Bellowhead

The idea for the band came to Spiers and Boden while the duo were in a traffic jam on tour. The longer they sat in traffic, the more friends they thought to invite to join. This led to the formation of a ten-piece band, with Benji Kirkpatrick, Rachael McShane, Paul Sartin, Pete Flood, Brendan Kelly, Justin Thurgur, Andy Mellon and Giles Lewin completing the initial line-up. Before they had time to rehearse, the fledgling band were invited to play the first Oxford Folk Festival in April 2004.{{cite web|last=Hodgkinson|first=Will|title=Folk has a new sex appeal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/19/folk|work=The Guardian|access-date=5 January 2011|date=19 September 2008}} In 2004, the band independently released a five-track EP, publicised as "English World Music", called E.P.Onymous. In 2006 Gideon Juckes joined the band, primarily playing the tuba, and they released their first full-length album, Burlesque, featuring material from the Napoleonic Wars, the American minstrel movement and sea-shanties from Brazil. Towards the end of 2007 they became Artists in Residence at the Southbank Centre,{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Neil|title=Folk review: Bellowhead, Matachin|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/14/folk3|series=The Observer|work=The Guardian|access-date=5 January 2011|date=14 September 2008}} making their inaugural appearance with a Christmas Revels event.

In 2008 Bellowhead released their second album Matachin, and a live performance at the Proms followed, which was broadcast live on BBC Four and BBC Radio 3.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2008/whatson/2007.shtml#prom5 Prom 5: Folk Day 2 and Ceilidh]. BBC. Retrieved 2008-07-24 Sam Sweeney joined the band on fiddles and bagpipes following the departure of Giles Lewin. The following year in August the band were approached about recording music for a 20th anniversary episode of The Simpsons.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxrkb6TnFc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/SFxrkb6TnFc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Intro to The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special |via=YouTube |date=2010-01-11 |access-date=2011-07-26}}{{cbignore}}

In 2010, Ed Neuhauser replaced Gideon Juckes on helicon and sousaphone. In October 2010, Bellowhead released their third studio album, Hedonism, which had been recorded in Abbey Road Studios. The album was produced by John Leckie.{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=John|title=Bellowhead's Sam on recording at Abbey Road|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/folk/2010/10/bellowheads-sam-on-recording-a.html|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 January 2011|date=4 October 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110214072455/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/folk/2010/10/bellowheads-sam-on-recording-a.html| archive-date= 14 February 2011 | url-status= live}} In honour of the new album, the band developed a new ale also named "Hedonism", with several band members being involved in the brewing process.{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Casper Llewellyn|title=Bellowhead: 'We're a party band with serious intellectual pretensions'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/26/bellowhead-party-band-folk-music|series=The Observer|work=The Guardian|access-date=2010-09-27|date=2010-09-26| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100929221615/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/26/bellowhead-party-band-folk-music| archive-date= 29 September 2010 | url-status= live}}

Broadcast from April 2011, The Archers spin-off Ambridge Extra{{cite web |url=http://www.propergandaonline.com/blog/?p=18071 |title=Bellowhead in Ambridge… » Properganda |publisher=Propergandaonline.com |date=2011-04-05 |access-date=2011-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423183342/http://www.propergandaonline.com/blog/?p=18071 |archive-date=23 April 2011 |url-status=dead }} featured a revised version of Archers theme tune "Barwick Green", arranged and performed by Bellowhead.{{cite news|author=Anita Singh|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8430362/Folk-rock-Archers-theme-tune-fails-to-charm-listeners.html|title=Folk-rock Archers theme tune fails to charm listeners|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=5 April 2011}}

In May 2011, at the 02 Academy in Bournemouth, the band recorded a DVD, Hedonism Live, which was released in late November.{{cite web|url=http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Bellowhead-Hedonism-Live-93029|title=Bellowhead - Hedonism Live (DVD) at propermusic.com|last=iWeb|access-date=5 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107141437/http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Bellowhead-Hedonism-Live-93029|archive-date=7 November 2011|url-status=dead}}

The band recorded a new album, Broadside, in March 2012 at Rockfield Studios with John Leckie which was released mid-October 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=ccf32536331afda9fed2bb869&id=4f2ee07504&e=0f360fa863|title=November Tour 2012|website=us2.campaign-archive2.com}}{{Better source|date=June 2024}} The album went straight to number 16 in the UK official album charts{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/20121021/7502/|title=Official Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}} and number 1 in the UK independent album charts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-albums-chart/20121021/131/|title=Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}} In early 2012 the band undertook a European tour and in November 2012 toured the UK. In early 2013 the band toured the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium.

