southampton-based Loose Screws Appalachian Dancers and String Band (and later Kaleidoscope) we were very influenced by The Volo Bogtrotters, The Fiddle Puppets, and the late Ralph Blizard.
Siobhan’s all-time favourite folkie album tracks: The New Jigs by Blowzabella (I could bop along to that one all day!); Banks of the Sweet Dundee by Barry Dransfield; John the Gun by Sandy Denny; almost everything by the wonderful Home Service; From Where I Lie by John Tams; The Gresford Disaster by the Albion Band; all sorts of things by Steeleye Span, but especially One Misty Moisty Morning, Sheepcrook and Black Dog, The Lark in The Morning, Child Owlet and Van Dieman’s Land; the whole of Tim van Eyken’s Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves album (no single track has yet emerged as favourite - they’re all absolutely wonderful!). As well as those listed as influences, my other favourite bands/singers include Blowzabella, XTC, the Roches, Linda Ronstadt, The Crooked Jades, Tim van Eyken, Kate Bush, the B52s, Abba and Ivor Cutler... this list could go on and on, so I’d better draw it to a close!
Chris’s all-time favourite folkie album tracks: Hanging Song by Fairport; No Man’s Land by June Tabor; Harper’s Frolic/Bonny Kate by the New Victory Band; Uncle Bernard’s/Jenny Lind by the Albion Dance Band; virtually anything by Steeleye Span... a bit more concise than Siobhan’s list (Chris will probably add to it, though - if he ever gets around to doing any of this MySpacing himself!).
We are an acoustic duo, with a repertoire drawn from a wide range of sources, both traditional and contemporary. The songs we sing are accompanied on fiddle, tenor guitar, octave mandola or viola (but not all at the same time 'live'!), or sung a capella; Chris often throws in a few fiddle tunes too. Siobhan's singing is frequently described as spine-tingling, but she also 'lets rip' in a more powerful style when the song requires it. Siobhan does most of the lead vocals, but Chris manages to get a look in with a solo song or two as well.
We first got together when we were members of The Cluster of Nuts Band, who were part of the British 'rogue folk' movement back in the 1980s. Siobhan joined the band shortly after release of their acclaimed album Fridge in the Fast Lane (which featured such folk luminaries as Ian Telfer of the Oyster Band, John Adams of the New Victory Band [etc.] and Cathy Lesurf). We've started doing occasional gigs with the 'Nuts' again... more in the pipeline. More info about this, and about various things we've done in the past, on our main website.
Chris was born in Yorkshire, and brought up in Potters Bar, Herts; Siobhan was born and raised in London. We spent many years living in Southampton, Hampshire, before relocating to Southport, Merseyside, where we are residents (but not the organisers, so we don't book the guests!) at the Bothy Folk Club. Do pay the Bothy a visit if you're in the area; it's a great club, which has been running for over 40 years, and you'll find it very friendly and welcoming... whatever your musical style!
FRIEND REQUESTS:
If you like our music, we'd really love to hear from you - but if you send a friend request, please do also send an accompanying message. Genuine friend requests can so easily get lost among the 'random' ones, when it's not obvious why they've been sent!
If you receive a friend request from us, it means one or more of these things: we like your music, or what you say on your page; we think we have something in common (musically or otherwise); we already have some sort of link with you (musically or otherwise). We're not into just having as many friends as possible, and we never send out 'random' requests just to bump the numbers up!
If you've got as far as reading this, your attitude to adding friends is probably similar to ours(?)!
Best wishes,
Chris & Siobhan
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A SELECTION OF QUOTES (more on our website)
...about Chris & Siobhan:
"...a hell of a team as well as a talented pair of individuals"
(David Kidman, NetRhythms)
"Spine-tingling vocals... complemented by sensitive fiddle"
(Folk On Tap)
"..their engrossing performance style, all-round expertise and excellent choice of songs" (The Living Tradition)
"Siobhan's voice had the audience spellbound ... an evening of songs, tunes and stories delivered in a very professional and entertaining way... a brilliant night" (Folk NorthWest)
"...Siobhan's powerful yet tender voice accompanied by Chris's sensitive fiddle/viola and mando/guitar..." (fRoots)
...and about Day Has Dawned:
"enterprising selection of songs..one to savour and return to" (fRoots)
"[Chris's] imaginative combinations of instrumental timbres... [Siobhan's] moving, appealingly tender-sounding voice which can sometimes quite belie its very power... This is a quite exceptional CD, which manages the difficult feat of being both satisfyingly charming and thought-provoking in a way that doesn’t need to shout at you but makes a more unassuming impact by virtue of its integrity, excellent taste and high-quality musicianship."
