Sons of Noel and Adrian

Sons of Noel and Adrian

Sons of Noel and Adrian are a British indie folk group based in Brighton. They form one of the founding acts of the Willkommen Collective and are known for live performances that can involve up to thirteen musicians on stage, many of whom also play in other bands.

Formation and early line-up

The group forms in 2007 when Jacob Richardson and Tom Cowan begin writing together again in Brighton after previously writing and performing together in Burton-upon-Trent. Their sound develops from a shared interest in layered and intricate guitar music, with a style that sits on the darker edge of folk and crosses into other genres.

Violinist Mike Siddell, previously of Hope of the States and later with Lightspeed Champion, joins after living in Richardson’s girlfriend’s garage. William Calderbank, a cellist and co-founder of The Miserable Rich, also joins, establishing the core of the band.

Expanded collective

As the group’s recordings circulate locally, more musicians join the line-up, including Nick Hemming on banjo and mandolin and Helen Whitaker on flute, both from The Leisure Society. Other contributors include Marcus Hamblett on double bass from Kopek, Alistair Strachan on horns from Hamilton Yarns, Rowan Coupland on clarinet, Jo White on accordion from Red Dog Green Dog, Danny Green on percussion from Laish, and Catherine Cardin from Redwood Red.

Recordings

The band records its debut self-titled album in a converted chicken shed in Devon. The album is released in 2010 and distributed by Shellshock. Their second album, Knots, follows in 2012, and their third album, Turquoise Purple Pink, is released in 2016.