Postcard from a Rubber band
DISPLACED Sheffielder Christophe Capewell has been clocking up the Air Miles since quitting his hometown for love and music.
It is the latter that brings him back from Dublin via Bilbao with folky band Harry Bird & The Rubber Wellies this Sunday.
They have been touring their album Long Way To Be Free since last year, but the origins of the band lie very much closer to home.
"Harry and myself met as students in the north east of England amid a whirl of folk sessions, reggae bands and anti-war demonstrations," recalls Christophe.
"Harry, who grew up in Scotland, then moved to the Basque Country where he still lives.
"After a couple of years in Barcelona I moved to Ireland where I've been working as a musician for some years now and that is where I met Maria (Blackwell, singer, artist), who is from Dublin.
"Being split between Bilbao and Dublin means we have to travel a lot to see each other - at least one of us is living out of a suitcase the whole time."
And while that's not entirely good news, except for Mr Ryanair, this scattered living has helped to colour the outlook of the band.
"Living in different places and travelling so much has definitely inspired our sound," Christophe concurs.
"Our debut album was recorded in five months - in five different countries!"
Released on their label Hot Drop Records, the self-produced "collection of songs exploring love, faith and displacement in a world made up of contradictions" came a year after the trio performed on stage together for the first time during a tour of Ireland with a German pop group.
The "unabashed enjoy
ment" of that led to further collaboration as Chincho por Ttou, a Basque circus band accompanying a group of trapeze artists in the fiestas and festivals of Spain, before Harry Bird & The Rubber Wellies was born, the multi-instrumental bunch playing everything from melodica and taruta to accordion and xylophone.
"Harry referred to us as 'the Wellies', and in a metaphorical sense we noticed he kind of uses us as human foot protectors when times get rainy," Christophe says of the name.
"We're a folk band and our shows tend to be fun, inspiring but also thought provoking. Hopefully the name reflects this."
Sunday's date with The Rude Shipyard, on Abbeydale Road, is the first of a three-week tour of England, Wales and Ireland and follows recent Radio 2 playing of music from the record, something the band describes as "like getting the approval of a dearly beloved great uncle... Mike Harding was very nice about us too".
Twelve years away from Sheffield, Christophe is glad to be on old home soil, if briefly. "I try to get back as often as I can, especially for Christmas and birthdays. It's the place where I grew up so it's full of memories.
"I had some amazing music teachers during my school years and for this I am ever grateful.
"I still have family in Sheffield who I love very much and visit as often as possible, but at this stage a lot of my friends have moved away although I still have some very good friends in Sheffield and I'll look forward to seeing them at the weekend.
"So many, and my family, have been raving about the Rude Shipyard for so long so when they asked us if we'd like to organise a show there we were delighted. I've also heard they have very nice cakes."
The show starts at 2.30pm and costs 5 on the door. If it's full then there's a second chance to see the Wellies on Tuesday at Hillsborough Folk Club, on Burton Street.
The album – with cover artwork by Maria - is available at those gigs or through www.hotdroprecords.com
Got a view? Leave a comment below.
Follow The Star on Twitter and Facebook:
For breaking news and sport follow The Star on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sheffieldstar and Facebook at www.facebook.com/sheffieldstar.
JOIN THE STAR READER PANEL: The Star is YOUR newspaper, so tell us what you think about it and what you want to see - CLICK HERE.
Don't miss our daily pull-outs - only in the The Star: Monday Star Sport, Tuesday Class Act; Wednesday Business; Thursday Grassroots; Friday Time Out; Saturday Retro. Subscribe to The Star - CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Join the Star reader panel
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
