Too many man! Lot's of folk, blues, bluegrass, country, 60's and 70's stuff, indie, you know...
For more specifics, see "Goldmundo" and "Paddy Garrigan" in the top 8...
Sounds Like
Making sense of the world in song.
"Richard and Scott WERE 'nu-folk' long before it became the feasible career-path that many paler imitations are now enjoying!
Then they were THE British alt-country band. Remember alt-country?
They could Hank-it Williams-style, when we could only manage a Marvin."
So said Dan Haywood.
The Wisemen was originally conceived as an acoustic duo when Richard Turner (armed with songs and a guitar) moved to Lancaster and hooked up with Scott Morley, who had just purchased a banjo and mandolin to compliment his guitar and harmonica. Together, they played regular local gigs and soon (perhaps too soon) had recorded their debut ep, released in 2000. That was followed in 2001 by a mini-album released on Peoplesound.com which showed a bit of progression.
At this point, Richard and Scott were playing several parts each, but future Wisemen Paddy Garrigan guested on a couple of tracks. This continued on the "Golden Rays EP" released in 2003. In January 2004, Paddy had come on board as a full-time Wisemen and contributed autoharp, fiddle and mandolin to "Eight Trips To the Country" which was us putting on our musical cowboy hat. We then recorded 3 new tracks in the summer of 2004 and put the whole shebang together for our monster "26 Songs" acoustic anthology.
"26 Songs" has sold out everywhere except Circa Records in Kendal:www.circa-records.co.uk. For details of our other releases, see the Morner Bros page, or check out the 'Shameless Plug' blog on this very page.
However, by the time "26 Songs" came out , the Wisemen had become an electric band (inititially with Rob Daniels on drums), surprising people who thought we were just "folkies", and rocking up the roots and throwing in a bit of psychedelia and soul into the mix too. 2004/5 saw the Wisemen play lots of gigs accross the UK, get a "Record Of the Week" from Manchester's legendary Piccadilly Records, lots of good press, and new fans and some decent CD sales.
In 2005/6, the Wisemen also recorded 6 new songs with new recruit Gulliver Brodbeck (drums). Two of these ("We Cut Eachother Up" and "A Kiss") were released at the end of 2006 - see blogs. The other 4 ("Seek the Sky", "Holding On", "Wednesday" and "Snowballs") are languishing in the vaults until further notice. A preliminary mix of "Seek the Sky" was released in April 2007 on RU Records - "Lancaster - the Bands" for the benefit of Lancaster Musician's Co-op.
"We Cut Eachother Up" - apparently sounding like "bohemian tinted dark folk" according to Manchester Musc, is out on Timbreland Recordings' sampler "Furthest Branches From The Trunk", distrbuted in the UK by Forte. £5.99 for 16 tracks, including Dan Haywood's New Hawks, Nancy Elizabeth and loads more.
It looks like this:
It's available at Piccadilly Records, Rough Trade, Norman Records, Boomkat, Play.com, HMV etc...distributed by Forte in the UK.
A further 6 acoustic-based songs were released in October 2007. The new songs are "Brine", "Someone Is Bound To Come Along", "Butterfly Song", "The Story Of An Ever-Decreasing Man", the traditional tune "Fair & Tender Ladies" and Woody Guthrie/Cisco Houston's "Get ALong Little Doggies". This CD is available exclusively to Piccadilly Records. There is only 1 copy left.
Paddy continues his musical adventures with the Weirdstring Band, and solo - see his myspace in the top 4.
Richard 's activities can be viewed in the Goldmundo myspace.
"Drapes of Black" is the new single from Aidan Smith's new album, Allotments. It was played on Radcliffe and Maconie's show on Radio 2 on Monday and is in this week's Pick and Mix!
Go here to vote for Aidan to get played on their show every day next week!
Hey. My newest and second release - the five-track Calmer Than Karma EP - was released worldwide on Monday. It's only £2 to buy on CD, including delivery. If you're interested in grabbing a copy then please make your way to morgasmic. co. uk. Cheers!
This is an unmissable show! After the rave reviews of Sam Amidon's last show in Manchester, where, in league with Red Deer Club, we arranged for Sam to play at the Unitarian Chapel with a string quartet, we couldn't wait for the opportunity to bring him back. Since that time, his album All is Well has been critically lauded and the media have finally caught on to the New Yorker's immense talent.
Incredibly, the opportunity that has arisen includes a touring party from Sam's Icelandic label, Bedroom Community. Sam will be performing with a six-piece band, including legendary producer and Bedroom Community chief, Valgeir Sigurðsson.
