The Band From County Hell

The Band From County Hell

The Band From County Hell are an eight-piece Celtic rock group from Sleaford, Lincoln, England. Founded in 1995 by frontman Steven McLelland, who originates from Glasgow and has played music all his life, the band build a sound around Scottish and Irish influences and a wide range of acoustic and folk instrumentation.

Style and sound

Their music combines Celtic folk and rock with original songs, traditional material, ballads and humour. The band are noted for recreating their recorded sound in live performance, and their arrangements use fiddle, guitar, bass, mandolin, whistle, banjo, pipes, accordion, drums, brass and piano.

Performances and activity

The Band From County Hell perform at art centres, music venues, festivals and theatres around the UK, and they have also played in France, Germany and Ireland. They appear with acts including The Stranglers, Hayseed Dixie, The Fine Young Cannibals, The Levellers, The Blockheads and Alabama 3. They also have a show at The London Palladium and perform at events such as the Manchester Irish Festival, Wychwood Festival, the Acoustic Festival of Britain and the Rhythm Festival.

Personnel

The group’s line-up includes Steven McLelland on guitar and vocals, Joolz McLelland on vocals and bodhran, Ben McLelland on fiddle, accordion, whistle, piano and uileann pipes, Mad Dawg Dowd on drums, Mugger Mulligan on bass, O'Brealey on trumpet, saxophone and trombone, Kenbar Furey on whistle, Filthy on mandolin, banjo and bazouki, and Hammer Mckeys on piano and keyboards.

Other work

The band have sold songs to filmmakers, celebrities and football teams, and their albums are described as critically acclaimed.