Rev Hammer

Rev Hammer

Rev Hammer is a folk and singer-songwriter artist from Kent, England, born in 1965. He works in folk rock and progressive folk, and is also associated with England and the UK as listed genres. He begins as a guitarist and singer who learns to play both at the same time, then spends 18 months busking before performing on stage.

Early releases and recordings

His debut album, Industrial Sound & Magic, arrives in 1991 on Cooking Vinyl. It is recorded in a cow shed in Essex on almost no budget, with The Levellers providing backing. His second album, Bishop Of Buffalo, also appears on Cooking Vinyl and mixes acoustic ballads with harder electric songs. Justin Sullivan produces the album, while Dave Blomberg of New Model Army plays guitar and Stepan Pasicynyk of The Ukrainians plays accordion.

The title Bishop Of Buffalo comes from the fact that Hammer is christened Stephen Ryan and discovers that he shares that name with a 19th-century Bishop of Buffalo. He researches the connection and sends a copy of the album to the then Bishop of Buffalo, who gives it his blessing.

Collaborations and touring work

In winter 1994 to 1995, Hammer joins the Serious Road Trip, a charity entertainment troupe, and tours refugee camps in Slovenia and Croatia with jugglers, clowns, DJs and other musicians. The work includes spontaneous performances at the camps and workshops that continue late into the night, with money raised through live shows in England and aid carried to disadvantaged areas.

In autumn 1995, two Hammer songs appear on major compilation and charity releases: Maid Of The River on The Levellers’ Zeitgeist and Searchlights on the Help album, which raises funds for war victims in Croatia and Bosnia.

The Red Sky Coven and other projects

Hammer is a founder member of The Red Sky Coven, formed in 1986 with poet Joolz and Justin Sullivan. The group combines acoustic songs, poetry, humour and storytelling, and performs in the tradition of travelling bards. It continues to attract audiences in the UK and Europe. He is also listed as a member of Freeborn John Theatre Company, The Fabulous Good Time Party Boys and Drunk in Public.

The Freeborn John project

Hammer starts work on the Freeborn John album in late 1995. The project takes two years to record and tells the story of John Lilburne, described in the material as England’s first radical and an unsung figure of the English Civil War. The songs involve contributions from Maddy Prior, The Levellers, Justin Sullivan, New Model Army, Eddi Reader, Rory McLeod, Harry S. Fulcher and Phil Johnstone. Phil produces the album, and Mike Gregovich handles the recording.

The Freeborn John show is performed at the Beautiful Days Festival, where it receives standing ovations on all three nights of the event mentioned. Hammer later continues to present the project live.

Later albums

After completing Freeborn John, Hammer records the acoustic Green Fool Recordings album in five days in summer 1996. He then makes Spitting Feathers with Phil Johnstone, describing the recording as involving 20 musicians. Among the musicians named are Rob Heaton, Jon Sevink, Pierre Noir, Martin Le Fop Pannett, Harry Fulcher and Rob Wheeler.

In 2010, Hammer releases Down in the Alley.