James 'Bar' Bowen - guitar and voice - mostly solo.
Plus occasional gigs and recordings with Bar the Shouting:
Jonny Purkis - drums and percussion.
Mark Whyatt - electric guitar/bass and voice.
Martyn Cowell - mandolin and bass.
And also gigs with *Lott* - double bass and voice (when in NZ).
Influences
Neil Wardleworth (Tea for One), Dave Hughes, Al Baker, Neil Sutherland, Napoleon Dynamite, Squab, Kein Wort der Reue, Tracy Curtis, Billy Bragg, The Men They Couldn't Hang, Robb Johnson, I am Kloot, Roddy Johnston, Stiff Little Fingers, Moving Hearts, The Ruts, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Buddy Holly, Dick Gaughan, Element of Crime, The Everley Brothers, Rory McLeod, The Pogues, The Clash, The Levellers, Pulp, Otis Redding, Zounds, Nina Simone, Slade, Les Negresses Vertes, Jimmy Cliff, Penelope Swales, The Stanley Brothers
Sounds Like
Often compared favourably with Billy Bragg, The Men They Couldn't Hang and the Levellers (and all that post-punk radical rocking folk-roots music) but with an inimitable individual guitar style and an unmistakably powerful voice. Wielding a stack of original songs, with interesting stories attached, I try to draw you into a world of socially aware and politically challenging lovesongs. It's not all doom and gloom either: I will try and make you smile in whatever way I can too...
James 'Bar' Bowen is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, raconteur and all round good bloke. He has performed all over the world, and is currently concentrating more on his solo career after a very successful tour of New Zealand (2006) and some fabulous gigs since. In NZ, he took the main urban centres (and a couple of villages) by storm, and was interviewed extensively in the local media, including Radio NZ. En route, he sold some copies of his first home-recorded solo CD 'Uneconomic Migrant'. The CD has been critically acclaimed as 'a bunch of great and original songs', as well as being described as 'pretty heavy stuff'. Live is of course the best way to enjoy Bar's songs, but he also recorded and released a CD specifically for the Boston trip - see below - ('A New England EP'), of which a few copies are still available.
Bar can also be heard on Huddersfield agit-folk band Bar the Shouting's recordings, most notably on '...strangelove...' (UNLaBELLED).
In recent months he has been wielding his powerful acoustic guitar and voice at a variety of venues across the North of England (from backrooms of pubs to The Royal Armouries), taking his original, hard-hitting political and social lovesongs to pastures old and new. He also played some gigs in Boston, MA in November '07, in his first foray into North America, being particularly well received at TJ Scallywaggle's Vegan House of Pizza and Subs (!). He leads songwriting and performance workshops and is actively involved in the promotion of gigs, festivals and events in the North of England. Always writing from an unusual perspective, Bar seeks to provoke strong emotions and moves audiences with his political and yet deeply personal songs.
A consummate performer, the stories he tells are as entertaining as the songs he sings. With political lyrics (anti-racist and anti-war are two popular themes) and stories of crazy drunken nights, fantasy stalkers and smutty cricket, an evening with James 'Bar' Bowen is not to be missed.
Tracey Curtis described Bar's music (and cooking): "Intelligent, thoughtful lyrics with original and tuneful melodies. Oh and the best vegan breakfast in Huddersfield!"
James 'Bar' Bowen is promoted by Bright Red Marker and can be contacted at here on myspace or email brightredmarker@hotmail.com
A great big thank you for headlining. We really enjoyed your live performance; awesome! Hope to see you again at LiveSpace. Jude :) Ps Deborah wanted a copy of your CD so took the one you left. She will 'haggle' with you when she next sees you!
NEXT "FUN IN THE FIELD PARTY FREE FEST THINGY" JUNE 28. KICK OFF 1.00PM
ROUGH LINE UP
GAIA* ANDYSHADES + 3 WISE MEN *SKINBOAT *KATUS* SEWERSUCKERS *SEYMOUR AND FRIENDS* ELLEN *LEO BRAZILS TWITCH *HELIUM 3 *CONFEDERATES *PLOP DOG* THE DIRT* THE BLUE GRASS BAND *AFRICAN DRUMMERS (WOMB BOOM?) *many solos... inc BAR, PADDY, JOHNNY SOLSTICE, DAVE HAIGH...??..??..??
************************************************************ **60 foot Bouncy Castle 4 kids. Bonfire / Fire Twirling stuff **************************************** MB 07904860135 ADDRESS>>> THE FIELD AT THE BOTTOM OF SRINGFIELD LANE. KIRKBURTON. HUDDERSFIELD. HD8 0NZ********* BRING YOUR OWN FOOD N BOOZE. SUPA UNPOSH COVER PROVIDED IF IT RAINS! PORTA BOGS EVEN!! *************************************************************************************************************************
Hey James lad, Come down and support my band at our E.P Launch this Saturday if you can. Neil (Tea For One) Is playing as well. Cheers Greg Jackson's X