And if that isn't enough for you, Valgeir will also be performing tracks from his own album, Ekvílibríum, a critically lauded masterpiece of electronica-laced folk.
To cap it all, the night will be kicked off by support from Manchester's own acoustic-electronica maestro, Denis Jones; having waited two years to play in this wonderful venue, he will be playing his fourth show here inside two months, after support for Jack Rose, Phosphorescent and Chris Corsano.
On Wednesday May 14th we return to The Deaf Institute for an evening of lyrical, alternative and contemporary folk music and visual ambiance, in a modern modern setting, with pews, below a glass roof...........with Anna Kashfi, Dan Haywood's New Hawks and At Swim Two Birds who will feature a video projection of 'The London Nobody Knows'.
"The London Nobody Knows, a 1967 documentary stroll around the city with James Mason. No horseguards, no palaces, but Islington's Chapel Market, pie shops, and Spitalfields tenements. Carnaby chicks and chaps, the 1967 we have been led to remember, are shockingly juxtaposed with feral meths drinkers, filthy shoeless kids, squalid Victoriana. Camden Town still resembles the world of Walter Sickert. There is romance and adventure, but mostly there is malnourishment. London looks like a shithole".
Solid Earth and what? the folk present: beats, roots and leaves, an eight hour charity session of musical goodness at Manchester’s best pub in nearly the countryside: Jackson’s Boat in Sale Water Park. All proceeds to MSF in Darfur.
It’s May, the perfect month for a doo in a marquee surrounded by trees. If it rains, don’t fret, we’ll be inside instead. Jackson’s Boat will be serving proper ales and food so make an evening of it, bring some warm clothes now.
Great yr freak on at The Yorkshire House, Lancaster on Monday 5th May with…
This Et Al (www. thisetal. com / www. myspace. com/thisetal) Leeds based This Et Al have been compared to the likes of My Bloody Valentine, ...Trail Of Dead, Queens of the Stone Age and Interpol.
“It’s Muse without the pompousness. It’s Sonic Youth with catchy songs. It’s This Et Al and its ace.” – NME They are on tour promoting new EP ‘The Figure Eight’ released by On The Bone records on 28th April.
Returning to Lancaster for the second time, this Leeds supergroup are best described as ‘‘Scuzzy, dirty noise, deranged vocals, insidious melodies and shape shifting dynamics…raucous, joyful energy” (Sandman Magazine).
what? the folk! gets under way at Odd Bar in the northern quarter on sunday 11th May then each first sunday of the month thereafter. From 8pm, Entry is FREE so get there early. jambone x
Dan Haywood's New Hawks www. myspace. com/newhawks Lancaster's very own cosmic force. If you're not yet aquainted with the live New Hawks experience, you must get it in yer soul.
I Am Your Autopilot www. myspace. com/iamyourautopilot Sublime folk-tronica from Manchester. A rare live outing - graceful electronics meets folk - rumour has it that Raz (Starless & Bible Black) will be guesting on synth...
Little Pebble www. myspace. com/pebblelittle Edinburgh's Little Pebble also had releases out by his chums at the Fence Collective. His finger-picking of beautiful melodies and charming observations make for a beguiling combination. Last seen in Lancaster in Come in Tokyo, his garage-rock incarnation.
Sally Murray www. myspace. com/sallymurraythemusical Nottingham's Sally Murray (now based in Manchester) is the new rising star of Timbreland. Amazing voice and guitar playing - recordings coming soon!
Corn Capri www. myspace. com/corncapri Manchester's Corn Capri is the solo guise of Pete Philipson, guitarist/songwriter of Starless & Bible Black, and his trademark inventive and tasteful guitar playing will be on display stripped down.
Presented by Manchester independent label, Humble Soul. A showcase of contemporary folk, featuring the wry lyrical observations of Eccles' Aidan Smith, whose second album, Allotments is due for release this summer. Following on from early releases on Twisted Nerve and his debut album, Fancy Barrel on Analogue Catalogue, this new collection of fourteen tracks is arguably his best yet. In support are Table and Liverpool's The Random Family, both brimming with talented multi-instrumentalists and beautiful songs.
what? the folk! are chuffed to host the launch of Dr Butlers Hatstand Medicine Bands album 'Music for Parlours & Promenades' next Wednesday at the deaf institue. Special guests and surprise performaces from 8pm til late with record playing by Chris Long in between and after sets. No need to message back for cheap list cos it's FREE ENTRY, bless! x
