Phil is from the south of England, where he honed his split personality playing electric guitar in pub bands and acoustic in folk clubs in the Brighton area. He later left a trail of broken strings in London, Leeds and Hull, whilst developing a knack of playing with people who would one day be famous, but not while he was around.
Now resident in Nottingham, Phil has been performing his songs for the past five years with guitarist and banjo-tamer, Steve Benford. Just lately they seem to have formed a band with Mark Walker on bass and Frank McCarthy on electric guitar. They are often joined by saxophonist Pippa Marland of Carmina. They sing the poignant lyrics of Langran. They play his plangent airs. Tears well up in the eyes of audience and performers alike.
As co-founders of the Beeston T-Party Songwriters Showcase, Phil and Steve are virtually guaranteed a gig once a year. They also have a talented daughter each – Hayley Benford and Rosa Langran play Shetland fiddle tunes, and their dads smack merry hell out of banjos and guitars. This is The Bengrans. Add the fiddles, flute and percussion of Milli Galgut, Edwina Crowder, Penny Benford and Gail McGregor and you have … Alamootie!, two-time winners of the Brigg Fiddle Festival busking competition. Phil also ventures out on solo dates and, whenever in Otley, Yorkshire, crashes about in the background while his fellow songwriter Dave Vermond tries to concentrate.
Phil has recorded three CDs of original songs: Learning by Heart (1997), Rain Don’t Fall (2002) and This Day (2005). A new CD featuring the present band line-up is due for release in 2009.
Rejected album titles include The Three-Wheeling Phil Langran, First We Take Long Eaton, Bringing it All Back Up, Streaks of Langran.
“Phil's amusing tales between songs added to the all round general feeling of well-being while listening to music of real heart written about the things that matter in life.” [Craven Herald & Pioneer, Review of the Otley Black Sheep Folk Festival]
“Phil Langran showed on 4th March what a fine songwriter and performer he is. Those of us who know him well have become accustomed to his excellent songs and they continue to impress and please even after previous hearings.” [John Chambers, Second Time Around Folk Club]
"Phil's songs pack a real emotional punch. His lyrics are wry and wistful with gorgeous Celtic-influenced melodies featuring acoustic guitar arrangements by Phil and long-time collaborator Steve Benford. With the addition of another three versatile and intelligent musicians/singers Mark Walker on fretless bass, Frank McCarthy on electric guitar, and Pippa Marland on sax and whistles the range of Phil's writing has widened to include American folk, blues, country and jazz influences. With great songs, classy arrangements and a great line in dry banter, Phil and Co. are firmly established Music Quarter favourites." [Ian Beestin, The Music Quarter]
“Phil Langran has long been a paid-up member of the Bushel and Light Hiding Co. Melodically his roots are mostly from across the pond; loping country chords, Appalachian ballad forms, with a Celtic slew here and there, notably on Dunmanus Bay, that sets a new standard in sea-gazing songs. But if the musical forms stay fairly close to the shore, it’s the lyrics that lift these songs way above the mundane. This is premier league wordsmithery, laced with lines that vault into your memory or detonate on third hearing. Complex but not over-wordy, there’s an emotional honesty at work here that doesn’t hide in the clever-clever. If there are obscure or ambivalent lines, then they’re not there by accident. As for themes, we’re firmly in Songwriter Central – regret, determination, death and disappearance, wry humour, love of course.” [Tykes’ News]
“Phillip is very keen to learn and is interested in the world around him. He is inclined to be a little too quiet at times, but he answers well in oral lessons.” [Mrs Marvin, Broomfield County Primary School]
Now resident in Nottingham, Phil has been performing his songs for the past five years with guitarist and banjo-tamer, Steve Benford. Just lately they seem to have formed a band with Mark Walker on bass and Frank McCarthy on electric guitar. They are often joined by saxophonist Pippa Marland of Carmina. They sing the poignant lyrics of Langran. They play his plangent airs. Tears well up in the eyes of audience and performers alike.
As co-founders of the Beeston T-Party Songwriters Showcase, Phil and Steve are virtually guaranteed a gig once a year. They also have a talented daughter each – Hayley Benford and Rosa Langran play Shetland fiddle tunes, and their dads smack merry hell out of banjos and guitars. This is The Bengrans. Add the fiddles, flute and percussion of Milli Galgut, Edwina Crowder, Penny Benford and Gail McGregor and you have … Alamootie!, two-time winners of the Brigg Fiddle Festival busking competition. Phil also ventures out on solo dates and, whenever in Otley, Yorkshire, crashes about in the background while his fellow songwriter Dave Vermond tries to concentrate.
Phil has recorded three CDs of original songs: Learning by Heart (1997), Rain Don’t Fall (2002) and This Day (2005). A new CD featuring the present band line-up is due for release in 2009.
Rejected album titles include The Three-Wheeling Phil Langran, First We Take Long Eaton, Bringing it All Back Up, Streaks of Langran.
“Phil's amusing tales between songs added to the all round general feeling of well-being while listening to music of real heart written about the things that matter in life.” [Craven Herald & Pioneer, Review of the Otley Black Sheep Folk Festival]
“Phil Langran showed on 4th March what a fine songwriter and performer he is. Those of us who know him well have become accustomed to his excellent songs and they continue to impress and please even after previous hearings.” [John Chambers, Second Time Around Folk Club]
"Phil's songs pack a real emotional punch. His lyrics are wry and wistful with gorgeous Celtic-influenced melodies featuring acoustic guitar arrangements by Phil and long-time collaborator Steve Benford. With the addition of another three versatile and intelligent musicians/singers Mark Walker on fretless bass, Frank McCarthy on electric guitar, and Pippa Marland on sax and whistles the range of Phil's writing has widened to include American folk, blues, country and jazz influences. With great songs, classy arrangements and a great line in dry banter, Phil and Co. are firmly established Music Quarter favourites." [Ian Beestin, The Music Quarter]
“Phil Langran has long been a paid-up member of the Bushel and Light Hiding Co. Melodically his roots are mostly from across the pond; loping country chords, Appalachian ballad forms, with a Celtic slew here and there, notably on Dunmanus Bay, that sets a new standard in sea-gazing songs. But if the musical forms stay fairly close to the shore, it’s the lyrics that lift these songs way above the mundane. This is premier league wordsmithery, laced with lines that vault into your memory or detonate on third hearing. Complex but not over-wordy, there’s an emotional honesty at work here that doesn’t hide in the clever-clever. If there are obscure or ambivalent lines, then they’re not there by accident. As for themes, we’re firmly in Songwriter Central – regret, determination, death and disappearance, wry humour, love of course.” [Tykes’ News]
“Phillip is very keen to learn and is interested in the world around him. He is inclined to be a little too quiet at times, but he answers well in oral lessons.” [Mrs Marvin, Broomfield County Primary School]