With Merry Hell being raised some 12 years ago from parts salvaged from the remains of The Tansads, and following the release of 6 albums and hundreds of live concerts, Wigan’s finest are set to release a retrospective collection, Let The Music Speak For Itself, available as a 2CD set or digital download, on May 12th.
Ahead of the release, the band take time to talk to Folk Radio’s David Pratt on all things Merry Hell.
It’s been 12 years since the group formed, with six studio albums released. This is the first compilation. Why now?
It’s actually an idea that’s been kicking around for a while, but now the time is right. We have come out of lockdown and toured the album that we released during that time. Getting back together after that has almost been like renewing our vows and our commitment to what we do and each other – so a time for reflection while we are also looking forward to new songs and new experiences.
The group have an extensive catalogue of songs from which to choose; how were the tracks for this release selected?
The songs take on meaning when we share them with other people, so we simply asked our audience, via social media, what songs define Merry Hell for them and which one song would they choose to introduce the band to other people. There are some songs that we thought had to be in there as they are the backbone of our set, and thankfully they were all chosen – friends will know the ones we mean – newcomers to the band will hopefully delight in the discovery!!. Once we had done that, we also asked each of the five song writing members of the band to choose one song of their own to include.
Have the original tracks been re-mastered for this release?
We haven’t messed anything – we were happy to release them the first time – we are still happy for them to be heard as they first went out.
You seem to have eschewed the marketing ploy of including several ‘previously unreleased’ songs on Let The Music Speak For Itself. Was this deliberate?
We deliberately chose not to go down that route – we have some great devoted friends and fans but didn’t want them to end up shelling out for something to make sure they had everything – but only ended up with very little extra. It would not only be against the ethos of the release but also the rationale – the collection will hopefully be a great introduction to people who don’t yet know the band but also act as a reminder of what we have done to those who are familiar with what we do but maybe haven’t listened to us for a while! It has come as a surprise to many of us, just how many songs we have done and just how much we have forgotten how much we actually like them and are quite proud of them!!
For those who maybe don’t know the band, how would you describe your music, and how would you like to be perceived?
Generally, we introduce ourselves as ‘joyful folk-rock with a message of hope for troubled times’. Beyond that, we play our own songs, influenced by and grounded in the finest traditions of English Folk music. You’ll hear fiddle and bouzouki, guitar, bass, keyboards and beats, plus male and female vocals singing together in harmony. There are five songwriters in Merry Hell, each with different but complementary styles. Our music is melodic and energetic – but it can be tender and thoughtful too. It’s innovative but accessible – we like to try new things, but we also ensure that audiences have opportunities to sing and clap along. Those who listen and/or join in are not only an integral part of our live performances; they’re an essential part of our recorded work too, because our music only becomes truly meaningful in the ears and minds of those who hear it. We’re provocative and unifying, thoughtful and joyful.
How do you differ from other folk-rock bands?
As well as entwining traditional folk with elements of rock, we allow for the infectious intermixing of other musical forms – including pop, comedy and even Music Hall. We make a song and dance about serious subjects, but we’re seriously entertaining.
The group has had a pretty stable line-up over the years, but the departures of Nick and Neil have given the opportunity to ask a question or two which were hitherto not applicable. So, Simon Swarbrick and Colin Foster, how aware were you of the band and its history before you joined, and how have you found life in Merry Hell?
Simon: I wasn’t aware of the existence of Merry Hell or much else in music as, for a lot of years previously, I had been pursuing a different profession, and after that, my music work was almost solely studio based. We were introduced by a mutual friend following Neil’s decision to leave. When I viewed the videos, I could appreciate the level of performance and musicality of the band, and this was enhanced, along with a sense of that history, when I started listening to the albums on Spotify.
Life in Merry Hell is good. From the start, I’ve felt an affinity with the songs and love contributing to them. The core of the band are related to each other, but a family feeling seems to extend to all around, and I’m very happy to have been welcomed into it. But of course, the main reason I joined the band is that I get to wear a hat.
Colin: As a Wiganer of a certain age, I was aware of The Tansads from the release of their first album in the early 90s, a bona fide fan, seeing them play locally and also at my first ever Glastonbury. Their music was and still is very relatable personally, and a soundtrack which offered an alternative to plastic pop. Later on, as life’s twists and turns took me away from Wigan, I carried the music of The Tansads with me, and it became a visceral reminder of the streets and town where I grew up.
