Tinyfish
Encyclopedia
Tinyfish is an English
progressive rock
band, founded in 2004. The band members are Simon Godfrey (lead vocal, guitar), Jim Sanders (lead guitar, backing vocals), Paul Worwood (bass), Robert Ramsay (spoken word, harmonica)and Leon Camfield (drums, backing vocals).
Simon Godfrey, Jim Sanders and Paul Worwood, friends since their schooldays, were all members of Freefall, described by Simon as "our first prog band"
, and which also featured Simon's brother Jem Godfrey
(now of Frost*) on keyboards. After Freefall split in the early nineties Simon played drums in a number of bands while developing his songwriting talents in the guise of Men Are Dead (with Robert and Paul) and playing the open mike spots of London as Simon Walsh.
gave the album 8/10 in Classic Rock Magazine
, and the magazine ranked it 15 in the best albums of the year
. The songs on the album are shorter than is often the case for progressive rock (with the exception of the 'mini-epic' All Hands Lost) with an emphasis on tightly-written songs rather than long, self-indulgent solos and unorthodox time signatures. The album features no keyboards, which is again unusual for the genre, instead using guitar synthesizers to produce musical textures. There are three spoken-word tracks performed by Rob Ramsay, who is also the principal song lyricist for the band.
in Kingston-upon-Thames, and at the 2007 Summer's End progressive rock festival. The core line-up was supplemented by drummer Leon Camfield when playing full electric band shows, although the band also performed - and occasionally still does perform - as a four-piece acoustic line-up.
. Reviews of the mini-album were generally positive
.
The DVD garnered more positive reviews
.
that their second full-length album, The Big Red Spark, would be released by F2 Records in September 2010. After a long period of recording the album was mixed and mastered in June 2010 at Wolf Studios
by Dominique Brethes, with Mike Varty as co-producer. The album was publicly available for the first time at a launch concert on 10 September 2010 at The Luminaire in North London, and was officially launched on 13 September 2010, to critical acclaim, Classic Rock magazine awarding it 9 out of 10 stars.
festival. It was after this concert that Leon Camfield joined the band as a full member, having previously played drums for live dates only. On 13 October the band announced
that "Leon Camfield is now a full time member of Tinyfish and...he will be contributing not only drums but will become part of the writing team for the next album".
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band, founded in 2004. The band members are Simon Godfrey (lead vocal, guitar), Jim Sanders (lead guitar, backing vocals), Paul Worwood (bass), Robert Ramsay (spoken word, harmonica)and Leon Camfield (drums, backing vocals).
Formation
Tinyfish was formed in September 2004.Simon Godfrey, Jim Sanders and Paul Worwood, friends since their schooldays, were all members of Freefall, described by Simon as "our first prog band"
, and which also featured Simon's brother Jem Godfrey
Jem Godfrey
Jeremy "Jem" Godfrey is a British music producer, keyboardist and songwriter.Godfrey was responsible, with Bill Padley at Wise Buddah music, for many UK number one hits including Atomic Kitten's platinum-selling single, "Whole Again", which earned the pair two Ivor Novello Award nominations, and...
(now of Frost*) on keyboards. After Freefall split in the early nineties Simon played drums in a number of bands while developing his songwriting talents in the guise of Men Are Dead (with Robert and Paul) and playing the open mike spots of London as Simon Walsh.
First album
The band released their eponymous debut album in 2006 to critical acclaim. Geoff BartonGeoff Barton
Geoff Barton is a British journalist who founded Kerrang! heavy metal magazine and was an editor of Sounds music magazine.He joined Sounds at the age of nineteen after completing a journalism course at the London College of Printing. He specialised in covering rock music and helped popularise the...
gave the album 8/10 in Classic Rock Magazine
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
, and the magazine ranked it 15 in the best albums of the year
. The songs on the album are shorter than is often the case for progressive rock (with the exception of the 'mini-epic' All Hands Lost) with an emphasis on tightly-written songs rather than long, self-indulgent solos and unorthodox time signatures. The album features no keyboards, which is again unusual for the genre, instead using guitar synthesizers to produce musical textures. There are three spoken-word tracks performed by Rob Ramsay, who is also the principal song lyricist for the band.
