Nan Espeseth - vocals, guitar Bobby Williams - guitar, vocals, harmonica Fay Walsh - cello, banjo, vocals David Bond - piano, concertina James Lawrence - trombone Andy Simms - tenor sax, clarinet Sholto Byrnes - double bass Genevieve Wilkins - percussion
Influences
Nan: Ani DiFranco, Hem, Sarah McLachlan, Erykah Badu, Bob Dylan, The Beat Generation, Coffee and Cigarettes, Flying in aeroplanes, Indigo Girls, Dictionaries, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos, Alicia Keys
Bobby: Astral Weeks, David Sylvian, Tom Waits, Sandy Denny, Bob Dylan, Ted Hughes, Prince, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Charles Mingus, Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen, The Smiths, Frank Sinatra, Arvo Part, Miles Davis, Haruki Murakami, Billie Holliday, Tim Buckley
Fay: Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Johnny Cash, J.S. Bach, Bob Dylan, Billy Connolly, The Beatles
David: J.S. Bach, David Bowie, Hoagy Carmichael, The Smiths, Elton John, Daniel Barenboim
Andy: Vince Mendoza, Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane, Lewis Taylor, Danny Elfman, Elliott Goldenthal, Steve Coleman, Charles Mingus
Sounds Like
Hem, Ani DiFranco, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Ane Brun, Jose Gonzalez, Vashti Bunyan, Beth Orton, Madeleine Peyroux, Nina Simone, Cowboy Junkies, Gillian Welch, Jolie Holland, Patty Griffin, Ryan Adams, Adem, Espers, Beth Gibbons, Emiliana Torrini, Hanne Hukkelberg, Hope Sandoval, Innocence Mission, Damien Rice, Kings of Convenience, Mojave 3, Ron Sexsmith, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Tim Buckley, Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos
So, who's Me and Bobby? Well, Me and Bobby is Me, who is Nan, and Bobby, who is Bobby, and Fay, and David, and James, and Sholto, and Andy, and Genevieve. This is how the band has grown successfully since 2001. The story of the creation of the band varies, depending on who you ask. Bobby likes to tell the story of how boy meets girl under a butcher's awning during a fierce rainstorm in London, and how they write their first song even before they know each other's name.....as told in a BBC radio interview in 2002. If you ask Nan, however, you get the less imaginative story of how girl met boy in a bar in Notting Hill, introduced through friends and flatmates, and a conversation that went something like this: "Hi, so what do you do? Oh, you play the guitar and write songs? What a coincident, so do I. Wanna get together and play sometime? Great, see you then!" And thus follows the first performance at Crowbar's open-mic night. No comment on the nervous-filled performance.
And the name? The name is not, as often mistakenly assumed, taken from the Janis Joplin song, but a result of a rather rushed and semi-desperate decision before their first 'real' gig at 12BarClub on the infamous Denmark Street. But the name grew on them both, and, though still a source for some confusion (especially when Bobby says Me and Bobby, and people wonder who the other Bobby is, or when Nan is mistaken for the Bobby), the name prevailed, and now incorporates all the 8 band members. (For excited fans, please check out the surname of the man who mastered our first 7"single).
Throughout the years, M&B has done a lot and not so much. The 12BarClub became their second home for a long time, at one point doing a gig every other week, but the band had to stop playing there due to the growing amount of bandmembers - the last gig they did there, there were 6 of them, and 3 of them had to play their instruments on the floor next to the stage. For those who've been at the 12Bar, and know the size of the place, can probably imagine the senario. Now, the band is increasingly making a home of the slightly larger stage at the Spitz, which is a great venue to play (whenever people can keep their talking to a whisper) and that has the desired atmosphere and sound. But M&B has played oh so many other places, mentioning the Borderline, 100Club and Kashmir Club in London, in addition to a few selected places in Norway, and a few festivals, including a very strange experience in Kingston where they were the first band on at twelve o'clock noon, and their audience consisted of 3 people, which included the 2 sound engineers - and a spider spinning a web at Nan's left hand during one of their quieter songs. Needless to say: that was without doubt the quietest gig the band has ever done.
M&B has also managed to record and release a few songs over the years. The first release was a AA 7" single in 2002 with the songs September and Number 33, which aquired a nice little display spot at HMV on Oxford Street for about a week or so. Since then, home recordings have produced 'the Demos', where the songs Like Mercury and In This State (listen to them above) are taken from, and in 2004 M&B splashed out and did an intense two day recording in Konk Studios, owned by Ray Davies, who some may know from the Kinks. The sessions resulted in the 'EP' where the songs Circumstance and Capsized (or Circumsized as they sometimes mistakenly get called) are taken from. The band is currently recording more songs, so watch this space for new songs!
Hey -- Tickets are on sale now for my show at the ICA in London on the 9th of November! You can get them from the ICA box office, or from the Gaymonkey Shop. I haven't been to the UK in awhile - so I'm looking forward to seeing you at the show and performing some new songs. /ebb
Dear friends, Έχω uploaod τρία νέα κομμάτια του επόμενου CD μου I've uploaod three new pieces of my next CD J'ai téléchargé trois pièces de mon nouveau CD à paraître bientôt... Cordialement, Frédéric
Will Scott's new album, GNAWBONE is here!!! The CD is available at CDBaby and other online retailers.
Over three years in the making, GNAWBONE is Scott's fully-produced studio debut and features a crack team of hand-picked musicians as well as guest performances by Jan Bell, Jolie Holland, Samantha Parton, and Preacher Boy (the album's producer).
we've got a great compilation out i reckon you'll dig, have a preview below ...... it's available in physical and download from whereever you usually get your tunes.
"Struggles & Lulls", the brand new album from Joan Coffey, is available now on ITunes
'a voice that can enchant. Coffey's vocal chords deliver liquid gold with a divine Irish lilt.' FATEA Records 'charming and honest'. Time Out 'Joan's music exudes a warmth, humility and truth that is rare to find in singer-songwriters these days'. Thea Gilmore
Hey! Hope you are doing good. I wanted to let you know about a show i'm doing in London on Sunday, June 1st.
I'm touring with Tommy Allsup. He played guitar with Buddy Holly, and is the guy playing on songs like "Heartbeat", "It's So Easy", etc, etc.....he is 76 and still going strong.
He is a character.
Anyway, i would love to see you at the show. I think as a fellow musician that you will really appreciate seeing Tommy play, and listening to his stories! He is THE guy that flipped the coin with Ritchie Valens.
If you want to see Tommy in action....check out my blog. There is a video from last week in Nashville from the studio.
Take care, the music is sounding great, and i hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Kevin Montgomery
http://www. kevinmontgomery. fanbridge. com
Hey! How's the weather over there? I just want to let you know that i'm coming to London in late May/early June to play bass with Kevin Montgomery and Tommy Allsup. Tommy played guitar with Buddy Holly, and is THE guy that flipped the coin with Ritchie Valens.....would love to see you at a show? I figured with you being a musician you could appreciate this show. We play the Half Moon Putney. I hope you can come down?
Take care!
DW
Hope you are having a good Holiday season! I wanted to let you know that i'll be touring in the UK in January with Kevin Montgomery, and we are playing London on Jan. 15th....at the Half Moon on Putney.
I hope you can make the show..........until then, Happy Trails! AP
Dear Nan and Bobby: Thanks for your friendship! Just to say that my new album GEOGRAFIAS is available now. Go to www.myspace.com/geografias. Best regards from Lisbon.
Online Now!
SALUT !