In October 2013 they recorded a jingle for the BBC Radio 2 folk music show The Folk Show with Mark Radcliffe. During 2013 they recorded a double A-sided single, Christmas Bells / Jingle Bells which was released on 1 December in digital-only format.{{cite web|url=http://www.navigatorrecords.co.uk/2013/11/bellowhead-releasing-christmas-single/|title=Bellowhead releasing Christmas single|date=4 November 2013|website=Navigator Records}}

In 2014 the band acknowledged ten years performing together with two 'Bel10whead' performances in April: Bridgewater Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.{{cite web|url=http://www.bellowhead.co.uk/home/item/103-special-10th-anniversary-dates.html |title=Special 10Th Anniversary Dates |access-date=2014-02-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004193446/http://www.bellowhead.co.uk/home/item/103-special-10th-anniversary-dates.html |archive-date=4 October 2015}}{{Better source|date=June 2024}} A new studio album, Revival, followed, released on 30 June 2014 by Island Records. Bellowhead headlined the concert in July 2015 for the opening of the refurbished Cardigan Castle.{{cite news|publisher=Tivyside Advertiser|date=25 March 2015|title=Festival favourites Bellowhead to headline Cardigan Castle opening concert|url=http://www.tivysideadvertiser.co.uk/news/11880229.Festival_favourites_Bellowhead_to_headline_Cardigan_Castle_opening_concert/|access-date=28 March 2015}}

The band announced their intention to split following a decision by Jon Boden to step down as frontman. Bellowhead played their final gig at Oxford Town Hall, also the venue for their first concert twelve years earlier, on 1 May 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://bellowhead.co.uk/blogs/news/posts/that-s-all-folks|title=THAT'S ALL FOLKS...!|website=bellowhead.co.uk}}{{Better source|date=June 2024}} The band announced a one-off reunion concert to be streamed on the 5th December 2020, for the 10th anniversary of Hedonism. They followed this with a nationwide tour in November 2022 for the 10th anniversary of Broadside. Prior to the tour beginning, band member Paul Sartin died suddenly of a heart attack on 14 September 2022 at the age of 51. {{Cite web |date=2022-10-02 |title=Paul Sartin obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/02/paul-sartin-obituary |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} However, the tour was continued despite his death, and at multiple shows the band performed Faustus song "Brisk Lad" in memory of Sartin.{{Cite web |title=Bellowhead Setlist at The Forum, Bath |url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/bellowhead/2022/the-forum-bath-england-63bf860b.html |access-date=2023-10-26 |website=setlist.fm |language=en}}

Bellowhead provided an upbeat version of the folksong "Just as the Tide Was Flowing" as the opening theme for the BBC/Britbox "Police procedural" series Beyond Paradise, a spinoff from Death in Paradise that premiered in 2023. {{Cite web

|title=Beyond Paradise' Brings Christmas Home for the Holidays

|url=https://tellyvisions.org/article/beyond-paradise-christmas-special-where-watch-stream |access-date=2023-12-27}} They also appeared, and performed in, the Beyond Paradise 2023 Christmas Special.{{Cite web |title=Beyond Paradise S2.E0: Christmas Special |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27466151/?ref_=tt_eps_top |access-date=October 8, 2024 |website=IMDb: The Internet Movie Database}}

In November 2024 the band toured again to celebrate 20 years since the band formed. {{Cite web |title=2024 tour announcement |url= https://bellowhead.co.uk/news/blog/7306081/2024-tour-announced |access-date=November 27, 2024}}

