Band Members
Metheglin
Instruments
Metheglin play contemporary progressive folk on modern versions of medieval instruments. The music could be termed "experimental", and is a melodic blend of modern, medieval and dance, all underpinned with exciting percussion, driving bass lines and exotic instrumentation.
Whatever we play, it's always fun to listen to and we have fun playing - and it shows!
English Bagpipes are border pipes and the ones Pete plays here are made by Jon Swayne - a well known english bagpipe luthier from Glastonbury. These bagpipes are sweet and mellow when compared to almost any other type of bagpipe including the Scottish Highland pipes!
Hurdy-gurdys are another unusual instrument - though becoming more popular these days for the likes of Arcade Fire, Faun and Page-Plant to name a few.... The hurdy-gurdy has a truly distinctive sound and is perhaps one of the strangest musical instruments ever devised by man (or in this case probably monks!).
Metheglin features a range of hand percussion instruments from Djembe and Darabouka to hand bells and cabassas. Anything to beef up those dance rhythms!
We don't even have standard string instruments or guitars in this band - but feature the lovely octave Mandola; DADGAD tuning on the guitar and a bowed psaltery - fabulous overtones and harmonics!
We should mention that we do tend to do quite a lot of studio work with our music as well as all the live stuff. So you can always expect a high production standard and a fair amount of interesting additions - which has even included hitting a tin pan for additional percussive qualities!
Band
Pete
Pete "Peewee" Coleman - more usually noted for his studio work with bands such as AC/DC, The Charlatans and Echo and the Bunnymen - plays English border bagpipes.
Pete has so far been the mainstay of writing tunes for Metheglin, and together with Clare has produced some stunning melodies and harmonies. There is a richness to the sound from overlays of harmony and rhythm.
Clare
Clare plays the hurdy gurdy and is absolutely fabulous!! (Well ok, I am writing this...). She adds a quirky sense of fun to all our music.
Clare too has a strong influence on the music we write and play.
Mike
Mike plays Octave Mandola and DADGAD guitar with verve, style and immaculate timing. He provides a driving sense of rhythm for dance numbers and a sensitive, mesmerising quality to slow ballads. He brings an integral depth of sound to the Metheglin style.
Blanche
Blanche plays a range of hand percussion, bowed psaltery and recorders. She also has one of the most sultry, but sweet voices we have ever heard - a great impact on the direction our music will go in future.