Merry Hell

Merry Hell are an English folk rock band from Wigan, Greater Manchester, formed in 2010. The core members of the band include the three Kettle brothers, who were previously members of The Tansads. As of 2020 the band have released six albums.

Merry Hell
Merry Hell playing live in 2019
Background information
OriginWigan, England
GenresRock
Folk
Years active2010–present
LabelsMrs Casey Records
Associated actsThe Tansads
Websitehttp://www.merryhell.co.uk
MembersAndrew Kettle
Bob Kettle
John Kettle
Virginia Kettle
Nick Davies
Lee Goulding
Andy Jones
Neil McCartney
Past membersAndrew Dawson
Phill Knight
Tim Howard

History

Guitarist and songwriter John Kettle and his brothers, mandolin player Bob and vocalist Andrew, were members of the 1990s folk rock band The Tansads. In 2010, over a decade since they last performed together, former members of the band reunited for a series of concerts in St Helens. Following the successful gigs, some of the musicians involved, including the three brothers, decided to continue as a band, but rather than use the Tansads name chose to adopt the new name Merry Hell.[1] In addition to the former Tansads, other members of the new band included John Kettle's wife Virginia. Merry Hell were signed to the Mrs Casey Records label on the basis of a demo recording, and in October 2011 released their debut album BLINK.. and you miss it.[2]

In 2012, Merry Hell performed at Folk on the Pier in Cromer, the Derbyshire 'Big Session', the Towersey Village Festival, Wickham Festival, and the Great British Folk Festival at Skegness. They also performed an autumn show at St Helens Citadel, billed as "Merry Helloween".[3]

The band's second album, Head Full of Magic, Shoes Full of Rain, was released in 2013,[4][5][6] and features a guest performance by Dave Swarbrick, formerly of Fairport Convention. That year the band performed more than forty live shows, and also played at the Acoustic Festival of Britain at Uttoxeter, Off The Tracks in Derbyshire, the Beverley Folk Festival, the Stainsby Festival, the Wickham Festival and Beautiful Days in Devon.

In 2014 the band released the EP "The Ghost",[7] which previewed tracks from their upcoming third album, and took part in the Armistice Pals project, collaborating with other folk artists including Lucy Ward, Christine Collister and Robb Johnson on a version of Pete Seeger's song "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.[8][9] Merry Hell's third album, The Ghost In Our House and other stories ... was released in early 2015 and features a guest appearance by guitarist Gordon Giltrap.[10][11] The band's fourth album Bloodlines followed in late 2016, and the fifth Anthems to the Wind in 2018. In November 2020 the band released their sixth album Emergency Lullabies.

Members

Current
  • Andrew Kettle – vocals
  • Bob Kettle – mandolin
  • John Kettle – guitar
  • Virginia Kettle – vocals, guitar
  • Lee Goulding – keyboards
  • Nick Davies – bass
  • Andy Jones – drums
  • Neil McCartney – fiddle

Former
  • Andrew Dawson – bass (first two albums)
  • Tim Howard – guitar (first album)
  • Phill Knight – drums (first album)

Discography

Albums
  • Blink ... and you miss it (2011)
  • Head Full of Magic, Shoes Full of Rain (2013)
  • The Ghost in Our House and other stories ... (2015)
  • Bloodlines (2016)
  • Anthems to the Wind (2018)
  • Emergency Lullabies (2020)

DVDs
  • A Grand Night Out - Merry Hell Live
  • A Documentary: A year in the Life of Merry Hell (2019)

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "FATEA - Home". Fatea-records.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  3. "Review of the first 'Merry Helloween' show by Paul Arris". Louder than War. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "MERRY HELL to release Head Full Of Magic, Shoes Full Of Rain". Folking.com. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  6. "Merry Hell: Head Full Of Magic, Shoes Full Of Rain - album review". Louderthanwar.com. 18 April 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "StackPath". Folkradio.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  9. "FATEA - Home". Fatea-records.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Folk-rockers raising Merry Hell". Wigan Today.
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