The Madding Crowd

The Madding Crowd are warm, open-hearted Westcountry folk who create music which swells around the songs like a many-stringed hug.

The Madding Crowd gathered in 1996 and have been playing in various festivals, art centres, pubs and venues around the Westcountry ever since. Influenced by artists as diverse as Paul Weller, Bjork, Ry Cooder and The Indigo Girls, we mainly use our voices and strings (and a few boxes joined with electric spaghetti known as “gear”) to create what has been described as acoustic-pop and Indie-folk . During that time we have had the privilege to support and be able to name-drop acts such as Al Stewart, Martyn Carthy, Kathryn Tickell, Colin Blunstone, Equation, Julie Felix, Roy Harper and Roy Wood.

In December 2001 we finished the album “The Release”, a 12 track c.d. of original songs and instrumental pieces created with acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, conga and memorable vocal lines. We took a break from playing live music after Hannah and Phil started producing babies in 2002 (and all being related this meant that Graham became a grandfather and Anthony an uncle). But the acoustic guitar wielding soldiers of harmony are back:

“I have vague memories of life before the boys when the songs I sang didn’t have to include actions. This time has been fruitful in many ways, as we have also written and recorded our latest collection of songs for “addictionary”, so called because the songs we have chosen are based on the themes of addiction and the power of words. So we have dusted off the guitars, fished the Lego out of the sound holes and are excited about the music we have been creating.” (Hannah)

“addictionary” (4-track EP) was released at Morwellham Quay in December 2006 and is now available to download from cdbaby.com and itunes.