Chris Wood is an uncompromising writer whose music reveals his love for the un-official history of the English speaking people. With gentle intelligence he weaves the tradition with his own contemporary parables.
A self-taught musician, composer and song writer, Chris is a lifelong autodidact whose independent streak shines through everything he does. Always direct and unafraid to speak his mind, his song writing has been praised for its surgical clarity. He cites his major influence as “Anon”.
He was recently asked to write a short essay for Radio 3 which he said he nearly didn’t do saying:
” I seem to be at a place in my life where I’m turning down everything that comes along.
But, as it turns out, I’m pleased I didn’t back out of this one. It seemed to give me permission to think without having to shoehorn everything into song. The song can be quite a restricting form. It has to be succinct, focussed, difficult to justify rambling, but this little essay somehow manages to become a succinct ramble…”
You can have a listen here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b0x18w
His most recent album ‘So Much to Defend’ has received wide critical acclaim and includes reflections on minor league football, empty nest syndrome, learning to swim, Cook-in Sauce and, not least, the Gecko as a metaphor for contemporary society.
Hollow Point; his chilling ballad of the shooting of Jean Charles Menezez, won a BBC Folk Award (he’s won six.) and emphatically secured Wood’s place as a serious speech-master for the unofficial history of England.
Collaborators include Martin Carthy, Dizraeli, Billy Bragg, Andy Cutting, Andy Irvine, Karine Polwart, Jean Francois Vrod, The Imagined Village, Hugh Lupton, Martin Butler and many others.
On stage Chris has the air of a craftsman who no longer needs to be precious about his art. Without any apparent effort he reaches deep into an enviable repertoire of songs before revealing another gem
“The art school bloke said I had a remarkable eye for trivia, like it was a bad thing.”
….We felt he was worthy of a Spiral Award for his songwriting in 2014 ?!
He is out on an extensive tour this Autumn catch him live on the following dates:
09/11/2018 Tolbooth Stirling Jail Wynd, STIRLING, FK8 1DE. www.stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth 01786 274000 £14/£12 8:00PM10/11/2018
The Hug & Pint 171 Great Western Road, GLASGOW, G4 9AW. www.thehugandpint.com/ 0141 331 1901 £15 8:15PM11/11/2018
Traverse Theatre Cambridge Street, EDINBURGH, Mid Lothain, EH1 2ED, Scotland.
https://www.traverse.co.uk/visiting/b ox-office/ 0131 228 1404 8:00PM12/11/2018
Middlesbrough Town Hall
Albert Road, MIDDLESBROUGH, TS1 2QQ. www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk 01642 729729 £14 7:30PM13/11/2018
The Storey Meeting House Lane,, LANCASTER, LA1 1TH. http://www.thestorey.co.uk/14/11/2018
The Met Market Street, BURY, Lancs, BL9 0BW. www.themet.biz 0161 7612216 8:00PM16/11/2018
Howard Assembly Room Opera North Ltd., 46 New Briggate, LEEDS, LS1 6NU. www.howardassemblyroom.co.uk 0844 848 2727 7:45PM17/11/2018
Guildhall, Leicester Guildhall Lane, LEICESTER, LE1 5FQ.
0116 253 2569 / wegottickets £14 tbc 8:00PM18/11/2018
Kitchen Garden Café 17 York Road , Kings Heath, BIRMINGHAM, B14 7SA. www.kitchengardencafe.co.uk 0121 443 472520/11/2018
West End Centre Queens Road, ALDERSHOT, Hampshire, GU11 3JD. www.westendcentre.co.uk 01252 330040 £14/£1222/11/2018
Oxford Quaker Meeting House
43 St Giles’,, OXFORD, OX1 3LW. www.23/11/2018
The Marine Theatre Church Street, LYME REGIS, Dorset, DT7 3QA.
www.marinetheatre.com 01297 442138 £14 adv, £16.50 on the dor 7:30PM24/11/2018
Folk House The Folk House, 40a Park Street, BRISTOL, BS1 5JG. www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk 0117 9262987 £14/£1625/11/2018
The Goose is Out! The Ivy House, Stuart Road, NUNHEAD, London, SE15 3BE.
www.thegooseisout.com www.wegottickets .com/thegooseisout
30/11/2018
The Junction Clifton Way, CAMBRIDGE, CB1 7GX. www.junction.co.uk 01223 511511 £15 8:00PM01/12/2018
Komedia Brighton 44-47 Gardner Street, BRIGHTON, BN1 1UN. www.komedia.co.uk/brighton 01273 64710005/12/2018
The Stables-Stage 2 The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, MILTON KEYNES, MK17 8LU. www.stables.org 01908 280800 £16 8:45PM06/12/2018
“IF I HAD A TOWEL I’D THROW IT IN” – CHRIS DIFFORD (SQUEEZE)
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