Live performance
Tinyfish played several shows throughout 2007 and 2008 in support of the album, including three shows at the Peel 'House Of Progression'in Kingston-upon-Thames, and at the 2007 Summer's End progressive rock festival. The core line-up was supplemented by drummer Leon Camfield when playing full electric band shows, although the band also performed - and occasionally still does perform - as a four-piece acoustic line-up.
Curious Things
In early 2009 Tinyfish released a mini-album, Curious Things, comprising a number of 'rarities' written over the previous few years, and produced by Jem GodfreyJem Godfrey
Jeremy "Jem" Godfrey is a British music producer, keyboardist and songwriter.Godfrey was responsible, with Bill Padley at Wise Buddah music, for many UK number one hits including Atomic Kitten's platinum-selling single, "Whole Again", which earned the pair two Ivor Novello Award nominations, and...
. Reviews of the mini-album were generally positive
.
One Night On Fire
Later in 2009 the band released a DVD and live album, One Night On Fire (on the Metal Mind label), recorded at a performance at the Wyspianski Theatre, Katowice, Poland. The DVD contains performances of songs from both of the previous releases together with material from the yet-to-be-released Big Red Spark. Rob's spoken-word performances are a particular highlight, accompanied for the first time by the use of costumes to enhance theatricality.The DVD garnered more positive reviews
.
The Big Red Spark
On 19 April 2010 the band announcedthat their second full-length album, The Big Red Spark, would be released by F2 Records in September 2010. After a long period of recording the album was mixed and mastered in June 2010 at Wolf Studios
by Dominique Brethes, with Mike Varty as co-producer. The album was publicly available for the first time at a launch concert on 10 September 2010 at The Luminaire in North London, and was officially launched on 13 September 2010, to critical acclaim, Classic Rock magazine awarding it 9 out of 10 stars.
Summer's End 2010
On 8 October 2010 Tinyfish once again played at the Summer's Endfestival. It was after this concert that Leon Camfield joined the band as a full member, having previously played drums for live dates only. On 13 October the band announced
that "Leon Camfield is now a full time member of Tinyfish and...he will be contributing not only drums but will become part of the writing team for the next album".
RoSfest 2011
Tinyfish played the Rites of Spring Festival RoSfest in Gettysburg, USA in May 2011. This show (along with a short tour of the UK) completed their promotion of the Big Red Spark album..
Discography
- TinyfishTinyfish Album- Track listing :# "Motorville" – 4:54# "Fly Like A Bird" – 4:11# "Nine Months On Fire" – 5:46# "Too High For Low Company" – 4:15# "All Of The People, All Of The Time" – 1:22# "Build Your Own Enemy" - 5:16# "God Eat God" - 3:12# "Sundried" - 1:56...
(2006; Lazy Gun Records; ISBN 643157382522) - Curious ThingsCurious Things- Track listing :# "The June Jar" – 3:20# "Ack Ack" – 0:25# "She's All I Want" – 3:03# "Driving All Night" – 4:12# "Why VHF?" – 8:18# "Wrecking Ball" - 3:28# "Cinnamon" - 6:03-Personnel:* Simon Godfrey – Lead vocals, guitars, guitar synthesizer, drums...
(2009; Lazy Gun Records / Festival Music; ISBN 643157403159) - One Night on FireOne Night On FireOne Night On Fire is a DVD and live album by the English progressive rock band Tinyfish. It was recorded during the band's performance at the Wyspianski Theatre, Katowice, Poland on 16th February 2009.- DVD Track listing :# "Honey Nut Loops"...
(2009; Metal Mind Productions) - The Big Red SparkThe Big Red SparkThe Big Red Spark is the second full-length album by the English progressive rock band Tinyfish.- Track listing :# "The Loose Ends" – 3:11 # "Rainland" – 6:54...
(2010; Festival Music)
Current members
- Simon Godfrey (vocals, guitars, guitar synthesizer and drums)
- Jim Sanders (guitars, guitar synthesizer and backing vocals)
- Paul Worwood (bass)
- Rob Ramsay (spoken word, harmonica)
- Leon Camfield (drums, percussion, backing vocals)