The band grew out of the British folk band Fiddler’s Dram and their side project Oyster Coiled Band (Canterbury, 1976). The name Oyster comes from the group’s early association with the coastal town of Whitstable in East Kent, known for the Strong & Rooted! quality of its oysters. Their first album, released under the Oyster Ceilidh Band name, was Jack’s Alive (1978) on the Dingles record label. Subsequent albums, as Oyster Band (sometimes The Oyster Band) were released on the band’s own Pukka Music label. The first recorded line-up was: Cathy Lesurf - vocals; John Jones - melodeon, vocals; Alan Prosser - guitars, viola; Chris Taylor - guitar, bouzouki, harmonica, one-row melodeon, mandola; Ian Telfer - violin, English concertina; Chris Wood - bass guitar; Will Ward - bassoon, recorders, crumhorn, keyboards.

By the time they recorded their fifth album as Oyster Band in 1986 (Step Out- side) the personnel had settled down to John Jones, Ian Kearey (a founder member, returning to play bass guitar), Alan Prosser, Russell Lax (drums) and Ian Telfer. Step Outside mixed self-penned songs, often with a political theme, with reworkings of traditional standards such as Hal-an-Tow.

After the 1987 release Wide Blue Yonder Kearey left the band to be replaced by Chopper (real name Ray Cooper). Subsequent albums included Ride, Little Rock to Leipzig and the June Tabor collaboration Freedom and Rain. Following this the band name changed to Oysterband. Drummer Lee Partis replaced Russell Lax for 1992’s Deserters before Holy Bandits in 1993 propelled the band to the forefront of a booming folk rock scene alongside bands such as The Lev- ellers.

In the nineties the band adopted a more overtly political stance, recording the harder The Shouting End of Life. But recent releases Deep Dark Ocean, Here I Stand and Rise Above have seen the band return to a softer, more melodic OYSTERBAND sound while recent tours under the banner The Big Session have seen the band offer exposure to several young, emerging folk musicians like the Handsome Family and veteran musicians such as June Tabor. MEET YOU THERE (Westpark Music 87141) The Big Session with Eliza Carthy, June Tabor, The Handsome Family., John Jones (vocal, accordion) Show of Hands and more 25th Anniverssary 87105 Concert Chopper (bass guitar, cello, tiple, mandolin, keyboards, vocal) 87111 (DVD - PAL) Lee Partis (drums, percussion, vocal) 87118 (DVD - NTSC) Alan Prosser (guitars, accordion, violin, organ, vocal) Ian Telfer (violin) Westpark Music PO Box 260 227, 50515 Köln guest: Tel.: ++49 221 24 76 44 [email protected] Al Scott (guitar, piano, cello) www.WestparkMusic.de Once the bad boys of folk and rock, Oysterband have grown over the past Meet You There certainly delivers a fresh perspective on ‘folk’. Check out the five years into the role of musical custodians and godfathers of folk. lovely mbira introduction by Chopper to the opening song Over The Water, Collaborative tours with rising young stars under the banner of The Big Sessi- and the stinging rockabilly guitar beat of Someone Somewhere for contrast. on; a Big Session “live” album with June Tabor, Eliza Carthy, The Handsome For the singing, check out Over The Water again, Where The World Divides, Family, Show Of Hands and more; and finally a Big Session festival, now in its The Boy’s Still Running, the dreamy anthemic Dancing As Fast As I Can. For third year, which hasn’t yet failed to sell out. And there have been gongs, the politics, the acid, knowing take on globalisation (over a cheery jugband awards, nominations... backing) on Here Comes The Flood. “Meet You There is the most consistent thing we’ve done as a grown-up band,” says Telfer. “It has what I like to think of as Oyster trademarks - a folk ear for a great vocal tune; strong lyrics; wry politics; and a sort of deep-down musicality that can afford to take itself fairly lightly. It’s essentially acoustic, essentially folk-based I suppose. But we try to put it over with big dynamics and a sense of musical theatre.”

The ‘house band’ role Oysterband played for part of these years drew on the group’s formidable musical skills, rather as The Last Waltz did once upon a time for The Band. And it made them re-evaluate themselves. “We had to go back to the essential impulse that’s kept the band kicking for almost 30 years - making new songs for ourselves,” says Ian Telfer. “We put a PA system in a village hall on the Welsh border and got down to some serious playing. It’s the doing it together that unlocks it for us,” he insists. “It’s the only way the 30 years’ experience really shows. songs can grow and breathe, of course. But also, we’ve always believed that creativity is a collective thing, and that’s helped shape the band’s politics. Fast Facts: Not that we agree about everything, by a long chalk...but hey, that’s the spark.” 16 Studio Albums as Oysterband (or Oyster Band) Once new song structures were licked into shape, Oysterband took the best + ideas to The Premises in Hackney (“Europe’s first solar-powered studio”) to 3 live albums work on the voices and acoustic instruments. Some late ideas were added in + Brighton and at cellist Chopper’s house in Sweden. The Big Session live album “I think the long, sustained preparation has enhanced Meet You There + enormously,” says Telfer. “The singing - everybody’s singing - is better than it’s Live 1992 Video ever been. The raw rush that used to take us out on tour with The Pogues etc th has evolved into something more measured, more powerful. We listened to 25 Anniversary DVD + CD cover and press pictures it all back when we’d finished and we all thought: ‘Yes! Strong. Rooted.’ included in high resolution (And then: ‘Cop that!’) Literally, it’s been refreshing - it’s renewed our self- various singles, compilations, guest belief.” appearances … on CD