Martin Dale - Bass Guitar, Brian Armstrong Mandolin / Guitar, Sharne Nathan - Drums
Influences
Dylan,Pogues,Billy Bragg,New Model Army,Levellers, Punk, Folk, The Cobblers, Fish & Chips, Lager, Pub culture, life in the eighties, Moulton, Northampton, World travel, life time experience, people in general.
Sounds Like
The Bachelor - Recorded at Skråen supporting the Oysterband, they do it the otherway around where the support act plays in the smaller venue after the main band play so they are all tanked up - makes it even better:-)
Live and Raw - just the way it should be.
Us doing different stuff to cross the fields of goodtimes -
Copenhagen in the Summer of 2003 - maybe 2008 if we
are lucky
........Here is an old demo video of the Bachelor - a drinking song about staying a bachelor forever. The Video was taken in copenhagen
10 years ago, it was -5 degrees that day and I had a
broken ankle after falling down the pub staircase. True story;-) - Enjoy.
Left England in 1990 to do the Australia trip and never made in back on a permanent basis.
Busked my way around Australia,NZ and the states for a couple of years bashing out Dylan, Bragg and the Jam and started picking up songs and writing them on the way.
Ended up in Austria on a ski resort and played apres ski for five years which was all a bit of a blur and travelled in between making my way up to Denmark where the pub scene had just taken off.
Built up a circuit, teamed up with Fiddler on the Hoof, formed a band and have recorded several cd's, toured the festival circuit and Culture houses (arts centers) throughout Scandanavia, Belgium, Holland, Germany either with my band or solo/duo.
Driven by the love of performance, travel and the tradition of the english / celtic music culture.
Just finished recording a new solo album and hope to start touring Uk / Benelux / Scandanavia with it summer 2009.
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
Roots Boots & Bars Review
Neil Brophy releases Roots Boots and Bars with a big salute to growing up in the a small town England in the 80's to travelling the world on a pilgrimage of performance and revelry .
At the start of the 90's, following in the footsteps without knowing it of the British folk icons (harper/mctell), who spent their early days in Paris cafe's and playing the streets for money, Neil went further afield across Australasia, the States and Europe following the Backpackers trail. "You don't find yourself until you leave your hometown" as the saying goes and Neil has certainly found himself as a life rich songwriter.
Roots Boots and Bars is a one man and guitar affair where he heart-fully sings out & lyrically romanticises life down the pub, on the terraces, a record collector to a backpacking busking gypsy on the never ending road. A good song only needs a few chords which Neil strums with great honesty and deliverance.
Neil has now based himself just across the water in Denmark where he performs on the Scandinavian circuit. He has never found his way back to the uk but by the response and recognition he has recently received on the uk festival circuit you will be seeing a lot more of him.
Festival Reviews
Oysterband’s Big Session Festival:
Following Curtis is Denmark based Neil Brophy. Neil is a man with a unique voice, versed in the traditions of English folk and Dylan-esque protest. His songs talk of a land where the Devil can be found in a whisky jar and brave honest local lads defend their jobs and homes against wicked Iron Masters. Its great stuff, entirely predictable, and all the better for it.
www.virtualfetsival.com
Levellers Beautiful Days Festival:
Neil is known for his English/Celtic acoustic folk anthems, catchy, lively charming songs that have been going down a storm across Europe’s festivals. His charismatic stage presence oozes warmth, the songs push out the melody and the choruses are irrepressible. Flitting across the musical mores, a little folk here, a little rock there a lot of fun everywhere, he’s a real crowd pleaser.
Middlewich Festival
So, ‘’ Neil Brophy – not only one of the ‘nice guys’ in the business but a competent performer who’s songs paint pictures. He’s your real ‘contemporary’ folkie not out of place on folk club or main stage and he’s been around a bit, seen a bit of life and sings about it because it means something to him, a genuine professional. He opened up for Nick Harper at Middlewich this year and audience wanted more. Main stage for Neil next year without a doubt.’’
.........Liz Rosenfield Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival Event Organiser
Record Collector Single Release
The Record collector will be release on a 7" vinyl with an extra radio version on with the B-side being Football Rock and Roll taken from the album and a bonus track of Cider with Rosie.
Times have changed in the music world and more so for the middle aged generation and up, growing up buying music from the local record shop which was on vinyl then cd and now (as quoted) "it's all gone MP3!" .
It was a weekly homage for many music lovers to shuffle through the alphabetic rows of 7" & 12" records in their favourite record shop and if you were a real fanatic you would visit the 2nd hand record shop / record fairs for the valuable rarities looking for the perfect find.
The record collector captures the romance of record collecting ( a saturday affair) An acoustic deliverence performed in a style that really takes you on a trip down "memory lane" which was also the name of Neil's favourite record shop.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Please join us for our DEBUT GIG on Friday 12th June at The Cross, Moseley, Birmingham. From 8pm. Only £6 on the door with support from Jack McNeill and Charlie Heys.
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.
Hej! Hvis du har lyst og tid, så har vi lavet vores myspace side helt om i forbindelse med 4 nye numre der er uploadede. Kom endelig ind giv det et lyt i de nye omgivelser! Mvh. Lisa
Hi there! Please visit our site and listen to 4 completely new songs!
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Mr. Noddy !!! ~ hope ya doing good ? ~ ya coming over for this one ?
SGT.BILKO'S KRAZY COMBO ~ (back after 20 years !) + COWBOY & THE CORPSE ( new psychobilly from Cardiff !) + 1 more tbc. @ The Labour club , Earl St. , Northampton March 6th / 7pm-11pm £4 on the door : The Pre~Bedlam party ! Spread the news folks if ya can please. Tickets for the BEDLAM FESTIVAL available via : http://www. bedlambreakout. com
yeah, another biff tour for the Brophy family...i think you guys are my best clients (true story) :)
McFly's wedding is Aug. 15th. I haven't booked my flight yet, so I don't know the exact dates i'll be in CPH, but i know i'll be there for at least a week! A lagerhead tour sounds great! Not sure about his stag night, either....i'll keep you posted!
Many thanks for the friendship. If you're interested we have just released a CD for which you can pay what you choose (with Free Worldwide Postage)...cheers
Hey, Neil...sorry it took a while for me to reply, it took McFly a long time to pick a date for his wedding. Looks like i'll be back in DK in August. McFly is getting married Aug 15th, so i will probably be in DK for about 2 weeks during that time. Looking forward to seeing you!
..