Ahead of their forthcoming autumn tour Stick in the Wheel released a new digital track this week. ‘Cruel Ship’s Captain’ is a broadside ballad collected from Norfolk in the form of a gallows confessional. The ship’s captain is overthrown by the crew after he abuses and murders his apprentice boy.
The band recorded the ballad live as a trio (Nicola Kearey / Ian Carter / Ellie Wilson), there are other well-known versions by AL Lloyd, Imagined Village and Bryan Ferry who recorded it for the 2006 double compilation Rogue’s Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, & Chanteys.
The track is from the upcoming mixtape release ‘THIS AND THE MEMORY OF THIS’, featuring collaborations with Lisa Knapp, Om Unit and Anna Roberts-Gevalt of Anna & Elizabeth, as well as sketches and fragments of traditional and new material plus a live version of Follow Them True. It will be released as a very limited cassette run, CD and digital, with artwork by David Bray. Released on 9th November 2018.
Cruel Ship’s Captain is out now on From Here Records, distributed by Kartel Music through all the usual digital channels.
Stick in the Wheel Autumn Tour
06 Oct 2018 The Garage, London
07 Oct 2018 The Bodega, Nottingham
12 Oct 2018 Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham
14 Oct 2018 Thekla, Bristol
15 Oct 2018 Nettlebed Village Club, Maidenhead
18 Oct 2018 The Atkinson, Southport
19 Oct 2018 Broadcast, Glasgow
20 Oct 2018 Wychwood Folk Club, Oxon
25 Oct 2018 The Duncairn, Belfast
26 Oct 2018 Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny 27 Oct 2018 The Cobblestone, Dublin
10 Nov 2018 The Junction, Cambridge
16 Nov 2018 Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells
17 Nov 2018 Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan
23 Nov 2018 The Crescent, York
24 Nov 2018 Night & Day Cafe, Manchester
29 Nov 2018 Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich
01 Dec 2018 West End Centre, Aldershot
Tour tickets via www.stickinthewheel.com