• History •

The initial idea for Sackful of Sovereigns was born in the summer of 1995.  Inspired by a Steeleye Span concert Denise and Colin Harrison got together with Clare Rundle to form a band to play electric folk music.

Initially the trio were joined by songwriter Mike Gerrish on guitar, an old school friend of Denise's, Jane Rickards, on vocals and Tim Smith, a rather talented double bass player and guitarist. The initial idea, and one they have kept to ever since, was to play their own arrangements of traditional folk music on modern instruments - "Electric Folk".

This first line-up was short lived due to work and personal commitments.  Mike, Jane and Tim left (amicably) leaving the original three to carry on.  A poaching exercise was then tried on friend and keyboard player Jocelyn Clay but due to loyalty to her existing band she declined recommending that the three look for a drummer and bass player.  Enter Ian Drew at the "MELKSHAM NEWS" with an offer to run a piece on the band's search for two new members and so, on the 5th October 1995, an article appeared entitled :"Folk Group Seeks Members".

First to reply was Mark Griffin, who now occupies the drum stool, and then another drummer, but Mark had already secured the position.  Nobody else rang!  Then two weeks later the phone rang again: it was bass player, Phil Mundy. The line up was complete.

Rehearsals continued and a name was finally chosen (after much deliberation) and following discussions a sponsorship deal was set up for the use of sound equipment with Melksham based manufacturer CITRONIC Limited.

The band made its public debut, before an invited audience, on the 1996 Summer Solstice, June 21st, followed by tryout gigs through the autumn at venues in Bradford on Avon, Melksham and Trowbridge.  Gigging proper started in January 1997 at various venues in the area including an appearance at the Chippenham Folk Festival in May.  

On July 1st the band played the Tythe Barn for the Bradford on Avon Music Festival.  This gig saw the release of their first tape : "Small Change" (see "Tapes & CD's") which is receiving a good response and is available at the gigs.

In November 1997 Phil Mundy decided to leave for pastures new so the band actively sought a new bass player.  Adverts were placed, once again, in the local press.  Through contacts and friends three possible candidates came forward.  Following auditions the position was offered to Ian Spittal an excellent bass player and musician who had played with all styles of bands.  

Rehearsals got underway through December 1997 and January 1998 and Ian played his first gig with the band in February and become an integral part of the team both musically and socially ie he's got the same sense of humour.

At this time Mike Gerrish joined (again) as sound engineer for live as well as studio work becoming the sixth member as his role is so important. There are plans afoot to get him to play guitar one day.

During May the band went back into the studio and started recording tracks for their next tape.  Two tracks were completed in record (pun) time and were released on a special edition tape in time for their second appearance at the Chippenham Folk Festival.  The band had a superb gig at Chippenham and the main song, "Bound for the Promised Land", about a family of eight from Melksham who perished on the "Titanic", received acclaim from everybody who heard it.

Local BBC Radio Station "Wiltshire Sound" did a news story on Janet Hollerhead who had researched the Goodwin family and used parts of the song in the background. They then received numerous telephone requests to play the entire track which they duly did along with a live interview. They have since played a number of tracks, "Here Come the Navvies", Sackful of Sovereigns" and done further interviews.

During the summer plans were laid for a new CD and a new song, co-written by Mike and the band, about "Fred Kempster" the Melksham Giant was premiered at the Melksham Festival in September '98.

Colin snapped his achilles tendon playing squash in October and spent three months in plaster getting out of all the gear humping and doing gigs seated.

Progress on the new CD continued to be slow into '99 and it was finally completed in late summer with the title "Up to the Hilt".

Clare announced that she was planning to marry and probably move away from the area so late autumn was spent considering the band's options as to the way forward with a decision to seek a new instrumentalist/vocalist as soon as possible.

In December Clare married and moved to Essex and the band played Warminster Folk Club as a four piece handing out leaflets in the search for a new member. From that gig we were given a contact for a flute and soprano saxophone player from Frome, Wiltshire and at the start of 2000, after a couple of rehearsals, Kevin Butler joined the line-up.

No sooner was Kevin in than Ian announced he was emigrating to Ireland so a new bass player was needed. Within a week Steve Sawyer, an friend who had actually turned down the position after Phil left, agreed to take on the bass slot.

Rehearsals continued through the spring and early summer and the first gig of the new line-up was at The Rachel Fowler Centre in Melksham on July 9th 2000 to a good reaction.

Continuing with rehearsals through the Autumn of 2000 with a few test gigs the band has now put together a full set and are back on the road.

The sound has changed a bit with the introduction of the saxophone but all the old favourites are there along with a few new surprises.

Due to Mike's work commitments we lose him on the sound desk (very careless) though he may return at some point.

May 2002 - March 2003 saw the recording of "In for a Penny" at Littleton Studios and the CD was released in the summer to coincide with our Chalford Charity festival gig in July.

And so we come to the Autumn of 2003 and Kevin's announcement that he is emigrating on a shiny new ship to "The Promised Land" (actually it is the ferry to the Emerald Isle - what is it with Ireland and members of this band?). After three years of superb playing at the gigs, and some really excellent work on the CD "In for a Penny", Kevin plays his final full gig with the band at the Chippenham Arts Festival in November and we start to look for a replacement for him (a hard act to follow).

After a few auditions Phil Mundy, our original bass player, suggests a fiddle player from Bradford on Avon called Ben Osborne. An initial get together clicks and we invite Ben to join the band which he accepts.

Once more we plough into rehearsals to get the sets back together. Ben makes his unofficial debut with the band at Kevin's farewell party which is held in the Cafe Blue in Frome. All the musicians and bands that Kevin has played with over the years are in attendance and he ends up spending most of the night on the stage. A good time is had by all and Kevin gets a good send off.

Back to rehearsals and another unofficial debut, without Mark, playing background music for the Westbury Rotary Club at a twinning event where, needless to say, Ben's virtuosity is very much appreciated.

And so to August 2004 and Ben's official debut at the Rachel Fowler Centre. Once again the sound of the band has changed with the fiddle giving us a folkier sound again, with a few more jigs and reels in the set, and some three part harmony. We're also introducing mandolin into some songs.

Ben has fitted into the line-up very well so the next task is going to be a new CD. Watch this space.

..... to be continued.