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The Bad Shepherds

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The Bad Shepherds
The Bad Shepherds performing at Birmingham Town Hall in 2011
The Bad Shepherds performing at Birmingham Town Hall in 2011
Background information
GenresFolk punk
Years active2008–2016
LabelsMonsoon Music
Past members
Websitethebadshepherds.com

The Bad Shepherds were an English folk band, formed by the comedian Adrian Edmondson in 2008.[1] 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).

History

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After "accidentally" buying a mandolin,[2] Edmondson taught himself to play a few chords and he began to play a few punk songs on it. After playing for two days with Donockley, a virtuoso uilleann pipes player and multi-instrumentalist, they had arranged eight songs.[2] After some initial experimentation, they enlisted Dinan, winner of the All-Ireland Fiddle Championship, and the band was formed.[3] Essentially a folk band, the band's repertoire is taken from punk and new wave hits from 1978 to 1985. They re-interpret songs, inserting traditional reels and jigs.[3][4][5]

After touring the United Kingdom during 2008, the Bad Shepherds released their debut album, Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera! (which translates from an ancient Cumbrian dialect as One, Two, Three, Four!)[2] in May 2009. The band released their second album, By Hook or By Crook, with former Steeleye Span member Tim Harries playing double bass, in 2010.[6] The Bad Shepherds also headlined the first Looe Music Festival in 2011.[7]

At the start of 2013, after a year long hiatus the band announced they were getting back together to release a new album and undertake a 24-date UK tour, along with a six-date tour of Australia. Both of which were entitled Mud, Blood and Beer.[1] The album was released on 19 August 2013, and included both cover versions of punk and new wave tracks, plus their own material.[8]

Adrian Edmondson announced the band's end on his Facebook page on 31 October 2016.[9][10]

Awards

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The Bad Shepherds were nominated for the Best Live Act award at the 2010 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.[11]

In 2012, the band won the Spiral Earth Award for best live act. The organisation celebrates a wide range of music, however their roots are mainly focused in the folk music genre.[12]

Band members

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Final line-up

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Former

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  • Terl Bryant – percussion
  • Andy Dinan – fiddle
  • Carol Dawson – fiddle
  • Eimear Bradley – fiddle
  • Keith Angel – percussion
  • Mark Woolley – percussion
  • Maartin Allcock – bass
  • Brad Lang – bass
  • Tim Harries – bass

Discography

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Year Album details Track listing
2009 Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!
  • Released: May 2009
  • Label: Monsoon Music
  • Formats: CD, download
  1. "I Fought the Law"/"Cockers at Pockers"
  2. "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight"
  3. "Rise"
  4. "Whole Wide World"/"Hag With the Money"
  5. "The Model"
  6. "Humours of Tullah"/"Teenage Kicks"/"Whisky in the Jar"/"The Merry Blacksmith"
  7. "Once in a Lifetime"/"Pinch of Snuff"
  8. "London Calling"/"Manchester Calling"
  9. "Up the Junction"
  10. "Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera" ("Fraher's Jig"/"Coppers & Brass"/"The Old Bush"/"Rip the Calico")
  11. "God Save the Queen"/"Mountain Road"
2010 By Hook or By Crook
  • Released: 15 November 2010
  • Label: Monsoon Music
  • Formats: CD
  1. "Anarchy in the U.K."
  2. "The Sound of the Suburbs"
  3. "Making Plans For Nigel"
  4. "Friday Night, Saturday Morning"
  5. "Ramones Medley"
  6. "Panic"
  7. "Ace of Spades"
  8. "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)"
  9. "White Riot"
2013 Mud, Blood and Beer'[1][13][14]
  • Released: 19 August 2013
  • Label: Monsoon Music
  • Formats: CD, download
  1. "Our House"
  2. "No More Heroes"
  3. "The Lunatics Have Taken over the Asylum"
  4. "Going Underground"
  5. "What a Waste"
  6. "Gary Gilmore's Eyes"
  7. "Shipbuilding"
  8. "Road to Nowhere"
  9. "Mud, Blood & Beer"
  10. "Off to the Beer Tent"

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Ade Edmondson announces return of The Bad Shepherds with new album and UK tour". Louderthanwar.com. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Biogs". The Bad Shepherds. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Punk flock from Ade's Shepherds". Western Morning News. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  4. ^ Damian Whitworth. "Adrian Edmondson: 'I was a year ahead: then she overtook me and shot off'". The Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  5. ^ Emma Hartley. "Cropredy Festival: Yusuf Islam, Fairport Convention – review". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  6. ^ "The Bad Shepherds". The Bad Shepherds. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Looe Music Festival: Line Up". Looemusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  8. ^ "'Mud, Blood & Beer' New Bad Shepherds album". SpiralEarth. 20 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  9. ^ "A message from Adrian (originally posted... – The Bad Shepherds". Facebook. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Adrian Edmondson on Falling Apart, The Bad Shepherds and Star Wars". BBC News. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Radio 2 -Folk Awards 2010 – Nominees". BBC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Spiral Awards 2012". spiralearth.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  13. ^ "Mud Blood & Beer – The Bad Shepherds | Releases". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  14. ^ "Mud, Blood & Beer: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon UK. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
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