John Kettle and I crossed paths at a music college in Wigan several decades later, where we both worked. After learning of a possible vacancy in Merry Hell, I persuaded John to let me try out for the job of bass player, and to my delight, he agreed, and before I knew it, I was buying a new hat!
Eighteen months in, and I’m adapting nicely to life in the band, and I now own several hats. The band has welcomed me and Simon with a broad smile and broad Wigan accents. Travelling the country has meant many long journeys to share stories and time to build new friendships with the different band members. It’s a privilege to be involved in the musical magic that occurs and to share that with our audiences.
Looking to the future, what does the rest of the year look like for you in terms of live performances?
We are pretty busy – as ever – we have some great festivals and gigs lined up. Some old favourites like Wickham, Folk On The Farm, and Towersey. Beardy Festival will always be special now as it was our first gig coming out of lockdown – it was so emotional. Chester is like a hometown festival for several of us, and we love the wonderful Costa del Folk’s Portugal get-together – we get to spend some really relaxing time together. Then there’s the BIG ONE – delighted to be asked to do Cropredy Festival – so many people have been asking for us to do it – Fairport must have been sick of the sound of Merry Hell – now we are just praying for good weather. Then there’s a load of new festivals – which is great, and we have a Winter Tour lined up, which we haven’t announced yet. The only downside is going back to the day jobs in the morning, or on a Monday, after a mad weekend!! In between that, we also have a new album to finish!!
Talking of which, you recently posted a photo of the band in a recording studio on social media. Anything to share?
Ah yes, the photo was of us spending a weekend in what is called pre-production – which is posh talk for going over and over the same new songs until we are happy with the way they sound. We are gradually introducing new songs into the set, which is always a difficult balancing act – how many do you change from what has gone before and not upset people who have come to hear their favourites, and there is a little of baring your soul with new songs, seeing how people take to them. That said, the couple we have tried so far have had a fabulous reception, and we have started recording them when we can, so it really is a case of watch this space! We have said it elsewhere, but it is worth repeating – the compilation album is not the beginning of the end; it is simply the end of the beginning!!
Finally, what do you hope people will take away from having listened to Let The Music Speak For Itself?
Harking back to an earlier answer, of people who have never really experienced the band before – we would hope that they will feel drawn into the Merry Hell family and want to know more about us, to get involved, come to gigs (or more gigs) and if people already know us – perhaps it will act as a reminder of why they came to us in the first place – hopefully, songs that strike a chord with them and make them feel better, if only for the time that the music is playing.
Live Dates (more to be added)
April 13th: Penistone: Yorkshire: Cubley Hall Hotel
April 15th: Oxford Folk Weekend at Harwell Hall
April 22nd: The MerryMeet: Merry Hell and friends at The Philharmonic, Liverpool – afternoon concert with Anthony John Clarke and evening concert with Jenny Colquitt
May 5th: Tredegar House Folk Festival
May 6th: Ey Up Mi Dick Festival: Epworth: Yorkshire
May 7th: Cromer: Folk On The Pier Festival
May 8th: Cromer: Pavilion Theatre: North Norfolk Foodbank Fundraiser Matinee Gig
May 13th: London: Half Moon Putney: Weekend Takeover: Electric Saturday
May 14th: London: Half Moon Putney: Weekend Takeover: Acoustic Sunday: Matinee Gig
May 26th: Chester Folk Festival
June 3rd: Wessex Folk Festival
June 16th: National Forest Folk Club: Moira, Leicestershire
June 18th: Beardy Festival, Shropshire
July 14th: Folk On The Farm Festival: Anglesey
July 28th: Chickenstock Festival: Kent
July 28th: Trowbridge Festival
July 29th: Oswestry TBC
August 5th: Grayshott Folk Club: Hampshire
August 6th: Wickham Festival
August 10th: Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival, Oxfordshire
August 24th: Towersey Festival
August 28th: Towersey Festival
September 10th: Swanage Festival
September 14th: Hungry Horse Festival, Ellesmere Port
September 16th: The Peace Through Folk Gathering, Staffordshire/Peak District
October 4th– 10th: Costa Del Folk Festival: Portugal
More details here: http://www.merryhell.co.uk/