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The Wisemen are a Lancaster-based band evolved from an acoustic duo formed in '99.
The line-up is now:
Richard Turner - vocals/guitar/etc - Scott Morley - guitar/mandolin/banjo/harmonica - Paddy Garrigan - bass/mandolin/autoharp/fiddle/etc - Gulli Brodbeck - drums/sax
They have self-released 2 Eps and 2 mini-albums between 2000-2004. These have been largely acoustic based. The end of 2004 saw the release of "26 Songs" - an acoustic anthology featuring all releases to date (as they are mostly sold-out), plus 3 bonus tracks. Details can be seen on our website, and at www.piccadillyrecords.co.uk , ("Record Of The Week" 05/07/04 in Piccadilly Records) or www.evildistro.co.uk
When playing electrically, the Wisemen are more than capable of rocking out, with hints of psychedelia and soul. When playing as an acoustic group, the instruments include guitar, mandolin, banjo, autoharp, fiddle, and harmonica. Obviously, these instruments encourage the music to lean more towards folk-bluegrass-country-blues stylings, albeit with an "alt" stuck in front of it. They are soon to mix and mash up these two aspects...
As well as playing hundreds of local gigs, in the last 12 months, the Wisemen have played numerous gigs across the UK, including several in London, (Hope & Anchor, Oliver's), Glasgow (Barfly) Liverpool (Hell's Ditch @ Heaven n Hell and the Pilgrim, Alchemy @ the View 2 Gallery) and Manchester (Dry Bar, Alt Mancunia). This is set to continue, with some more interesting gigs and gig-swaps on the horizon.
In December, the Wisemen played at "Hell's Ditch", a monthly alt country night, Fleet St., Liverpool . The Liverpool-based fanzine/e-zine, Vanity Project had this to say: "The Wisemen do fit into the remit of the night but yet also all around it. No easy slot for these chaps. Before nearly every song, fans of particular musical genres are asked to identify themselves, and are subsequently rewarded with a tune that fits into it. However they never stray from being coherent, accessible and captivating. Richard Turner's vocals seesaw like a warped Andy Williams record and for this alone, we love the Wisemen here at VP." We're back there in July.
The Wisemen have now been added to the artists on Liverpool's Regular Beat Recordings, who are to release a split ep with us as soon as they get their bits done! We are particularly happy about this, as it will be available on 7" vinyl as well as CD! See www.regularbeat.com
The Wisemen have played a couple of gigs with Manchester band Anna Kashfi (Stolenwine Records), as several gig-swaps, and also played with related band Last Harbour(Tonguemaster Records). We are also set to do some gigs with Manchester's Timbreland collective.
The local university radio station, Bailrigg FM has interviewed the Wisemen several times, as well as featuring us in two live acoustic sessions. We have also been regularly played on the Friday evening show.
Influential underground DJ Jimmy Possession has also featured the Wisemen on his online radio show. Rootstime, the Belgian magazine and radio station have featured and reviewed the Wisemen this year.
We are shortly to release our debut electric material, which has quite a different sound to our previous recordings. (There are drums for a start!)
A live electric gig got this response:
"You might just find some of the Wisemen tunes very, very scary and good. like being on acid AND tequila in Mexico with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, and you take a stroll into a random bar and there's a turn on, and it's all a bit sinister because they all look quite normal (except for the keys/ bass man who cannot stop smoking) and then the singer sings like he's got too much scary music in him and he doesn't want to let it out, but he does, and then the music swells up like strange Americana and then it goes all rocking. Made me feel like i actually was David Lynch. Excellent stuff."
-Matt Bailey, www.beefsharky.co.uk
Our website www.thewisemen.net has news, reviews, biog, pics etc, plus links to hear some of our tracks.
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