When I first arrived in Falmouth for my interview I couldn’t help but notice an incredibly steep set of stairs leading up the hill from the Moor. Suitably named “Jacob’s Ladder”, the stairway consists of 111 steps and was built in the 1840s to allow access to the businesses on top of the hill.
But why am I telling you all this?
Well I scaled the heights to Heaven yesterday and who did I find at the top but Julian Gaskell and his band of Ragged Trousered Philanthropists!
Back in October I stumbled upon this band purely by accident – they were supporting 3 Daft Monkeys at the Princess Pavillion on Hallowe’en – but I was hooked as soon as they began their set. (Which, due to a lorry load of treacle being spilt on the A30, was about an hour late!)
They describe themselves as klezmer-punk-gypsy enthusiasts, which might explain why frontman Julian Gaskell frequently changed his instrument of choice. But in layman’s terms they are one of those bands which you can’t listen to and stay standing still.
With obvious Eastern European influences, the band have created their own folk variant. It is energetic and unforgiving so if you get a stitch because you drank your Grandma’s too quickly, they won’t slow it down! But then again I don’t think you’d want to. The strong beat made it impossible not to tap your foot.
The ground bassline also added elements of jazz to the overall effect, but the use of folk instruments – the accordion, harmonica and banjo- kept the music well within the Roots genre.
In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have chosen the above video. Being a cover it isn’t representative of the true talents of the band as they have a large repetoire of their own compositions – including one called A Ja Taka Dzivocka, which they claim was once shortlisted by the Czech’s as their entry for Eurovision! In a way I kinda hope that this is true – Eurovision could really use a kick up the backside by the raggedy trousered crew!
[Ed. Please take it is as read that I am not currently following Andrew Lloyd Webber's attempt to find us a Eurovision hopeful, and I really wish he would stop farting around with Saturday evening TV and write a new musical!]
But anyways, back to the band in question.
Impossible to describe they may be and you can forget about pinpointing a genre, but sometimes you need that in a band. No, they will never be mainstream, but who cares - if I let the top 40 decide my playlist I would be forced always to listen to substandard creations. These guys are innovative, crazily talented and above all full of passion for the music that they create. And judging by the amount of people jumping along to Yuppie Flats at the end of their set, it is a sound which has found a place on the Falmouth music scene!
you convinced me to watch the video, i like their sound, it’s fun and energetic, wouldn’t mind seeing them myself! also a good choice of song to cover!!