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Special
guests and friends:
The Shrinks have been very fortunate
in having the pick of some of the most talented players and singers
in Bristol and beyond to play with. So, a big thank you to the
following…
< Jake Peggs - Drums
A Londoner by birth, Jake arrived in Bristol in 1978 after studying Architectural Glass at Swansea College of Art and has never left!
Apart from adding his precise percussion to The Shrinks, Jake has drummed for many Bristol bands including: The Builders, the Jo Swan Band, Sea Culture, Five Flights Up, the Ambling Band and since 2013, the Open Secrets. Jake is never happier than when making music. |
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< Guy Prichard – Lead
guitar. Banjo. Harmonica. Vocals.
At a musical fund-raising evening in 1998 at a primary school in Bristol, Guy’s musical antenna began to vibrate on hearing a rendition of the John Prine song 'The Bottomless Lake' sung as a duet by another school parent, David Brown and his 9-year-old son Jack. By the time they had reached the line ”wear clean underwear”, the notion of The Shrinks was born.
Many years before that fateful evening, Guy had made his living as a professional act, singing and playing guitar and harmonica in pubs and clubs around London and the south east, until circumstances forced him to trade the minstrel life for a more regular job that could support his growing family.
Guy played and recorded with the band he helped to create until his job took him away to London in 2009.
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< James Ryan – Drums
Apart from his stint with The Shrinks (2006 – 2010), James’ metronomic beat has driven many top Bristol bands, including Gee Baby I love you (which James co-founded), Tabula Rasa, The Cartwrights, The Angel Band, Cindy Stratton, The Nightcaps and Apache Dropout.
James is also well travelled, having toured with Mystery Slang, Edwyn Collins and Alison Moyet as well as recording an album with Mike Crawford’s The Lost Weekend under the auspices of Booker T Jones (of MGs fame) and an album with the Southernaires produced by Robin Millar (Sade, Fine Young Cannibals) in London.
James also drummed for Nashville’s Kevin Montgomery, whose English touring band included two other Shrinks; Dave Lewis on Bass and Sean Snook on guitar. |
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< George
Smith- Tunesmith, guitar
Long time friend and chief song writing collaborator of David
Brown, George lives in South West France where he regularly
performs either as a solo artist or with his band, The Great
Shakes. As well as co-writing many of The Shrinks most popular
songs, George can be heard playing guitar on the song Potato
heart from Horfield to Hollywood. Discover more about George
by visiting www.georgesmithmusik.com
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< Sam Brown – Guitar / Writer / Photographer
David’s eldest son has taken most of the great photographs you see on this site and on all Shrinks albums. In 2011, his role increased when he wrote his first song with his father (Me & McCartney) and played rhythm guitar on another That’s How It Looks track; Sunday Worship.
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< Jack Brown – Vocals / Drums
Jack is David’s youngest son and is responsible for the haunting yet familial tone on the duet: The Beetle Eats the Cathedral (More Damned Lies). Jack has also sat in on the drumming stool when the band has been short of a live beat.
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< Kevin Garnett – Lead Guitar
Canadian Kev spent the 1970s touring with the Ottawa-based rock bands Chucklebait and Flyer, the latter playing support for both Alice Cooper and Long John Baldry in the city.
When that scene came to an end, Kevin got himself a 9 to 5 and in 2005 work brought him and his family to Bristol for a few years. Meeting through David’s Brother Bill, and recognizing a musical kindred spirit, Kevin became a regular Shrink between 2007 and 2009 trading licks with Guy on the occasions when Tim couldn’t make the gig. Kevin returned to Ottawa in 2009 but left his mark on Modern Sounds of Cotham and Westbury with his tender Dobro slide work on the track Jones Street and 4th.
In February 2012, Kevin flew in from Ottawa for the weekend to add his Stratmospheric groove to the live sessions that became the That’s How It Looks album. He also co-wrote Sunday Worship, the eighth track. Then he flew back and is sorely missed. |
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Gene Dunford – Tunesmith Gene was introduced to the Shrinks by his old friend Guy Prichard (see above), and the association has very much helped to shape the band’s seventh album ‘Kissed By The Queen’, with Gene creating the music for David Brown’s lyrics on 11 of the 15 tracks.
Gene also writes for Bristol band Moksha (www.ftgmusic.uk) and plays guitar with local blues combo, Blue Beyond. |
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Colin Tully – Saxophones
Colin’s soulfully intuitive saxophone playing on Further Along the Road (Soul Ironing) and Modern Sounds of Cotham and Westbury (Sunday Morning Music) are musical high spots on both albums. If you’d like to hear more, pick up a copy of the soundtrack of Bill Forsyth’s award-winning film Gregory’s Girl or John Martyn’s Island Anthology: Sweet little Mysteries. To hear Colin’s special brand of Celtic Jazz live, check out his band Sensorium on local listings or via www.celticjazzrecords.com |
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< Henry Shaftoe – Drums
Although a superb vibraphone player, Henry is probably best known for his sensitive jazz inflected drumming, which has made him a very popular and in-demand musician around Bristol. As well as deputizing for James Ryan when he fractured his elbow, Henry has lent his rhythmic skills to The Ambling Band, Pan Woman, Sarah Menage, Francis Butt, Zango, The Pindrop Band, Popacatapetl, Tabula Rasa and the Celtic Jazz ensemble Sensorium with Colin Tully (see above).
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< Martin Soloman - Accordion
Martin is one of Bristol’s most talented multi-instrumentalists
and is very much in demand as a performer and session player
(www.martinsolomon.com).
Martin regularly accompanies Steve Hogg (see below) and is
one of the founding members of The Pindrop Band (www.pindropclub.co.uk).
He has also played live with the Shrinks.
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Piers Partridge – Dobro
and Mandolin
Piers is a professional composer, multi-instrumentalist and
the leading light of The Pindrop Band (www.pindropclub.co.uk),
he also added all those delicious flourishes to Nature/Nurture
(On the Stoop).
Gill Malpass - Vocals
Another member of the famed Bristol a cappella troupe, Naked
Voices (www.naked-voices.co.uk), Gill’s harmonies
are well at home on Where we Live (Horfield to Hollywood).
Ian
Garbutt - Trombone
As well as a mean trombone, Ian plays bass guitar, saxophone,
clarinet and whistle and can be found juggling several
of these in
the Cajun influenced Polka quartet, The Blue Badgers. |
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< Steve
Hogg - Vocals
Steve is one of Bristol’s finest singer/songwriters. After
you’ve checked out his contribution on Friendly Fire (On
the Stoop), check out www.stevehogg.net
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David Poore -
Strings
David is well-respected Bristol-based Television and Film composer
who added the emotive string parts to Anthony and Lois (Horfield
to Hollywood). You can listen to some of David’s more
famous pieces at www.davidpoore.com
Mary Yarwood - Fiddle
Mary played her violin on Rooster Do (Horfield to Hollywood)
after a recommendation from Jim Tigwell (www.theacousticroom.co.uk/tigwell.html),
a well-known Bristol Country Blues finger-picker, who once
played bass alongside David Brown and George Smith in The Trainspotters |
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