Natasha Khan, known professionally as Bat for Lashes, is an English singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. She was born to an English mother, Josie, and Pakistani Pashtun father, professional squash player Rehmat Khan. After her father left the family when Khan was 11, she taught herself to play the piano, which became “a channel to express […]
Kirsty MacColl
Kirsty MacColl was one of David’s ealry favourites along with Leonard Cohen (eclectic or what!) She was the daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl and dancer Jean Newlove. Her father was born in England of Scottish parents. She and her brother, Hamish MacColl, grew up with their mother in Croydon, where Kirsty attended Park Hill […]
The Bad Shepherds
The Bad Shepherds were an English folk band, formed by the comedian Adrian Edmondson in 2008. They played folk punk songs with traditional folk instruments. The band primarily consisted of Edmondson (vocals, mandolins, mandola) and Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, cittern, whistles, vocals). After “accidentally” buying a mandolin, Edmondson taught himself to play a few chords […]
Hallelujah – Best Version?
Another in our occasional series of post where I offer you a variety of versions of a well know piece of music and ask you to choose your favourite. Today we listening to “Hallelujah” a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). “Hallelujah”, in its original version, […]
Fairy Tail
One of David’s favourite Manga/Anime series was that of Fairy Tail. The soundtrack from the anime is superb and we often used to listen to it separately from the episodes. It was written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. It was serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine from August 2006 to July 2017, with the individual […]
Cupola Ward
The fine talents of Lucy Ward and Cupola combine to form this vibrant new collaboration of music and song to thrill folk club and festival audiences alike. Lucy Ward is a highly respected singer-songwriter from Derby. She plays guitar, ukulele and concertina but considers her voice to be her first instrument. Horizon Award for best […]
Corelli – Christmas Concerto
Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer of the Baroque era. His music was key in the development of the modern genres of sonata and concerto, in establishing the preeminence of the violin, and as the first coalescing of modern tonality and functional harmony. Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8 by […]
Millie Turner
Millie Turner, who grew up in Clapham, began her musical career at 16 when she appraoched family friend and musician David Turley in the hope of getting some guitar lessons. David qucikly assessed her vocal ability and the pair started writing and recording together in his studio at Clapton’d Round Chapel. She says ‘I thought […]
4 Minute
4Minute were a South Korean girl group formed in 2009 by Cube Entertainment. Cube announced on May, 2009 that they would be debuting a girl group and had also released the two identities of two of the members: Nam Jihyun (the leader) and Kim Hyuna, who was a former member of Wonder Girls. On June […]
Bill Bailey
Bailey was born in Bath and he spent most of his childhood in Keynsham. His father was a medical practitioner and his mother a hospital ward sister. His maternal grandparents lived in an annexe, built on the side of the house by his maternal grandfather who was a stonemason and builder. He was educated at […]