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

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 2023 the band have released six studio albums.

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

The band playing live in 2015

Current

  • Andrew Kettle – vocals
  • Bob Kettle – mandolin
  • John Kettle – guitar
  • Virginia Kettle – vocals, guitar
  • Lee Goulding – keyboards
  • Colin Foster – bass
  • Andy Jones – drums
  • Simon Swarbrick – fiddle

Former

  • Andrew Dawson – bass
  • Nick Davies - bass
  • Tim Howard – guitar
  • Phill Knight – drums
  • Neil McCartney - fiddle

Discography

Studio 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)

Compilation albums

  • Let the Music Speak for Itself (2023)[12]

DVDs

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

References

  1. ↑ "Second coming is creating Merry Hell with music fans | Derby Telegraph". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  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. 4 November 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Merry Hell - Head Full of Magic Shoes Full of Rain - North West Folk". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "MERRY HELL to release Head Full Of Magic, Shoes Full Of Rain". Folking.com. 12 May 2013. 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. ↑ "The Ghost EP- Merry Hell - SpiralEarth". Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "StackPath". Folkradio.co.uk. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "FATEA - Home". Fatea-records.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "Raising Merry Hell a ghostly business - Wigan Today". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "Folk-rockers raising Merry Hell". Wigan Today.
  12. ↑ "Merry Hell Go Retrospective And Set To Release 28 Track Double CD 'Let The Music Speak For Itself'". The Sound Cafe. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
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