Bellowhead – folk with a difference

BELLOWHEAD are an unlikely bunch.

Somehow, they manage to blend the theatrical flamboyance of Arcade Fire, the bittersweet worldview of Bertolt Brecht and the whimsy of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. That's quite some achievement, especially for a group that is, in essence, a traditional folk act.

From this core they weave a rich tapestry that seamlessly embraces funk, jazz, world, rock and music-hall influences and is about as far removed as you can get from the homogeneous sounds peddled on The X-Factor.

Bellowhead were formed in 2004 by folk duo John Spiers and Jon Boden who wanted to set up a big touring band. They grew quickly and now features 11 musicians who play 25 instruments, from the melodeon to the concertina.

Their initial plan was simply to "have fun at festivals", as Boden puts it, but such was their reputation – they have been voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards an unparalleled four times – they found themselves recording two albums, Burlesque (2006) and Matachin (2008). Not only that but they have enthralled crowds at the Big Chill, Cambridge and Glastonbury Festivals as well as the BBC Proms.

Now Bellowhead are back with their third album, Hedonism, and next month embark on a nationwide tour which stops off at Bradford, Whitby and Sheffield. Their new record is a glorious amalgam of musical craftsmanship and anarchic abandon, where pounding drums sit next to sublime string arrangements, and galloping instrumentals merge with breezy acoustic pop.

It is arguably their finest work to date and vocalist Boden, who also plays the fiddle, feels the album captures the fizzing energy of their live performances.

"We are essentially a live band and the struggle, until now, has always been how to transfer this on to a record. Matachin was a communal effort and there are a lot of different influences on that record, perhaps too many.

"But Hedonism is more a more joyous affair. It grew organically as an upbeat album and we made a conscious decision to keep going with that."

Although the band members are schooled in the English folk tradition, their songs are a melting pot of musical styles.

"There is an element of crossover, but it's not crossover for the sake of it. Our natural starting point is traditional English tunes, that's our guiding rule, and other influences then come into play and these are dictated by what the songs feel they need," explains Boden.

Getting renowned producer John Leckie, who has worked with the likes of Pink Floyd, the Stone Roses and Radiohead, on board, was a major coup. So, too, was recording the album at Abbey Road's legendary Studio 2.

"It was strange because, in a sense, it doesn't make a difference where you play, you're focused on making the record rather than where you're recording it.

"But then you go upstairs and see photographs of Pink Floyd and The Beatles and you find out you might have being using the same microphone that John Lennon used, and you get a sense of its history," says Boden.

"It's a famous studio and the reason it's a famous studio is because it's a great one, it's a wonderful place to make music in."

Boden believes that at a time when everyone is worried about budget cuts and what the future holds, music can play an important, uplifting role in people's lives.

"Five years ago, it felt like music was a commodity whereas now it seems to matter more to people given what's going on in the world, especially live music.

"Although going to a gig isn't cheap, it's worth it, I think, because watching a great concert, or play, is better value in terms of what you get out of it than a two-week holiday in France," he says.

"I think there's a euphoria and communality about going to a gig that you don't get from recorded music and from other nights out.

"Wonderful though the internet revolution has been, perhaps it has devalued recorded music to some extent, and while it's easier

to get hold of the music it's harder to get the experience.

"You used to queue up to buy a new album and then you'd get a group of friends who would sit and listen to it together, and that doesn't happen to the same extent anymore."

Which perhaps explains why so many bands and artists are touring at the moment.

"Live shows used to be a way of promoting cd and record sales but I think artists have started to realise that the job is about playing live and that's what you have to nail."

Something Bellowhead have done with gusto.

Bellowhead play St George's Hall, Bradford, on November 13, The Pavilion, Whitby, on November 16, and The Leadmill, Sheffield, on November 21.

FACTFILE

Folk duo John Spiers and Jon Boden decided to start Bellowhead while stuck in a traffic jam

Bellowhead consist of 11 musicians who between them play 25 different instruments

They have been voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards an unprecedented four times

Among the band's celebrity fans are the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Frank Skinner