The Dreadnoughts

The Dreadnoughts are a Canadian 6-piece folk-punk band from Vancouver. The band combines a wide range of European folk music with modern street punk. In late 2011 they announced an indefinite hiatus. However, they followed this by playing shows occasionally, such as annual Vancouver shows, a two-week European tour in January 2014, and two March gigs with Guttermouth in 2014. On November 11, 2017 they released their fourth full-length album Foreign Skies. They followed this up with the album Into The North on November 15, 2019.

For the English rugby league football club nicknamed "The Dreadnoughts", see Wakefield Trinity.
The Dreadnoughts
OriginVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
GenresFolk Punk, Celtic Punk, Polka Punk, Folk, Sea Shanty
Years active2007 (2007)–present
LabelsStomp
Websitethedreadnoughts.com
MembersMarco Bieri
Andrew Hay
Drew Sexsmith
Nicholas Smyth
Kyle Taylor
Tegan Ceschi-Smith

The band has four full-lengths and two EPs on various labels and has played around 500 shows in around 30 countries. Their performance peak was in 2010, when 180 shows were played.

History

The Dreadnoughts formed in 2007 in the Downtown Eastside area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

A week-long portion of their 2009 European tour is documented in the book This Place Is Awesome (ISBN 978-1105143274) by Vancouver-based photographer Adam PW Smith.[1]

Sound and influences

Noticeable influences in their sound include acts such as The Pogues, Gogol Bordello, Goran Bregovic, and Rancid. The band commonly record and perform Sea Shanties, polkas and klezmer songs, and are also strongly influenced by English West Country folk music - in particular the Bristol folk band The Wurzels.[2]

Their 2009 release, Victory Square, was ranked the 4th-best folk-punk release of 2009 by folk-punk magazine Shite N' Onions.[3] Their previous release, Legends Never Die, was ranked #7 on the magazine's 2008 list.[4] Multiple cross-Canada tours and European tours have helped to contribute to the band's steadily rising profile.[5]

Other acts that have shared the stage with The Dreadnoughts include Stiff Little Fingers, The Cider Fecks, Swingin' Utters, Hepcat, The Real McKenzies, Goran Bregovic, IAMX, Okean Elzy, Talco, The Creepshow, Mad Sin, and Los Furios.

Current members
  • The Fang, Guitar and Vocals
  • Wormley Wangersnitch, Violin
  • Leroy "Slow Ride" McBride, Accordion and Vocals
  • Drew Sexsmith, Mandolin, Banjo and Vocals (sometimes known as the Dread Pirate Druzil)
  • Squid Vicious, Bass
  • The Stupid Swedish Bastard, Drums

Former members
  • Fire Marshall Willie, Bass; also, past member of The Brass Action
  • The Wicked Wench of the West, Bass
  • Shamus, best fiddle in the west

Discography

Studio Albums
  • Legends Never Die – July 2007 (Golden Tee Records)
  • Victory Square - June 2009 (Stomp Records)
  • Polka's Not Dead - October 2010 (Stomp Records)
  • Foreign Skies - November 2017 (Self Released)
  • Into The North - November 2019 (Stomp Records)

EPs
  • Cyder Punks Unite - July 2010, (Leech Redda)
  • Uncle Touchy Goes To College - July 2011 (Bellydrop Records)

See also

References
  1. Smith, Adam (2011). "This Place Is Awesome" (Web). Adam PW Smith. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  2. Poon, Christopher (2010). "Dreadnoughts charting course on sea of cider" (Web). straight.com. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  3. "Top CDs of 2009" (Web). shitenonions.com. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  4. "Top CDs of 2008" (Web). shitenonions.com. 2008. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
  5. Mack, Adrian (2010). "Rocking in the western Maritimes" (Web). straight.com. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
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