(David Kidman, NetRhythms)
"Day Has Dawned sparkles like the sun on the dew in the morning"
(FATEA)
NEW ALBUM, EBB AND FLOW, OUT NOW!!!!
Released in February 2008, Ebb and Flow is by the trio Nelsons Wake - which is us together with songwriter/guitarist Barry Wake (you can find him on our 'Top Friends'). Our previous 2 albums included several songs by Barry, and he has written all the songs on Ebb and Flow. There is a bit of information about each of the songs in our Blog. The album is available direct from us; it can also be extremely efficiently shipped to anywhere in the world through those lovely folks at the US-based CD Baby. Click on the cover image below to go to CD Baby, where you can buy the CD, hear clips from all 15 tracks, and download the album. The CD can also be purchased through The Music Well. You can read a review of the album, courtesy of Mike Wilson, here, and another, courtesy of David Kidman, here,
LATEST NEWS!!!
The Ebb and Flow album can now be downloaded at: iTunes and CD Baby.
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Our 2006 'duo' CD Day Has Dawned is available through CD Baby - just click on the cover image below. You can hear clips from all the 16 tracks on Day Has Dawned at our CD Baby page.
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There's a full discography on our main website.
Both our 'duo' albums, Day Has Dawned and Tomorrow's Sun can be bought online through the UK-based company Abicat (click here)
Hi! I'm glad you enjoyed your gig with Peter, Chris. I like the photo's. What an opportunity! I enjoyed myslef so much - I've been feeling really low since because I just want to do it again. I didn't realise until I was playing with Peter just how emotional his playing makes me feel. I hope you enjoyed the masterclass. I will go to the next one!
Lots of love to both of you, and hopefully see you at Cropredy?
Did I send you a copy of the interview 'The Devil Train - A Night At The Topic' you took part in? If memory serves me correct I think not. If you email me an address I shall make immediate amends.
I'll drop you the Maddy Prior interview as well to pass on.
This years festival is headlined by Billy Bragg (Friday), Seth Lakeman (Sunday) and Peatbog Faeries (Saturday) with many more top artists also performing incl the award winning The Demon Barbers.
Visit www.beverleyfestival.com for TICKETS and MORE INFO
Thoroughly enjoyed your singing and playing last night at the Bothy. Great stuff! We'll look forward to meeting again -- until then, nice to have you as friends on MySpace. Cheers, William & Felicia
The Devil Train now also going out Tuesday evenings 11pm on Phoenix 96.7 FM Calderdale and repeated Wednesday 6pm on Drystone Radio, across the Yorkshire Dales.
This Tuesday 11pm UK Time Zone - 'Steeleye Span Bring The Sun Out' with Maddy interview and concert (music cut)recordings. And of course the intro music by Hollis Robinson and The Airport Song by Cynthia Bennett herself! Why not help Cynthia's friends raise money for the Air Ambulance too.
www. phoenixfm. co. uk
This is community radio so it all relies on someone pressing the right button - fingers crossed! best JT
Hello! Thanks for the add. I had such a fantastic weekend meeting lovely fellow musicians. It really was special, and thank you for being part of it. Lots of love, George x
Hi there, thanks for finding us, and seeing us at Priddy. Really like your music too, its a shame we missed you but didn't arrive until Saturday evening. Wasn't it a lovely festival. Nice to be Myspace friends and hope to hear you live soon. Cheers KTM
Dear Chris & Siobhan, How happy to make your acquaintance ! I love your music and only wish I could be there in person to smile & hear you perform ! Hugs from across the Pond, Melinda
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