Dead Like Harry is a Sheffield-based sextet formed in spring 2007. The group comes together from a mix of friends who share an interest in writing and performing music. Its line-up includes songwriting brothers Matt and Sam Taylor, vocalist Alice Faraday, and the rhythm section of Robin Baker, John Redgrave and Adam Crofts.

Background

Matt and Sam Taylor have been performing since their early teens, and Sam begins singing on Sheffield stages from the age of fourteen. The band builds a repertoire from nearly a decade of material, putting long-developed songs into a new group setting. Their work is rooted in the local Sheffield live scene and develops through regular performances in the city and elsewhere in the UK.

Style and repertoire

Dead Like Harry’s music combines rock, blues, country and folk influences. The group describes its songs as direct, personal and written to be performed by the band together. Its sound also appears as intricately arranged pop, with accordion, fluid guitar lines, rolling keys and layered vocal harmonies.

Live activity and recognition

The band plays a range of UK gigs and has performed on larger stages as well as smaller, informal settings. It appears at Sheffield Hallam FM Arena in front of a crowd of 6,000 and also performs a moonlit serenade for a fan’s girlfriend for £20. The group supports Scouting for Girls, appears on the same bill as Paul Simon at Cornbury festival in Oxford, and finishes first runner-up in the Rockstar ’08 competition for a Glastonbury 2009 slot.

Recording work and collaborations

Dead Like Harry works with producer Alan Smyth, whose credits include Richard Hawley, Pulp and Arctic Monkeys. The collaboration is part of the band’s effort to turn its live profile into recorded material that reflects its blend of melody, musicianship and harmonies.

Critical response

The band receives attention from local press and from Steve Lamacq. Reviewers describe the music as well-crafted pop with strong melody, lyrical detail and notable musicianship, and several remarks focus on its hooks, harmonies and mix of traditional and contemporary influences.