The Owl Service (band)
Encyclopedia
The Owl Service is a British folk/rock band formed in 2006 by multi-instrumentalist Steven Collins, named after the 1967 novel
by Alan Garner
.
(also Collins' home town).
The debut album, A Garland of Song, was released on the band's own Hobby-Horse label in July 2007, and soon after they were invited to support English folk singer Lisa Knapp at a show in London. Up to that point The Owl Service had never played in public, but following the invitation to perform Collins opted to expand the line-up to enable them to function as a live group. It was at this time that Nancy Wallace (formerly of The Memory Band
) became a permanent member of the band, and by the end of 2007 they had signed to UK independent label Southern Records
.
Southern
reissued A Garland of Song in June 2008 on CD and LP - this was followed a month later by a new Owl Service EP, recorded with ex-Mellow Candle
singer Alison O'Donnell
entitled The Fabric of Folk (released by the Birmingham-based Static Caravan label). By this time, the band had a core line-up of 7, with the addition of guitarist Jason Steel, and experimental musician Katie English (aka Isnaj Dui) providing flute and melodica. The Owl Service parted company with Southern Records
at the end of 2009. Their second album, The View From a Hill, will be released by Rif Mountain on May 1, 2010, and features guest appearances from Joolie Wood of Current 93
and Alison O'Donnell among others.
The Owl Service
The Owl Service is a novel by Alan Garner first published in 1967. It is a contemporary interpretation, which Garner described as an "expression of the myth", of the story of the mythical Welsh figure of Blodeuwedd, whose story is told in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi.The legend concerns a...
by Alan Garner
Alan Garner
With his first book published, Garner abandoned his work as a labourer and gained a job as a freelance television reporter, living a "hand to mouth" lifestyle on a "shoestring" budget...
.
History
The Owl Service was originally intended to be a solo vehicle for Steven Collins, but while working on the first release (the Wake the Vaulted Echo EP from 2006) he felt the need to enlist some help with vocal duties. This resulted in 2 new recruits; Rebsie Fairholm (who sang on the debut EP, but then made only one more fleeting appearance with the band on the Bitter Night EP in 2008) and Dom Cooper of The Straw Bear Band, who has remained involved with The Owl Service ever since; singing, writing songs and handling all the band's graphic design. The Wake... EP was warmly received and off the back of that the band were asked to contribute a track to the 2007 compilation album John Barleycorn Reborn on the Cold Spring label (for which Collins also wrote sleeve notes). For the JBR album, the band recorded the traditional song The North Country Maid with session singer Rachel Davies. While recording the debut Owl Service album later that year, two permanent female singers joined the band; Jo Lepine from Rochester, and Diana Collier from Leigh-on-SeaLeigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...
(also Collins' home town).
The debut album, A Garland of Song, was released on the band's own Hobby-Horse label in July 2007, and soon after they were invited to support English folk singer Lisa Knapp at a show in London. Up to that point The Owl Service had never played in public, but following the invitation to perform Collins opted to expand the line-up to enable them to function as a live group. It was at this time that Nancy Wallace (formerly of The Memory Band
The Memory Band
The Memory Band is an English folk group founded by Stephen Cracknell. The Memory Band has a rolling cast of collaborators from across the musical spectrum...
) became a permanent member of the band, and by the end of 2007 they had signed to UK independent label Southern Records
Southern Records
Southern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...
.
Southern
Southern Records
Southern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...
reissued A Garland of Song in June 2008 on CD and LP - this was followed a month later by a new Owl Service EP, recorded with ex-Mellow Candle
Mellow Candle
Mellow Candle were a progressive folk rock band. Principally Irish, the members were also unusually young, Clodagh Simonds being only 15 and Alison Bools and Maria White 16, and still at school, at the time of their first single, "Feelin' High", released in 1968 on Simon Napier-Bell's SNB...
singer Alison O'Donnell
Alison O'Donnell
Alison O'Donnell is an Irish musician, solo and band singer and songwriter. Born Alison Bools in Dublin to an English mother and Irish father, raised in Dalkey and educated at Holy Child, Killiney, County Dublin.-Childhood:...
entitled The Fabric of Folk (released by the Birmingham-based Static Caravan label). By this time, the band had a core line-up of 7, with the addition of guitarist Jason Steel, and experimental musician Katie English (aka Isnaj Dui) providing flute and melodica. The Owl Service parted company with Southern Records
Southern Records
Southern Records is an independent record label closely associated with Crass Records, Corpus Christi Records and Dischord Records. It is based in London and previously had offices in Chicago , Le Havre and Berlin .Southern was originally a recording studio owned and operated by John Loder...
at the end of 2009. Their second album, The View From a Hill, will be released by Rif Mountain on May 1, 2010, and features guest appearances from Joolie Wood of Current 93
Current 93
Current 93 is an eclectic British experimental music group, working since the early 1980s in folk-based musical forms. The band was founded in 1982 by David Tibet .-Background:Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton has appeared on...
and Alison O'Donnell among others.
Members
- Diana Collier; vocals, percussion
- Steven Collins; electric, acoustic and bass guitars, banjo, sitar, vocals, piano, organ, drones, glockenpsiel, percussion
- Dom Cooper; vocals, percussion
- Katie English; flute, melodica, glockenpsiel, percussion
- Jo Lepine; vocals, percussion
- Jason Steel; acoustic guitar, banjo, vocals
- Nancy Wallace; acoustic guitar, concertina, vocals
EPs
- Wake the Vaulted Echo (2006) (Hobby-Horse)
- Cine (2006) (Hobby-Horse)
- Cine (The Director's Cut) (2007) (Static Caravan)
- The Fabric of Folk (CD) (2008) (Static Caravan)
- The Bitter Night EP (2008) (Hobby-Horse)
- The Fabric of Folk (12") (2009) (Midwich)
- The Burn Comes Down (2010) (Rif Mountain)
Albums
- A Garland of Song (original) (2007) (Hobby-Horse)
- A Garland of Song (reissue) (2008) (Southern Records)
- The View From a Hill (2010) (Rif Mountain)