Blowzabella
Blowzabella is an English folk band formed in London in 1978. The band currently consists of Andy Cutting, Jo Freya, Paul James, David Shepherd, Barn Stradling, and Jon Swayne; members of the band have changed multiple times since late 1982, with Jon Swayne being the only remaining original band member. It is estimated that Blowzabella musicians played between 26 and 32 instruments in total, which include bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, diatonic button accordion, alto sax, and triangle. Their music is heavily influenced by English and European traditional folk music, and has inspired a variety of European folk bands with their unique style and sound. Many European folk artists attribute Blowzabella as a major influence in their music.
Current members
- Andy Cutting
- Jo Freya
- Paul James
- Benoit Michaud
- David Shepherd
- Barn Stradling
- Jon Swayne
History
Blowzabella was formed in Whitechapel, London in 1978 by original members Bill O'Toole, Jon Swayne, Chris Gunstone, Dave Armitage and Juan Wijngaard. When the band first formed, Swayne, O'Toole, and Armitage were studying woodwind instrument making at the London College of Furniture, while Sam Palmer had recently finished the course and had already began a career making hurdy-gurdies. Sam published a definitive book on the Hurdy-Gurdy. During this time period Swayne, Armitage, and Palmer lived at the Fieldgate Mansions in Whitechapel which were the band's headquarters after Swayne finished college in Somerset. Gunstone was living in Blackheath, and was heavily involved in Balkan music and dance.Naming the band
The band's name was taken from an 18th-century English bagpipe jig "Blowzabella in time. When the band asked what it meant Bill said there was no further information." It was not until the advent of the internet some 20 years later that the following references were found. Attributes to 'Bouncing Doxie' are wrong as the founding members knew nothing of it and it remained a mystery for many years. If Bill had known he would not have chosen the name as he was quite strict about that sort of thing as he rejected several of our risque band name suggestions. It was chosen in haste to meet a printers deadline for posters of a forthcoming concert. The name is an elaboration of a popular 16th century Italian theme. Blowzabella as a character appeared in Thomas D'Urfy's 1719 work Wit and Mirth or Pills to Purge Melancholy under the title "The Italian Song Call'd Pastorella; made into an English Dialogue", and in his earlier 1619 play The Rise and Fall of Massaniello. Bill O'Toole and Jon Swayne discovered the tune while researching for bagpipe repertoire in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library and thought the name, with its alliterative "blow" and "bella" descriptive, perfectly summed up the band's sound.Early years
In late 1979, Bill O'Toole formed the band Sirocco in Australia. That same year, original member Chris Gunstone formed Goat Bag Records and their first release, "17 Macedonian Folk Dances", rose to Number 8 in the Melody Maker Folk Album charts. He also created the Macedonian group Izvoren; Jon Swayne, Dave Roberts, and Dave Armitage who also played in Blowzabella. Gunstone then formed another group, The Trio, with Paul James and Cliff Stapleton, which played for the grand opening of the New Covent Garden Market in early 1980. The Trio had become full-time musicians, regularly performing at Covent Garden Market and in St. Paul's Cathedral Portico. Paul James was in folk-rock band Dr. Cosgill, also represented by Goat Bag Records. Upon suggestion by Dave Armitage, Gunstone invited his Trio to join Blowzabella in late January 1981, thereby creating a unique wall of sound by performing with two bagpipes and two hurdy-gurdies. Blowzabella and Izvoren both performed at the St Chartier Hurdy-Gurdy and Bagpipe Maker's Festival in France July 1981 televised by French channel TF1.Blowzabella first recording with Bill O'Toole was a live concert playing for the London French folk dance group L'Escargot 1979. The band had success playing fairs and festivals in southern England and East Anglia, where their unusual performances and unique style quickly made them popular. The band performed at the Hood and Albion Fairs, later taking their show to Switzerland's Nyon Folk Festival and the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival in 1980 and 1982, respectively. Band member Bill O'Toole created and revived an English bagpipe for his use in these and other performances, which was inspired by medieval English church artwork and carvings. O'Toole also added stilt walking to the group's performances, and all members except the hurdy-gurdy player could be seen playing above the crowds. Bill also structured the group so that each member dealt with a booking each in turn. Therefore, they had five managers and the group established itself quickly. Everything was equal shares from money to organization. When Bill left no one wanted to be leader but Dave Armitage acting in effect as chairman ran the group with their support to great effect for the next two years. They had more bookings than they could handle.
In the studio
Source:- 1981: Dave Armitage leaves the band in August.
- 1982: Blowzabella records their first album, eponymously titled Blowzabella, at Dave Pegg's Woodworm Records with Chris Gunstone, Dave Roberts, Sam Palmer, Cliff Stapleton, and Jon Swayne. The album is co-produced by Gunstone and James and reaches No. 4 in the Melody Maker Folk Album Charts in August; a breakthrough album for bagpipes other than Irish that had dominated the UK folk Charts for a decade.
- 1983: Blowzabella records the album In Colour featuring "the Daves", Paul James, Sam Palmer, Cliff Stapleton, and Jon Swayne. Guest performers included Max Johnson, Dave Mitchell, John Spires and Clash and Generation X drummer Terry Chimes. The band tours to Vancouver and Winnipeg folk festivals. Samuel Palmer leaves the band July.
- 1984: The band records albums Tam Lin, featuring Frankie Armstrong and Brian Pearson, and Bobbityshooty with Armitage, James, Roberts, Shepherd, Stapleton, and Swayne.
- 1985: Armitage and Stapleton leave Blowzabella. Stapleton had found the new focus on just the folk club circuit too restrictive and Armitage changed careers seeking a more stable income; Nigel Eaton and Ian Luff join the band.
- 1986: The Blowzabella Wall of Sound is recorded with Eaton, James, Luff, Roberts, Shepherd and Swayne.
- 1987: Blowzabella records the live album Pingha Frenzy while on tour in Brazil for the British Council with Eaton, James, Luff, Roberts and Shepherd. Jo Freya joins Blowzabella.
- 1988: Jon Swayne returns to the band. Gunstone writes to Plant Life Records in 1988 suggesting a 10th Anniversary album but there was no response.
- 1989: Andy Cutting joins the band and appears on the album Vanilla with Eaton, Freya, James, Luff and Swayne. Nigel Eaton later played on tour with Led Zeppelin from 1994 to 1996, appearing on their live No Quarter album.