"Let a gale rise and swell into a storm, and let a sea run that might appal the stoutest heart that ever beat; let the light ships on the sands throw up a rocket in the darkness of the night; or let them hear through the angry roar the signal guns of a ship in distress."
Cocos Lovers are a seven piece roots and folk band from Deal on the Kent coast. We are a rare mix of a husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and good friends. The band has drawn the best out of the members personal relationships and the chemistry created is producing both critically acclaimed recordings and live performances. We have recently been taken on by Quite Great Music PR, the company which launched the careers of Newton Faulkner and Sandi Thom and also GR8 Ape Music Publishing. (More info here Quite Great )
BAND MEMBERS
Will (vocals/guitar/mandolin/percussion)
Natasha (vocals/violin)
Mary-Anne (vocals/accordion/cello/percussion)
Nicola (vocals/flute/recorder/percussion)
Phil (tenor banjo/guitar/mandolin/vocals/percussion)
David (lead guitar/acoustic guitar/vocals)
Bill (bass/vocals)
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BAND HISTORY
We came together at the start of 2008 and began playing many gigs throughout the South, together with a number of festivals, winning many friends along the way. After a busy summer of 2008, we set sail for Europe to spend three months playing gigs, writing new material, finding new sounds and making new friends. The route took us to Belgium, Holland, Germany, the South of France and Spain where we settled in the 'Magic Valley' between Valencia and Barcelona.
2009 has seen us establish ourselves on the UK festival circuit and highlights have been The Green Man Festival, The Small World Festival, Lounge on the Farm Festival, Secret Garden Party, Coed Spring Gathering, Sellindge Music Festival, Broadstairs Folk Week, Triban Spring Gathering, Sidmouth Folk Festival, Brighton Farmyard Festival, amongst others.
The Lounge on the Farm festival featured such acts as Cherbourg, Josh Weller, Peggy Sue, The Horrors, Son of Dave, The Temper Trap, 6 Day Riot, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, and many more. We performed to a packed crowd inside the Farm Folk tent and a further outside set on The Bandstand, which again drew a great crowd.
The Lounge on the Farm festival has been reviewed on VIRTUAL FESTIVALS website - ....' The unknown surprises found by meandering in and out of the smaller tents are what make this festival a bit special. Bands like 6 Day Riot, Cocos Lovers and A Hawk And A Hacksaw played on an adoring and aghast crowds’ heart strings in the Farm Folk tent with their diverse brands of folk dance and brilliant musicianship'
In 2009 we have also supported some great new bands such as Mumford and Sons, Alessis Ark and 6 Day Riot.
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We have released two ep's on Smugglers Records. The first ep was released in April 2009 entitled 'The story of lunatic van rogue'. The second ep 'Time to Stand' was released in July 2009.
The 'The Story Of Lunatic Van Rogue' has SOLD OUT, but is available to download from
Our second ep is entitled 'Time To Stand' .This ep has again SOLD OUT., but can be dowloaded from
Tracks from the above ep's have been featured on BBC Kent Introducing and BBC6 Music, as well as various internet radio stations.
The debut album has been recorded and is penciled in for a release date March 2009.
We are featured on Kent TV, playing 'Homeward Bound'. Watch the video here.
Please vote for our video below at www.kenttv.com/soundclash
REVIEWS & WORDS :
There are plenty of intriguing local acts across the bill, including the peculiarly named Cocos Lovers, an eight-piece roots and folk outfit from the altogether unglamorous surroundings of Deal. Made up of husbands, wives, friends and siblings they succeed in creating a whirlwind of glorious unfettered joy in a way that is reminiscent of a more organic Noah And The Whale or Mumford And Sons imbued with greater urgency. Flutes, violins, tambourines and banjos are interchanged throughout an electrically-charged performance which even inspires a bout of crowdsurfing from one eager soul. Their heavenly harmonies are a beautiful substance that soothes the soul one beat at a time.
CLICKMUSIC
My good gosh!!! This band are one of our exciting myspace finds of recent memory. A truly sublime 8 piece roots and folk outfit from a charming place named Deal.
It would not be out of place to mention them in the same breath as the likes of Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling or Cherbourg. Or christ!...even Leadbelly, Merle Haggard and Woodie Guthrie.
Simply breathtaking. One of those acts that have the ability to grab your attention just by mic testing, hold your gaze by string tuning and simply take your breath right out of your body on the first song and send your heart raising round your body on the second. And you wont stop trying to catch it till well after they've left the stage. 'Bloody Awful Poetry'
'When this fine band from Kent burst into song, everyone who was in their sound range suddenly took notice.
A couple of minutes into the first track almost everyone was dancing or swaying to the rhythms of their quite unique sounds.
There was about six of them playing guitars, banjos, and violins.
Wrapped around all this were very special vocal harmonies, almost spiritual, with a touch of Afro/Celt sounds.
This was a real coup for Blackpool to get this band.
Hopefully they will be back.'NORTHWESTBAND.CO.UK
"One of the most promising bands in Kent" BBC Radio Kent Introducing
"The real revelation of the evening, tho' was Cocos Lovers. An eccentric, vaguely folky bunch of lovable types exuding a rare warmth and playing a succession of gorgeous songs" Sounds from The Spring
Check out some more here
* Thank you to Michael Houghton for the top four pictures taken at The Tunbridge Wells forum - http://michaelhoughton.co.uk
Hi guys! Just passing through to tell you that I'm loving it. Stirling work all round. Yeah, a meeting, and perhaps even a meating would be fantastic. Londwards is it. Isn't it.
The welcome return to Orange Street of THE KIM THOMPSETT BAND. Kim - guitar, vocals, flute, recorder, zither, harp, bowed psaltery Dave Kent - guitar, keyboards Naomy Browton - cello, vocals Andy Renshaw - Percussion, kalimba Kims debut CD Songs From the Uglee Meadow.... "As well as singing, multi-instrumentalist Kim plays guitar, flute, zither, recorder and percussion. The result is an intimate and intensely personal recording, rich in pastoral imagery and rooted in the English landscape.....It draws on Celtic, medieval and English folk, but the album is not overwhelmed by its influences, retaining its own shape and identity. The tone is ruminative, reflective and at times celebratory, whether a poignant love song crafted from an epitaph or taking in the beauty of leaf and stream. For more reference points, think Sandy Denny’s Who Knows Where the Time Goes?.... Philip G Martin guests on hurdy-gurdy and bagpipes ( WILL SUMMERS from CIRCULUS also appears ) , while Sarah Tadros weaves cobweb patterns on violin. A very mellow recording, not so much shoe-gaze as tree-gaze, and a finely crafted piece of English whimsy " www.myspace.com/kimthompsett WITH SUPPORT FROM-BENEATH THE OAK- last seen at Orange street supporting THE KITTIWAKES- watch the gig again here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_gJkYfyLB0
I found you through Krissy and the Jackdaws. Unexplainably good! Going to try keep and eye out and come to some of you're shows! Can imagine it being so so wonderful live!
Online Now!
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