Adrian Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds (UK Festivals & Europe)

biography

NOMINATED 'Best Live Act' Radio 2 Folk Awards 2010

The Bad Shepherds play punk songs on folk instruments. Not as a gag, but because they really like the noise. They think the songs are better than people remember. They love folk instruments. It works. They do songs by The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Stranglers, The Jam, Sham 69, The Undertones, The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, The Specials, Talking Heads, Squeeze and others, even Kraftwerk! Alright, they're not all punk, but they come from roughly the same era. They've mostly given the songs a kind of Celtic feel, and they've stuck in the odd reel and jig here and there. But occassionally they just thrash! They've always thought the excitement of a reel taking off is the nearest thing to the excitement of watching punk live in the 70's.

ADRAIN EDMONDSON (vocals, 'thrash' mandolin) is best known as a comedian in The Young Ones. Bottom and The Comic Strip Presents- but is no stranger to the music world.

TROY DONOCKLEY (Uillean pipes, cittern, whistles) has built up a formidable reputation as a composer/arrangeer/musician/performer. He also tours and works with the likes of Maddy Prior, Barbara Dickson and even Status Quo.

ANDY DINN (fiddle, banjo) has won the All Ireland Fiddle Championship twice and worked with Toss the Feathers, Mike McGoldrick, Dervish and Lunasa.

"..this was a brilliant gig with an atmosphere that left me as high as a kite.."

The Independant

Their second album BY HOOK OR BY CROOK is available now.