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…

< 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

< Simon Fish – Drums, percussion
Younger brother of Shrinks guitarist Tim, Simon added percussive colour to the band’s first 4 albums with his special Shrinks kit; a Heath-Robinson affair consisting of kitchen utensils, biscuit tins, bar stools and plastic buckets, all held together with yards of duct tape.
Before his stint with The Shrinks, Simon drummed for The Gun Club; the cult 1980s band that specialized in swampy cow-punk.  The remaining members of The Gun Club including Simon, reunited in 2009 for a tribute Album to their lead singer and writer Jeffrey Lee Pierce, whose untimely death spelt the end of the band. The album featured guest vocalists, which included Nick Cave, Julian Cope, Mark Lanegan and Debbie Harry.

< Jack Brown – Vocals / Drums
Jack is David’s 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.

< 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.

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

< 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).

< 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.

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.

< 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

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