File:Bellowhead@Cropredy.jpg

File:Bellowhead2@Cropredy.jpg

• Jon Boden – lead vocals, fiddle, tambourine, shaky egg, thunder tube, kazoo, tin whistle
• John Spiers – melodeons, Anglo concertina, Claviola, kazoo, vocals, tambourine
• Benji Kirkpatrick – guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, tenor banjo, vocals, kazoo
• Rachael McShane – cello, fiddle, kazoo, vocals
• Paul Sartin (2004-2022) – fiddle, oboe, slide whistle, kazoo, vocals
• Giles Lewin (2004–2008) – fiddle, bagpipes
• Sam Sweeney – fiddle, English bagpipes, kazoo, vocals, whistle
• Pete Flood – percussion (including frying pan, glockenspiel, knives and forks, clockwork toys, megaphone scratching, stomp box, coal scuttle, party blowers, broomsticks, ratchet, Casio VL-tone, shakers and tambourine), vocals
• Gideon Juckes (2006–2010) – sousaphone, helicon, tuba
• Ed Neuhauser – sousaphone, helicon, tuba, vocals
• Brendan Kelly – saxophone, bass clarinet, vocals
• Justin Thurgur – trombone, vocals
• Nick Etwell (2020 - Reassembled) - trumpet
• Andy Mellon – trumpet, vocals
• Sally Hawkins (touring 2022, 2024) – fiddle, oboe, vocals
• Jim Bulger (touring 2022, 2024) – trumpet

• Bellowhead Live: The Farewell Tour (2016)
• Reassembled (2021)

• "New York Girls" (2010)
• "Cold Blows the Wind" (2010)
• "10,000 Miles Away" (2012)
• "Roll the Woodpile Down" (2013)
• "Betsy Baker" (2013)
• "Christmas Bells / Jingle Bells" (2013)
• "Gosport Nancy" (2014)
• "Let Her Run / I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" (2014)
• "Roll Alabama" (2015)

• E.P.Onymous (2004)

• Live at Shepherds Bush Empire (2009)
• Hedonism Live (November, 2011)
• Bellowhead Live: The Farewell Tour (2016)

• Umbrellowhead (2009)
• Pandemonium – The Essential Bellowhead (2015)

The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards are an annual awards ceremony for folk artists that year. During their 12 years together, Bellowhead won eight of these awards, including Best Live Act on five occasions.

{{Awards table}}

|-

| rowspan="1" style="text-align:center;"|2014

| rowspan="1"| Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2013

| rowspan="1"| Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

| rowspan="1"| Broadside

|Best Album

|{{won}}

|-

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2012

| rowspan="2"| Bellowhead

|Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{nom}}

|-

| rowspan="5" style="text-align:center;"|2011

|-

|rowspan="2"| Bellowhead

|Best Group

|{{won}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{won}}

|-

|Hedonism

| Best Album

|{{nom}}

|-

|New York Girls

|Best Traditional Track

|{{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2010

|rowspan="2" | Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{won}}

|-

| rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|2009

|-

|rowspan="2"| Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{nom}}

|-

| Fakenham Fair

|Best Traditional Track

|{{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2008

|rowspan="2"| Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{won}}

|-

|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2007

|rowspan="2" | Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{won}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{won}}

|-

|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2006

|rowspan="2" | Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{nom}}

|-

|rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2005

|rowspan="2" | Bellowhead

| Best Group

|{{nom}}

|-

|Best Live Act

|{{won}}

|}

{{commons category}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|www.bellowhead.co.uk}}
• [http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2012/08/an-interview-with-bellowhead Bellowhead Interview - Folk Radio UK]
• {{discogs artist|Bellowhead}}
• {{imdb name|2475722}}

{{Bellowhead}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bellowhead}}

Category:English folk musical groups

Category:Progressive folk groups

Category:Musical groups established in 2004

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2016

Category:2004 establishments in England

Category:2016 disestablishments in England

Category:Westpark Music artists